SOLD: 1988 528e 5-speed w/LSD

[doug]

I have had this car for maybe 15 years, but for the past ten years or so it's been used by my son, and driven fairly seldom. Currently has about 215k miles. My son was attending school on the east coast and when he graduated in April, I flew out and drove it back with him. The car never missed a beat, and returned a respectable 30-ish mpg.

Way back when, I lived in the desert, and the missing clearcoat and bronzit beige paint here and there wasn't a big deal. Now that I live near the coast that missing paint is turning into surface rust at an alarming rate, so I need to get the thing out of here ASAP.

Besides the paint (or lack thereof) issues, there are a few others:

• dent on each front fender
• A/C compressor is dead
• driver's door lock cylinder doesn't work (includes a complete set of locks/keys from another car)
• interior is okay, but seams are torn on drivers seat so we've been using sheep skins for a while
• headliner is hanging in there, but has the typical tears on/near C-pillar
• cracked dash
• growling u-joint (this just started up near the end of our recent trip)
• tires have decent tread, but are about seven years old and showing their age
• assorted rubber parts show typical signs of aging
• circuit on fuse #5 has intermittent short somewhere.

It has a fairly low mileage factory front windshield and no visible structural rust.

Some photos available here: link.

[Punnzzells]

Pictures help in your thread.

[doug]

Yeah, sorry, life was getting in the way.  I finally added a link to some photos on Google Drive.  No updates on the car, it's just been sitting with an occasional warm-up.  Need it gone. 

[doug]

Sorry, I had the settings wrong. Anyone with the link can now open the folder.

[Foonfer]

Someone please pick up this car and save it.  Car looks straight but in need of love, and the owner is basically giving it away for free.  A manual trans Super-Eta - an amazing platform to begin with.

[turbodan]

I paid significantly more for less when I got mine.  This is a deal.

Comes with M1.1, it's ready for an MSPNP and forced induction with minimal effort.  Perhaps save that for later and just do the e to i conversion for about 170 horsepower and 30 MPG.

[doug]

I added a few more photos (battery tray, spare tire well, engine compartment).

[doug]

Another photo added showing spare parts included.  Known good DME, two light switch surrounds (actually only one … I just put one of them in the car), master cylinder bracket reinforcement, steering box repair/reinforcement, complete lock set, etc ...

[doug]

FWIW, there's also a Bentley.

[Mike W.]

Hey, somebody buy this thing before I do. An easy e to i candidate but I don't have the storage/parking space nor the insurance budget for another car. Haven't seen it, but it would appear to be a solid 5 speed car by the description and knowing Doug a little tiny bit. With what E28s are going for these days I think it's a steal. (just my .02 which is barely worth the price of .02)

[Sharkski]

Hi Doug, sending message. I would like to pick it up. 

[Punnzzells]

Hey, somebody buy this thing before I do. An easy e to i candidate but I don't have the storage/parking space nor the insurance budget for another car. Haven't seen it, but it would appear to be a solid 5 speed car by the description and knowing Doug a little tiny bit. With what E28s are going for these days I think it's a steal. (just my .02 which is barely worth the price of .02)

What he said!

If there wasn't expensive shipping , I'd be all over this.

[doug]

To those who have sent PMs over the last week or two, I apologize for not getting back to you.  For some reason I wasn't getting notifications, so assumed there was no interest.  I'll get back to you forthwith.

Registration on the car expires on the 16th (or maybe the 15?  Or the end of the month?  Not sure how this works in CA ...) of this month, and I'll probably just let it go non-op at that point.  Since the car was so far out of state for the past seven-ish years, I was exempt from the bi-annual smog inspection.  Also, it was in New Mexico for a couple of years before that.  I have smog test reports going back to 2001, but the latest one I can find is from 2012 where it scored as follows:

@idle: HC 23PPM (max 120), CO .01% (max 1%)
@2500RPM: HC 25PPM (max 140), CO .04% (max 1%)

Timing belt (and water pump, etc) was changed about seven years, but only about 7k miles ago.  I bought a new belt, but haven't got around to putting it on.  Figured the rest would be okay because of the low change in mileage.

Basically all the car needs to be driveble (in my opinion) is a new set of tires and a drivershaft.  I also bought the u-joint in case someone wants to have a go at that.  I kind of lost interest ... 

[doug]

I also found an email from my son about a 2015 smog test (not the official printout, and presumably from a test in New Mexico) as follows:

High RPM = 2379
HC 11PPM (limit 200PPM)
CO 0.06% (limit 1.2%)

Low RPM = 0768
HC 20PPM (limit 200PPM)
CO 0.01% (limit 1.2%

Bottom line, I'd expect it to pass, but haven't had it tested.

[thehardcorps]

Tried to PM but forum won't let me yet, (too few posts).  I am extremely interested and can head your way asap.  You can text me at 385-214-5306 or send me a PM.  Thanks!

[doug]

Tried to PM but forum won't let me yet, (too few posts).  I am extremely interested and can head your way asap.  You can text me at 385-214-5306 or send me a PM.  Thanks!

PM sent.

[doug]

Adding other issues as I find/notice/remember them:

Stereo not working.  Not sure what’s up there.  Won’t power up.

High beams work, but the pull-to-flash function doesn’t work.  Something wrong with the stalk, I guess.

Just a heads up that the taillights are modified so that there are two bulbs lit on each side for braking. Easily undone.

It’s amazing what two months sitting in the rain will do to electrical stuff.  Tail lights, brake lights and license plates lights were all out yesterday.  Cleaned everything up and all is working now with the following exceptions …

Side markers all work, but three of four bulbs are out.  One has low voltage, so probably needs some love somewhere up the line. Foglights work.  One license plate light doesn’t work because the plastic housing needs to be replaced.

Sorry, but I’m just going to keep posting about mundane crap until this thing is out of my sight …



 

[doug]

Some interior photos added.

[Galahad]

Just to add my 2c - I bought a different 528e from Doug just over four years ago, very happy with the experience and the car.

Doug - I still have the alpine eta, park it for winters to keep it clean. I accidentally blew up the M50 swap but have bigger and better plans for it. Hope you're doing well, congrats to your son for graduating!

[doug]

Thanks, Galahad!  I think about you (well, about my very first e28, if I’m honest) often, and wonder how you’re getting on.  Glad to hear things are going … well, sort of okay?  BTW, if I were to keep this car, the very first thing I would do is to buy one of your fuse box upgrades.  You still making those? It’s kind of laughable how I can do a tuneup on this car just by cleaning the fuses!

Sorry about the m50.  Would be interested to hear what your plans are.  What became of the old m20?

[Galahad]

Things are going well - I'll PM you to avoid cluttering the FS thread.