The Big Four-Oh

General conversations about BMW E28s and the people who own them.
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ahab
Posts: 6193
Joined: Jun 11, 2006 9:12 AM
Location: Chalfont, PA

The Big Four-Oh

Post by ahab »

So I clocked 400k in the ol' 535 the other night. In truth it's probably closer to 425 but with broken odo gears and replacement clusters and whatnot over the years I've lost a fair amount of logged miles on this clock. I tried to make a list of all the parts original to the car:

- The seats (and most of the interiorexcept for the steering wheel).
- 99% of the chassis (passenger side framerailectomy).
- All body panels save for the hood and trunklid. I suspect the sunroof too because the track has always been off a tooth. The car was the GM of West German BMW's demo for the first 11k of its life and I think they swapped the hood and trunklid with either a customer or a car on the lot because the VINs are identical on those two panels and yet the "patina" matches perfectly. Just a guess.
- Rear subframe. Bent the control arm ears on the front subframe off-roading and sleeping at the same time about 15 years ago.
- Bumpers.
- Spoilers.
- Dash. It WAS crackfree for many years.
- The glass except for the windshield. Think I'm on number 4.
- Brake booster and bomb.
- Clutch master.
- Rear wheel bearings.
- Parking brake shoes.

And I do believe that's it. She's a great car and I still drive her to Boston every couple weeks. I'm looking forward to another 100k minimum.

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Last edited by ahab on Aug 15, 2024 7:06 PM, edited 1 time in total.
leadphut
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Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: Portland, OR

Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by leadphut »

40 is the new 30.

Congrats!
Drew in NYC
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Location: New York

Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by Drew in NYC »

:clap:

With regular maintenance, is there any reason why it couldn't go on virtually forever?
ahab
Posts: 6193
Joined: Jun 11, 2006 9:12 AM
Location: Chalfont, PA

Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by ahab »

Drew in NYC wrote:With regular maintenance, is there any reason why it couldn't go on virtually forever?
Well, according to one asshole I know, "metal fatigue" has already rendered this car unsafe for highway speeds. :roll:
davintosh
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Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by davintosh »

ahab wrote:
Drew in NYC wrote:With regular maintenance, is there any reason why it couldn't go on virtually forever?
Well, according to one asshole I know, "metal fatigue" has already rendered this car unsafe for highway speeds. :roll:
Better junk it ASAP. ;)

Congrats on the reaching such a milestone. I can only hope mine live to see that kind of mileage.
demetk
Posts: 8431
Joined: Aug 09, 2007 8:58 AM
Location: CT, USA

Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by demetk »

ahab wrote:
Drew in NYC wrote:With regular maintenance, is there any reason why it couldn't go on virtually forever?
Well, according to one asshole I know, "metal fatigue" has already rendered this car unsafe for highway speeds. :roll:
Holy crap. OK rat him out. We need to belittle him.
Mike W.
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Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: California Whine Country

Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by Mike W. »

Not quite a record setter, but still, very impressive. :bow: So, by process of elimination going off your list the following have been replaced, drivetrain, complete, heater/A/C or at least cores/blowers, PS pump and box and more?

(not throwing rocks, I had replaced most all of that on mine at a mere 330K when I sold it.)
2 5's and a 7
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Location: Fayetteville AR

Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by 2 5's and a 7 »

Congrats! I had a 1983 733i once that had 385 on it when a lady gave it to me. What's funny is the odometer hadn't worked for three years! After I fixed a few things on it I sold it with 417k on it.
MicahO
Posts: 2486
Joined: Jan 07, 2010 7:50 AM
Location: Warwick, NY

Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by MicahO »

That's awesome! I saw the car last Friday, just before it turned the four-oh, and it was ready for at least another hundy.

These cars are a great platform to start with, but it's a great owner that can actually make the commitment and get that much life from a machine.
ahab
Posts: 6193
Joined: Jun 11, 2006 9:12 AM
Location: Chalfont, PA

Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by ahab »

Mike W. wrote:Not quite a record setter, but still, very impressive. :bow: So, by process of elimination going off your list the following have been replaced, drivetrain, complete, heater/A/C or at least cores/blowers, PS pump and box and more?

(not throwing rocks, I had replaced most all of that on mine at a mere 330K when I sold it.)
As for the drivetrain I pulled the original motor at 304k to put in a "built" B34. There was nothing excessively worn, just that it didn't make sense to put any work into that motor when I had a parts car on hand with only 118k on it, so I used that as a donor for a VAC Stage 2 top end on a stock bottom end. As I recall that was the weekend before 5erFest 07. At ~370k (indicated...) I put in a Euro high compression bottom end and tweaked the motor a little further. At that time I also put in the corresponding 265 and driveshaft (actually it was an M5 driveshaft). I've had a 4.10, 3.46, 3.25 and now back to a 2.93 in back, and have replaced the axles a few times with used parts. The 2.93 works great with a higher powered motor, however I broke another rocker at 395k so I yanked the hi comp motor and dropped in a 275k parts car motor for the time being. With the exception of being pretty far down on power (comparatively), and lethargic with that diff, it runs astonishingly well and doesn't leak a drop.

The heater core and evap box/expansion valve are still original, I was counting those as part of the interior, which for that kind of mileage is in remarkably good shape. The AC compressor, condenser and lines have been replaced with used and/or homemade parts (new drier however), and a HUGE nod goes to demetk for that coup. And I'm currently running an auto radiator on loan from tsmall07 since my SA radiator finally let go. Aside from the cracked dash, the only other issue in the cabin is a split seam on the driver's upper bolster where the thread let go, an easy fix. There are no other tears or worn areas on the leather, the driver's thigh bolster has a small crack I think. I've seen cars with 200k which have their bolsters worn through and are completely wasted, we all have, but cleaned up you would think this interior has far less than 200k.

I did replace the power steering pump when I did the Euro bottom end, again, I had a lower mileage copy on hand so why not. You did get me on the steering box however, I forgot to list it. That is still original and probably the only part that is well beyond its serviceable life. There's a dead spot in the center which gets annoying so when the high comp B34 is back together and ready to go in I'll do the box. I just can't decide whether to use a stock box or an M5 box.
ahab
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Location: Chalfont, PA

Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by ahab »

Took me nearly 10 years but I finally hit 500k miles on the way back from Vintage this May. Not a "lot" has changed as far as I remember. Same parts car engine, but the clutch blew up at some point and required changing. All the little springs in the disc fell to the ground when I slid the bell housing back. Still running off the old two fuel pump setup, not original by any stretch but I've had enough spares to keep it functioning, no idea which I've actually changed or how many times over the years. AC has given up but there's still a small spritz when I depress the schrader and all the other components are present and accounted for so I may gamble on a few cans of R12 to see if it comes back around. I also did tie rods for sure in the last 100k and UCAs probably, (bushings at minimum), and then the LCAs just this spring, but with some new steering components and an adjustment the original steering box is still hanging in there.

The passenger side front B8 gave out so I replaced the pair with a set from vviking within the last couple years. I'm unsure of how many sets of brake pads but I bet it was only one. I replaced the rotors and pads right before Vintage this past May. Oh, and the exhaust had finally become a hazard but I got over 20 years out of the Stahl and Supersprint catback. They were replaced with a full Supersprint setup at the same time as the brakes. That project was nearly 2 years in the making, it had been sitting on jackstands in the garage since barely making it home from Vintage in 2022. I had to borrow a tire, thanks Cactus, and get some replacement fuel line, thanks Fikrit, but she made it. I'm going to have to go for classic plates now too since I binned the Magnaflow cat when I put the new exhaust on.

The interior lights stopped functioning and that's a bit of a head scratcher. Tracing/testing the wires seems to indicate that the power feed from the distribution box is compromised somehow. That's a nuisance, you'd be surprised how important they are until you don't have them. Like reverse lights, and I remember not having them at some point so that switch was probably changed too. The Northeast tin worm is slowly making its inevitable appearance and I feel that 600k probably isn't in the cards, especially if it takes another 10 years to get there. Although accounting for the two years on jackstands it was really only 8 years to get from 400 to 500. Beyond all that, she's still tearing it up. After a whole bunch of seat time in the stock ETA over the last 10 years as well, it's so refreshing every time I get in an E28 with a suspension and a little bit of power. It never disappoints. I've let others drive it from time to time and have always said, don't worry about it, you can't hurt it. Just drive. I'm also pretty sure the only time she didn't make it back home under her own power was in Sept 2009 when I broke a rocker in CT, which then pierced a water jacket.

Thanks for all the miles and smiles over the last 28+ years. Best $7,200 I've ever spent.

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Edit: Figured I'd better add the obligatory odo pic

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Last edited by ahab on Aug 16, 2024 8:00 AM, edited 1 time in total.
austin8753
Posts: 1490
Joined: May 16, 2010 1:37 AM
Location: Portland, Oregon, USA

Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by austin8753 »

this is awesome to see. i hope you can get the old girl to 600k. thanks for sharing.
Foonfer
Posts: 732
Joined: Mar 18, 2015 11:33 PM
Location: New York, NY

Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by Foonfer »

Not sure how I had never seen this thread, but WOW. Onwards to 600K! I thought of attending Vintage this year but wasn't able to in the end. I would have loved to say hi and thank you *in person* for the A/C snowflake switch you sent me some years ago when I was chasing down an issue. Always enjoyed your advice to those who ask honest questions, and your "suffer no fools" attitude when it is needed.

I hit the "subscribe" button right away. I'm at 175K on mine - she's not a garage queen (even if she lives in a garage). I happen to live where public transit is the way to go, so I get to drive because I *want to* and not because I *have to* which I've found to be the best approach to driving.
vinceg101
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Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by vinceg101 »

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Mike W.
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Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by Mike W. »

A worthy achievement. :bow: I'm impressed, even more so that you have done that in the rust belt. I can think of 2 others here that have gone over 500, I think, Jim Egan and RonW. But I don't recall anyone doing 600.

But talk about high gears, 2600 at 82? I didn't even like the 3.25 that came in my 535, to me the 3.46 I put in was the biggest single improvement.

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ahab
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Joined: Jun 11, 2006 9:12 AM
Location: Chalfont, PA

Re: The Big Four-Oh

Post by ahab »

265/6 with a 2.93. The engine has some minor mods so has no problem turning the setup comfortably. And has a theoretical top speed of 197mph at redline. Which is nice.
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