MyE28.com

BMWCCA2, I like your thoughts on the college experience. I am currently a student at the University of Tennessee and the idea of achieving a better life experience over prestige is my kind of thinking (if that is what you were getting at). But back to the whole BMW thing (that is what forum I'm on right?), I was just wondering if I might be getting in over my head with an older, but wonderful, BMW as an everyday car. I don't feel like I am but some expert advice is always welcome.

autsman wrote:BMWCCA2, I like your thoughts on the college experience. I am currently a student at the University of Tennessee and the idea of achieving a better life experience over prestige is my kind of thinking (if that is what you were getting at). But back to the whole BMW thing (that is what forum I'm on right?), I was just wondering if I might be getting in over my head with an older, but wonderful, BMW as an everyday car. I don't feel like I am but some expert advice is always welcome.

Coming from a student at the University of Florida, I can tell you that it is a great college car! Not only is it cheap enough to purchase, but easy enough to fix.. There is nothing on this car that even if done by a mechanic, will cost an arm and a leg..

I can definately say that the greatest benifit to these cars are the people that come with them.. This forum is filled with some of the most diverse and interesting folk that will help you out of a bind if they are able to offer the help.. I feel as though I have best friends all around the world thanks to this site.. And I know that if I am ever stuck somewhere, somebody will either be close by to lend a hand or nice enough to give me advice if I need it..

You aren't only buying an awesome car, you are becoming a member of a community.. Plus, it is an awesome hobby on your spare time!!

e28s make great college cars. I drove just about the ugliest eta on the planet for 3 years in college. It was a blast to drive, I miss it and it never left me stranded. I can't comment on the costs associated with fixing one, as my dad doubled as my mechanic before moving on in his quest to single-handedly rescue every M20-powered 5er he can get his hands on.

As for Blake's comment about owning an e28 and the people you meet through the community, he's right and there are plenty of people who can attest to that much better than I can.

the thought that an e28 "communicates" to its driver is useful with regards to your question about being in over your head.
Some cars just break with no warning or clue. Nearly every time my e28s have had an ailment, there was a noise, or a glitch, or something. So, once you have the car sorted (and it sounds like this is already done,) then you just tune in to what it is doing. You might feel a bit more motion from the rear of the car with age...subframe bushings. You might feel some variations in fuel consumption, maybe o2 sensor, fuel regulator...some mysterious vacuum leak.
Point is, once you are used to the car, and know what the weak points are, you can get advice here, if is too murky in the Bentley, or is the manual is wrong.
If the guy has kept up with it, and it doesn't make any expensive suspension pops or wobbles, at $2000, it is a good deal. Mechanically sound, and interior good, that's a dream car for that price.

BMWCCA2 wrote:Well, as long as we've blown this poor guy's entire thread direction:

[yadda, yadda, yadda, yawn, yawn . . . . ]

Now, let's get back on topic: What did you want to know about the hazards of old-BMW ownership? I'm an expert, and will stay that way for some time. Happily.

My post was not directed at you. Bard provided the jumping off point for my self-described rant regarding much of the hype that I see surrounding college. That being said, having re-read my original post, I could see how you would take it that way, especially given our history of disagreements. So I will pass at the opportunity to engage in a personal pissing contest with you, although I have to say I wonder how you've made some of the underlying assumptions about me that you seem to have made, because they are absolutely incorrect in all respects. But arguing with you on this score is probably like yelling at the dog for shitting in the house seven hours after the fact -- the dog has no idea why you are yelling at him.

Btw, IMHO, liberal arts education is not a waste, it's more a question of trying to keep a balance between the "ivory tower" and the "real world." Kids need to learn about both, and I question, sincerely, how they can do that when the typical co-ed's lifestyle is a far cry from what he or she will encounter in the real world. It's a balance -- learning to think while juggling real responsibility. My experience, and it is not scientific, is that most college experiences fail miserably at the latter and seem proud of it.

Finally, and on a lighter note, I also feel enlightened now that I know more about Bard's programs, especially the convict education program, but I certainly hope my tax dollars aren't supporting any of that nonsense. If people want to educate convicts serving life-sentences, great, just do it with someone else's money. I would rather my money go into improving the educational opportunities of kids in the inner-cities so that they don't wind up in prison in the first instance.

And, to the original poster, my apologies.

BMWCCA2, I was going to politely (yes, a Conservative can indeed be polite) disagree with you, at length, about the wisdom and virtue of a "liberal arts" education. However, since you've wisely taken the tack that we need to stop hi-jacking this poor fellas thread, I'll let it go. And I won't even mention that idiot David Crosby and his senile, likely drug-induced or at least drug-addled rantings. How's that for being nice??

Back On Topic: I say buy the BMW - for $2,000, you aren't out much. Have you taken a good long look at what $2,000 will get you in a used car? Not much. At least, you'll be driving something that is sturdy, rugged, and has a certain cache' - kinda like those ubiquitious Volvo wagons that Hollywood seems so ga-ga over (they wind up in every damn movie that has a wife, I swear). And, if you decide no to an E28, an M20 powered E30, provided it hasn't been beaten to death, would be #2 on my list as Best All Around Car For A College Student. My son, who is currently serving his 2nd combat tour in Iraq with the United States Marine Corps before coming back and attending college (so much for John Kerry's comments) purchased a lovely '91 3 series in California that will see him through his days up at CU nicely - although I'm actually trying to get him to go to Regis or DU. But BMWCCA2 is right - it's their choice, so long as they go and do what they feel is right for them. At least on that we can agree.

rlomba8204 wrote:
Almost every university is insanely liberal.

Funny, I don't remember it being that way at all. How would liberalism rear its head in an engineering curriculum?

I wouldn't touch a $2000 E28 unless you either knew as much as possible about them, in general, and about fixing them, and could determine how much work this particular one needed. There are cheap cars available in the $2000 range. I wouldn't call a $2000 E28 necessarily a cheap car or cheap transportation. I did buy a $2000 E28 but it was an '87 535is 5sp with Dinan Stage 3 suspension, E28 M5 brakes, E34 cross-spoke rims, new fuse box, cold A/C, short-shift kit, new driveshaft, M5 steering wheel, and Supersprint exhaust. I could part it out for $2000. Even with all that I had to put a used diff, an oil pump, rotors, brake pads, shocks, and a catalyst on it and now I need to rebuild the A/C. God knows what that would have cost if I didn't do the work myself. The OP is just as likely to have to sink the sale price of the car into it within the next year or two. I probably did that and more and I know what I'm looking at. I'd be very careful unless you've really got $4000-to-$5000 to spend, and certainly have the car checked out and estimates made before you jump.

Now, let me digress to respond to some other lunacy:

rlomba8204 wrote:I certainly hope my tax dollars aren't supporting any of that nonsense. If people want to educate convicts serving life-sentences, great, just do it with someone else's money. I would rather my money go into improving the educational opportunities of kids in the inner-cities so that they don't wind up in prison in the first instance.

It's a private school and a student-inspired program. It uses no public funds. If you want, you can see a piece on it here and tell me, when you see the convict tell you how his making something of his life inspired his daughter, if it doesn't make some sense to you. If not, I won't try anymore. Here's the 60-Minutes link, right after the GM advertisement. Oh yeah, Bard also runs two early college programs for gifted kids in NYC public schools who aren't getting what they need in high-school and who can handle a real college work load. They're held in old NYC school buildings and in conjunction with NYC Education Department. No tuition is charged , the faculty is primarily Phd-level college professors, and originally the funding came from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Here's an old announcement: http://inside.bard.edu/tools/pr/fstory.php?id=916

Now, back to work, and do it quietly: Somewhere a few kids are actually thinking!

BMWCCA, always quick to put down a cheap E28!!

They do experience some problems but that is because it is a 20 year old car.. They have significantly less problems compared to anything else still on the road from the 80s! As long as it is well sorted out, and you are cautious of issues, I'd say you should buy the car!! Make sure all is well with the vehicle and you know what you are buying before you do though!

If you come into problems after the purchase, this site is always going to help answer any questions you have, just be sure to attempt a search before asking!! I cannot say that my $2k car was problem free, and I HAVE put alot of money into it.. Although I can definately say that I don't regret anything about my purchase of this car!!

I am also not very mechanically inclined, but with help from this site and the Bentley Manual, I have definately learned enough to go under the hood and take on a job or two... If you want this car to remain a cheap car, you better be willing to attempt some jobs yourself... Most things on these cars are easy enough to fix that college students like ourselves could read about and attempt ourselves! They are great cars to learn from and enjoy our accomplishments..

BMWCCA2 wrote:Now, let me digress to respond to some other lunacy:

rlomba8204 wrote:I certainly hope my tax dollars aren't supporting any of that nonsense. If people want to educate convicts serving life-sentences, great, just do it with someone else's money. I would rather my money go into improving the educational opportunities of kids in the inner-cities so that they don't wind up in prison in the first instance.

It's a private school and a student-inspired program. It uses no public funds. If you want, you can see a piece on it here and tell me, when you see the convict tell you how his making something of his life inspired his daughter, if it doesn't make some sense to you. If not, I won't try anymore. Here's the 60-Minutes link, right after the GM advertisement. Oh yeah, Bard also runs two early college programs for gifted kids in NYC public schools who aren't getting what they need in high-school and who can handle a real college work load. They're held in old NYC school buildings and in conjunction with NYC Education Department. No tuition is charged , the faculty is primarily Phd-level college professors, and originally the funding came from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Here's an old announcement: http://inside.bard.edu/tools/pr/fstory.php?id=916

Now, back to work, and do it quietly: Somewhere a few kids are actually thinking!

[Deleted nasty response.] There's no point to this, and it's not fair to the original poster.

I don't care about Bard College, but thanks for the info.

If I was in your position, I'd buy the car.

Wow.

I just backed off a flamefest... even though I had shitloads of ammo.

Does this mean that I am growing up finally?

Wiseguy wrote:Wow.

I just backed off a flamefest... even though I had shitloads of ammo.

Does this mean that I am growing up finally?

Hmm...well let's figure this out, Bill.

1. How often do you floor it in the M5?

2 .How much beer do you consume when you drink?

3. Did you laugh while watching Borat?

If your answers are similar to the following, then you have not grown up yet:

1. Every damn gear.

2. Enough in one sitting to kill a small Asian.

3. F*$# yeah I did!


Back on topic, dude trust me, if it's been taken care of properly then you will not be in over your head. E28's are relatively simple cars, and they are generally good at giving you ample warning before the fecal matter hits the rotary oscillator. And as I've said, there is a huge and very enthusiastic network of Bimmer heads in the Knoxville/Chattanooga area that would be willing to help you out and even look the car over for you. I'd say head over to bimmerforums.com and hit the Tennessee part of the regional forums. Really great guys are on there.

BMWgiant wrote:I cannot say that my $2k car was problem free, and I HAVE put alot of money into it.. Although I can definately say that I don't regret anything about my purchase of this car!!

I am also not very mechanically inclined, but with help from this site and the Bentley Manual, I have definately learned enough to go under the hood and take on a job or two... If you want this car to remain a cheap car, you better be willing to attempt some jobs yourself... Most things on these cars are easy enough to fix that college students like ourselves could read about and attempt ourselves!

Giant, I think we're agreeing. The OP said he was strapped for cash and the car belonged to a BMW repair shop owner. I think caution about expectations are in order if he's spending his last dime and wants transportation (he is coming out of a Subaru, after all!). We all enjoy our cars and he will, too. But I'd be no less cautious of an E28 owned by a shop owner. And no one has yet mentioned the propensity for these cars to have had non-working odometers at some point. Plenty of these cars have had cluster swaps by now it may be hard to really know the correct mileage. I learned most of what I know from friends, club members, and techs I spent a lot of time with. Still some people are do-it-yourself folks and some aren't. I was just suggesting that $2000 might not be the final word on this car and if that's a problem, maybe he should give it some extra consideration.

And if you can bear to go back over this thread you'll see the ugly turn it took was in rlomba8204's first post in it. We were all having fun until then. If he doesn't care, then why comment? Lack of liberal-arts education?

I paid $2k for my 533 from a VW shop owner. I wouldn't have had to spend a dime to have a good car to drive. The "make it my car" mentality came in and I spent $10k on that car (including purchase price). now look where it is.

wkohler wrote:I paid $2k for my 533 from a VW shop owner. I wouldn't have had to spend a dime to have a good car to drive. The "make it my car" mentality came in and I spent $10k on that car (including purchase price). now look where it is.

Still crying?

Forget about where the 533 is and enjoy that beauty your driving now!!

BMWgiant wrote:

wkohler wrote:I paid $2k for my 533 from a VW shop owner. I wouldn't have had to spend a dime to have a good car to drive. The "make it my car" mentality came in and I spent $10k on that car (including purchase price). now look where it is.

Still crying?

Forget about where the 533 is and enjoy that beauty your driving now!!

Hey man, that car will live on forever in whatever E28 I may be driving.

BMWCCA2 wrote: And if you can bear to go back over this thread you'll see the ugly turn it took was in rlomba8204's first post in it. We were all having fun until then. If he doesn't care, then why comment? Lack of liberal-arts education?

Phil,

You strike me as a bright character. So dazzling that it from time to time appears you easily manipulate exchanges to support your own stances. As I read it rlomba too sought to have a bit of fun with the thread. Unfortunately, his jesting struck a nerve with you. From that occurrence on you have opted to assume a most defensive carriage formerly absent from the thread. Are you entirely certain the fault (ugliness) does not lie within?

As for the OP’s concerns I can only say that he can expect the 5er to be rather needy and not an ideal d.d. That is not to say that it isn't an inevitable selection regardless. Only that he best be aware its ownership will be a far cry from a Jeep or Subaru and to suggest otherwise is inaccurate. The car is great, this community is excellent, but the actual ownership is endless in its requirement of time and investment.

-Landis

Is it really endless? I mean I suppose it is if you're trying to keep the thing perfect. However, if you're willing to live with a few quirks (or in my case, a crap ton), and you realize that it'll never be as perfect as it was when new without a sizeable amount of money, then keeping the car mechanically well sorted is not a very challenging or relatively expensive ordeal. Especially if one learns to DIY.

Odd that you mention Jeep too, Landis. I've heard from some individuals that they can be pretty needy, especially older models. That said, I'd love a CJ7 when I move back to TN.

theseeker411 wrote:Is it really endless?

I am quite certain even with general acceptance/tolerance of its quirks.

Edit: In retrospect I suppose 'endless' juxtaposes 'frequent' in relation to this topic.

theseeker411 wrote:
Odd that you mention Jeep too, Landis. I've heard from some individuals that they can be pretty needy, especially older models. That said, I'd love a CJ7 when I move back to TN.

I only cited the ownership of a Jeep due to the OP's mention of it. While I too have heard and experienced the shortcomings of a Jeep (Cherokee in this circumstance) they are hardly comparable to a twenty year old BMW e28. Frankly, while allegedly faulty they are typically utilitarian by overall design and not 'needy' in my understanding of the term.

Hth.

option00002 wrote:Only that he best be aware its ownership will be a far cry from a Jeep or Subaru and to suggest otherwise is inaccurate. The car is great, this community is excellent, but the actual ownership is endless in its requirement of time and investment.

-Landis

This is a true, in my experience too. The key question is whether the investment will be your additional time learning how to fix things yourself, or your paying a shop which is obviously not practical while you are in school.

They are great cars, but they can be needy at this age. They are also more rewarding than a Jeep or Subaru. But I wouldn't buy one looking for a turnkey experience.

The only thing I can add to the useful info here is that if you are going to get an e28 for that price, try to find one with a sound body and good paint. If you are mechanically inclined, the folks here can guide you through all but the most serious mechanical issues, but it is my experience that body and paint issues are much more difficult to address for a DIY-er. My first e28, btw, was basically a nice car with a bad cam and warped head that the owner ditched due to the repair cost. That was 15+ years ago, and I still came back to another 535 when the chance arose, so that also tells you something too.

theseeker411 wrote:

Wiseguy wrote:Wow.

I just backed off a flamefest... even though I had shitloads of ammo.

Does this mean that I am growing up finally?

Hmm...well let's figure this out, Bill.

1. How often do you floor it in the M5?

2 .How much beer do you consume when you drink?

3. Did you laugh while watching Borat?

If your answers are similar to the following, then you have not grown up yet:

1. Every damn gear.

2. Enough in one sitting to kill a small Asian.

3. F*$# yeah I did!


Back on topic, dude trust me, if it's been taken care of properly then you will not be in over your head. E28's are relatively simple cars, and they are generally good at giving you ample warning before the fecal matter hits the rotary oscillator. And as I've said, there is a huge and very enthusiastic network of Bimmer heads in the Knoxville/Chattanooga area that would be willing to help you out and even look the car over for you. I'd say head over to bimmerforums.com and hit the Tennessee part of the regional forums. Really great guys are on there.

Yeah yeah yeah... you know the answers

BRRV wrote:(yes, a Conservative can indeed be polite)

Back On Topic: I say buy the BMW ... At least, you'll be driving something that is sturdy, rugged, and has a certain cache' -

... but a product of a 'flaming liberal' school like Kent State knows how to spell French words like 'cachet'.

C.R. Krieger wrote:

BRRV wrote:(yes, a Conservative can indeed be polite)

Back On Topic: I say buy the BMW ... At least, you'll be driving something that is sturdy, rugged, and has a certain cache' -

... but a product of a 'flaming liberal' school like Kent State knows how to spell French words like 'cachet'.

I'm a quasi-conservative and have been polite once or twice, does that count?

Just because the car has cachet does not at all exclude it from having 'a certain cache.' It just may, in fact, have several caches.

Oh no...who do I sound like?