David here. I'm looking for a 2003 e39 530i with a manual transmission and sport package. I'm also looking at the '97-'98 528i with sport package and manual transmission. Either car should have less than 80,000 miles on it. I realize I can't be too picky because the number of manual transmission cars is so small and I'm not really a fan of black either. My spare car died so I'm in the market for another car. My '85 e28 535i will become the new spare car; I'm looking to get a newer model. I'm a club member but I have to get a hold of the main office to figure out why I can't match this user name up with my membership. On a side note, does anyone know if the passenger airbag can be depowered for children sitting in the front seat on the e39? I live in the Los Angeles area but am willing to consider cars outside my area. Please PM me if you have a lead on a car that fits these specs. Thanks everyone.
I don't think the passenger airbag can be "depowered". Remember the side airbag as well as the front one. BMW did not make a sport package for the 1997 528i (first model year). You would be looking for a 1998-2000 528i w/ sport package. You can try searching on the internet or look in the back of the Roundel classifieds for your 528i sport/530i, etc... Good luck......
2002 in Salt Lake City If you'd consider a 2002, there's one with 75K at Autostrada Motors, LLC for $12,999. The color appears to be Orient Blue, not Steel Blue as the copy ad says. It's been available for several months if Salt Lake City is not too far away.
There is a red beauty up here in Albany NY. You would get a chance to become very familiar with it on the looooong ride home.
I have a 97 528i (automatic, no sport package) with 110k miles for sale. Yes, I know this doesn't match what you're looking for, but ya never know. Pics at http://photobucket.com/97e39528. Email me at adam underscore g at yahoo dot com
Thank's for all your help. It turns out that my Dad is getting a new car and is going to give me his 1995 Ford Thunderbird SC with a 5 speed manual. Given free vs. $10K to $18K for a used BMW, I'll pick free. I still have my 1985 535i to play with. There's even a Super Coupe club where I learned that SC club members are as nutty, maybe even more nutty, than CCA members, there were only 527 manual trans SCs build in 1995 and some Super Coupe club members have run 11s in the 1/4 mile in their own SCs. I would rather have a 528i or 530i but the T Bird is a good, if big, car that has reasonable get up and go (230hp, 330 ft/lbs torque stock). Thanks to everyone for their help and suggestions.
Congrats on the free car. It's always a treat to get a rare car for free. If you can warm up to it and can live it, then it's a sweeeeet deal. I'm glad you haven't reached our levels of obsession. I would be an idiot for not taking a free, fully functioning car (if not a BMW) and I would probably skip on it. The addiction is horrible! I hope you enjoy.
Not so Fast Remember, I have an '85 535i already. I had a BMW remanufactured motor put in when I got it. Cross drilled rotors. e28 M5 sway bars Super Sprint Exhaust Factory cat Cross drilled frozen rotors 740i 7x16 wheels and Yokohama AVS ES 100s Short shift One o' them chips Cold air intake. And it weighs about 600 lbs less than an e39. I have the BMW I want already.
You have a nice E28 indeed. This is my first car that I got just before Christmas '96. I will be buried in this car. No performance mods on mine, just the 535is spoiler....
I saw a MINT CONDITION 2002 540i Sport package in TItanium Silver with a 6 Speed. It was beautiful with only 35,000 miles. It was at Erhard BMW in Bloomfield Hills Michigan for $21,000. No chips, perfect black interior.....I had put a deposit on it but instead purchased a 2003 540i that was a True M-Sport. I personally found more manual trans in the 540s than in 528 or 530.....It only makes sense that someone who wants manual would also want the extra performance of the 32 valve 8.
Sure it might have plenty of power.....BUTit also carries a fair amount of weight with incredibly poor suspension and poor unresponsive handling. Now it may be free but that wouldn't be enough for most of us to give up the driving experience you would have with a well maintained Bimmer. Even free comes with a cost and yours would be the loss of a portion of your life wasted driving a fricken Ford!! Might as well be a skateboard!
Harsh but true words. This is what makes the world go round and round. If we all drove bimmers, it would be too boring. OP, if your still around, let us know how your doing with the E28 and the T-bird.
For anyone else looking... Remember to check over at BF.c (bimmerforums.com) when you're looking for a new/used bimmer cause most of those guys take great care of their cars...just FYI.
BMW e28 Adventures I took the 535i to my mechanic because the cold air vent actuator broke. This caused a cascade of events. I ordered a dash, from Taiwan of all places, because in order to replace the actuator the dash had to come out. A long time ago I bought a heater blower motor so I took that down to the shop too. The carpet was stained and old so I bought a new one from Mobile Tradition. The mechanic ordered the cold air actuator bracket and found that the old one was metal and the retrofit part was plastic. The dash took forever to arrive so the mechanic put my car on the back burner. Once the dash arrived the car stayed on the back burner but then he had to schedule a carpet guy to come in and install the carpet. Time to put in the dash only to open the box and discover it was bent in shipping. He had a dash in his attic which he gave me. It's cleaned up some but a little dirty still. He then installed the new cold air bracket tried to use it and broke it because the cold air cable was kinked. Took forever getting that part but now the car is back, has new carpet, coco mats, front seat covers and a new dash. Now I need an odometer gear and to fix the back light on the OBC. Also, the in tank fuel pump is talking to me about dying but boy does it drive differently than the Tbird although I do miss the power. Now that my trusty e28 is back, I need to get the Tbird in the shop for suspension work, installation of the new radiator and a brake, hub and wheel upgrade. It turns out that SC fanatics are just as nutty as Bimmer fanatics. Both cars are good cars but quite different in character. The SC has the power and the e28 the finesse. My friend said that he embarrasses people in his e29 M5 and I said no, with an M5 that performance is expected. It's far more embarrassing to be dusted by an old '95 Tbird. He had to agree. All that power and 34 mpg on the highway. What's not to like.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with a 95 Thunderbird SC, especially if it's free and a 5 speed! It's a good looking car (remember at its introduction, everyone commented on its styling similarities to the E24), comfortable and quick. It may not have the snob factor of the BMW but who cares, it's still a fine car and cheaper to maintain than any import. In all honesty, some BMW snobs may look down at it for being a "fricken Ford!!!" but in my experience with 9 BMWs and 4 Mustangs, the Mustangs blew the BMWs away in reliability and maintenance costs, so it's not all bad. Yes, I know, they do not drive as well as the BMW but I beat my Mustangs on the track mercilessly and they never asked for anything other than scheduled maintenance. Not too shabby a choice for a daily driver. Enjoy your T-bird.
Not sure if you have given up the search for a 530 sport, but I happen to have an '01 in Orient blue with grey interior, $9995 at HarwickAutoSales.com, and a 2000 M5 in Orient blue if anyone is looking..... I'll also take your T-bird on partial trade.
