Which gearbox should my M535i have?

[Azure]

Hi all

So I just bought another E28. A UK-delivered high compression '85 E28 M535i showed up at auction, same year as my existing UK high comp, built 114 cars before mine on the production line. The rest as they say as history, it was delivered last week.

I'm trying to confirm which gearbox it should have, I've been under it, it has a removable bell housing and seems to be a standard OD shift pattern, which would be a G265/6, which makes sense as it's a 1985 model.

However, the VIN decode shows option 206 which from my read appears to be "five speed sport gearbox", which would indicate a CR box.

The VIN is WBADC720800645099.

Which gearbox should the car have? Is the OD box correct?

Thanks for the help!

[kojo96]

Follow link to realoem, your car left the factory with a 265/5 sport gearbox.

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showpa ... Id=23_0611

[Azure]

Follow link to realoem, your car left the factory with a 265/5 sport gearbox.

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showpa ... Id=23_0611

What is indicating that on realoem? I can see there's a red highlight around the sport gearbox, but my other OD-equipped M535i has that same highlight too, I'm not sure that's necessarily accurate?

[Preyupy]

I have often wondered how the decision was made between the OD and Sport gearboxes. I am sure there had to be a difference in final drive ratios that went with it. I always thought the OD box was the "standard" and the Sport 265/5 box was the "optional" gearbox.

[wkohler]

All 10:1 manual (DC71 or DC72) cars came with the 3.07 regardless of gearbox. All sport gearboxes were G265/5 but G265/6 was replaced with the G260/6 starting 9/85 production for the overdrive boxes.

I owned a 6/85 which came with the OD box and a 3.07. My current 2/87 has the sport gearbox and the 3.07.

[Azure]

All 10:1 manual (DC71 or DC72) cars came with the 3.07 regardless of gearbox. All sport gearboxes were G265/5 but G265/6 was replaced with the G260/6 starting 9/85 production for the overdrive boxes.

I owned a 6/85 which came with the OD box and a 3.07. My current 2/87 has the sport gearbox and the 3.07.

That's my understanding. My OD car has a 3.07 and in theory my "new" M535i (both DC72s) will have a 3.07 also.

I've done a bit more reading and it appears option code 206 which is on the build sheet for my "new" M535i (0645099) is indeed 5-speed close-ratio sport box. Which means the gearbox was changed to an OD box at some point in its life. Unfortunate. Now I'll have to source a correct replacement gearbox.