WTB: Clean Late Model E30 318is or 325is

[vrracr]

I'm located in Houston, TX but willing to travel anywhere in the lower 48 for a clean e30. Must be rust free, have all original body panels, run and drive, clean carfax, clean title, working cold air conditioning, working power windows, well-documented history, etc.

I don't mind if the car has tasteful mods, needs a paint job or the interior needs some work.

Essentially, I want a well-maintained car that has had issues addressed as they came up during its life. If you have such a car, let's talk. Post pics here and then message me with your number.

[vrracr]

I've gotten a few PMs but would like to see more options.

[Shadyhaze13]

Having a budget listed will help narrow the choice and give prospective sellers an idea if there car is for you. Sellers don't want to waste there time if there car isn't in your price range. For instance my e30 325is is a rust free California car in great condition with everything in working order. So mine would be on the higher end if it was for sale. Something to think about.

[vrracr]

Having a budget listed will help narrow the choice and give prospective sellers an idea if there car is for you. Sellers don't want to waste there time if there car isn't in your price range. For instance my e30 325is is a rust free California car in great condition with everything in working order. So mine would be on the higher end if it was for sale. Something to think about.

Thanks for the feedback. I'd be willing to pay up to $8k for a clean, mostly stock car (assuming desireable color combo, options, mileage, and so much more). Depending on what the car needs to be near perfect, I start deducting from there. Alternatively, I also would bump my number up based on any special circumstances (let's say your car is one owner or has extremely low miles, etc.) or if it has any mods which I intend to do (S52 swap being the big one, nice wheels, etc.).

Hope that helps.

[Rusty.Piranha]

I think you'll need to increase your budget to 10k to find what you're looking for...prices are going through the roof!

http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1990-bmw-325is-7/

http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1991-bmw-318is-19/

http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1991-bmw-318is-11/

http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1991-bmw-318is-17/

[vrracr]

I think you'll need to increase your budget to 10k to find what you're looking for...prices are going through the roof!

http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1990-bmw-325is-7/

http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1991-bmw-318is-19/

http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1991-bmw-318is-11/

http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1991-bmw-318is-17/

I don't think you can compare Bring a Trailer listings with forum listings. If people on this forum owned such cars, they would be listing them on BaT.
BaT picks and chooses the cars they list and try to focus on the cleanest cars available. Although they offer no guarantees on actual vehicle condition, they have a reputation for full disclosure.

I have yet to come across any cars for sale on r3v in the last 6 weeks or so that I've been searching in nearly the condition as any of the links you shared. Again, budget is not really an issue. I'm willing to pay a premium but it has to to make sense. At the end of the day, I want a perfect, concour-worthy, car and if it's going to save me time and money because a seller takes care of his/her cars like I do, I have no issues in paying for it.

[vrracr]

I also want to share some other info:

I've purchased 2 e30s in the last 3 weeks. 1 was local and is more of a project car (and I had full disclosure of the current issues and paid accordingly) while the other was via an eBay auction "advertised" as a perfect car, for which I paid a premium. The 2nd car arrived a few days ago from California and upon delivery, the story was something else altogether.

The seller misrepresented everything and straight up lied in our conversations (most of it in writing). I have found 22 issues with the car that directly contradict the seller's ebay ad, our messages, phone calls and seller disclosure form (something I created and use with every car I buy from an individual) which he completed by hand and signed. The biggest issue for me is that the car has been wrecked from the rear and was repaired terribly and the "cold working a/c" is far from it. The first "project" car I bought is actually in much better shape than the 2nd one, and I paid more than 2 times for the 2nd.

The seller is a "BMW" guy and I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't already a member on this forum. He knew his stuff during our conversations and after having my assistant do some digging on him, she found that he even used to own a BMW performance shop in Ventura, CA. So I can't even put it off as "maybe he didn't know since the Carfax is clean" issue. Of course, he's a deadbeat and won't respond. I will be pursuing legal action on this loser.

What I've found is that sellers seem to lack honor these days. I understand that everyone wants to make a few extra bucks when they can, but you also have to be able to sleep at night. There are so many listings I've come across where sellers hide information and lie about the car's condition. There is a red slicktop for sale in Texas right now which feels like a total scam and the seller is just waiting to screw someone over.

At least with this forum, seller's may be known to others, have a build thread or reputation, people comment on obvious issues, ask the right questions on listings, etc. There is more comfort here, for me at least, than Craigslist, Facebook or even eBay.

This is why in my initial post, I said I am willing to fly anywhere in the US to see the car in person. Seems silly for sub $10k cars, but this is what has to be done these days.

[DELPHINtimecapsule]

Is this the car you bought on ebay?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1989-BMW-3-Series-/262974648181

I doubt it, since he was left good feedback by the buyer

[vrracr]

Is this the car you bought on ebay?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1989-BMW-3-Series-/262974648181

Yes, unfortunately, this is the car! Either you're great at detective work or you know the car/seller. Please do tell!

I doubt it, since he was left good feedback by the buyer

This was my mistake. I was so comfortable with the seller after our conversation, messages and the signed form he sent to me, that I felt confident enough to provide feedback before even receiving the car, thinking I'll just change it if it wasn't worthy. Little did I know that feedback cannot be changed from positive to negative, only the other way around. I have an email conversation going back and forth with ebay support since yesterday to try to get this changed.

@DELPHINtimecapsule, your first response to this was "uh oh" and then changed after you looked up the feedback. If you have any info to share, please do so (or PM me).

[DELPHINtimecapsule]

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=405748

[vrracr]

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=405748

Wow. Thanks for sharing! I guess I need to venture outside of this Classifieds forum a little more.

[DELPHINtimecapsule]

Wow. Thanks for sharing! I guess I need to venture outside of this Classifieds forum a little more.

If you actually sue him and need someone to serve him papers when the time comes I could maybe do it for you if you. I can't believe you left him positive feedback tho, it was your one chance to maybe queer the auctions for the other cars he is trying to sell. Oh well...

[vrracr]

If you actually sue him and need someone to serve him papers when the time comes I could maybe do it for you if you. I can't believe you left him positive feedback tho, it was your one chance to maybe queer the auctions for the other cars he is trying to sell. Oh well...

I will certainly let you know. I appreciate the offer.

I'm hoping the feedback issue gets changed. I've learned a lot about eBay's policies over the last couple of days and highly advise everyone to avoid buying any cars older than 10 years off of eBay unless the seller lets you pay a big chunk of it through PayPal. That would be the only recourse you could have in situations like this.

[c0rbin9]

Hope you are successful in your legal challenge, loser sellers should be held accountable. I've heard small claims legal issues can be filed relatively easily online these days, without even needing a lawyer. Simply him being served papers may be enough to get him to deal. Just a thought.

[vrracr]

Hope you are successful in your legal challenge, loser sellers should be held accountable. I've heard small claims legal issues can be filed relatively easily online these days, without even needing a lawyer. Simply him being served papers may be enough to get him to deal. Just a thought.

Thanks for the well-wishes. I hope it works out, too. Seller needs to do the right thing. Problem is that I'm not sure what to believe. He could have used a fake name and fake address as well. I wouldn't put it past him since so much of everything else was a lie.