1983 BMW 5 Series 520i review from Germany
"Take care of it and it will take care of you"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Heater fan.
Thermostat.
Wiper motor.
Fuse panel (blew fuses at will).
Starter and or flywheel.
Exhaust leaks.
General comments?
I bought this car when I was stationed with the U.S. Army in Germany. The body was in nearly mint condition when I bought it. The engine had the typical older BMW tick-tick-tick valve lifter noise. Typically Americans don't know how to take care of European cars, but this one was an exception. It was an excellent car while it lasted. Too bad some dumb lady rear-ended me with a Ford Expedition. Only after this was when the car started having many of the above electrical and exhaust problems.
The car had amazing power considering it had an auto transmission and such a small engine. My normal cruising speed on the Autobahn was between 95 and 105 MPH, and it always averaged at least 26 MPG or better at those speeds.
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| 1983 - 5 Series 528i Motorsport 2.8L I6 petrol EFi Why polish a turd when you can start with a gem |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1983 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2000 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 liter 6 cylinder Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 5 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 157000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 245000 kilometres |
| Date of Entry | 11th January, 2001 |