1997 BMW 528i Automatic with OEM M5 Bumpers

1997 BMW 5-Series Sedan Description

1997 BMW 528i Automatic, 5/97 build date
Aspen Silver
268,xxx miles
16" "Style 29" OEM Wheels with two new tires.
NY State Inspection good until 8/18
NOTE: The photos show the silver interior trim, but that is for sale separately. The car has wood trim now. I will update interior photos tomorrow.
RUNS, DRIVES but COOLING SYSTEM NEEDS ATTENTION
THE GOOD:

• The body is in great shape for its age and mileage. There are a few nicks on the bumpers from parking (by others. Hey it's NYC), a couple of minor dings, nothing out of the ordinary for a 20 year old car. Paint is in good shape.
• M5 bumpers front and rear (OEM, Full conversion down to the wheel wells. Nothing Chinese or eBay about these parts). Rear fenders have been professionally rolled to accommodate OEM M5 wheels with the 9.5" rears. Sold those separately already. Sorry.
• Full black interior aged very well. I recently replaced the driver's door card/panel. Front seats are a little worn, so I covered them with custom fit fabric (Top Car Athens).
• Cupholders actually WORK. Also recently replaced.
• Tape player was replaced last year and works great.
• I have the original Owner's manual leather binder, 1 Master/Remote key and 1 Valet key.
• I will include a large plastic bin of various spare parts as well as new fog lights (never installed them), and spare HID headlights
• New Brakes all around last month
• New Battery in March

THE NOT SO GOOD:

• A radiator hose blew while wife was driving recently and it's just been parked ever since. Starts and drives just fine. I just wouldn't drive it more than onto a tow truck or a couple blocks.
• The sunroof hardware needs to be fixed/replaced for the roof to function properly again. I never got around to tackling this because the wife is pregnant and we're looking to buy a home. The sunroof motor is good and I have all the extra parts needed for the fix. I will include them.

TASTEFUL UPGRADES & MODS:

• OEM Leather Euro Sliding Armrest with storage. The US only got a sliding armrest with an awkward phone holder valley that was never comfortable for elbows. The Euro armrest adds storage and padding.
• Bluetooth module for the stock radio. This was a recent addition and I love it. It's made by GROM and integrates the stock radio and all steering wheel buttons for streaming Bluetooth control. Skip tracks, summon Google/Siri and place/answer calls all without touching your phone. I wanted a bit of the 21st century in my beloved 90's car without getting a hideous aftermarket head unit. These cars were meant for driving, not for staring at a disco show in your dash!
• Carbon Fiber Cold Air Intake. This was made by Roadfly.org founder "RevHigh" in the early 2000's and is not sold anymore. It goes straight from the throttle boot to the lower bumper and takes a K&N cone type filter.
• Pixel fix for the MID (multi-information display). Recently swapped the old pixelated MID for a freshly repaired unit and it works great, 100%.
• New black headliner. I got the headliner reupholstered to black fabric recently.
• LCI Updated Tail lights. The Tail lights are Hella "Celis" OEM purchased from Bavarian Autosport with the adapter modules for pre-2001 vehicles.
• LCI Updated Headlights.The Headlights are really nice looking Angel Eye halogen replicas. I purchased these to replace my OEM Angel Eyes that had failed adjusters and 1 bad HID ballast (never got around to fixing those either). The halo rings on these replicas are a white LED but I have them disconnected because one was fussy would intermittently turn off. High and low beam work as expected, as does the signal light.
• I will include the OEM Hella Headlights as well.

I am the second owner. The Carfax (provided) mistakenly shows only one owner, but I purchased this car from a used car dealer in Jamaica, NY in the summer of 2001. It had roughly 90,000 miles at the time. The Carfax also shows a couple fender-benders from about 10 years ago, but I assure you they were all cosmetic and minor at parking-speeds. I went through insurance for the repairs because I don't want the headaches of chasing people just to keep a clean Carfax.
I purchased another car for myself recently and my wife had been using this one for the last fewmonths. Last week a radiator hose blew while she was driving and it's just been parked ever since. I have a growing family and can't afford to maintain this classic anymore. I will be completely honest about the car's history and it is thoroughly documented below. I only have service records since 2008 because the previous ones were lost in a move unfortunately. I have a binder full of receipts.
It's really really hard for me to let this 528i go. It has been with me for 15+ years, through my latecollege years, countless relationships, job transitions and numerous road trips. I've been so enamored with this car that I just kept fixing it over the years instead of buying a new Honda. I truly believe that the E39 BMW 5-Series is the greatest car ever made and that this generation was among the last of the soulful and handsome BMWs.

SERVICE HISTORY:

2017/07/31: Mileage (actual): 268,397Total Cost: $1100

●Front + Rear Brakes + Sensors

●2 power steering hoses + Synthetic Fluid

●Full Synthetic Oil Change

●Front Right Inside Door Handle Repair

●Rear Left Inside Door Handle Repair

●Air Flow Meter Boot

●Lubricate Window Weather Strip

●1 Gallon Washer Fluid

●NYS Inspection

2017/03/30: Mileage (actual): 267,520Total Cost: $915

●Trunk Harness & Boot repair

●Master Window Module Replacement

●New Battery

●Front Window Regulator + Motor replacement

●Right side door switch

2016/07/21: Mileage (actual): 265,295 Total Cost: $37

●NYS INSPECTION

2016/06/17: Mileage (actual): 264,627 Total Cost: $835

●R/S Tie Rod End Assembly

●R/S Rack and Pinion Boot

●4 Boot Clamps

●Tighten Oil Pan Screws

●Oil Filter Housing Seal

●Air Pump Hose

●Weld Bushings Spindle

●Oil Change + Filter 15w40 Mobil1

2016/01/16: Mileage (estimated): 259,xxx Total Cost: $800

●2 rear suspension control arms

●Right Front thrust arm

●2 brake line hoses

●check trans fluid - OK

●check diff fluid - OK

●add 2 quarts Mobil 1 oil

●Vanos Oil Line

●Add 1 Gallon BMW Antifreeze

2016/06/30: Mileage (estimated): 258,xxx Total Cost: $1500

●Front brakes + sensor

●Rear brakes + sensor

●Oil change + filter shroud

●Passenger door lock

●L/S thrust arm

●sway bar bushings

●L/S lower tie rod end

●Rack & Pinion Boot

●Rear Suspension L/S integral link

●Rear Suspension L/S, R/S "speador bushings"???

●Rear Suspension Sway Bar Bushings

●Rear Suspension Sway Bar Links

2015/07/10: Mileage (estimated): 257,xxx Total Cost: $108.88

●Wheel alignment/ camber correction. COSMOS TIRE

2015/06/05: Mileage (actual): 256,705 Total Cost: $37

●NYS INSPECTION

2015/03/09: Mileage (estimated): 253,xxx Total Cost: $300

●Alternator Replaced

2015/01/09: Mileage (estimated): 251,xxx Total Cost: $500

●Water Valve / Heat Exchange

201406/17: Mileage (actual): 248,417 Total Cost: $635

●Crank Case Valve

●Vent Hose

●Hose

●Valve Seal

●Smoke Test

●2 rear cat converter ("Simulated stainless mini cat")

●Trunk wiring fix

2014/05/13: Mileage (actual): 246,933 Total Cost: $555

●Oil Change + Filter

●Oil Plug

●Clean Oil leaks

●Tensioner

●Idler Pulley

●Belt

●2 engine cleaner ("fix both fender liner clips")

●Clean Drains

●Fix 2 plugs

●Fix R/S door handle

●Engine Pressure Wash

●Check Oil Pressure switch for leak by oil filter housing (no Leak)

●Inspection

2013/09/13: Mileage (estimated): 243,xxx Total Cost: $Lost Receipt ~$100

●Wheel alignment/ camber correction. COSMOS TIRE

2013/07/16: Mileage (estimated): 241,xxx Total Cost: $Lost Receipt

●Brakes: Front complete, rear pads.

●Misfire / rough throttle after open throttle downshift acceleration. Fixed

●Drivers window not working properly in hot temperatures. Replaced motor (new)

●Drivers window randomly won't work. Replaced Motor.

●Washer fluid not spraying. Hose fixed

●Alarm speaker not working. Replaced with used item George had in the shop.

●Trunk release button and license plate lights not working. Fixed broken cables going to trunk.

2014/04/18: Mileage (actual): 238,245 Total Cost: $37 + Motor (lost receipt for mechanical)

●NYS INSPECTION

●Starter Motor

2012/12/29: Mileage (estimated): 235,xxx Total Cost: $425

●Oil Change + Filter - Full Synthetic

●Clean Front Brakes - Good

●Replace Rear Brakes + Sensors

●Replace Wiper Rod, fix wiper assembly

●

2012/7/10: Mileage (estimated): 230,xxx Total Cost: $145

●Codes: P0305 Misfire #5, P0420 Cat System below efficiency bank 1

●1 Direct Ignition coil Cyl 5

2012/03/15: Mileage (actual): 229,307 Total Cost: $27

●NYS INSPECTION

2011/08/14: Mileage (estimated): 225,xxx Total Cost: $1145

●Rear R/S strut

●Rear R/S Bump Stop

●Front R/S Upper Control Arm

●Valve Cover Gasket

●Clean Spark Plugs

●Install Spark Plug Connector (used)

●Oil Change + Filter - Full Synthetic

●Front Brakes + Sensors

●Check Rear Brakes - OK

2011/07/05: Mileage (estimated): 224,xxx Total Cost: $780

●Replace rear diff (used diff + oil)

2011/05/22: Mileage (actual): 222,229 Total Cost: $3525 (balance)

●Replace Transmission + 1 year warranty

2011/03/04: Mileage (actual): 222,162 Total Cost: $37

●NYS INSPECTION

2010/07/10: Mileage (actual): 218,328 Total Cost: $1110

●L/S window regulator + Motor

●R/S window regulator + Motor

●Replace Driver's door handle, insulate, paint

●Oil Change + Filter - Full Synthetic

2010/03/06: Mileage (actual): 215,411 Total Cost: $37

●NYS INSPECTION

2009/12/02: Mileage (estimated): 212,xxx Total Cost: $150

●Replace Throttle Body

●Cooling Lines

2009/03/07: Mileage (actual): 208,470 Total Cost: $37

●NYS INSPECTION

2008/11/26: Mileage (estimated): 201,xxx Total Cost: $1705

●Tow to shop

●Replace Rear Differential

●Front Brakes + Sensors

●Rear Brakes + Sensors

●2 rear links

●2 front links

●L/S front control arm

●Oil Change Full Synthetic

If you have any other questions or if you'd like to come look at the car, feel free to contact me. The included Carfax is from November '16. If you want a new one, you'll have to pay for it, but you won't find anything alarming on it between November and now. Serious consideration only and reasonably negotiable. I've taken the time to write everything out. If you have any other questions, please ask. CARFAX & MORE PHOTOS UPON REQUEST