Friday 9th April 2010

SOTW: BMW 535i Hartge H5

Help save a rare BMW from extinction...

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Shed this week is more like a charity appeal than usual. We've spotted this tatty, leggy, but massively interesting BMW 535i with the full Hartge H5 conversion, which the vendor is threatening to break for parts unless a new owner can be found.

So, in our best Comic Relief-style heartfelt celebrity voiceover tones (we're imagining Lenny Henry, but feel free to pick your celebrity of choice), we present you with the tragic case of F200 OLH...

"F200 OLH was born in the summer of 1988 and, for a while, life was good. It had a spec list from BMW as long as a long-armed man's arm, including a fashionable car phone and the sought-after limited-slip differential.

"Things were to get even better - the white BMW 535i was treated to a full-house tuning conversion from respected tuner Hartge to turn it into an H5 Sport. This included smart 17-inch alloys, a rear spoiler, sports suspension and - best of all - a 241bhp engine conversion that allowed it to get to 60mph in 7.0secs on the way to 152mph.

"But fast forward 22 years and things aren't looking so good for our beleaguered BMW. Yes, it has an MOT, but 187,000 hard miles have taken their toll. Yes, there's a valid MOT, but it's only going to last until June, the engine only just splutters into life and the bodywork has seen better days with rust patches here and there and peeling lacquer in places. If something isn't done soon, then F200 OLH is going to be put down by its current owner.

"There is hope, however. There's lots of bills for work done, including previous MOT certificates and tax, and just £700 could save this BMW. It would need a lot of work, but FL200 OLH could surely be great again, given time and plenty of TLC. Please give on old Hartge a new home..."

Anyway, enough of that nonsense. This car is undoubtedly a gamble. It's hardly a cheap option either - the price might be low, but its new owner will have to throw a lot of cash its way to get it back into shape - but Hartge-tuned 5-series don't come up for sale everyday. For 700 notes it's a mighty tempting choice - come on, people, it's even got a working car phone...

Advert is reproduced below.

Bmw e34 535i hartge h5 sport (1994)
£700

BMW E34 535I HARTGE H5 SPORT
218 ALPINE WHITE BUILD DATE JULY 1988
187,000
Genuine hartge for those of you that think it is not I have spoke to the first owner
and it has had the full hartge upgrade and has the paperwork to go with thanks
Hartge 245 PS Engine modification
Hartge sport suspension
Hartge 17" monolithic wheels upgraded
from 16"'s
Hartge aerofoil rear wing
Hartge accessory pack
Hartge transformation costs £6500
0-60 - 7.0 seconds
0-1000m - 27.5 secs
V-max 152mph
Has the the following spec listed from BMW on print out has extensive paperwork all mots from new 3 previous owners tax discs and loads of bills for work done.
209 - Limited slip differential
291 - Wider alloy wheels and tyres
482 - 459+BMW Cloth Sport seats
708 - M tech steering wheel
401 - Electric sliding roof
500 - Headlight wash system
226 - Sports suspension
320 - No model inscription (de badged just hartge badge)
534 - Auto air conditioning
200 - Delete catalysor
459 - 458+Memory
498 - Rear head restraints
Also has a phone in there which apparently works.
Also has a nice plate F200OLH which is inlcuded.
Has mot until June 3rd 2010!
No tax but can tax if needed.
When i got this car I could not get it to start , It has now started and runs but very spluttery
The bodywork is clean but needs cleaning properly has a few blemishes and some laquer is off in one bit on right rear and slight bit of rust in the usual place but not alot have taken pic of the biggest bit and looks to be surface as the paint is still on generally it needs bringing up to speed

price is £700 or will break for parts

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[Touring Remo]

Wow, what a car. Do you think it'd be worth the money after repairs are done? You must be looking at a couple of thousand to get it sorted (including engine rebuild). Great find though! Not a bad thing to wake up to

Edited by Touring Remo on Friday 9th April 07:15

[kavanagh]

If i could bring it back to its former glory id buy it like a shot.
Pity i cant!.
Hopefully someone can.
Not as quick as i would of liked though.

[Mitchmachine]

Calling Great Pretender your next car is here.

[loudlashadjuster]

No thanks. A punt on an E34 M5 would be one thing, but to tangle with a tatty Hartge or Alpina of this vintage is asking for trouble. Can you imagine what the cost of some of the Hartge bits might be, assuming you can even get hold of then?

Let it die with dignity.

[Dunk76]

loudlashadjuster said:

No thanks. A punt on an E34 M5 would be one thing, but to tangle with a tatty Hartge or Alpina of this vintage is asking for trouble. Can you imagine what the cost of some of the Hartge bits might be, assuming you can even get hold of then?

Let it die with dignity.

It's still predominantly a 535i - the H5 conversion was akin to the Alpina B10 3.5 (i.e. a tuning job, rather than a full on conversion as comprehensive as the Alpina B10 Bi-Turbo).

But I agree, it's long past it's best. If you wanted an H5, then I'd suggest ripping the Hartge bits off it and putting it on a better shell.

Having seen the state of a mate's similarly vintaged E34 B10 3.5 when he pulled it apart, there's a whole can of tin-worm just waiting to pounce in your wallet with this thing. My mate ended up buying a decent E34 and transferring all the B10 bits to it - far cheaper.

[300bhp/ton]

why's this thread got no Topic hyperlink in General Gassing?

Edited by 300bhp/ton on Friday 9th April 08:11

[varsas]

Amazing, hope someone rescues it....maybe Vixpy will let it stay in his home for old BMW's?

[thirsty]

Touring Remo said:

Wow, what a car. Do you think it'd be worth the money after repairs are done? You must be looking at a couple of thousand to get it sorted (including engine rebuild). Great find though! Not a bad thing to wake up to

Edited by Touring Remo on Friday 9th April 07:15

Not a chance. Some of the early 90s (late 80s) BMWs may well turn out to be classics and worth the money to restore, but this isn't one of them. If you want a car to thrash around in, there are better one's to be had.

[Tony*T3]

Pointless peice of tat. Crush it.

[Oddball RS]

In a word its tired

[Shropshiremike]

A nice car once.

I remember the Fast Lane twin test from March 89 on the H5S vs the Alpina B10 3.5. Some good pics at Castle Combe Would be nice to have a minter of either....but £1500 of E36 328i is just as fast nowadays and a lot less juicy

[Tony*T3]

'Hartge Sport Suspension' which seems to need replaceing.

'Hartge Engine Tuning' which doesnt seem to work anymore.

Its just an old smoker with a badge on it, it doesnt even run properly.

[Gizmo!]

Tony*T3 said:

'Hartge Sport Suspension' which seems to need replaceing.

'Hartge Engine Tuning' which doesnt seem to work anymore.

Its just an old smoker with a badge on it, it doesnt even run properly.

Harsh but probably not too wide of the mark.

I miss my old 535 though, and so I shall ignore this and plead for it to be saved.

[AdamLoewy]

The wheels alone are probably worth the £700

[ManOpener]

I'm considering having a punt at this one, yes its a bit ropey but its also very very cool.

[Shropshiremike]

ManOpener said:

I'm considering having a punt at this one, yes its a bit ropey but its also very very cool.

Fast Lane timed it at 6.8 seconds to 60, a smidge over 18 to the 100 mark and max of 145mph if you're interested - PM me if you want an electronice copy of the twin test if you decide to go for it

[G0ldfysh]

AdamLoewy said:

The wheels alone are probably worth the £700

As bits it is possibly worth more than as a whole car.

Right now it is a white rust stain waiting for a decent burial in the local crushers.

[Libertine]

Might be broken for spares...or turned into a drift car, but it's an auto!

http://www.driftworks.com/forum/drift-cars-sale-pr...

Seeing that the seller has a few other cars for sale as spares, I wouldn't be surpised if the same fate happens to this.

I still like it though.

[KenBlocksPants]

I've seen people restore a lot lot worse.

Gotta be worth a punt for a BMW enthusiast?

[soad]

Nice motor that is - can't expect too much condition wise at that sort of price...