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Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 16, 2020 7:45 PM
by vanessa318
Might be a long shot, but I'm currently looking for my first car ever. My dad bought it for me when I was 16 years old. It has tremendous sentimental value to me. 1988 Alpine/Llama 5spd 535is vin#WBADC7403J1717755 Last I heard, it ended up in New Jersey. If you know of anything in the Ridgewood area of New Jersey... Please send me a messge so I can get in contact with the owner. Thank you in advance!

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 17, 2020 11:24 AM
by muleskinner
Not your car, and not a 3.5, but probably as close as you're going to come to recreate it. You could always drop an M30 in it....
cek wrote: Oct 14, 2020 4:43 PM https://cars.ksl.com/listing/6722158
1986 BMW 5 Series 528E - Ogden, UT -$7,500

This 1986 BMW 528e was a European delivery example that remained with the original owner in Southern California until 2016, and was acquired by the second owner, a dealer, in December of 2018. The 3rd owner acquired the vehicle in January of 2019 and then I purchased this beauty on July 30th of 2019. The car is finished in Alpine White over Llama leather, and power comes from a 2.7L M20B27 inline-six paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. A timing belt and water pump service was performed in late 2017, and ignition components were replaced at that time. The fuel pump and brake pads were done prior to the seller’s purchase. More recent work included replacement of the driveshaft, suspension components, and engine oil, as well as the installation of 14″ bottlecap wheels and newer Falken tires. This E28 is offered with a clean Carfax, service records back to the date of original order and California blue plates.
There is a small crease on the right front door, a shallow depression at the back of the roof, and normal stone chips and light pitting are shown on the front fascia, windshield, and lenses, and the bumpers display light oxidization. The exterior can be seen up close in the gallery, and no accidents or damage are noted in the provided Carfax.
Small cracks are visible on the dash top and the factory cassette-radio remains in place. Side view mirrors are inoperable, and the instrument cluster was rebuilt and air conditioning compressor replaced under prior ownership. VDO gauges include a 6-place odometer showing 152k miles.
Here is a link to a previous sell of the vehicle that goes into more detail. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1986-bmw-528e-10/
and a video on YouTube
https://youtu.be/8Y5hha4l21Y

VIN:WBADK7304G9650856
Title Type:Clean Title

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Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 17, 2020 1:15 PM
by vanessa318
That's beautiful!! And super clean too! Thank you for responding to my post.

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 18, 2020 3:51 AM
by Foonfer
I sent you a PM. Hope it can be of any help.

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 18, 2020 12:50 PM
by vanessa318
Foonfer wrote: Oct 18, 2020 3:51 AM I sent you a PM. Hope it can be of any help.
I didn't get a PM?.. could you resend please?

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 19, 2020 1:47 AM
by SeattleGuy
Damn. That is a dope car. Might need a delivery driver from the West Coast to the East..... ahem. Llama is pretty rare too. If you're lucky it will still have the Euro first-aid kit in the boot, along with a hazard triangle. The triangle is gone from my '88 is but the kit is still there. I should have used it 2 weeks ago when I slammed my finger in the door. Honestly I forgot all about it, my first thought was "DAMN that hurt... where is the hospital and a handful of Motrin."

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 19, 2020 12:16 PM
by vanessa318
Dang. That's rough. Those doors are not light either. Just spoke to a guy with a shop in NJ. He also said Alpine/llama is rare, and knew a guy in the area with one but not *my* 535is. The search continues!

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 20, 2020 2:51 PM
by jhh925
This should be an interesting search! I'm sure this won't be of much help, but I just ran the VIN through VIN Audit and it was last titled in New Jersey in 2014-11-01, and that NJ registration is still current. No accidents or salvage titles listed, so it looks like there's a good chance the car is still on the road.

Good luck, and please keep us updated!

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 24, 2020 7:57 AM
by vanessa318
Well, my friends. I contacted Rennsport last Saturday, and heard back from them on Monday. He said he wasn't familiar with the car in question, and wished me the best of luck finding it. On Tuesday, I got a call from Sal at Rennsport and he said "you're not going to believe this but an old friend I was in a BMW club with called and asked if I knew of a buyer for an Alpine/llama 535is." He asked if I was interested even if it wasn't mine, so I said "sure," because at this point I've given up all hope on it. He asked me to provide him with the VIN again and compared it to the picture of the VIN his friend sent of his car, and I'll be damned.... It's MY car!!! I found my car. I have been in negotiations with the seller since Tuesday, I was ready to go up and buy it back, but it is FAR more than I'm willing to spend, sentiment aside. I think he's tallying up ALL the receipts, and comparing to much lower mileage e28's he's seen on BaT. It has 214k miles on it, near perfect condition, so he claims, and is asking in the mid $20ks for it. I'm saddened, but my dad didn't raise a fool. Thank you all for posting, advice, and wishes for luck! On to the next!!

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 25, 2020 9:46 AM
by pavulon
Well, that sucks. :(

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 25, 2020 12:54 PM
by gray635
I was REMARKABLE to me that you were able to locate your old car. :shock: Very cool story. I do agree that the owner's pricing is a bit aggressive unless she is totally restored mechanically and cosmetically. Just wait it out for awhile and things might soften up a bit. Good luck.

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 25, 2020 1:06 PM
by Nosis
Amazing. As frustrating as it can be feeling like someone is trying to take advantage of you, I hope you left the door open with the seller. If you’ve kept in touch and it is still available, you may have a chance to participate with the open market determination of the value of the car - or be there when the seller gets tired of trying for top dollar and settles on a reasonable value. That said, from some of the mye28 and BAT sales, “reasonable values” range dramatically, it may have already found a new home

Just throwing in my .02$ because I think its incredible that you found a specific VIN car...


vanessa318 wrote: Oct 24, 2020 7:57 AM Well, my friends. I contacted Rennsport last Saturday, and heard back from them on Monday. He said he wasn't familiar with the car in question, and wished me the best of luck finding it. On Tuesday, I got a call from Sal at Rennsport and he said "you're not going to believe this but an old friend I was in a BMW club with called and asked if I knew of a buyer for an Alpine/llama 535is." He asked if I was interested even if it wasn't mine, so I said "sure," because at this point I've given up all hope on it. He asked me to provide him with the VIN again and compared it to the picture of the VIN his friend sent of his car, and I'll be damned.... It's MY car!!! I found my car. I have been in negotiations with the seller since Tuesday, I was ready to go up and buy it back, but it is FAR more than I'm willing to spend, sentiment aside. I think he's tallying up ALL the receipts, and comparing to much lower mileage e28's he's seen on BaT. It has 214k miles on it, near perfect condition, so he claims, and is asking in the mid $20ks for it. I'm saddened, but my dad didn't raise a fool. Thank you all for posting, advice, and wishes for luck! On to the next!!

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 26, 2020 6:52 AM
by thosmc
Impressed that you were able to track down the exact car. Maybe you should be a private investigator. I'm sure your father is proud of you for making the effort and in the end making a smart decision.
That being said, fun old cars have become more of a business than a hobby. Prices have "jumped the shark". In my opinion BAT is not a good barometer for car values. Also Barrett-Jackson, Mecum, etc. They have become a playground for very wealthy people and have set the bar too high.
Hopefully, you will find something else that makes you happy.

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 26, 2020 3:17 PM
by Foonfer
Pretty amazing that you found the car so quickly, but unfortunately it looks like you might have alerted someone into thinking you'd be desperate enough to pay an unreasonable amount.

That said, perhaps the car is worth a look, a test drive and a careful study of maintenance documentation.

Yes, a 535 sold on a recent BaT auction for $22,500, this one: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1985-bmw-535i-22/, but I believe that car drummed up so much interest thanks to a combination of above-average condition (but not concours, by far), very tasteful improvements (those seats!), and luscious photography (hey, sex sells). It had 166k miles (not low, not high for these, but not a "new old stock" car), and even so it is 50k fewer miles than yours.

To try to get mid-$20Ks for an E28 with 200K+ miles, well, it should look and perform at the very least like the above one from BaT, and then some.

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 26, 2020 3:26 PM
by cek
I'm skeptical of this whole story. Just say'n if it's too good to be true, it likely isn't true.

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 26, 2020 8:20 PM
by vanessa318
That's fine. It's entirely true. The car was offered on here back in 2013 by someone with the username Michael in DC, feel free to check the post. I was able to find it. That car has been haunting me since then. He sold it to a guy in northern VA, and then he sold it to the current owner in NJ. I have found it TWICE now. 🤷🏻‍♀️
Don't underestimate a female, we can find just about anything with a miniscule amount of information.

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 26, 2020 8:52 PM
by vanessa318
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HAr8nBf5R94t87YS9https://photos.app.goo.gl/efgfS2o17qgcVihh8

^^^ when it was mine.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/VMjHB8a6yQ9MatyY9

^^^ the car as it sits today.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZCj9yvsHLucne8HM8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/te2byupjr1kBPPgN6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/751HGChMW8KwrKCVA
https://photos.app.goo.gl/J86uUVm65R33vBVi9

^^^ shared with me by current owner. My dad is Alex Degeorge, that's who it was registered to


Hope those links work. I've never posted pictures or links on here, soooo fingers crossed.

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 27, 2020 11:26 AM
by cek
vanessa318 wrote: Oct 26, 2020 8:20 PM That's fine. It's entirely true. The car was offered on here back in 2013 by someone with the username Michael in DC, feel free to check the post. I was able to find it. That car has been haunting me since then. He sold it to a guy in northern VA, and then he sold it to the current owner in NJ. I have found it TWICE now. 🤷🏻‍♀️
Don't underestimate a female, we can find just about anything with a miniscule amount of information.
You know what's funny? I didn't even read your username until you posted this.

It is VERY impressive that you found this car (twice). Sorry I doubted.

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 27, 2020 1:14 PM
by vanessa318
No problem. It does sound pretty out there, I do agree, but I wouldn't continue posting, seems like a lot of work for something that isn't true. Keep an eye out in BaT, seller said he may be listing it on there since I'm not buying it 😊

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Oct 27, 2020 1:23 PM
by cek
vanessa318 wrote: Oct 27, 2020 1:14 PM No problem. It does sound pretty out there, I do agree, but I wouldn't continue posting, seems like a lot of work for something that isn't true. Keep an eye out in BaT, seller said he may be listing it on there since I'm not buying it 😊
You'd be amazed at the odd tactics trolls take here. Or not.

Cheers!

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Dec 09, 2020 1:30 PM
by cek

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Dec 09, 2020 3:38 PM
by vanessa318
I know, I know. I saw it on BaT. I'll be ugly crying for awhile over it. The guy that owns it wants what he wants for it, somewhere in the $20ks. Ha! My dad paid $4500 for it when he bought it for me in 2002.

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Dec 10, 2020 8:43 AM
by kamps16
Today could be your lucky day! This exact car just went up for sale on the auction site “Bring a Trailer.” Check it out.

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Dec 10, 2020 9:26 AM
by Bonsaibacker
vanessa318 wrote: Dec 09, 2020 3:38 PM I know, I know. I saw it on BaT. I'll be ugly crying for awhile over it. The guy that owns it wants what he wants for it, somewhere in the $20ks. Ha! My dad paid $4500 for it when he bought it for me in 2002.
I would watch the bidding. He can want what he wants but buyer dictates an acceptable purchase price.

Re: Wtb this exact 1988 535is

Posted: Dec 10, 2020 10:45 AM
by vanessa318
Well, I offered him $17k, which I feel is pretty fair. He came back with "an 88 535is just sold for $21k on BaT." And I said "True. But that car also had much fewer miles on it." It is what it is. As much as I want that car back, I have my limits.