RE: PH Fleet: BMW M5 (E28)

[NGK210]

"...Two weeks ago it refused to start. It might be the ECU."

So, can ECUs perish, wear-out or become less efficient after time?

Just askin' cos I suspect my 9-yr-old car's ECU is iffy. Ta.

[Vocal Minority]

Bash Brannigan said:

Vocal Minority said:

I don't know why, maybe I am getting more mature about cars, I neve used to care for BMWs of any ilk. Modern ones still do nothing for me - and I do not know why my peer group lust after the 3 series so.

But old ones have recently started becoming the knees of the bee to me. This type of M5 (along with the 6 series) is the nuttiest of the mutts nutts IMHO.

Have you driven a modern 320d? This might sound completely retarded if you haven't, but they're such good fun to thrash that it's made me lust after a higher power/focus version as an everyday car. There's obviously no chance of oversteer, it's not what would be called fast and the run flats are mind bogglingly irritating, but if you drive one then you'll get why even the poverty spec is such a popular car.

Is the E34 M5 famously expensive to run or did CH just have bad luck? They seem like a real bargain at the moment...

Well, I haven't, and I have no doubt it is a magnificent machine in it's way. What I guess I am refering to is the irrational pang of 'I want that' which you get with some cars, and you don't with others.

Should I drive one, I expect I would change my mind, though I get the impression it would be a head purchase and not a heart purchase, and as I am not in the market currently, heart matters!

[VerySideways]

I too have lusted after an E28 M5 for the best part of 25 years, ever since seeing this advert in a magazine:



One day.

[Andysywv]

Just reminds me how I was foolish to sell mine

[Kawasicki]

One of my favourite cars, if only it didn't have semi-trailing arm rear suspension, like a Z3 (joking).

[redstu]

Big Six said:

Disconnect the ABS ECU above the main ECU in the glove box before trying to jump it.

Not shore where you are based but to be on the safe side I would send it to Munich legends http://www.munichlegends.co.uk/ or http://www.classicheroes.co.uk/default

You might try removing & then reinstalling all the fuses & replays in the engine bay. Just sounds like you have a bad contact.

My 86 528i suffered from poor contacts which made it difficult to start. Often just unplugging and replugging the large multiplugs fixed it (IIRC there are were 3). I also used to spray them with electrical contact cleaner.

[bmthnick1981]

Lovely motor, thanks for the write up. Have had an E34 M5 and would like another, but the E28 seems to be out of reach now due to the low numbers available. I think the E39 is the 'best value' M5 available now.

[Contigo]

Cannot get excited about this car at all. I know it was the first of the M5's, hand-built and used the Modified M1 engine but it's just so dated. All the people complaining about the soul less M5's really need to drive one and appreciate how far Technology has come. I'll keep my E61 thanks.

[robinessex]

E28 M5 expensive to keep on the road? Nope, 'cos it not difficult to do most of the mechanical bits yourself, all you pay for are the bits. Dodgy bodywork is another matter, just keep clear of any that require this. Electrics usually need professional help though.

[redfives]

when i left school i served my time with bmw,i was only 17 when i got my first drive of one of these,its a vivid memory still today(im 40 now)the acceleration was so brutal it frightened me and amazed me in equal measure,never since has a car had such a massive impact on me,truly awesome,great article,thanks.

[Lowtimer]

Of course it's dated. That's the whole point.
It is a period piece from when cars were a sensible size, and required and reawrded full driver interaction in a way that a modern nanny-state equivalent simply can't.

The fact that it's only got the straight line performance as an E9 330D, and has less cornering grip, and worse brakes, is irrelevant.

[derin100]

Output Flange said:

Top tip for the E28 M5 - don't buy one unseen. Or if you do, don't be surprised when you discover it needs the thick end of £12k of work to pass an MOT. Guess how I found that out...

Ouch! But I can easily believe it! The restoration of the last E28 that I did often brought me close to tears and it wasn't even an M5.

Really look forward to seeing your current project develop! Keep us updated.

Possibly as a warning to others but also for the pleasure of seeing the sheer art my friend Tony's work in progress you might like to take a look at this thread. It's an E28 M5 that ostensibly didn't look 'that bad'....well, not as bad as it turned out to be. It's long but it's worth viewing (and somewhere in there are 3 links to the last E28 that I did...before, during and after):

http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=re...

[redfives]

iirc the fuel pump relays gave trouble on all e28,s,its a tall black relay on the inner wing...

[Roop]

Fantastic piece of kit. My dad had one (second hand) back in 1987/8. It was C-reg IIRC in Zinnober Red. It kept breaking down due to electrical problems, the sunroof leaked, the boot leaked even worse but I thought it was the nuts.

I'd love one of these now, especially as I do knack all miles. Why am I driving a modern Focus RS and not a classic...?

[griffter]

Chris, Stuart at Forza West will get it going for you. He's based in Bulwark in Chepstow. He looks after my E24 Alpina B9. I thought I'd drop that in in case - when you do get it going - you fancy doing an article on the two side-by-side

[glendon]

What?
Dated? Not excited? oh dear...
Of course its dated, its an eighties car! this and the E30 are just so right, classic lines, not all in your face and aggressive- just right.

Keep your technology thanks, old stuff is definitely where its at!

Contigo said:

Cannot get excited about this car at all. I know it was the first of the M5's, hand-built and used the Modified M1 engine but it's just so dated. All the people complaining about the soul less M5's really need to drive one and appreciate how far Technology has come. I'll keep my E61 thanks.

[myhandle]

VerySideways said:

I too have lusted after an E28 M5 for the best part of 25 years, ever since seeing this advert in a magazine:



One day.

US spec bumpers undermine the front indicators lining up with the angle of the front wing. It's probably why they have a black background behind a black car, so you can't see the nasty US bumpers.

[Luca Brasi]

Now that's a proper car.

Didn't realize an E34 M5 was that expensive to run?

[Bash Brannigan]

griffter said:

Chris, Stuart at Forza West will get it going for you. He's based in Bulwark in Chepstow. He looks after my E24 Alpina B9. I thought I'd drop that in in case - when you do get it going - you fancy doing an article on the two side-by-side

Griffter, have you submitted this to carpool? I'm sure that I'm not alone in wanting to hear about what it's like to run one of these.

[Great Pretender]

LHD said:

The E28 M5.

Awesome MacAwesome from Awesomeshire.

If i can suggest Phil Crouch at CPC Engineering for all bork related issues as the man is a magician.

Phil's total revenue this year is down signficantly on account that I no longer own a recalititrant M car, but no matter, what that man doesn't know about BMWs, isn't worth knowing.

And without wishing to turn this thread into a handbag sligner, I'd avoid ML like plague of plagues with the plague.