First one: Got a call out of the blue from my BMW driving stock broker, one of his partners has an old 325 he wants to get rid of, would I be interested? Sold my E36M3 a while ago so sure nothing to loose, why not... The car is an original owner '88 325 ic, all options except the hardtop, yes it's an auto, dealer maintained since day one. Everything, that is, except the timing belt, which lasted for just over 153,000 miles [!!!] before taking the head with it. The resulting bill sent the po into sticker shock so he had it towed home, where it sat, literally untouched, for 9 years in a downtown Seattle parking garage. So walking up to it, I can't even tell what color it is, maybe silver, gold, white or beige, I can't tell it's so covered with this black smog looking dirt. But it has a new top and exhaust system, one ding outside and a few tiny holes in the rear seat inside and is one very dead car. New head, all the normal under hood stuff, thorough detailing, rear seat repair and wheels and I've got a car nice enough to be in a show for just under 2 grand. As a matter of fact it was in the Seattle BMW open house show last month.
Second one: For my son's 15th birthday we bought him a '92 Ford Ranger to eventually haul his quad around with, exceptionally nice for it's age except the engine "ran out of oil". Got a second one that had been rolled at just over 32,000, bought at auction and sat in someone's garage for more than 10 years. Son and I put all the running gear from it into the nice one and upon seeing my e30 he decides he wants one too. So all on his own he found someone to trade straight across for a really nice 159,000 mile '86 325e sedan, I mean this thing is just this side of showroom. $3500 worth of repairs in just the last three years alone, rebuilt tranny [another auto], even brand new bottlecaps from the dealer. He loves it and the total cost, which was purchase price of both Rangers less the sale of unneeded parts, $780. Plus we have a trailer I made out of the back half of the rolled one.
Third one: With my daughter's 15th approaching we decided to skip step one of my son's car and just get another E30. It's another '88, this one a 325 coupe with the eta engine and a five speed [finally]. Third owner who is family with the first two, all records since day one came with it. Somewhat sun faded paint on a clean body, totally trashed interior, loose shift linkage, ABS light and cold start issues, for $600. Soldered in a fusable link on the ABS relay, an idle control hose and really nice black leather complete interior from an is [Thanks JD!] makes another really nice daily driver for just over $1100. And it's build date, coincidentally, was exactly four years before my son's birthday.
But there's no rest for the wicked, daughter doesn't want a manual and the 'vert sure would like one... Anyway, thanks for the time it took to read this, and for all the help you folks have already been too.
Second one: For my son's 15th birthday we bought him a '92 Ford Ranger to eventually haul his quad around with, exceptionally nice for it's age except the engine "ran out of oil". Got a second one that had been rolled at just over 32,000, bought at auction and sat in someone's garage for more than 10 years. Son and I put all the running gear from it into the nice one and upon seeing my e30 he decides he wants one too. So all on his own he found someone to trade straight across for a really nice 159,000 mile '86 325e sedan, I mean this thing is just this side of showroom. $3500 worth of repairs in just the last three years alone, rebuilt tranny [another auto], even brand new bottlecaps from the dealer. He loves it and the total cost, which was purchase price of both Rangers less the sale of unneeded parts, $780. Plus we have a trailer I made out of the back half of the rolled one.
Third one: With my daughter's 15th approaching we decided to skip step one of my son's car and just get another E30. It's another '88, this one a 325 coupe with the eta engine and a five speed [finally]. Third owner who is family with the first two, all records since day one came with it. Somewhat sun faded paint on a clean body, totally trashed interior, loose shift linkage, ABS light and cold start issues, for $600. Soldered in a fusable link on the ABS relay, an idle control hose and really nice black leather complete interior from an is [Thanks JD!] makes another really nice daily driver for just over $1100. And it's build date, coincidentally, was exactly four years before my son's birthday.
But there's no rest for the wicked, daughter doesn't want a manual and the 'vert sure would like one... Anyway, thanks for the time it took to read this, and for all the help you folks have already been too.
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