10k: WunderWagon: 2000 BMW 528iT 5-spd, E39 Touring
The station wagon has always been the answer to the question of: how do I shove all this junk and my kids into a car and drive around? For most wagons, the handling/ride quality seesaw has been tilted toward the comfort side of the spectrum. This was the case until the Germans put their eye on the sporty wagon market and built all manner of fun and crazy 5-series, E-Class and S6 longroofs with room for 7 (or 5 + lots of junk). Find this 2000 BMW 528iT 5-spd for sale in San Diego, CA for $9,000 $8,5000 via bimmerforums.com
Even American manufacturers have gotten into the party, albeit a bit late with the CTS-V wagon, but still better late than never. The E39 generation 5-series was sold in limited quantities as a wagon in the USA, but if you wanted a clutch pedal you needed to buy the inline-6 powered 528i. The 528i is powered by a 2.8 liter inline-6 that puts out 193 horsepower and isn’t the rocket ship that the 540i is, but at least it was equipped with a rack-and-pinion steering for better handling dynamics.
This one seems better than the average 13 year old BMW in the interior; the seat leather doesn’t look like a dried fig or the parchmenty translucent skin of that mummified rat you found preserved in the back of your storage shed. Overall a mid-size, manual trans, low-spec BMW wagon seems to be a great compromise between sport and utility for a daily turismo machine. This one has some upgrades as well as the factory sport package. Here’s hoping that the typical electronic flakery is kept to a minimum for the next hooner owner.
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~ this or a CTS-V, HHMMMM…. you don't believe in easy decision, do you??
For me, it's easily this. He's asking $8000 and it's been for sale for a month so you could probably get it cheaper. Immaculately maintained, stock sport suspension, BMW's best factory wheels for the era, manual trans, low miles…
We had a 540it and loved it. Would have loved to have the 5-speed, but wanted the extra grunt of the V8. If I was still in the market this would be perfect.
Wish we got the 3 series touring, don't like the idea of a 4000lb car with barely 200hp.
While the 2.8 I6 isn't going to make this a rocket ship, it's still a great engine, and it moves the larger 5-series surprisingly well with the manual transmission. Even my 528iT automatic felt far more athletic than the horsepower numbers would suggest.
I 100% agree with Larry, BMW puts a special sauce into all of their engines that make them just a bit faster than you'd expect. The 2007/08 Twin turbo 335is are supposed to be rated at 300 horsepower but actually put 300 onto the pavement, and similarly odd is the pace of E30, E36 BMWs – they feel surprisingly fast for 20 year old cars. Only ///M cars seems properly rated for power – not that it is a bad thing.
Vince
I'm reminded of a certain E36 325i that always felt waay faster than it should have. Stock iron-block 2.5L M50 engine with a K&N air filter and it pulled on a '95 E36 M3 on the highway, or so I've been told…
So you take the lsa engine and six speed from a wrecked caddy-v and you can effectivly cure every ailment that this car has. Of course that is dependant on getting the bimmer at a decent price. Or you could go dead nuts and a bunch cheaper buy jamming a 5.3 (mostly ls) truck engine and a six speed from a wrecked camaro. Its decently easy to make power with the 5.3 as the ls go fast bits all work. And if its not enough throw a turbo or two at it. But dont forget the back suspension and some better brakes.