help!! i might buy an e30 tommorow, tranny issues?

[discord]

Hello,

I might purchase an 89 325 tommorow. it has 157K miles. The guy wants 900$, I think he's pretty firm on the price. Their is a small 4" dent on the drivers, a problem with the driverr side locks and one of the high beam headlights has a crack / hole in it. However the major issue is whether there is a problem with the transmission. The guy told me that awhile ago he would push the gas pedal but the rpm's would not go up and the engine would take a second to catch. He told me he took it to a shop, they changed the tranny oil and it's working fine now.

I don't mind working on my own car. I've changed water pumps and altenator's and was planning on changing the timing belt when I bought the car. I'm just worried and hope that the automatic transmission is strong, because that's the one thing that I don't think would be easy for me to overhaul. I'm not crazy about automatic transmission's, I love a manual transmission, but I need a car and have been searching for months. The used car market in Seattle blows.

So I'd like your opinion. Can anybody tell me if they have had any similar experience before and after changing the transmission fluid? I was planning on shifting the transmission through it's gears, and looking for any signs of trouble. The owner said that the problem which he described has gone away since he changed the fluids.

So help me, please give me some feedback. It would be really nice to drive this e30 home tommorow, but I'd be really out of luck if the transmission went out shortly afterwards.

Best,

Colin

[discord]

anybody?

[Alkasquawlik]

It's cheap to do a 5 speed swap.
The auto trannies usually fail around 120k miles, so yours may be on its last legs. Just an excuse to swap in a 5 speed after.

[Zacm829]

Sounds like a good deal, source a manual swap for $500, Then you have a solid runner for $1400 bucks. :)

[discord]

well i have a pretty good guide here. After reading it sounds like the tranny might have been warn down. I'm going to try working through the tests listed in this guide and if it seems ok then i will buy.

http://www.samarins.com/check/transmission.html

[mcr_driver]

i'd keep looking honestly it's a lot less headache finding a manual especially in cali then to source parts for a swap later but if you've already done your homework then by all means go for it. don't be afraid to get your hands dirty :thumbsup:

[discord]

can i really swap to manual for 500$? The one thing I'm worried about changing is the tranny. Aren't they about 150 lbs? I don't have nice jacks or anything...

[Alkasquawlik]

You live in Seattle, there are a ton of E30 enthusiasts up there. I'm sure a couple of them would be willing to help you out in return for lunch and beer.

[discord]

after i've been thinking more about it sounds like the transmission was slipping. Maybe I shouldnt have a look at all since i might get a headache....

[E30 Cabrio]

I would pass on the auto trans car and find a manual trans car.

[discord]

i dont know any i can take to check out the car tommorow. But if anybody in Seattle has an intrest I'll get lunch and beer!

[Alkasquawlik]

post in the PNW subforum.

[E30 Cabrio]

Offer him $750

If he takes it, then it would be worth doing a trans swap if you have the time and know how.

If you need a daily driver and can't afford down time, pass on it and find a 5 spd car.

[discord]

damn it's really difficult, I've wanted to buy a car for quite awhile. But it sounds like he neglected changing the tranny oil. I don't really want to change a transmission. I would like to find a manual but its hard to find a e30 with a manual around here. I'm very tempted to go check it out and run through the transmission procedure to see if I can find it slipping or taking a long time to shift into gears. If it doesn't have that problem I might be really tempted to buy it. Thanks for the feedback everybody!

[discord]

doh