Buying Advice

[duaux]

All,

I am currently considering an E30 1991 318i.

The engine has been repaired (does this mean rebuilt?), timing chain broke apparently. The seller has receipt of work done.

Aside from that, the car has minimum rust from what I can see.
The car drives well, with the following exceptions:

1. The steering wheel seems "loose". e.g., I have to turn the wheel more if that makes any sense. I have never experienced this before in any car. I am not sure if this is "normal" for an E30.
2. The shifter is also "loose". The gears shift fine though and holds in gear.

I am planning on taking the car for a PPI, in which the seller has agreed to perform. This should allow me to see the underneath for rust, etc.

However, before I spend the $$$ on a PPI, I would like to ask the experienced E30 owners for some advice:

1. Is it a bad idea to buy an engine that is "rebuilt"?
2. Can both the steering wheel and shifter be fixed as noted above?... At a reasonable cost? Please provide cost break down if possible.

Thanks

[frankenbeemer]

If you post the receipt, perhaps someone could advise you if the motor is rebuilt or repaired. I would have the inspection done at a shop that knows how to repair the vehicle and they can give you a better idea if the repair costs will be reasonable.

[llll1l1ll]

Sloppy shifter means the bushings in the linkage need to be replaced. Should be a DIY here or somewhere in the interwebz.

[ChaseN]

Steering wheel is likely a worn u-joint. Did you happen to notice any metallic rattling going over bumps that seemed to come from directly behind the steering wheel? This seems very common on airbag cars (which a '91 318i would be) as they have a different column assembly than non-airbag cars. The replacement is a fairly simple job, however, last time I checked (as my '90 325iX needs one too) it was a $100+ part from BMW IIRC.