Considering the purchase of a 1987 325is, need guidance...

[ochizon]

I am looking to purchase a BMW 325is 1987 coupe 5spd. The guy says the odometer reads 106000 (i havent seen it yet, going on monday), but that he cant verify it since he took it on trade (he's a local dealer), and while it seemed quite honest of him to point out, I am ALWAYS weary of all car dealers, specifically the small ones. Anyway, it also has a sunroof and is reportedly rust free. He is asking $1250.
Since I intend this car as a project car, i am not so concerned about the mileage, but I do have some other concerns. First, are these expensive cars to upgrade? I did a search and read that the base HP is about 147rwhp, and since I am looking to make it more of a roadster than straight line monster, that is a great start. But i will look to add perhaps a chip upgrade (another one i found recommended in search), headers, perfromace shocks, springs perhaps (do they have struts???) and definitely a great set of tires.

Also, what is the average lifetime of these enignes? Any common problems I should look for when checking out the car? Ther pirce is good; a little too good. I dont want to get ripped off.

Any info you guys could offer would be greatly appreciated...

Alex

[ochizon]

one last thing, does anyone know the approx. weight of these vehicles? And maybe average 1/4 times stock?

[precision tuner]

this is only my opinion. if it were me and buying a new e30, if you're not going to spend the money for a m3 definetly go with a 325is.its has the most power out of the 318 and 325e. it is definetly a fun car to drive and with easy upgrades it will beat a stock m3 change the rear differential to 4.10 lsd. or maybe a chip,etc minor upgrades on the IS make a good difference since your starting with a quick motor if in good condition.plus its the sport model. the big chrome bumpers can be taken care of for the meantime you can empty the shocks and press'em in, or get a body kit. as maintnance is concerned, if it was taken care of then more than likely if you take care of it, it will take care of you and be a fun project. then on the other hand if its beat up its a money pit. the price sounds kind of cheap for 106k. hows the body and interior? is it up north or near shoreline? if so take it for a testdrive without him and in some non noticable spots check for rusts.some little car dealers may paint over the rust to make the car look in primo shape. they also may spray a clear coat over the engine to make it look new and clean. check the frame for damage. maybe even take it to a reputable shop to check the car out if your not sure. but by my opinion i would definetly go with a IS versus the Eta or 318. if not that one look for another one. thats my 2 cents. good luck let me know how it goes

[precision tuner]

depending on model i believe between 3k to 3.5k. dont quote me on that. the stock 1/4 for IS is 15.6 or 15.7 but i ran a 15.4 stock but thats all in the tires and the driver. but that just me..hahaha and they do have struts in the front.

[mspiegle]

that's a good deal. Mine has 175K miles and i still bring it to redline all the time. They aren't expensive if you do your own work and buy 2nd hand parts.

[ochizon]

Does anyone know roughly how much a replacement engine for this car is (that is the m20 block right???). Maybe i could just pick one up now, do a build up, adn install it later, and never have to worry about the age of the enigne...

[precision tuner]

depends where you go. if you go to a salvage yard that you pull it yourself its dirt cheap otherwise its expensive. everywhere is different. but if you call around the hear"bmw" they will automatically up the price. bargain with them. i got my second engine(for turbo build up)for $150. by the way i HAVE and 87 is, HAD a 86 e, 85 318i. the 318 had over 400k and i still redlined it like a dragster and it just kept on going. i hated that car it was a pos. but i did all my experimentation in it.(i was 16) think about it.

[rs4pro3]

Since the seller is a dealer ask him for a Car-Fax report on the car he should be able to get one free.
The Engine can go a awhile but it depends on how it was taken care of. My 88 325is has 260k miles on it and still runs great. You should be able to get 200k out of it no problem unless some one never changed the oil. The best way to tell is to take a flash light and pul off the oil fill cap. Shine the flashlight in if the internals are covered with black clumpy stuff the oil hasn't been changed in a while. Where as it everything is a nice Golden collor the engine been taken care off.

[Digitalwave]

Keep in mind, the '87 isn't really a great year.. it still has the higher rear arches, small tail lights, big chrome bumpers, and early iS front valance. It cannot be easily converted to plastic bumpers, if that concerns you.

[ochizon]

Keep in mind, the '87 isn't really a great year.. it still has the higher rear arches, small tail lights, big chrome bumpers, and early iS front valance. It cannot be easily converted to plastic bumpers, if that concerns you.

would that be a concern for aesthetic reasons, or is it a weight/handling issue? I dont care about the look as much as performance, so if its the latter, i mind.

[Clay'87IS]

the '87 isn't really a great year

:shock: :( meanie.......


haha just playin.

[modifiede30]

Be careful to check the following for rust:

Rust in battery cavity
Rust around front strut housings

Also, a basic replacement part that is critical in these cars is the timing belt. Given that its at 106K, I'd replace the timing belt immediately unless you can be absolutely sure it was recently replaced. If not, you'll blow the engine.

Make sure the steering rack isn't leaking significantly, as well as the main engine seals. Engine mounts in this car are notorious for going bad, and causing the lower radiator hose to rub and leak at the wrong times. If its a project car, I wouldn't worry about this too much but the timing belt is important to change quickly. If you want to track it, replace the mounts before going out.

If you're lucky, check the car shortly after a big rain. If the interior is wet, it may be a sign that rust is forming on the floor pans, which is a problem if the sunroof drains haven't been cleaned for a long time. The leak is easy to fix, but not the rust.

Upgrades are cheap, since many can be bolted on used from either the 5 or 7 series cars of the same generation. Chip the car, add a new intake, and upgrade the exhaust and you'll have a pretty nice running car.

Engines are pretty cheap, and if you can find the right parts, you could build a stroker with the existing block and head, a 325e crank, and custom pistons (or super eta pistons), but do it right and have everything checked by a machine shop, balanced, and tuned using a custom chip or piggy back fuel management system. You can't just throw your head on a 325e block for a stroker, as it will bend your valves immediately. If you hear you can do this, they're wrong. The entire stroker can be done for under $3000 if you do a lot of the work yourself. If you use the super eta pistons, its even cheaper and could be done for about $2000, but compression is very low (9.0:1 if shaving and decking are done).

Lower it with good quality shocks and springs that match, otherwise it won't perform as well as if you just cut the springs - which is a waste anyway. Bilsteins and Eibach are a good match depending on what you intend to do. If you want to track it, I'd suggest going with a good coil-over setup. Good luck.

[325 eta]

[ochizon]

modifed30, great post, exteremely helpful. Thank you.
I think I am going to check out the car today. If so, ill let you guys know.

[TheyCallMeDale]

1250 sounds like an awfully low price given the milage, Id be skeptical