528e buyers guide

[Zrad]

Hi All. Did a super quick search but didn’t see a buyers guide for the 528e. Going to go look at a 88 528e later today. What all should I look for? Where is rust typically? What should I listen for in the engine/trans? Thanks, in advance, for your help. And I will start a deep dive into the site. Thanks again.

[Mike W.]

You're right, we should have a buyers guide for E28s, but nobody has volunteered to write one up.

[stuartinmn]

Look for rust bubbles around the windshield and rear window, what may seem like a tiny spot may end up being a good size hole underneath the weatherstrip. They can also rust in the jack points underneath the car, around where the rear subframe bolts to the body shell, and underneath where the gas pedal hinges on the floor. This last one can be difficult to see since there's a heavy rubberized undercoat on the bottom of the car that can mask it. Otherwise they can rust in typical areas for any car, at the bottom edges of the fenders and rear quarters, rocker panels, underneath the spare tire in the trunk, etc. The eta engine uses a rubber timing belt. Unless the seller has proof of when it was last replaced, figure on replacing it yourself first thing. Ask to see any service records, if nothing else they will hopefully show the seller has been taking care of the car. High miles isn't necessarily a problem, if the car has been taken care of they should run more or less forever.

There's a buyer's guide on the M535i.org website. It's geared towards those cars which have the M30 big six engine, but a lot of the information is applicable to a 528e. http://www.m535i.org/e28info.html

[austin8753]

plan to do the timing belt + water pump immediately, unless you have documents proving recent replacement.

[garageboy]

Hi All. Did a super quick search but didn’t see a buyers guide for the 528e. Going to go look at a 88 528e later today. What all should I look for? Where is rust typically? What should I listen for in the engine/trans? Thanks, in advance, for your help. And I will start a deep dive into the site. Thanks again.

So what happened?

And welcome!!

In an E28, if you can see rust, there's more you can't see.

The 88 528e is the super eta; 127Hp versus 121Hp.

The only thing to find out are service records, particularly the most recent time the timing best was changed. That's a negotiating point.

Good luck!

[RetiredDoc]

Too late for you since you have already seen the car and probably made a decision. However, I would pay attention to cosmetics like dashboard cracks and seat leather. Also operation of the power windows, as new motors are scarce as hen’s teeth, as well as operation of all functions of the power seats. If you want air conditioning, ignore the usual seller claim “it just needs a recharge.” If that were true, he’d have fixed it. I spent more than the book value of my own 528e to retrofit a R134a system. So if the AC does not chill, be ready to spend some major money, or just roll the windows down. Which is another reason to make sure windows and sunroof are working. Check out the cruise control operation, and that the trip meter on the instrument cluster is working. And speaking of the IC, the super eta has a different tachometer than other year 528e models. And the above point about rust around the rear window corners is very valid. If the lockstrip and corner clip were reinstalled wrong, that little spot of surface rust may really signal rust running halfway along the bottom window channel.