This 1985 BMW 528e (E28) is a sympathetically restored numbers matching German sports sedan.  Originally sold new in southern California, this 5-series has spent most of its life in the San Diego / Encinitas area, followed by a brief stint in Temecula before being relocated to Arizona in October 2020.

This substantially restored E28 is complete with a full repaint, reconditioned interior, and sorted mechanicals. Equipment includes air conditioning, a sunroof, factory fog lamps, and a modern audio system. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, this 528e is now offered with receipts from the restoration and a clean CARFAX, sold on a clear Arizona title in the seller’s name. The CARFAX report indicates no accidents or damage on record.

The restoration work on this 528e was conducted between BMW Encinitas and Arizona Bimmer. The engine rebuild included the replacement of all worn items including  plugs wires, gaskets, drive belts, servicing and conversion of the A/C system, an oil and filter change, transmission mount replacement, replacement of the shift lever seal, replacement of the output shaft seal, and a check of the steering and suspension systems and a proper compression test.

The transmission itself is a low millage unit out of a 1986 donor car and features a new clutch, new throwout bearing, and new fluids. All suspension components have been replaced or rebuilt, as well as all mounting points. All parts replaced were with genuine BMW Parts by a certified BMW, ASE mechanic. Lastly, while the car was in our shop we had the rear brake rotors and pads replaced.

Today, the 2.7L inline-6 paired with a 5-speed Getrag manual transmission function beautifully and like new. Our test drive and initial impressions were very good. This car drives exactly like you would expect the classic analog BMW’s to perform. It’s engaging and very connected to the road.

The car is finished in Bronwzitbeige-metallic and it shows beautifully. The paint work is new and nearly perfect, with lots of shine, depth, and luster. We only noticed a small chip above the fuel door. Bodywork at the time of restoration included the repair of small dings as well as a full professional respray in the car’s factory color combination. The windshield was replaced as well as other areas of the exterior trim with OEM BMW Parts. The black grille is in good condition, as are the chrome “kidney” center grilles. The car is equipped with black impact bumpers front and rear and a center-mounted exhaust with dual tips. The clear coat on the polished aluminum bumper section is peeling however. We also noted that the front right fog light does not work. We suspect it is a faulty bulb, but we do not know for certain. Factory 14” bottlecap wheels are mounted to 195/70 tires on all four corners and are in excellent condition.

On the interior, the new black leather with black suede roofline and door inserts is impressive. A new dashboard direct from Germany along with rebuilt horsehair seat cushions (also from Germany) complete the look. The carpeting and floor mats are also new.  The leather-wrapped steering wheel frames instrumentation, and it includes a 160-mph speedometer and a 7k-rpm tachometer. Additional gauges are present for coolant temperature, fuel level, and fuel economy. The leather wrapped M-sport shift nob is a tasteful touch. Our inspection noticed the front passenger door lock does not work with the central locking system, and the door itself sometimes requires effort to close properly. Over $10k was spent on the interior alone, and it really shows!

The six-digit odometer reads 248k miles, which are original to the vehicle. We did notice that the speedometer works, however the odometer was functioning incrementally. The owner tells us that only about 50 miles have been driven on the car since the restoration was completed.

Overall, it is clear that this is a very nice example of car not commonly found in this condition. Someone clearly paid a lot of attention to detail when bringing this car back to life. Today, it would show very well a regional or local car shows.

Values on these 528e sedans are tricky, largely because it’s so uncommon to see them this nice. Considering the amount of effort and cost put into what is effectively a close to brand new E28, we would expect this to be valued somewhere between $18,000 – $22,000.

For more information and details, please call, email or text Harry Clark at +1.602.245.7200 or sales@classicpromenade.com.  The BMW is available for viewing at our Phoenix showroom.