1982 BMW 528i on Bring a Trailer Is the Nicest We've Seen

Car and Driver

21-06-2025

Here's a fine-looking early BMW 5-series that checks a lot of boxes.
It's not an M5, but it does feature an inline-six, a five-speed manual, and rear-wheel drive.
It also boasts exceptionally low mileage and condition to match.
The E28 BMW 5-series is mostly known as the debut of the BMW M5. That car is by now a legend, noted for its mighty 3.5-liter inline-six. If it's a racehorse, here's a car from the same bloodline that's a bit more domesticated, but still loves to trot.
Bring a Trailer
This 528i is the underlying sports sedan that made the first M5 so good, and this 1982 model up for sale on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos) looks to be an exceptional example of the breed. Sold new in France, it's got an M30 2.8-liter inline-six with higher compression than what we received in the U.S.—mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. It also sports the crisply elegant European bumpers rather than the overlarge U.S. units. And its 15K kilometers on the odometer translates to a freakishly low U.S. equivalent of less than 10,000 miles. Ooh, and those French selective yellow headlights, that's a nice touch.
Courtesy: Bring a Trailer
This car was bought last year on Bring a Trailer by the sort of owner who seems particularly fastidious. They've gone through the engine bay and cabin and removed any aftermarket parts, for instance replacing the Kenwood door speakers with factory BMW units. There is no A/C, but the seller is throwing in a factory A/C system from another car, which the new owner could have installed.
Courtesy: Bring a Trailer
The 5-series of this generation is such a overlooked machine, one that puts the spirit of the original 2002tii into a discreet business suit. The 2.8-liter inline-six produces a plentiful 170 horsepower, and it loves to rev. An E28 is tiny next to a modern 5-series, and the experience of hurrying it down a two-lane road while looking out through that expansive greenhouse is a wonderful one.
Courtesy: Bring a Trailer
The very low mileage does mean that this car is something to be reserved for special occasions, but it should be faithful even if it sits around a bit. These are far simpler and more durable cars than electronics-heavy later Bimmers, and that inline-six doesn't have the valve adjustment schedule of the M5's motor.
This is the best of Bavaria, and with no reserve, it's going home with a new owner.
The auction ends on June 25.
Brendan McAleer
Contributing Editor
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. Read full bio