So in one 24hr period...

[AlexS]

My fan and tach died. I've owned the car for a month. It's starting to hover around freezing here and this is a problem. I can live without my tach, but The fan is a necessary. Prior to its malfunctioning, the heater was questionable too. I'd be driving along, and all of a sudden the heat would turn to cold air.

The car's an '87 325i. It's got a good (repainted) and mostly rust free body, and a nice sport interior. The drivetrain is good so far. It always starts and gives me no problems. I've driven the car 2k. Odo reads 208 km.

I'm a bit down with this. It leaks power steering fluid and gas. My fan doesn't work, my heat doesn't work, and my tach doesn't work. The jury's out on some parts of the OBC. It's not telling me how much fuel I have remaining now, but the time is still correct. I think my heat and gas gauges are out as well. The driver's door lock doesn't work. Blah blah.

I searched a bit, but honestly, many of the posts are above my head. I'm willing to get my hands dirty, but I don't want to be stuck halfway through a job that I can't complete. I am new to car maintenance.

What would you do? I have some cash for repairs, but am I going to be haunted with new problems all the time? Part of me is tempted to unload the car in favour of a newer E36 or something. Please help!

[nefarious7907]

A 20 year old car is going to require maintence and the more you get your hands dirty the chances are higher that you will find more stuff that requires replacing. I would get that fuel leak fixed asap, and then worry about the other problems. The fix could be as easy a fuse, you may need to clean your blower motor resistor and that could get your blower motor working again, but because your tach is not working I would say thats the SI board. The drivers side door lock probably needs to be retooled or the linkage to the latch is messed up or missing.
An E36 is not going to be much better as they were designed as 10 year cars, while most of the BMW's from the 80's were designed to last a lifetime. But if you dont have money to stay up on maintence on a 20 year old car and some extra time you best bet is probably to buy a new car, because no used car with 75k miles plus is not going to require some maintence.

[lordofthewaters]

I'd be driving along, and all of a sudden the heat would turn to cold air.

I'm a bit down with this. It leaks power steering fluid and gas.

Sounds to me like air in the cooling system if it blows warm and then changes to cold air.

As for the blower and such I agree with the previous poster, check the fuses first, then the connections/wiring.

PS fluid could be the common loose clamp on the bottom of the reservoir, or if it is leaking from the actual rack and boots then it's worn out seals. The gas leak should be the FIRST thing that's repaired.Depending on where it's located, it's most likely a hole or crack in a fuel line which can be easily replaced. replaced.