Tell me about 1983 533i issues

I am contemplating buying my first BMW. I have owned numerous VW, Volvo, Saab
and Peugeots, and my Mother drives an 83 528e, so I think I have a reasonable
expectation of what I am in for. What are particular trouble spots to look out
for? The car in question is allegedly rust-free, is a 5spd, and seems in
reasonably good order. I generally do all my own mechanical work.

Thanks for your input!

Kevin Rhodes
Westbrook, Maine

Kevin Rhodes wrote:

> I am contemplating buying my first BMW. I have owned numerous VW,
> Volvo, Saab and Peugeots, and my Mother drives an 83 528e, so I think
> I have a reasonable expectation of what I am in for. What are
> particular trouble spots to look out for? The car in question is
> allegedly rust-free, is a 5spd, and seems in reasonably good order. I
> generally do all my own mechanical work.

Sometimes "big six" valvetrains wear from oil starvation if they spend too much
time slogging through city traffic. However, it's easy to hear this. Just
beware if someone tells you a noisy valvetrain "just needs a valve adjustment."
But even if it is worn, you can still probably drive it several more years.

Otherwise, these cars are pretty bulletproof, as long as they've been
maintained. The big six has a better reputation than the eta in your mother's
car, which itself isn't bad. It's not uncommon for the big six to go half a
million miles. They *do* require more maintenance than usual, so beware of
neglect.

That's not to say the rest of the car will last half a million miles though.
Almost anything can be wrong, or go wrong, with a 20+ year old car, at any time.
But you know that from dealing with your mother's car, which is exactly the
same, except for the engine.

The 533i came with metric sized, TRX-style wheels and tires. It's a plus if the
wheels have been changed to standard 15-16". TRX tires are hard to find,
obsolete/mediocre, and expensive.

It's actually rare to find a 533i these days that's not ready for the junkyard.
They were good cars, but not that many were brought in, and they weren't as
loved as the 535i/is. So most were left to rot. Actually, they have a nice
engine, less powerful than the 535 and especially less torquey, but higher
revving and smoother. Gas mileage isn't great -- high teens around town, mid
20s on the highway, probably on mid-grade or premium.

Matt O.

"B. Sanders" > wrote in message news:<7P3kd.67560$HA.39790@attbi_s01>...
> "C.R. Krieger" > wrote in message
> om...
> >
> > Not having access ot the original post, it appears he's asking about a
> > 528e, not a 533i. It has a completely different drivetrain back to
> > the center carrier bearing on the driveshaft.
>
> You just made yourself look VERY stupid.

No; just that I'm reading in Google groups. That means that *you*
apparently changed the subject line when replying to the previous
post, establishing a new thread in which yours was the *first*
message.

> The OP was specifically asking
> about a *533i* which is mechanically identical to a 633csi (except for the
> body).

However, the only one mentioned in his snipped (by you) message was
the 528e.

> I snipped the rest of your arrogant diatribe,

Oh. And yours *wasn't*? Basically, you tried to tell the guy the
533i is an expensive unreliable beast because you had a particularly
crappy E24 on which you gave up eight years ago. As a result, you
speculate about some of the issues he *might* encounter with an E28
because you simply don't have any experience at it. I am a *current*
E28 owner and enthusiast (on my fourth one) and I can say from direct
*recent* experience that you're wrong on most points.

> and plonked your dumb ass for good measure.

We'll see ...
--
C.R. Krieger
(Been there; done that)