One day while browsing through Craigslist, I came across something very interesting: a 1978 BMW 530i, priced at only $600. After clicking the link, I learned that the lady was selling the car because her late father (who apparently was a famous artist and BMW collector) had recently passed, and she couldn’t stand looking at the car, which constantly gave her memories of what once was. He had a fleet of 2002s, E12s, and E28s that she was selling off at very low prices, and my particular car was the last one remaining. It was in excellent shape inside and out, and the four-speed manual transmission shifted beautifully. After seeing how young I was, she even took an additional $100 off the price. I felt as if I’d died and gone to heaven.
The car got looks everywhere I went, and it was very reliable. Everything except for the A/C worked. It was a better starter than many cars 25-30 years newer. I never had a single problem with the car, nor did I hear so much as a squeak from it. It gave me a huge amount of respect for BMW products that continues to this day. Sadly, in a fit of youthful stupidity I had gotten the car impounded and lacked the funds to get it out. It’s one of my biggest regrets to this day. What replaced this car couldn’t have been more different in character, quality, or reliability.
Man, that’s a sweet ride. My condolences!
Love these cars; congratulations on finding such a good one…sucks about losing it. I’m not quite sure why I didn’t have one of these at some point; it seems like it would have been a good fit. Oh well…
It would just figure that the only old BMW in the western world that did not eat its owner out of house and home with repair bills would be lost to the impound lot. 🙂 Seriously, that is a bummer. Of course, who is to say if your luck would have held had you rescued it from impound. Even with their reputations for high dollar repairs, I will also confess that I had a thing for these cars.
This 1978 530i might not be that unusual. The 530i was the most reliable car Road & Track surveyed between 1971 and 1980, beating the Mercedes 450 series and the Honda Civic. It had 6 problem areas, when the average was 12.No complaints concerning a/c, but this was a big problem in the earlier BMW Bavaria/CS coupe survey. The 530i’s head cracking problem only affected 7% of owners.
A good one is worth having just a shame yours got impounded, Im beginning to see how you got thru 20 odd cars so quick, whats next?
$600 Beemer, sounds like the real-life version of the $1000 Corvette in David Ball’s “Riding With Private Malone”…
I bought a one-owner 1981 528i 5-speed in 1992. I rationalized that we needed a safer family car with our young son, to supplement our Vanagon Westfalia and 4×4 Ford Ranger. It was a really nice drive but nickel and dimed us for several years. Finally, after stranding us several times and needing at least one tow when our second child was just a newborn, my wife drew the line and we bought a new Corolla. I sold the BMW to neighbor and still see the car in our old town 20 years later.
We all have one we regret getting rid of,often fancied a 5 series BMW but the repair bills and parts prices put me off.Maybe one day it’ll get crossed off the to do list.
Oh how I loved these. When I was a kid, my next door neighbor, who had big new cars like Country Squires and Lincolns in the ’60s and ’70s, suddenly bought a 1977 320i, and then by 1979 had two 5 Series (big American iron was never to be seen again) for him and his wife. I always wanted one.
Once in a while, I tell myself that finding an interesting old car for $500 or so would be a great alternative to leasing a car. Just buy something cool, hope it goes a few months without repairs, and move on. In the meantime, I’ll just read my classic car blogs and mags.
I know your BMW was trouble-free but seriously you were better off loving Nissan and Mazda.
Have to say that you were one very lucky guy when you got that BMW. And, great that it was reliable and you got to enjoy it for a while. As you’re probably well aware, cars that old all too often require a lot in repairs and maintenance, so that certainly was a Car of a Lifetime.
I lusted after a 633 that was parked in a neighbors driveway for 5 years. After jump-starting it and driving it home, I spent the next two years finding out where the moniker “bring Mama’s wallet” came from. My earlier experience with a 320 (no i) had spoiled me. You should bronze those comments.