This 1988 BMW M5 is one of 1,340 examples produced for the North American market and is finished in black over tan leather. Power is provided by a 3.5-liter inline-six paired with a five-speed manual transmission, and equipment includes 16″ Style 5 wheels, heated sport seats, an electric sunroof, and an aftermarket ECU chip. The seller acquired the car out of Georgia in 2019, and work has since included an engine rebuild, reupholstered seats, a rebuilt power…
This 1988 BMW M5 is one of 1,340 examples produced for the North American market and is finished in black over tan leather. Power is provided by a 3.5-liter inline-six paired with a five-speed manual transmission, and equipment includes 16″ Style 5 wheels, heated sport seats, an electric sunroof, and an aftermarket ECU chip. The seller acquired the car out of Georgia in 2019, and work has since included an engine rebuild, reupholstered seats, a rebuilt power steering box, replacement springs, an overhaul of the front brakes, and more as outlined below.
The body is finished in Schwarz (086) with M5-specific front and rear spoilers, a power-operated sunroof, and foglights. The Carfax report indicates that an aLident in April 2002 resulted in “moderate” damage to the rear of the vehicle, though further details are unavailable.
Cross-spoke 16″ Style 5 wheels are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Exalto tires showing 2019 production codes. The front brakes were overhauled in 2020 with E34 rotors and rebuilt calipers. Rear springs from a 535i and replacement front springs were added in 2019, and the front sway bar links, parking brake shoes, brake booster, and left front wheel bearing and speed sensor were also replaced during current ownership.
The seating surfaces were reupholstered in Natur leather in 2020, and the center console, door panels, and glovebox were re-dyed. Amenities include power-adjustable and heated front seats, air conditioning, an onboard computer, a factory cassette stereo, and power windows. The seat control switches, passenger window motor, aLelerator and clutch pedals, hood release cable, ashtray, heater control valve, and floor mats are also replacement items.
An M-Tech I steering wheel frames a 170-mph speedometer and a tachometer with a 6,500-rpm redline. The six-digit mechanical odometer was repaired with new gears in March 2021 and currently indicates 176k miles.
The 3.5-liter S38B35 inline-six was factory-rated at 256 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque and has been fitted with an aftermarket ECU chip and a VSR mid-pipe with a high-flow catalytic converter and replacement muffler. The engine was rebuilt in December 2019 by Bavarian Professionals of Berkeley, California, while an updated timing chain tensioner was installed in April 2020.
Power is delivered to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential. The clutch hydraulic cylinders and rear subframe mounts were replaced in 2020.