528i 1979 & 728i 1983

[B_M_W_ Oldies]

Hey guys, im new on this here forum. the reason I registered is because I have the option of getting the two vehicles at a great price. both are F/H, Auto.
I would like to know what the pro`s and the cons of each car is, is it worth my while to even consider these cars? I am getting them at a steal the 5 series is 1 owner vehicle, the 7 series is 2 owner vehicle.

Both needs TLC but the 5 series needs more TLC due to rust.

5 Series
Rust on driver side doors, floor pan, engine and suspension mounts affected by rust. All the beadings and trimmings is there. Mechanically it is 100%
Is this worth my while to consider keeping and fixing up. it still drives perfectly.

7 series
was standing in the sun for 3 years roof and boot lid a bit faded, rest of paintwork 100%
Body is very straight, not much to be done, interior, small odds and ends(clips, screw here and there etc)
However Block has a crack in it due to overheating.

I can take both for an extremely good price, and use the one as a donor car, or I can fix one of them and try flogging the one?
Also how are these cars as a daily, and maintenance wise is it expensive?

What would you guys do? Do I fix the rust on the 5 series, or donate everything from 5 series to the 7 series and sell 5 series for spares.
ALl documents for both cars are 100%

I look forward to hearing your opinions. thanks

 

[Nikhil]

7 series,no rust and is not all that common.then drop in an m50 turbo :rollsmile:

 

[B_M_W_ Oldies]

7 series,no rust and is not all that common.then drop in an m50 turbo :rollsmile:

thanks for the response i was thinking along those routes but straight 8 in there with nice stance. think that there is less that can go wrong, I have driven mostly VW`s my whole life.

 

[Nikhil]

7 series,no rust and is not all that common.then drop in an m50 turbo :rollsmile:

thanks for the response i was thinking along those routes but straight 8 in there with nice stance. think that there is less that can go wrong, I have driven mostly VW`s my whole life.

straight 8? not sure if bmw made any?

 

[B_M_W_ Oldies]

7 series,no rust and is not all that common.then drop in an m50 turbo :rollsmile:

thanks for the response i was thinking along those routes but straight 8 in there with nice stance. think that there is less that can go wrong, I have driven mostly VW`s my whole life.

straight 8? not sure if bmw made any?

Honestly im not to sure never really drove a BMW, as long as it is 6 cylinder and above, its something I will take my time with. not something I want to do overnight. also does the `83 5 series 528i are there people willing to still buy them, as both cars are part of the deal.

 

[prado]

Old school BMWs! They are more desirable than ever.

If you are getting them cheap, have space and resources to nurse them back to original condition, you have a great investment in the long term.

Both of them are great machines to drive and to take them out every now and then would be an event!

Joining the various BMW shows and meets will add some great recreation in addition to owning them.

Being auto, they are not fuel efficient! So driving them daily would not be economical. Drill some holes underneath the 5 series doors - this was a common design problem - water could not escape from the doors and caused 5 series cars to rust at the bottom of the doors.

It could be very satisfying to get those cars in shape! Especially if they are the 'face-lifted' models. ( South Africa is the only country with the E12/8 5 series - E12 with E28 suspension, interiors, dash and general upgrades from 1983 and the 7 series also had a facelift with more refinements in 1983)

How about posting some pics so we can see!?

Edit: I just notice that the 5 series is a 1979 model, so that would cut out the possibility of a 'face-lift' model.

 

[Maljan]

I have an E32 735i around the place. One bit of weirdness is the micro switch inside the driver's door. It is kaput but the things are made out of unobtanium nowadays. This is a common fault according to the interwebs.

On mine the alarm goes off and the engine cuts out at inconvenient times. Like when you are driving. Or it refuses to start, also when it is inconvenient. A sort of cure is to squirt Q20 into the door handle.

The suspension rubbers on mine are tired. The one you are looking at might have this too. But is is easily and cheaply (well sort of) fixed.

The rust on the 5er is a worry. Putting it right would mean lost of hassle and bucks. I would strip the 5 to resurrect the 7 and sell off what is left afterwards. Or you could keep it as a project for later.

Or you could find a second hand engine and put that into the 7. The broken one has to come out anyway. Why take out an engine out of a car that is still running?

So many choices. The problem is that these cars are not worth a whole lot at the moment. Putting them back to showroom condition will cost big money. You should get your investment back one day but right now it is a leap of faith.