# Ditch a 330i for an E28 M5? Your thoughts



## STEVE46 (Aug 25, 2004)

So I am thinking I might get rid of my 2001 330i and get something older. I know I know... why give up a car with 35k miles and a warrenty for something that could have problems down the road? Well, my CPO 330i is having clutch issues and the suspension feels really loose. I've had it checked by the dealer and everything is "normal". I'm none too satisfied with that, so I've been kinda thinking about ditching it and getting something else. Well, I came across a 1988 E28 M5 and I was wondering what you guys think. Here are the details: 1988 M5, 69k original miles, everything is mechanically sound, 1 owner with all service records, all electrical goodies work, the paint and interior are supposedly in mint condition, and it's been garage kept. A BMW Car Club member is selling the car, so I would think it's been well cared for. The asking price is $18,000, which I think is a bit high. So I'm looking for opinions from you E28 M5 owners. What do you think? Will it be reliable? I know it will cost more to repair than a normal 5 series, but what problems have you guys encountered? Any info you can give me would be great! I've driven E28 cars before, but never an M5. I love the way they ride and handle. Not as tight as my 330i, but good enough for me.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

Though it's a sound car overall, if this is going to be a daily driver, I wouldn't do it. It actually sounds cheap for that many miles and the condition it supposedly is in. And you'd really want to keep it in as good a shape as possible, even if you do put miles on it. And that's not cheap. Keeping a car that age _running_ isn't a big deal. Keeping it in a condition it deserves to be in is a completely different story.


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## philippek (Jul 31, 2003)

Kaz said:


> Keeping a car that age _running_ isn't a big deal. Keeping it in a condition it deserves to be in is a completely different story.


Agreed. Not that I think any car should be a garage queen, but those e28 m5s are unique, and should be well kept.

If you're looking for a miler, I'm sure you could pick up a nice 535is of the same vintage for half the price you're looking at (maybe less).


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

Kaz said:


> Though it's a sound car overall, if this is going to be a daily driver, I wouldn't do it. It actually sounds cheap for that many miles and the condition it supposedly is in. And you'd really want to keep it in as good a shape as possible, even if you do put miles on it. And that's not cheap. Keeping a car that age _running_ isn't a big deal. Keeping it in a condition it deserves to be in is a completely different story.


The E28 M5s are a lot more expensive and time consuming to keep up in any given condition than nearly all other cars that age, including non-M E28s.

This one sounds like it's in great shape and the asking price is in line to being a little on the low side for the mileage and reported condition. I would pursue it if I was still looking for one and hadn't already reluctantly given up on the idea of an E28 M5 (based on an honest self-assessment of where the car would fall short of meeting my needs).


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

·clyde· said:


> The E28 M5s are a lot more expensive and time consuming to keep up in any given condition than nearly all other cars that age, including non-M E28s.


Well, it's actually not that different in terms of upkeep compared to even a 528e. Aside from valve adjustments on the engine (every 15k or so) and the few hard-to-find M-only parts, it's not a huge deal. But what I'm saying, is that such a good-condition E28M5 deserves way more upkeep than a regular old 528e, which nobody would mind too much if it was driven into the ground. "1st generation" M cars will generally be pretty reliable, and retain their value even with mileage in the mid 100ks, but only if the whole car is kept up. This is definitely the case for E24M6s, and I would imagine it's the same for the M5, which was built in smaller numbers.

I agree with Philippe. If you want a E28 for a daily in this day and age, find a nice 535is cheap. Or if you're intent on a M5, find something that's more in the 125k mi and $14,000 range.

Oh, and the S38 is a pretty thirsty engine. If you're used to getting mid 20s for MPG, get used to taking about 10MPG off that figure.


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