External links now open in a new browser tab - turn this off in your UCP - Read more here.

Highest Mileage e28?

General conversations about BMW E28s and the people who own them.
Post Reply
davintosh
Posts: 13960
Joined: Jan 28, 2009 1:05 AM
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Contact:

Highest Mileage e28?

Post by davintosh »

Bragging Time! If you have an e28 with more than 300,000 miles, comment below to tell us how many miles are on your car and a little about it.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

A post on FB had some kid with a 200k mile e34 535i commenting about the oil he used in it; 5W40, and bragging about how the car loved it. He didn’t seem to appreciate being corrected on what he should be using, defending his choice by saying it only leaks a little, and doesn’t burn any. Well, Sonny, that’s not the big concern. But I digress, and have absolutely no desire to start another discussion about oil!

But that got me to thinking about how many people here who have managed to keep their cars running for decades with proper maintenance. A search led me to a few decade-plus-old threads, one with comments from RonW about his 535 with about that many thousand miles on it. But that was from 2013. I’m pretty sure that Ron kept his going to at least 555,555 because I used the photo of his odometer in the calendar. I think I heard that he retired that car, but by now there ought to be some others that have hit some serious milestones as well.

I won’t mention mine since (as far as I know) it doesn’t even have 100k on it.
Tiit
Posts: 303
Joined: Oct 06, 2017 6:27 AM
Location: Canberra

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by Tiit »

I bought my 535i 6 years ago with odo stopped at 400 000 km. (250 000 miles). No idea when the odo stopped and how much driven since. I've put on maybe 20 000km.
Mike W.
Posts: 27514
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: California Whine Country

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by Mike W. »

I had 330K on mine when I sold it years ago and from smog test history it appeared to have gone at least another 4 years past that. But I'm just a piker, I think Jim E and RonW both have over 500K on theirs, and I think ShawnD is at least pushing, if not way over 400K.

Don't know who has the record, but those are up there.
stuartinmn
Posts: 9589
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: Minneapolis

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by stuartinmn »

davintosh wrote: Dec 31, 2023 3:55 PM I won’t mention mine since (as far as I know) it doesn’t even have 100k on it.
Wow, that's pretty unusual in this day and age - that amounts to only a few thousand miles a year.

I forget the exact number but my car has 220,000 or so on the odometer, so it's no where close to the record either.
Chimi-Changa
Posts: 1693
Joined: Nov 08, 2011 11:02 PM
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by Chimi-Changa »

I bet Ahab will win this... :D
vinceg101
Posts: 4981
Joined: Jun 20, 2007 2:40 AM
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by vinceg101 »

Not an E28, but Ray in Phoenix just rolled 445K earlier this month on his E24.
He bought it with 365K on it.

(My E28 rolled 206K in November, so I have a while before it gets to 300K).
Ray in Phoenix
Posts: 1440
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by Ray in Phoenix »

Thanks Vince,
My E28 has about 300,00o on it, but quit keeping track when I put in the Euro cluster....
Doing a B35 conversion, so it really does not matter....
As for the my Euro E24,,, she is a beast, and I can not take credit for most of the miles, and am
hoping SoCal Vintage does the year of the E24's in 2024, and she will be at the event.
I am hoping to pull in with 450,000 miles at that time.
Ray in Phoenix.
Shawn D.
Beamter
Beamter
Posts: 22162
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Contact:

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by Shawn D. »

The original engine in my '86 535i called it quits at 488K. That's not "babied" miles, either.
Mike W.
Posts: 27514
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: California Whine Country

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by Mike W. »

Shawn D. wrote: Dec 31, 2023 11:14 PM The original engine in my '86 535i called it quits at 488K. That's not "babied" miles, either.
I thought you had one of the high mileage ones.

So, just how did the engine call it quits? More on the earlier M30s, but the heads are to me the weak link, but I wouldn't call a head problem calling it quits. :dunno:
Shawn D.
Beamter
Beamter
Posts: 22162
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Contact:

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by Shawn D. »

Mike W. wrote: Dec 31, 2023 11:39 PM
Shawn D. wrote: Dec 31, 2023 11:14 PM The original engine in my '86 535i called it quits at 488K. That's not "babied" miles, either.
I thought you had one of the high mileage ones.

So, just how did the engine call it quits? More on the earlier M30s, but the heads are to me the weak link, but I wouldn't call a head problem calling it quits. :dunno:
The timing chain decided to no longer be a loop.
austin8753
Posts: 1518
Joined: May 16, 2010 1:37 AM
Location: Portland, Oregon, USA

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by austin8753 »

i parted an '82 528e out a few years ago at 719k miles. i saved the speedometer, somewhere... odometer still counted, though the car had been off the road since 2007. lot of miles to cover in 25 years.
davintosh
Posts: 13960
Joined: Jan 28, 2009 1:05 AM
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Contact:

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by davintosh »

austin8753 wrote: Jan 01, 2024 4:45 AM i parted an '82 528e out a few years ago at 719k miles. i saved the speedometer, somewhere... odometer still counted, though the car had been off the road since 2007. lot of miles to cover in 25 years.
That’s averaging almost 28,000 miles a year! Pretty awesome, and with an M20…
Mdreamer
Posts: 532
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by Mdreamer »

My parents bought my car new in 1985 and its odometer stopped about 10 years ago at 34x,xxx miles. The car has been off the road the last year and a half, but I've had the cluster rebuilt, so once it is back on the road the miles will continue to rise after the hiatus. For what it is worth, I estimate about 20,000 miles to have been added by me in the last five years or so.
jyl
Posts: 138
Joined: Jun 02, 2016 8:59 PM
Location: Oregon

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by jyl »

My 1986 535i has 364,XXX miles. Almost all by the original owner - it was a one-owner car when I bought it not that long ago. Hoping to see 500,XXX under my ownership!
Galahad
Posts: 563
Joined: Sep 06, 2016 9:08 PM
Location: Beverly/Worcester, MA
Contact:

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by Galahad »

The diesel I just parted had a bit over 343k. Pity to see it go, but the body was really bad and the good parts live on
austin_caccavo
Posts: 260
Joined: Feb 16, 2014 12:50 PM
Location: Sacramento, California
Contact:

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by austin_caccavo »

I just hit 399k in my E28 M5... only another month or so until I see the big 400
RetiredDoc
Posts: 1318
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: Aiken SC

Re: Highest Mileage e28?

Post by RetiredDoc »

346,000. 1986 528e purchased new. History dates back to Roadfly for you other older guys. It has been a daily driver for three of my family, spent 4 outdoor years at college and 4 more years at grad school. Repainted by BMW dealership’s body shop once.  It’s on instrument cluster number three, and though you may find it hard to believe it is still on clutch number two. Has a Bavarian Auto chip. Garaged queened for the past 21 years and driven gently mostly on Sunday afternoons around private roads on 25 year old tires. Spare tire is original, never been used, and holds air. Maybe I’ll get around to buying her new Michelin tires this year. 
Post Reply