Buying a swapped e30

[///M coupe ni6]

Hey guys, I'm thinking about buying a swapped e30 preferably with an s50/s52 swap. I've never owned an e30 but I've been lusting after one for a while and was wondering what are the things to look out for.
What does a good swap look like, what are some known problems that can creep up post swap, how different is basic maintenance compared to stock etc?

[Farbin Kaiber]

Who did the swap, mileage on parts used, what was replaced, does it have a functioning MIL, is it OBDI, or OBDII.

Basic maintenance is different by having coilpacks, and not having a timing belt.

[ZekeTheSneak]

I think cleanliness is huge, Shows they took there time and made sure all of the parts are proper and working together. Other then that mileage, maintenance, and the usuals for when buying a used vehicle. Always check the oil for mudd! Also overheating is a huge 24v problem, the heads can crack. Headgaskets are major too.

[cormier]

Few things that come to mind

Wiring in general -- specifically how they did the connector. Any extra wires present, or cut off hanging. Is there a CEL light on (may have to wire a light) and see if there are any codes

Cooling -- how many components are still plastic. Any leaks, quality of rad.

Any clearance issues, anything hitting or cut to make fit

What tranny was used and what clutch setup, is that still good

Any other mods done, also keep in mind basics like rust, this can kill even 24v cars! Make sure it starts and idles well! Don't bother looking at m5x swaps IMO youll always want more power out of them. Also the demeanor of the seller and their knowledge about the swap can give you a good indication of how well it was done. Feel free to post some findings here for everyone to pick apart!

[Rsully70sev]

^well said. If you really want to be confident in your purchase find a local BMW shop (not a dealership or a generic "we do it all" shop) and have them do a PPI. A private party inspection can find things a normal person would miss, you could do a compression test, etc. Depends how far you want to inspect.

Overall maintenance, appearance and gut feeling will guide you. If it's clearly neglected-cosmetically or mechanically, owner doesn't show pride, etc. then you should be skeptical if the swap was done with care.

[7pilot]

As long as you are aware that you may be buying a box of snakes.
Documentation of the swap if done by an individual is critical.
m

[Mossman]

I'd just say to make sure you buy a complete swap, not a "90% there just needs x,y,z", cuz there's usually a reason those 3 things were left out, and if the person couldn't get those things figured out how much can you trust the rest of their work. So either buy a 100% done swap or do it yourself, in my humble opinion.

[///M coupe ni6]

As long as you are aware that you may be buying a box of snakes.
Documentation of the swap if done by an individual is critical.
m

This is my biggest worry. Even if I go through the steps of getting a PPi and thoroughly understanding what goes into a swap before showing up to the buy the car, there may be a ton of problems that may creep up in the first weeks of ownership. Or worse on the drive home.

[evandael]

don't buy someone else's incomplete project.

[cormier]

Ya, find a build thread if they have it or complete set of pictures

A good seller has nothing to hide, rather should encourage you knowing the most possible about the car