RE: Spotted: BMW 525e

[Mermaid]

Leins said:

Funny you should say that, because I've just bought this '90 318iS with a buddy of mine

Good choice

I had one for a while - really enjoyed it.

[s m]

Leins said:

g3org3y said:

I suppose it depends on what you want the car for.

It would be a shame to use it on a day to day basis, if that were the case a decent E34 5er would be superior in every way (imo) - am sure you could get a very nice example for 3k. f only for a w/e car, a E28 528i manual makes more sense verus the 525e.

Similar phenomenon seen with E30s at the mo. Decent original 316is/318is are getting priced quite high because of their condition. Question is, who are they going to appeal to? Too nice to use for a daily driver (esp if you consider the price) but also not exactly interesting enough to appeal to the weekend driver who would rather save up for a 325i Sport

Oh, and I have that exact Blaupunkt stereo in my E30 cabrio (with OE telescopic aerial)!

Funny you should say that, because I've just bought this '90 318iS with a buddy of mine. It's not going to be a daily driver, but just something a bit different to run occasionally over the summer from my Alpina C2 and his E30 M3

They used this 2.7 version of the 6-cylinder in the E30 in the 325e and 325es in the U.S. You could have a manual or an auto box coupled with a long final drive

[Leins]

Mermaid said:

Good choice

I had one for a while - really enjoyed it.

Thanks v much! Always fancied one when I first started driving in the mid-90s but couldn't afford it back then. Then this one came up for sale a couple of weeks ago so decided to take a punt. Doesn't seem to be any rot on it, has covered 140k miles, and is pretty much standard so hopefully happy days!

[405dogvan]

sisu said:

Lummy that is...

Well...

It's lovely...

£24K and it's missing a wheel centre tho - I mean that's a BIT mad isn't it (I'd probably just remove them all anyway, but...)

Edited by 405dogvan on Tuesday 19th February 02:55

[g3org3y]

Leins said:

Funny you should say that, because I've just bought this '90 318iS with a buddy of mine. It's not going to be a daily driver, but just something a bit different to run occasionally over the summer from my Alpina C2 and his E30 M3

That's better than what I meant! I was trying to get across that the generic/bottom run models are now priced up high if original and in good condition. 318iS is a whole diff kettle of fish versus a regular 318i.

Looks nice btw, enjoy!

All this old skool BMW love is giving me second thoughts about selling the cabrio this summer.

[Leins]

g3org3y said:

That's better than what I meant! I was trying to get across that the generic/bottom run models are now priced up high if original and in good condition. 318iS is a whole diff kettle of fish versus a regular 318i.

Looks nice btw, enjoy!

All this old skool BMW love is giving me second thoughts about selling the cabrio this summer.

Thanks!

Don't do it, everyone needs some E30 (or E28) in their life Did you see the cabrios were tipped on 5th Gear tonight for increasing values over the next few years btw?

[Shipper]

sisu said:

Have you thought of the other side of the scale, the Turbocharged E28 Alpina B7?
This is one of 3 Alpinas for sale, slightly more than the 525e at 34,00CHF. But then you have the choice of this '85 below, an '80 B7 turbo or a '86 6 series B9 Turbo.



This might get you in the mood and ellaborate on what makes it.... here

I don't think they ever made a B9 turbo 6 series. There was a B7 turbo that came as a 3.21 litre and 300hp, a B7 turbo/3 with the 3.5 litre engine and 330hp, the B9 had a 245hp high compression engine and the B10 a 254hp high compression engine. A B9 turbo would be after market and require a reduction in the compression ratio.

[kinghottinger]

I get 28-32 mpg from my daily driver manual k-jetronic 1982 520i, so 30 plus average for the eta seems reasonable. Not bad at all for a 30 year old car. 120kmh is 3k rpm in top on mine. 3rd gear @ 80kmh is also 3k. That's where all the fun starts, it's a great motor the old M20 straight 6, the noise and vibes are just right. Big, thin rimmed wheel, comfy suspension and 14" alloys, rear wheel drive, 5 gears and a sweet motor = a hoot. I still want an old Jag mind (pipe and beard present).

I see loads of E30s around still, but very few E28s.

[g3org3y]

Leins said:

g3org3y said:

That's better than what I meant! I was trying to get across that the generic/bottom run models are now priced up high if original and in good condition. 318iS is a whole diff kettle of fish versus a regular 318i.

Looks nice btw, enjoy!

All this old skool BMW love is giving me second thoughts about selling the cabrio this summer.

Thanks!

Don't do it, everyone needs some E30 (or E28) in their life Did you see the cabrios were tipped on 5th Gear tonight for increasing values over the next few years btw?

I know, I do love that car, used it as a daily driver for the last few years. It has been all around Scotland, all the way to Lands End and around Cornwall and last year we used it for an epic Euro road trip. Mechanically it's lovely (spent quite a bit of cash on it) and I really enjoy driving the car (fabulous roof down fun). Unfortunately, the body is starting to suffer with 3 winters outside. I don't have a garage or the time to attend to the rusty bits (rear tow hook, right rear arch) which are getting as such I'd rather see her sold and cared for than slowly worsen.

New exhaust to go on, as well as a set of new tyres. MOT come May and then I'll decide. It's amazing how some sun/roof down driving can easily skew your opinion.

[ZesPak]

bob1179 said:

Krikkit said:

30mpg doesn't seem all that impressive for such an extreme engine configuration, what was a standard E28 525 like?

Well if you go back thirty years to when they were developing the car, 30 mpg is very good. 2.0 litre Sierras were only getting economy in the 20's.

I always liked the the 525e, the engine actually used longer inlet pipes in the plenum compared to the regular 2.0 M20 engine.

I really need another E28 in my life!

30mpg was a pretty hard figure to get with a 520i, so it does seem reasonable.

Nors said:

Nobody noticed - a 5 series that weighed just over 1300kg!

noticed that as well. The 5dr 1-series weighs well over that these days .

[Output Flange]

According to the Internetz, my E28 518i left the factory weighing an almighty 1140kg.

Still dog slow, mind.

[sisu]

Shipper said:

sisu said:

Have you thought of the other side of the scale, the Turbocharged E28 Alpina B7?
This is one of 3 Alpinas for sale, slightly more than the 525e at 34,00CHF. But then you have the choice of this '85 below, an '80 B7 turbo or a '86 6 series B9 Turbo.



This might get you in the mood and ellaborate on what makes it.... here

I don't think they ever made a B9 turbo 6 series. There was a B7 turbo that came as a 3.21 litre and 300hp, a B7 turbo/3 with the 3.5 litre engine and 330hp, the B9 had a 245hp high compression engine and the B10 a 254hp high compression engine. A B9 turbo would be after market and require a reduction in the compression ratio.

My mistake it is a B7Turbo. You got me there!

I have only seen a couple of early Alpina, normally in a dark green or this slate grey. I didn't realise how fast the Alpina were back in the day compared to what was already a quick M5.

[PPPPPP]

Shipper said:

. There was a B7 turbo that came as a 3.21 litre and 300hp, a B7 turbo/3 with the 3.5 litre engine and 330hp,

The B7S

[VAGdave]

Andy Zarse said:

New Scot said:

J4CKO said:

Nice enough but why bother, get one with a bigger engine, I remember driving one of these back in the day and it was a bit sluggish, I had seen the 525 bit and was expecting a bit more, the exhaust always looked a bit strange on these as well.

My thoughts exactly! My Dad went for the 528i which was a real hoot!

I had one of the last E28s ever registered as a company car, E48 LRV was six months old when got it, a 518i resplendent in Zinobar Red.

Words cannot express how much I hated it. It was a beautifully built piece of utter st. Possessed of a 110bhp 1.8 engine it was gutless, and even with alloys and fat TRXs the wet grip was a joke. And once it got to its 95mph top speed (downhill, wind aft) it had woeful 3 series brakes to haul the monsterous weight to a halt.

A joke of a car, hopefully it has long been crushed.

E48 LRV managed until 01 01 2006 according to the DVLA. Not a bad innings really...

[iSore]

A good 525e is a lovely thing to drive but the autobox spoils it. Sadly, UK cars were all autos - the manual 5 speed was vastly better because you could really exploit the torque this engine put out....it really is like driving a turbo diesel but without the lag as it pulls strongly from 1000 rpm. Economy was amazing in 1983 - these would do an easy 35 mpg on a run.

It was a pity BMW dumped the Eta concept to concentrate on diesels. The 524td was perhaps the future, but the 525e was much nicer to drive.

[s m]

iSore said:

A good 525e is a lovely thing to drive but the autobox spoils it. Sadly, UK cars were all autos - the manual 5 speed was vastly better because you could really exploit the torque this engine put out....it really is like driving a turbo diesel but without the lag as it pulls strongly from 1000 rpm. Economy was amazing in 1983 - these would do an easy 35 mpg on a run.

It was a pity BMW dumped the Eta concept to concentrate on diesels. The 524td was perhaps the future, but the 525e was much nicer to drive.

Yes, they let you have a manual box with this economy engine in the smaller 3-series

[Output Flange]

Many Etas have been converted either to manual, with an "i" head, a shorter diff or any combination thereof.

Horses for courses now. A good E28 is hard enough to find in any flavour, but swapping the oil bits between them isn't hard.

[rumple]

J4CKO said:

These always remind me of Wayne the cockney wide boy from "Auf Weidersehen Pet" as he had a red one, anyone remember that, one of my favourites as a kid.

Wayne's was an E12 the previous generation.

[sutts]

My Cirrus Blue E28. And a church.

[g3org3y]

iSore said:

It was a pity BMW dumped the Eta concept to concentrate on diesels. The 524td was perhaps the future, but the 525e was much nicer to drive.

Only ever seen one of these and that was in Morocco: