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1985 BMW 535i (E28) Euro-spec import - $11,500 (MKE)


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The time has come; I am selling my prized 1985 535i.

I will likely be moving across the country for work later this year; I love this car and have invested countless hours and a lot of dollars, but I also feel like I've accomplished just about everything I set out to do with it. It will be a lot easier to move without a third car and a bunch of parts to bring along, and I would also like to take on a project with a different flavor after the move is complete.

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There is a very detailed thread on MyE28 that covers my ownership of the car if you would like to know the whole story. Otherwise, the Cliff's Notes:

E28 BMW 535i (German market), 07/1985 production, code DC11 (G265 5-speed manual, "green" M30 w/oil cooler)

VIN WBADC110401255321

Per BMW Classic group archives: "VIN 1255321 was manufactured on July 03rd, 1985 and delivered on July 10th, 1985 to the BMW dealer Eber in Heidenheim/Brenz, Germany. The original colour was Polaris metallic, paint code 060."

Original options:

  • S300 Central locking with anti-theft system
  • S311 ELEKTRISCHER BEIFAHRERSPIEGEL
  • S350 Therm.insulat.glass green
  • S403 Glass roof, electrical
  • S410 Window lifts, electric, front
  • S421 FEUERLOESCHER 2 KG HALON
  • S428 Warning triangle and first aid kit
  • S472 Armrest, front, driver/passenger
  • S498 Headrests mechanically adjustable, rear
  • S530 Air conditioning
  • S915 Omission of outer-skin preservation
  • S979 VELOURS-FUSSMATTEN VORN UND HI

Current modifications:

  • M30B35 from 1990 535i (VIN BF11049)
  • Dual-chamber oil spray bar mod with safety-wired banjo bolts
  • Full Supersprint stainless exhaust system (headers, resonators, midpipe, tailpipe)
  • Volvo 850 Design III injectors
  • E12 15lb flywheel
  • Single TRE fuel pump conversion
  • Bilstein Sports with Eibach springs
  • E34 540i brakes with stainless lines
  • E31 spherical & Meyle HD front control arms
  • MWrench steering box reinforcement
  • Z3 shifter w/Garagistic DSSR
  • Pedal box reinforcement w/welded tab
  • BenGerman clutch pivot spring assembly
  • M-System forged 17x8" wheels
  • M-Tech fender flares
  • Recaro LSB "Helios" seats
  • Kenwood USB/Bluetooth head unit, Polk speakers, NVX under-seat subwoofer
  • A/C delete
  • ABS delete (the right way, with new lines run split-diagonal from the master)
  • BMP Designs gauge pod with VDO Oil Pressure/Oil Temp/Water Temp gauges
  • M-Tech coarse spline steering wheel (EXTREMELY rare)

The good:

  • Car runs and drives excellent, and is very fast. Needs absolutely nothing mechanically. Virtually everything has been rebuilt or replaced during my ownership.
  • Rock solid reliable. I drove this car to California and back in 2018; only failure was a crank sensor (which I replaced on the side of the road).
  • Over $30,000 in receipts provided with sale. I have over $10,000 in parts receipts alone from my ownership as I do all my own work.
  • M30B35 was purchased as a ~212k runner with a blown head gasket; disassembled to the short block and re-sealed before installation, with all new timing components, oil pump rebuild, etc. Head was fully rebuilt with new parts by Extreme Speed Cylinder Heads in Oak Creek, WI.
  • Getrag 265 gearbox was fully re-sealed when removed. Does NOT have the dreaded "death rattle" and shifts about as well as a G265 can (very "mechanical" feeling, but no grinds or notchiness).
  • Car is set up for easy Megasquirt or other standalone install with E34 Motronic 1.3 running and a harness from an auto car with variable TPS.
  • Lots of very rare/valuable parts. Car could easily be parted out for more than my asking price:
    • Euro body parts (valances, bumpers, trim, lights)
    • Euro factory oil cooler
    • M-Tech flares
    • Euro glass sunroof
    • Euro rear headrests
    • Coarse spline M-Tech wheel
    • E34 M5 M-System forged wheels (including full size spare)
    • Full Supersprint headers & exhaust (over $3k new)
    • Genuine Recaro seats
    • Bilstein/Eibach suspension
    • Fresh, healthy, re-sealed M30B35 with professionally rebuilt cylinder head
    • Healthy, re-sealed Getrag 265 gearbox (E30 M3 guys are paying silly money for these right now)
  • Sale will include many bins of spare parts I have accumulated in my ownership.
  • Title is clean and in my name.

The bad:

  • Previous owner damage:
    • Both front rocker jack points are crunched
    • Car has scratches and dents from being left in a backyard for a few years, seemingly with stuff on top of it
    • Paperwork prior to year 2000 was lost before my ownership
    • Owner before me drove it in the winter (in Indianapolis)
  • Car is a "10 footer". Was repainted once prior to my ownership; car now has many rock chips in addition to the scratches and dents created by previous owners and is probably due for paint again.
  • Exact mileage on body is unknown. The original odometer broke around 280k; a previous owner elected to replace the speedometer assembly with another used one instead of fixing the gears. Then, the replacement broke (I have now fixed it). Estimated mileage on the body is ~350k based on the paperwork available and my own mileage put on the car (about 25k).
  • Car was in a fender bender in the early 2000's. No frame damage, but evidence of core support repair is visible.
  • Car has rust in the following areas:
    • Bubbling on passenger side leading edge of hood
    • Bubbling on upper leading corner of passenger side door 
    • Minor surface rust on edge of rear wheel wells
    • Corrosion on ~6" of inner rockers ahead of rear wheel wells
    • Less than dime-sized hole on upper surface of rear chrome bumper.
    • Hole in battery tray.
    • Surface rust on ABS pump tray.
  • Car has holes blasted in the rear valance for the federalized marker lights (since removed)
  • Coolant temp gauge in the cluster works when it wants to. I have replaced the sender and re-flowed the solder joints and it still randomly comes and goes. The VDO gauge works 100% all of the time (and is actually calibrated) so I just rely on that.

Summary:

Overall this car is in kind of a weird place. It is not a rust bucket, but it is not a cream puff. I purchased it willing to accept its flaws with the goal of having a great driver that I wouldn't be afraid to put miles on; it is all that and more. I like the term “scruffy”; it wears its 300k+ miles with pride.

Since I bought it, E28s have skyrocketed in price. I was not expecting that. Euro 535i cars are very rare, and this one is particularly desirable as an '85 with the G265 trans, oil cooler, etc. An enterprising new owner with paint/body skills could do a proper restoration on this and likely make their money back to have a ~$40-50k car.

Another option would be to find a clean southern U.S. shell (or something like a clean Euro 518i) and swap all the Euro/performance/rare parts over. The individual parts that make up this car are EASILY worth my asking price relative to buying everything individually.

Finally, there is no reason not to just keep the car together and drive the wheels off of it! It gets looks, compliments, and thumbs up everywhere it goes, and people seem to appreciate that the car is a little scruffy and is clearly driven regularly. My intention was to start taking the car to HPDE and hill climb events and continue having fun with it. But, with the move, plans have changed a bit.

Please note that the car does NOT have a catalytic converter equipped and the Supersprint exhaust will require one to be retrofitted to pass emissions in any area where a sniffer test or visual inspection is required.

I am asking a firm $11,500 for the car. Not interested in trades unless you have a Porsche Boxster S, Honda S2000, or Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo.

If the car does not sell locally or within the E28 community it will be going on Bring a Trailer or Cars and Bids.

I will be taking it out this weekend to fill a Google Photos album with detailed pictures. In the mean time, feel free to browse my ownership thread on MyE28.

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