Bruce alerted me that his e28 M5 for was going up for sale and naturally I asked if I could post it here as well; being an e28 fanatic myself. Check out his great looking example on Autotrader for $10K:
quote from seller’s listing:
The 1988 M5 has been often referred to as the finest sports sedan ever built. This car was hand made with approximately 1370 brought to the USA. This car is incredible durable and reliable even though it is a very sophisticated machine. It has an engine that sounds like a formula racecar and the handling of this car makes this car a blast to drive. I have owned the car for 3 yrs having purchased this from a good friend who had the car in his family since new. It has always been very well maintained. Maintenance records are available since 1998. When I purchased it I invested $9k to have anything that needed repair or service taken care of. The front and rear ends are essential new. The rear suspension was changed to blistein kit (better and more durable than original self leveling system). The engine has European racing headers and a custom exhaust. The motor also has a high performance chip. The front windshield has a crack, the electric headrests are not working and the odometer is also not working. The interior is all original with some cracking of the seats (no tears) even the carpet is original. This is a car that can be driven daily or can be kept as a classic investment. I am selling the car because I have built a house in Santa Fe NM that is a mile down a dirt road and I do not want to subject the car to that wear and tear. I have over $19k invested in this car but will sell to appreciating new buyer for $10k
Personally, I think the e28 M5’s are great value right now considering the skyrocketing prices of e30 M3’s of similar vintage and collectability. This example isn’t perfect, but the service history is what makes this car desirable to me ($9K!) This isn’t an inexpensive car to maintain and many have been neglected. This one hasn’t and the upgrades are very tasteful and complimentary.
Good luck on the sale Bruce!
dc
Although I am a HUGE fan of the e28 M5 even at this attractive price I would probably pass. True miles unknown, performance upgrades which detract from engine life are two huge items which I stay away from. The rear suspension mod is a big plus since the SLS system is a question of when it will fail not if. The windscreen needs to be replaced, and there are a bunch of other items it needs to make it drivable. The interior appears to have a lot more miles on it then the odo which we know is wrong.
I put a car like this in the “it’s a 20k dollar car†meaning you have to pay 10k for the car and another 10K over the next year or so to make it a reliable safe driver.
I believe the e28 M5 will have some price appreciation over the long haul but this one would be a huge lag in the price market given its condition.
All that being said it could be a very nice platform for a project especially at that price.
I own this car. I got it for 7 k, and it was the best purchase I ever made. In response to Jim, the windscreen was the most of the problems. It had some worn out belts and hoses, and the paint on the hood is worn out. It also has a short throw shifter mod, which is really kinda nice in comparison to my fathers 540i. The seats are scratched up pretty bad, and the dash needs work. The front spoiler is cracked, and the engine was a bit rough, but we fixed it, and we only spent about $500. The tires are all seasons, but they are still good. You missed an excellent opportunity.
Congrats on what sounds like a solid buy!
dc