The Official 'Craigslist find' thread - awesome & awful (eBay, Kijiji, etc.)

[ZeKahr]

This isn't just a "mint" car. It's a time capsule. How often in life have you wanted to go back in time? That's like the ultimate fantasy, right? Well, with this car you actually can, sort of. Maybe 20 years ago you could have built/restored an e30 with all new parts from BMW, but not any more, and even then it would have cost a fortune. Among numerous other parts, getting a brand new OEM interior just isn't going to happen today. You can try to find matching OE materials but it's just not the same. This car is like your one chance to go back 30 years and experience what a 100% brand new e30 is like. Not restored, new. And, it's not some garden variety version, it's a somewhat rare early model 325ix. Maybe not that exciting but it's still kinda special.

I just looked up the production figures for the 325ix, and alright that justifies the price tag a lot more. For some reason I thought they were more mass-produced than they really were. As for the go back in time thing... well I wasn't even born back when the last batch of E30 rolled off the assembly line so I'm probably not emotionally mature enough to even answer that question but I get it. Hell, I haven't even brought any of the cars I've owned new and none of them had less than 150k miles but I can understand why someone would want a car like this - you buy something like this 325ix to get that "fresh off the dealership lot with (almost) 0 miles with no prior owners (okay maybe one prior owner)" feeling like its still 1986. The way I see it, that emotion is very fleeting - it feels absolutely fantastic for a short while, then you sort of just get used to the car. It happened to me with my Eta daily - felt wonderful for the first month as if I had a special time machine that would take me back to 1986 every time I drove it. Then I just got used to seeing it and using it as a daily.

A full restoration in the USA or Europe will cost mad money if you can't do it yourself.

Here is an example that I found curious: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...-280sel-4-5-9/
Somebody wanted to restore a Mercedes and has spent more than $100,000.
It's still not ready. And it's not even the wonderful Pagoda.

True, I've been quoted around $50k-60k for a full restoration for my Eta. Rebuilds are much cheaper, faster, and much more doable.

Personally, I do not have the gall to dump money into a full-out restoration like the guy you linked. A full restoration is an all or nothing venture and in his case he ended up with nothing... and a $100k+ hole in his wallet.

Side note: I just googled "Mercedes Pagoda" (you can tell I'm relatively new to vintage German cars), and I feel head-over-heels in love with the design - so much so I had the urge to dump my E30 and for one... and then I saw the price tags on the damn things. Shame they cost an arm and a leg though - but that looks and rarity of those cars commend it.

[Albie325]

That E9 is pretty sweet. I'd consider myself a (gulp) "purist" and would have preferred it to have the original engine, but man that thing is awesome looking. By far my favorite BMW chassis, but that price tag is wild

[Aleman]

Found a pretty amazing restomod of an e9 on Australian carsales:

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/det...-6480230/?Cr=0

Price is pretty out there, but I guess it's probably a comparable car to the Singer Porsches? I'd dump the halo headlights, but otherwise it looks pretty amazing.

That is a very very nice E9, but like you said, that price is out there ($289k AUD = $187k US). I'd also dump the halo lights. You would think for that money, a buyer would want to be involved with the resto to have it exactly how he or she wants it. Or hold out for an all original low mileage unmolested E9. The drawback to resto mods vs unmolested originals is that the tech in a resto mod is aging from the minute it's installed. The value declines from today, because someone looking for a resto mod 5 years from now will want all the newest tech. Original is always original. Beautiful car, though. Super classy interior.

https://www.fuelbespokedesign.com/von-the-reveal

[lukeADE335i]

Found a pretty amazing restomod of an e9 on Australian carsales:

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/det...-6480230/?Cr=0

Price is pretty out there, but I guess it's probably a comparable car to the Singer Porsches? I'd dump the halo headlights, but otherwise it looks pretty amazing.

[Vincenze]

Fair enough. Personally, I have a hard time digesting the idea of paying $60k for a 30-35yo car in the same league as an E30 over little things like mint door panels. But I guess a rich guy with $60k to burn who wants a mint garden variety E30 might not mind...

A full restoration in the USA or Europe will cost mad money if you can't do it yourself.

Here is an example that I found curious: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...-280sel-4-5-9/
Somebody wanted to restore a Mercedes and has spent more than $100,000.
It's still not ready. And it's not even the wonderful Pagoda.