e12 Lust

[Markos]

M535i. It takes something really interesting to get me to post a non e3/e9 in here. I must stop watching the e9 market because $8,500 seems like a bargain!


http://victoria.craigslist.ca/cto/5502314072.html

Edit: Tribute car, spoke too soon. Kind of a Alpina mashup with an okay engine and no dogleg. I'm failing at the Internet this week.

 

[digixjairo]

That's nice.

 

[Jellobmw]

What? No spare?

That aside, if only I had the garage space.....

 

[HB Chris]

Not my favorite color and I have seen one in person, kind of a yellow/sahara mix.

 

[rsporsche]

i have also seen 1 e12 in that color and a few e21 in that butter yellow color. not my favorite color either.

 

[Nachtycoupe]

And I don't believe an e12 M535i ever came in that color anyways.

 

[bavbob]

Why is this referred to as an "M"????

 

[teahead]

Price seems ok if that is CANADIAN funds!

I like the Euro bumpers. Not so much the green stripe on the side.

B34 engine...meh. I guess better than the stock 2.8.

She looks good, but that color....would be hard to live with.

 

[Nachtycoupe]

Why is this referred to as an "M"????

It is a predessor to the M5, the M535i. A rare breed. This one however is a clone. All you need to know and more can be found here:

http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=3

I've never seen them in anything but Ice White, Platinum metallic or Sapphire Blue metallic. But the site lists a fairly large color spectrum available. I've never seen an original one in this particular color. It is not my favorite either.

 

[OCCoupe]

This car is not an M535i, as the ad says it is a US car that has had some M535i specific bits added on. In addition it has a more contemporary b34 engine; not the desirable m90.

Sahara isn't all that bad if the car is tastefully appointed; but in this case the seller decided to add Alpina-ish striped which not only do nothing for the car, they confuse the concept of doing an M-Car clone.

Perhaps Mr. Kohler can chime in since he is currently restoring an e12 M535i.

 

[wkohler]

It is a Sierrabeige 528i. One thing it does have that many real M535s don't have is the rear spoiler. Those are virtually unobtanium now for a nice one. It looks to have E34 front seats installed. It's clearly a US car because of the large turn signals up front and the sidemarkers in the rear quarters (they're backwards). The front spoiler looks to be custom, integrating a body-colored bumper.

Aside from questionable taste on the outside, it looks like a pretty decent E12 and while prices are rising, I wouldn't be very interested in it at the asking price. To give you some perspective, a pretty hammered E12 M535i I used to own years ago recently sold for about that number and it needs a full restoration from rust and improperly-repaired accident damage.

The M Registry has much of the information one would need on the M535i. They started with 1410 examples worldwide and it's believed that there are about 200 or so left. There are about 15 of those in the US in various states of repair or completion. By now many are missing original components.

GolfBavaria - Platinum-metallic isn't a color and Ice White is a South-African only color. There were lots of colors available for the M535i but Sierrabeige wasn't one of them. By the time these cars went into production, Sierra was replaced with Safari. Alpine White, Polaris, Ascotgrau and Henna were probably the most popular colors. BMW Classic's M535i (which is finally getting some press) is Arcticblau.

I think it will be interesting to watch the M535i over the next few years. Nice ones are few and far between but values have always languished behind E28 M5s due to a general lack of interest. More and more people are finding out the significance of the E12 M535i, so I'm interested in seeing where it goes. Maybe it will help justify my "investment" in my car.

 

[Nachtycoupe]

Then I guess the registry is wrong, it says it is a color but for the rare Motorsport Limited Edition 530, not the e12 I see that, but still a color unless typo:

"The Motorsport Limited Edition 530 was offered in three paint colors: Ice White, Platinum metallic or Sapphire Blue metallic.

What is the dark silver color than? That is what my friend has (even grey-ish), I am color blind but mostly red/green but can still see color, just not like everyone else I guess. In other words I don't just see in black and white. That's why I always joke that my Golf Bavaria looks good to me..... I've seen white ones and one's that look like the Alpina e28 (which I thought was the sapphire blue) color, probably the same not sure, not an expert at paint by any means, usually go by information on the registry's etc. But I wouldn't think they would have ever made the M535i in Sierrabeige either and I noted it was a clone. They do list a Safari Beige which I never heard of on Registry, but anyways... And the Alpina-ish stripes don't work for me either, only adds to the confusion of what they were trying to clone. Arcticblau......there it is thanks, just saw that...

Update: thank you for the info. I guess we can add a fourth that I've seen, but here is what I'm talking about...is that last one the Arcticblau? Sorry again I have trouble distinguishing some of these metallics...

 

[wkohler]

The 530 MLE is a South-African only car and is different than the M535i which likely wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the 530 MLE. That said, it is a totally different animal.

The M Registry is 100% accurate and every detail in there has been tirelessly researched. It is only included if there is 100% certainty that it is fact. Platinum-metallic is a color but not a color available on the M535i. Many things such as paint and trim were done using local materials, hence the differing paint and interior options from the 4701 and 4702 cars. Just go through the list and you will see what colors were available on what versions.


Safaribeige was a popular color on E12 and E21 especially here in the US. It replaced Sierra which replaced Sahara and it was replaced by Gazellenbeige in the early to mid 1980s.


Your friends car is likely Ascotgrau-metallic. It's a greyish silver.


I guess if I ever finish my car, I will post some photos.

 

[Nachtycoupe]

I updated with a couple pictures on previous thread. His is either the second color or the first, now I'm confused. Thanks for all the knowledge on these. My friend will be starting his restoration sometime this year maybe. Maybe we can get a hold of you later if you have any extra parts you would be willing to spare that he may need? It's pretty complete. HB Chris knows who he is. I just sourced the hard to find rear spoiler for him that is NOS but needs some work from sitting in a storage unit for so long. Mostly on the edges. Belonged to another good friend of mine from way back. Anyhow, love to see pics of yours, maybe send a PM when you get a chance, thanks Chris. They are really cool cars I think when original. Nice to learn something new about other rare models now and then.