1985 BMW 535is, Does anyone have thoughts on this model?
Thanks,
Peter
Thanks,
Peter
advice please
- Thread starter Peter Coomaraswamy
- Start date
steve in reno
Well-Known Member
If it is like my recently acquired 1985 635 csi.
Lots of power, easy to get parts for, nice comfortable ride....those are the pros
The biggest con I can see is the complete vehicle is electric. Elect seats are a pain to repair, gauges in a 30+ yr car are always ????. And elect parts are expensive and difficult to work on.
If you purchase, get a Bentley manual. Which is what I have to use for my 635csi as the systems are near identical
Lots of power, easy to get parts for, nice comfortable ride....those are the pros
The biggest con I can see is the complete vehicle is electric. Elect seats are a pain to repair, gauges in a 30+ yr car are always ????. And elect parts are expensive and difficult to work on.
If you purchase, get a Bentley manual. Which is what I have to use for my 635csi as the systems are near identical
Wealth of information, parts and all on MYE28.com; I use that for the M5.
Thanks guys!
I'm a fan but no expert. Lots of e28 owners on here. OCCoupe had a gorgeous bronzit with euro goodies. I think waynsie recently sold his on here. A few M5 owners are present as well.
An e28 was my first choice before stumbling upon an e9. My plan was to get an '88 528e Super ETA because the wiring is very compatible with an M30B35. All of this is knowledge that I learned by studying mye28 while hunting for cars. Seattle is swimming with e28's. I quite like alpine white on Cardinal. Given your affinity for cheap cars this type of mod might be right up your alley. You are a set of seats, spoiler, and valance away from the IS look.
The M30B34 isn't everyone's favorite low compression motor but it apparently gets the job done.
An e28 was my first choice before stumbling upon an e9. My plan was to get an '88 528e Super ETA because the wiring is very compatible with an M30B35. All of this is knowledge that I learned by studying mye28 while hunting for cars. Seattle is swimming with e28's. I quite like alpine white on Cardinal. Given your affinity for cheap cars this type of mod might be right up your alley. You are a set of seats, spoiler, and valance away from the IS look.
The M30B34 isn't everyone's favorite low compression motor but it apparently gets the job done.
Yeah, I want one.
One of the worst ...
All show no go
180 hp low compression US engine with grandma cam with a ridiculous 3.25 diff.
Another joke played on Americans.
All show no go
180 hp low compression US engine with grandma cam with a ridiculous 3.25 diff.
Another joke played on Americans.
Aussiecsi
Well-Known Member
...for benefit of Aussies, what Don is saying is that " it couldn't drag a greasy stick out of a dead dog's a*** "
The 5 series cars are getting harder to find up here. This car is essentially my 635 and I have had no electrical issues in 23 years of ownership. Yes the battery in the cluster dies but it's an easy fix and the cluster removal is simple. Repairs are almost identical to my Bavaria and parts are about the same price but more readily found. My 635 was sluggish but I just put a Dinan chip in it and it's actually fun to drive... Not sure what they want for it but if it were around here, I would take a look at it.
Thanks for that Aussiecsi, I don't have any pets 
Lol
Peter, the 535i has plenty of power for modern day traffic. A well sorted car will cruise at 100 all day long. Unfortunately BMW never made a 535is in 1985. They waited until the '87 and '88 model years.
Mike, here is the link to the car, I may have been interested if it was not an automatic.
http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/5726110526.html
http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/5726110526.html
Peter I had a couple of emails with this seller. This car is not being properly represented.
Keep you eyes open for a 1987-1988 535is or a 1986-1988 535i. Be careful of rust, accidents, and clear coat issues. They still offered non-metallics in single stage paint which is why the whites, reds, and black last so long on these cars. Feel free to reach out to me is you find a car and want advice.
Mike
Keep you eyes open for a 1987-1988 535is or a 1986-1988 535i. Be careful of rust, accidents, and clear coat issues. They still offered non-metallics in single stage paint which is why the whites, reds, and black last so long on these cars. Feel free to reach out to me is you find a car and want advice.
Mike
I don't buy the story. VIN czechs out with the anthrazit cloth upholstery (129) but it has a DC84 (NA automatic 535i) VIN. In the US, all M30 cars came with two power mirrors, leather, etc. Polaris is the correct color for an '85 535i, but hopefully he has the paperwork to back up his story. I still don't buy it. It does have the wheel arch flares though, which they used on any cars that got 220/55/390 tires, usually the 535s, M535s, and M5s. Optional on others, though. It's not on the options list for the car. Even if the car is something along the lines of what he's saying, none of that adds any value.
535is was made for '87-'88 model year only and was available only in these colors:
Alpinweiß - Alpine White - single stage - Pearl Beige, Llama, Black, Cardinal Red and Pacific Blue interiors
Zinnoberrot - Cinnabar Red - single stage - Pearl Beige or Black interiors
Lachssilber-metallic - Salmon Silver - Black, Cardinal Red and Pacific Blue interiors
RoyalBlau-metallic - Royal Blue - Pacific Blue (ick), Llama and Pearl Beige interiors
Diamantschwarz-metallic - Diamond Black - Black, Pearl Beige, Llama and Cardinal Red interiors
Anything else you see with different exterior colors is not a 535is. There's no separate VIN range for them, so it's impossible to know the exact numbers of the cars produced as well.
'85 535i with a 5-speed is the best one to buy in my opinion if you're interested in a US-spec E28, but a really nice, stock 535is is a great car as well. I do miss mine. Stuck with all these Euro E28s now. Ha.
535is was made for '87-'88 model year only and was available only in these colors:
Alpinweiß - Alpine White - single stage - Pearl Beige, Llama, Black, Cardinal Red and Pacific Blue interiors
Zinnoberrot - Cinnabar Red - single stage - Pearl Beige or Black interiors
Lachssilber-metallic - Salmon Silver - Black, Cardinal Red and Pacific Blue interiors
RoyalBlau-metallic - Royal Blue - Pacific Blue (ick), Llama and Pearl Beige interiors
Diamantschwarz-metallic - Diamond Black - Black, Pearl Beige, Llama and Cardinal Red interiors
Anything else you see with different exterior colors is not a 535is. There's no separate VIN range for them, so it's impossible to know the exact numbers of the cars produced as well.
'85 535i with a 5-speed is the best one to buy in my opinion if you're interested in a US-spec E28, but a really nice, stock 535is is a great car as well. I do miss mine. Stuck with all these Euro E28s now. Ha.
Okay, who else visualized this. Baaaaah
Holy crap I would not spend $10K on a 535IS (or clone) unless it was very very nice!
I'll update this post with a few nice ones around the area.
You can get yourself into a rough M5 project for $12K. Yeah it will be expensive to restore, but you could always gift it to one of your E9's later. I'll try to find some near you
M5 - $12K
https://houston.craigslist.org/cto/5761970927.html
535IS - $2300 (not running, I'd lowball)
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/ctd/5762718690.html
535IS - $6500 (Alpine on Cardinal, seats re-do is 'okay).
http://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/5714538031.html
535IS - $5000 (Alpine on dark tan - relatively unmolested)
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/5768482328.html
745i - $850 (unrelated but who doesn't want a turbo M106)
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/ctd/5759345090.html
Other:
M535i - $8995 (careful a few stateside M535i's have been passed around a bit)
https://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/5698263591.html
524TD - $7,000 (oddball but it has the MTech kit on it. Likely difficult to sell)
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/5725066899.html
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A nice 535is driver can easily cost $10,000 depending on how it's outfitted. Get into Euro bumper conversions and the price only goes up from there. The cars you posted are essentially crap, but the M5 was fairly priced.
Wow! Mike, Christopher, Markos thanks so much- I will never purchase a BMW without asking the board first! I was only really interested in it because it seemed like an unusual car, I love the look of the e28 and I figured being an IS it might have some extra"zing" to it but... not- However, since we are technically "off-topic" I joined the H2R race track last week as a full member so the 320is that I purchased for 500.00 will be doing some serious track time (after a bit of work).
BTW, they have some cool events there and if anyone wants to visit, drive, race, or just drink beer and watch- send a PM
They also have an area where you can "tune" your car, so you could set up your e9 using the trial-and-error method in a relatively safe environment. For example, I have a feeling that even though the 225/60/16's I have on the coupe don't rub while street driving I bet they get torn off on the track even at semi responsible speeds, but what a great way to test them!
BTW, they have some cool events there and if anyone wants to visit, drive, race, or just drink beer and watch- send a PM
They also have an area where you can "tune" your car, so you could set up your e9 using the trial-and-error method in a relatively safe environment. For example, I have a feeling that even though the 225/60/16's I have on the coupe don't rub while street driving I bet they get torn off on the track even at semi responsible speeds, but what a great way to test them!
I posted those because Peter takes on projects like this. Such as his $500 320. I personally wouldn't spend more than $6,000 on an E28, but my only requirements would be a perfect nice body with no respray requirements. Everything else is just time and parts.