Has BMW Lost Their Way? I Drive This Iconic E28 5 Series To Find Out! 

Bud on this car HERE: www.tflbids.com/product/1987-bmw-m535i/

Live in Denver and my E-28 is one of my favorite cars for mountain roads. Its balance and feedback are perfect for a blast through a canyon without the distractions of modern gizmos in the cabin.

Most times the answer to a question in the title of a RU-vid video like this is "yes", this inclusive. They've lost their way a long time ago.

Love the style of these. Much more than the current.

That 535 reminds me of a 82 733i with factory 5 spd I bought of the original owner. It was absolutely fun to drive.

Totally agree with Tommy on this one( fyi, BMW auto is a "Bimmer" not a "Beamer"). I owned an 88 E28 528E 5 speed, the absolutely best BMW car ever, and way better built than my E36. So glad to see your praise.

Whether it's a 535M or a genuine M5 or a humble 525i, the E28 is (in my opinion) the most handsome saloon BMW ever made.

I had The 1987 535 Navy Blue back in 2004-2005. Loved it Classic Looks and Handling! 👍

Absolute beauty - and here in the motherland, in Germany, very hard to get and expensive, around 25-35k€. The E34 535 is much cheaper, you can get them for 10-15k€.

I've had 2 e28 absolutely loved them

Tommy you can set the on board computer to standard, press something into the pin hole in the bottom corner, while on range, or avg mpg selected.

The current design ethos is: "a face only a lead designer could love" I for one, am not a lead designer in a multi billion dollar car brand.. so i struggle to love the current generation of dubyahs. but.. thankfully you don't have to go back very far to find some stunners in their lineup.

M535i started with the e12 first generation 5 series. And the body kits were different to the full blown M5 as well. It should also have a dogleg 5 speed gearbox LSD and bilsteins. Metric wheels were also an option.

It is important to keep in mind that MSRP for e28 was about 40K back in 88. At the same time Camry was about 10K. So if we take Camry as basic unit and say it is 25K today - we are talking about 100K for bmw. So yeah, BMW “lost” their way trying to be more affordable :)

The first M-badged,or to be precise M-sport/performance model was the E12 M535i,which began production in 1980.

I bought the Alpina version of this car new in Germany back in '83. It was in exactly the same Graphite metallic, which was the colour of choice for "Q cars" (hot saloons) at that time. I also had the door mirror shells sprayed in body colour which was not mainstream for any cars at that time. I'm sure that UK spec car cost around 25k British pounds, tax free, back then.

I like that car! My favorite is the E34, but I wouldn't sell an E28 for leaking a little oil!

The triangle plastic piece on rear shelf is a holder for center seat belt clip

Loving the background

Had an 85 535i. That was the most reliable BMW I've owned. My 2001 M3 and M5 are faster but I've had to do few repairs. Love them all.

Awesome video!

Yes! They're not a "drivers car" anymore. They're now a status symbol for young elites. They bitched and moaned about the goddamn window switches so bmw complied and moved them to the door like on their old Hyundai 🙄. There's a reason they were on the center console. Also road feel has progressively gotten more numb, my e30 it was like I could feel the pavement through the steering wheel now it's more isolated.

First car was an 85 535i with a 5 speed. Thing was bullet proof.

The golden age of cars is long past.

A recent BMW is worth less than half the equivalent Toyota, which is bound to be far better engineered and built. Yet BMWs often cost the same as a Toyota, and sometimes even more!!

@3:45 The power loss on the American versions wasn't just the catalytic converter but also the fact that the American versions had much lower compression ratio for emissions reasons.

I owned an '88 535iS US market car. I like the American bumpers as they protect better and actually give the car its iconic look as pictured in the ads. The tires are fully available--it was originally on 390MM TRX wheels. However, that spare you have is some funky Japanese-market pattern, probably same size. The original TRX wheels were very pretty, but while you can certainly get the TRXs through Coker, they are not very good tires by any modern standard. It's modern Motronic so it's pretty bulletproof. See the E28 boards for a good user community to help you sort through the various odds and ends. They are very connected driver's cars, but will have some elderly car issues--they are 35+ years old. Good luck with the sale!

One of The Best BMW S3dan designs and for the 80s period.

The M/// package started with the first gen 5series e12 535i 👌

BMW E28 5 series is a beautiful car

IMO, BMW design peaked in the late 80s and early 90s. They progressively got worse and worse looking since then. I drove an '84 528. The odometer was broken at 177k miles, so God only knows the actual mileage when I drove it. I just remember it having an uncomfortable driver's seat, an enormous school bus steering wheel, and poor ergonomics. It was very solidly built though and the 5-spd felt great. The engine definitely needed valve work because it sounded like a typewriter.

The absolute pinnacle of 5 Series design.

Yeah, they used to be fun and worth the upkeep.

Tommy, fyi that trip computer can switch over to miles per gallon even if the speedo is in kilometers...

One of my regrets was not purchasing an e28 red on black 535is years ago. Just a beautiful car!!

That was my first car. 5sp mania, I wish I still had it

I love my 84 533i.

I've been saying for a long time now that BMW needs to go back to what they once were. It's sad, those were the good days of BMW that we will never see again I'm afraid.

my m240 is super comfortable and a blast to drive ! ...its like a miata with 400 hp and lexus seats g

My 2001 e46 330i has a lot of the same characteristics and features that this car did that make it feel like “the ultimate driving machine”. Right now it’s in for service, and I can’t tell you how many people have said to me “so you’re just gonna trade that in right? It’s obviously not worth dumping money into.” And I’m appalled every time. Imagine parting with a nice e46 for like $1000 trade in value 😂 I’d hate myself forever. It’s staying, and yes I will be dumping money into it

Esta divino, el mío es color vino, aún no termino el proyecto 🎉🎉

They are great cars! There is a little bit of an error as to the looks of the two. The real M5 had no body kit! Just a little bit of a larger chin spoiler an a boot spoiler. The M535i had the sills and larger spoilers.

I’ve been saying for a long time now that BMW needs to go back to what they once were. Go back to this same style, same technology. I fell in love with these back in the 80s when I was in my teens. Love the whole car design. Now I don’t know if I would even have a modern BMW with how now they are so “Un” BMW from my standards.

The most fantastic modern BMW is the first gen 3.0 X5. Has all the dynamic of the early cars with chassis rigidity that is still one of the highest of any car ever made.

Thanks Tommy, I agree, BMW has lost something in styling

He he! I had exactly a car like that! Same engine, same colour, same decor line! Tell you what: I don't miss it at all. 4I don't miss how it always broke. I don't miss how I was always broke. I traded it for a 2-liter Alfa Romeo one rainy evening. Alfa and I lived happily ever after. Or until it rusted away at least.

You can make these cars move well with all the usual NA mods. Port and polish the heads, put some higher comp pistons in, dyno tune it and lower the diff ratio.

That is not the bodykit of the M5, the M5 was more understated with no side skirts. The M535i has the standard engine but sports suspension wheels and tyres and the Recaro interior. Also the wheels are not original the car came with "Michelin TRX Tyres 220/55 VR 390" which are a metric size tyre no longer made, so although my car is one of the very very few with original tyres and wheels any car that does any sort of milage will have aftermarket or later BMW wheels. And can I say these where fast cars on the road at the time able to best most Porsches and other sports cars the cars are very aggressively geared. Oh forgot to say one of the best looking BMW sedans ever along with the E30 and E34

Just seen the newest 5 series. You’re right, they have lost their way.

my first car was a 1982 320i and no it wasn’t fancy, it was like $2k at the time. loved that car…. no issues even with the daily abuse of a stick shifting teenager 😎 - I agree, bmw needs to refocus on simplicity and quality - new ones are way to complex and costly to repair which is why they are only leased now

I have been looking for a good condition one but in ct they are rusted in bad condition and ppl still want 7 to 8 k and 5 to 6k for the e

Having the correct wipers would help the car and your credibility. Sorry for being harsh but it's true.

I own a 1988 BMW 750iL (E32) and I believe BMW lost its way twenty years ago. BMW started to NLA (no longer available) in as little as four years after the vehicle left production. The rear SLS (self leveling suspension) shocks have been NLA for years, and recently the company that made the control diaphragm for this leaky, expensive to maintain rear suspension was bought out by another company which promptly ended production. It's "rumored" that the E38 rear air suspension diaphragm can be modified to work, but have never seen this in practice. Meanwhile, back at Ford (that's right) you can still order a brand new NOS AM radio for the 1964.5 Mustang. I might add that the Nikasil these M70 engine blocks are made of cannot be honed or resurfaced. A friend of mine with the same car and same engine recently sustained damage to a piston and a ring. That's an engine block replacement for a thirty five year old engine. There is a company that rebuilds these blocks (the cylinder liners are removed and replaced with stainless steel equivalents) for around $11K. Low five figures for a rebuild on thirty five year old V12 engine that will still only make 296 hp. Meanwhile a new Ford Coyote crate engine making between 412 and 460 hp goes out the door for around $8,500 and gets twice the gas mileage, with a GM LS offering comparable value if you prefer a traditional overhead valve V8 (the LS OHV V8's are easier to fit into under the hood, since the double overhead cam Ford Coyote V8 engines have gigantically wide heads that can be a challenge fitting into older cars. I did the math - the Coyote engine would leave just two inches of space on each side of the engine under my engine bay.

Couple of errors worth to mention * First generation 5 series e12 M535 is where it all started not e28. E12 was a serious machine, this e28 version is mostly cosmetic/marketing model. * M535i has basically the same suspension as the standard version. M5 has completely different suspension/steering and handles differently. *M535i does not have the same bumpers and body kit from M5. M5 has the same rear boot spoiler, but looks completely different otherwise. Whoever bought this and expecting it to be genuine M5 isn't a true enthusiast. Enthusiast tell those two from miles apart. * It doesn't have a steering rack. It's got a steering box. * Catalytic version of M30 makes less power, but not because of catalytic converters. This version has smaller camshaft and much less compression ratio than the earlier version M30. * It's not 3.5L it's actually 3.4L motor.

5:55 the engine code was M88, me thinks.

BMW lost their way by hiring Chris Bangle

what are those floormats? I have a 1999 SL500 I would like to upgrade the mats on

E28 is the last beautiful 5 Series

Thats going to go for over 15K I bet. Probably closer to 20k.

I see a 1967 Chevrolet Corvair with a grille for a front engine. Not a bad thing at all.

Two questions: Still running R12 refrigerant? Last timing belt service? Thanks - nice E28

Awesome cars!German Alfa Romeo!

Answer to the header's question. Yes. Very.

Nice video. But honestly who cares if others may or may not think you're drivan m5. I almost prefer the simplicity of this to the m5. Good work tho guys.

What year is this BMW? I couldn't help but notice I had classic plates I tried to get classic plates on my 1989 Probe GT and they told me it wasn't old enough but I don't think the people in my small town know what the hell they're doing

fantastic value... lol couldnt give me that thing.

E28 is nice. E39 is perfect

Nice

9300? Seems awfully low. It's a nice e28.

Lovely car - but who decided on the white seat piping looks so cheap and tacky that’s a big no for this model should have kept it stock / OEM 😮

IS THAT A ZENDER KIT ON THAT?

I really liked BMW during these times, E30, E28, E24 hit after hit. What happened BMW?

My first time road racing was in my 88 535is.... she is a fat girl but sure can dance!!!!!

They and others lost their way along time ago but they really don’t care since they sell everything they make

lmao ashtray for the kids 😂

Yeah, the old BMW were great looking and also great to drive, after the F generation I think they have lost their mind, probably new management demanded screaming designs for "wanna be seen on street because I am celebrity" (XM, iXM i7 and so on). Also they are slowly removing the BMW DNA by making driving less analog and pure, by including more and more electromechanical systems, omitting physical controls and even making windows smaller as other manufacturers are doing. Instead of evolving, they are forcing the revolution :'(

The European M5 had a more powerful engine.

my god the way you talk about these cars is ridiculous yes fun car .. buttttt so many problems .. i owned a 1983 533i which was bought brand new by my stepdad in 1983.. (I got it many years later with just 83,000 miles on it) ... what you guys don't talk about is how bad the a/c system is fantastic heat but that's about it (we have had this car since new and it always blew fuses etc) and let's talk about the driving position with the bus like steering position ... this was the main reason besides trying to get the a/c to work right even after spending thousands replacing everything down the the squirrel case blower motors is why i sold it ...

sometimes i find lexus took kit in salvage yards.......but never bmw

I understand the bumpers and how ugly are they. But the biggest federal stupidity for me are the equal size headlights on those, ruined the whole look for me. And this comes from a person who is E12/E34 fan rather than E28. The cats by themselves robbed maybe 5-8HP however the non cat cars had compression of 10 while those with it came with 8. This made the huge difference, the pistons.

Absolutely agree 100% those BMWs back in 1960s 70s 80s until 1990s were great afterc 2010 they just became unreliable, money pits

Ve owned an 86 e24 635csi, 13 335csi and thought about a new m4. Test drove it and wasn’t impressed. They are no longer drivers cars. They do what they do but not like BMWs of the past

This design is timeless, elegant and understated. Today's BMW designs are arrogant and clownish.

Bosch fuel injection nightmares. If you want one, get 6 parts cars and a second mortgage. Sure fun to drive, fast for the era but huge pita

Wish they would go back to the exact design and technology. Go back to the original blueprints

i like BMWs but used engines and transmissions are expensive......unlike japanese where a used engine is only about $1.5k for non trending engines

What happed to BMW, their styling has just gone to pot, this is not only a bad car, it really looks good.

When someone says Asian style bumper you know how little someone knows

I’m thinking about bidding on that car.

Hmmm...Germany...Japan...yes that combination has at no point worked out bad for history at all....

Complicated brake system, 5000 dollar😄no its not complicated

The problem is, they can’t. Car companies are being squeezed with safety and emissions.

"80's BMW's were the best...and this one is available for sale." No conflict of interest here.

🆒️

Any interest in selling this car?

Love the E28. Modern BMW's just suck, not worthy of the badge.

The title says it all. BMW lost it's way a long time ago. The cars from around 2010 and beyond are benign pieces of rubbish.

Wtf guys ?!! Cats do not stop the hp and 30 hp 😅. Jeez. Learn about cars before trying to make a show cats block almost zero horsepower

BMW lost its way sometime between 2010-2015. After buying and driving nothing but BMWs for 30 years, I finally stopped. They are appealing to the "snob" factor, and single young men with way too much money. Bloat. Corporate bloat and misguidedness are showing in every product in their idiotically complex offerings. Give me back my E28 M5s, my E36 M3s, my E30 325is, my M Roadster, and my E46 ZHP. Real cars. Cars that deserved the title, "The Ultimate Driving Machine".

Safety and...less-than-skillfull...new drivers demand the various baby carriages we're stuck with today. I love EVs...so...if I were wealthy, I'd want EV powertrains in classic cars like this one. Less wasteful of existing resources, too.