89 325i, to fix or scrap

[Ben Carufel]

...i will then be able to see how bad it really is.

I have already seen how bad it is. It is a piece of absolute shit. That car is trash. It's not even safe to drive. Scrap it.

[new2bmw]

no not really

don't really need a warm soft cuddly answer here sorry. i also realize how much a body shop is. they would only be doing the work on the frame, $500 worth. i also said, i will take it apart as i need to if i want to part it out anyways, i will then be able to see how bad it really is.

[BigD]

i not trying to go against what you are all saying, excellent points, but i wouldnt be driving it, it would be stored in my garage while anything was being done. i might strip it down to bare bones and take some pics and see what you guys think after that. i am not saying i am going to restore it, but i need to strip it if i am going to sell parts anyways.

So you're saying you're not actually looking for sound advice but rather confirmation that you've made the right decision. Well, you haven't, sorry. The only good news is that body shops don't work for peanuts either, and they won't do body work on layaway at 10 bucks a month. If you can't afford to buy a decent 1-2k car, you can't afford to restore this one.

[new2bmw]

car

i not trying to go against what you are all saying, excellent points, but i wouldnt be driving it, it would be stored in my garage while anything was being done. i might strip it down to bare bones and take some pics and see what you guys think after that. i am not saying i am going to restore it, but i need to strip it if i am going to sell parts anyways.

[85Dirty30]

or just drive it like it is and let it rust... keep a lookout for a clean shell

agree

[TexasTerp]

You forget that over time the rust will get worse and worse, sure you could be fixing it little by little but the rust will continue to wreak havoc on the body, so there will be more rust each time you fix a spot. Part it out, make some cash, find a clean shell.

[StereoInstaller1]

or just drive it like it is and let it rust... keep a lookout for a clean shell

wisdom

[Julien]

or just drive it like it is and let it rust... keep a lookout for a clean shell

[Restoman]

Strip all of the useful parts and scrap it.

[BigD]

i was just saying i could spend money over time not all at once.

Get rid of it. If you can't afford a cheap decent car for cash, then get a small car loan or borrow $ from someone.

[whiltebeitel]

It's not worth it.

+1. Buy a $3,000 car now, or spend $7,000 to make a car like that worth $3,000?

[Jean]

part it out...you want to start with a clean chassis.

[Ben Carufel]

i was just saying i could spend money over time not all at once.

It's not worth it.

[new2bmw]

never said tight budget

i was just saying i could spend money over time not all at once.

[Ben Carufel]

heres the issue i have. i have 3 babies, 1,2 and 3 and it will be a long time till i can afford a bimmer for $3000. i was thinking that i could take a few years, cut/sandblast all rust and repaint. on the other hand if you have seen someone try this before and fail let me know. i was just thinking i could handle small amounts of money over a long time but not huge amounts of money all at once. I dont mind doing the labor, i love these cars so no issue there. i am torn.

It is not worth the amount of money and time you will need to invest.

Do not put money into this car.

Get yourself a reliable Honda Civic or Toyota Camry if money is tight.

I am constantly amazed that people want to "restore" BMWs on a "tight budget".