The BMW E28 5 series , upon its debut in September 1981, looked little more than a facelifted version of the previous generation of 5 series. At this point, vehicles began to be more progressively designed (think Chevy Cavalier, Ford Escort). However, the car was almost entirely different from its predecessor--from the chassis, suspension, and the engine. Compared to the E30 3 series produced during the same time period, the E28 is often overshadowed in pop culture today by its sportier, nimbler little brother. Despite this, the E28 5 series is often lauded as one of the very best cars ever produced by BMW. Even by today's standards, it's practical, comfortable, well-proportioned, and a great deal of fun to drive.
I built this website to be a hub/repository of useful information relating to the E28 series of vehicles. In the modern internet, many of the resources pertaining to this vehicle (among other classic cars) are stuck to archaic forums, with only one dedicated website that's still active. Even so, lots of useful photos, diagrams, or links to parts on these forums are lost to time after their respective hosting service goes out. The content I intend to offer here includes:
The table below lists the covered vehicle models.
| Model | Years |
|---|---|
| 518(i) | 1981-1984(87) |
| 520(i) | 1981-1987 |
| 525i | 1981-1988 |
| 525e, 528e | 1982-1988 |
| 528i | 1981-1987 |
| 533i | 1982-1984 |
| (M)535i | 1985-1988 |