E28 for sale (http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=170996441&dealer_id=668455&car_year=1988&make=BMW&distance=100&max_price=&model=M5&advcd_on=n&end_year=1999&min_price=&certified=n&address=98052&search_type=used&advanced=n&start_year=1984&color=&cardist=8)

i haven't talked to the guy yet, but is that a little overpriced? are e28's somewhat realiable (im only 17 so i can't afford TOO much repair costs...)?

is it decently fast?

(im only 17 so i can't afford TOO much repair costs...)?


Please don't take this the wrong way, but this sentence totally disqualifies you from owning an M5, especially an E28. Find a nice E28 535i 5-speed and enjoy that for a few years, get used to dealing with the car, and then decide if you want to jump into M5-levels of maintenance costs.

There isn't enough info on that link to make a good estimate on what the car is worth.

The E28 M5 is a little more raw than the E34 and especially the E39 M5s, but it is also lighter and more tossable. It is a very sweet car and I'm contemplating either an E34 or E28 M5 to round out my collection of 5ers.

Decently fast? It's all up to what you consider decent. It is fairly quick with 256hp on tap, but I really don't think it could outun an E36 M3.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but this sentence totally disqualifies you from owning an M5, especially an E28. Find a nice E28 535i 5-speed and enjoy that for a few years, get used to dealing with the car, and then decide if you want to jump into M5-levels of maintenance costs.


whats wrong with that sentence? im only 17 so if its gonna be constantly breaking on me, i wont be able to afford it. :dunno

whats wrong with that sentence? im only 17 so if its gonna be constantly breaking on me, i wont be able to afford it. :dunno
Put it this way. You're looking at a 16 year old car that will need maintenance and repairs dues to the age and mileage. To get an idea on those costs, click on this link and check parts prices for an M5. Also, the prices on this site are pretty cheap, so if you go to your stealer, it'll be MUCH MORE. http://rust.mine.nu/bmw/

whats wrong with that sentence? im only 17 so if its gonna be constantly breaking on me, i wont be able to afford it. :dunno

The E28 M5 is very affordable to BUY. It is very expensive to run. Can you budget an additional $200/month in maintenance/repairs? That is a very conservative estimate. Buy the wrong car, and it will cost you $4-10k to run a couple of years.

I cannot stress enough the importance of a very thorough mechanical inspection by a mechanic qualified to work on and familiar with an S38/M88 engine and the rest of the systems on the car, such as the SLS. Many are not.

Do you know how much a valve job costs? Do you realize a good used engine is probably $5k minimum? The seats get worn out and cost a fortune to replace or repair, as do the M5 specific interior pieces and body pieces, wheels, etc.. All of the heating, AC, electrical systems are going to be in various states of disrepair.

These are phenomenal cars, don't get me wrong. I am still planning to buy myself a nice one within the next year (if one of many other scenarios does not occur), but I may be at a slightly different position in life, and I couldn't have bought one at your age, even though the purchase price was in reach. It is not really a good daily driver IMHO, although it can certainly be done. I am looking at one as a 3rd car, with a daily and a weekend/track car in the garage.

There are some pristine E28 M5s to be had, but they are lower mileage, say 60-80k, and cost $14-16k to buy.

ok, well thanks for the info people. from the sounds of it i could probably afford it...but i dont wanna be having to drop all my money just to keep it running....oh well, maybe in a few years. :dunno

If you really want an E28 M5 right now, it is possible. You will need to have two cars. First, you need an inexpensive, reliable Honda or Toyota for your daily driver, nasty weather car. Spend $3-5k on that. Then, get an M5 for $10k.

By owning the daily driver, your insurance on the M5 will most likely be substantially lower than it would be if it was your only car, enough to make an appreciable difference, even after the cost of insurance for both cars is added. (It would cost me at least $150 to insure the NSX as my only car, but the TL and NSX are only $100 total)

When I say it will cost at least $200/month to repair the M5, that of course is not going to be incurred at a steady rate. You will have six months without repairs, and then have to drop $2k. At a minimum you will need to have a credit card to keep it running.

The beauty of the daily driver is it allows you survive while the M5 is in the shop or waiting for the money to go into the shop (in which case I would still say no). And it allows you to leave the M5 in the garage (Please tell me you will have a garage for your M, otherwise perhaps you should pass) when the weather or situation dictate.

Insurance on old M5's is not really a problem (atleast where l live). It was the same as what it cost to insure my 1993 325i.

Being 17 you are really going to have money problems owning an M5. I wouldn't recommend one unless its your dream car and you are going to be fully committed to it.

You should only look at private party E28 M5's that have around 100k miles (it will be really hard to find one with low mileage for $10k) and no more than a 2 owner history. You want to find one that's been garaged its whole life and has a full maitenance history.

You should also look for M5's that have the SLS (self leveling suspension) replaced with normal struts/shocks. A recent valve adjustment would be a good thing to look for.

If you do all the maitenance that you can on your own (fluid changes, lubrication, etc.) you will save big time in shop charges and future shop repairs.

Another thing about the E28 M5 is that its a pretty big gas hog. Gas mileage is only 10 mpg. Could get really expensive if you drive a lot of miles.

You'll probably want a daily driver. Not just because of the gas, but because you will be afraid to leave the car alone in public places.

finished my rant, good luck with the M5!

Hey slash im in the same boat as you. Im 16 and i would love nothing more than an E28 M5. Unless you have a job the pays a good salary, don't get one. Everyone's areguements above are true. 535's are pretty quick. You should think about them. They are so much easier to maintain, and just own all together. There not as fast as an M5, but hey, i love what i have and take great pride in it.

HTH, Nick

Hey slash im in the same boat as you. Im 16 and i would love nothing more than an E28 M5. Unless you have a job the pays a good salary, don't get one. Everyone's areguements above are true. 535's are pretty quick. You should think about them. They are so much easier to maintain, and just own all together. There not as fast as an M5, but hey, i love what i have and take great pride in it.

HTH, Nick

This is probably your best option. The E28 535i is a very nice car. I almost bought a gorgeous, 73k 1987 (Bronzit/beige) 5spd in 1997, but he wanted more than $9k for it (and it was almost worth it, sometimes I wish I had bought that car . . .)

They respond very well to mods (as do the M5s) and are much less expensive to run. Even in stock form they were 7.0 second to sixty, low 15 second 140+ MPH cars.

If I ever had or chose to spend considerably less on my automotive pursuits, that would be a car I would be all over.

You could get a gorgeous garage queen for $7k, and very nice drivers for a lot less. These cars run a very long time.

I think your situation is looking up. Go find a nice 535i (try the Roundel classifieds at www.bmwcca.org and the usual sources, autotrader, etc) and start living the BMW dream in a way that won't break the bank.

As for mods, just take a look at Nick's sig above for just what you need to start with. I love Tri-Flo Exhausts!

If anyone is interested, a friend has an E28 M5 for sale here in Philadelphia. It is cosmetically excellent and I'm pretty sure it is mechanically as well. It has over 100K miles (not sure exactly how many) and is being sold only because the owner got a good deal on a 95 540 Sport. PM if you want any info.

I have to say, it's pretty cool to hear teenagers wanting to buy older BMWs that are as close to, or as old as they are, as opposed to a tricked out Honda/Mitsu, etc.
Keep the passion going and just save up the $$. It'll be an investment that brings much happiness that many of your peers just don't understand.

Good luck.

I have to say, it's pretty cool to hear teenagers wanting to buy older BMWs that are as close to, or as old as they are, as opposed to a tricked out Honda/Mitsu, etc.
Keep the passion going and just save up the $$. It'll be an investment that brings much happiness that many of your peers just don't understand.

Good luck.

right on :buttrock

im so freakin tired of all these moron kids with their god damn hondas. It's such a joke. i would love to see their faces after they get wasted by a 1980's bmw.

right on :buttrock

im so freakin tired of all these moron kids with their god damn hondas. It's such a joke. i would love to see their faces after they get wasted by a 1980's bmw.

Ricers aside, lets try to take it easy on the Hondas . . .

Yes It's great to see some young guys w/ some taste in cars. Don't give up owning an old M5, they aren't that unreliable, but it is an old car so you have to be ready for stuff. They are the same price as a used Honda, just have a couple bucks to keep it going strong. 3 cheers for youngins who like old M cars :buttrock

Ricers aside, lets try to take it easy on the Hondas . . .


you know what i mean :rolleyes

i know hondas are great reliable economy cars...but they're not sports cars....aside from the S2k...