Increasing (theoretical) resale value.

[GaslampKilla]

I think if you've decided to buy an e30 and you plan on using it, you are going to lose money. The most true thing anyone ever told me about my car was that the first year I own it would be all maintenance. Now that thousands are spent on non-fun shit, I can focus on why I bought an e30 in the first place: to absolutely smash on a the gas pedal without worrying about it. Parts cost money, and these cars are old so lots of shit needs to be replaced. The best way to make money with these is finding a good deal from someone who doesn't know what they have and re-sell it.

[JinormusJ]

May I conclude that KBB is only a SUGGESTED selling price..? They have a disclaimer that the values represented only reflect what they believe is the market price, but they have now jurisdiction or knowledge of true prices. They even encourage you to find the REAL street price and go from there, using the KBB as a starting backbone for your sale/buy. Plus, Dealers sell NEW cars above and below retail price all the time. Suggested price means nothing; Street price and what people are ACTUALLY paying is where the proof is in the pudding

If you want to use your "comic book club" logic, here's a tidbit. No self respecting idiot is gonna sell their comic books to the average joe for dirt cheap whom he KNOWS won't respect it enough to take care of it as much as he did. He's gonna sell his comic book to the comic book guys he rolls with to get top dollar and ensure the comic book is enthusiast maintained.
Now shift+find "comic book" and keystroke replace+"e30"+enter. Get the picture..?


I'm over this thread.. Feels like I'm talking to a brick wall.

[Kershaw]

i have yet to see stamar post one thing that i agree with.

he's an idiot.

[Vivek]

Stamar-you're probably the only e30 fanatic that agrees with you. Just stop. Literally everyone else agrees that e30 prices are going UP. People who have been in the game for 10 years and people who just bought their first e30 all agree that prices are only increasing.

I sold a 1996 honda accord for above KBB excellent about a month ago. It had a peeling clear coat, dings on almost every panel (albeit no dents over quarter-sized), 16 years of scratches, an accident, 190k, etc. Even on that car KBB meant almost nothing. KBB is really only relevant for newer cars. Even less relevant for collector's cars (cough-e30).

[noE30]

In regards to rust free e30 prices bringing in a premium price, I bought my 89 325i almost 3 years ago for $4k with a loan from a bank FYI. I had searched for ~6-7 months for a rust free 325i coupe in the Midwest (rust galore), I ended up finding mine in Denver, CO and the owner was originally asking $5,500.

At the time my bank had looked up what nada has listed as the value for an 89 325i and it was listed at 3,800 average and 4k something for clean. So yes, a bank will loan money on an e30 depending on the condition of course and rust free cars are pulling premium prices especially in the Midwest.

[rich4rdee]

btw i bought my car 2 years ago well maintained with 126k in mountain view for 3k. i've been relatively strict on maintenance and am confident i could get 4k at this point.

the only thing IMO that you can do to increase value on your e30 is put it in storage for x years and hope for the best.

[rich4rdee]

the average value will be 500. the condition of all cars will be worse. the top line one will go for 5000$ and 18 others will go for 1000 or less. Average and beaters.
Not all will be cheap I see your point I never said otherwise. More will be cheap to create a low average.
The perfect car will still be expensive, however for the most part it wont sell or will take longer. It has a theoretical value like spider man #1, worth a lot but nobody wants to buy it.

different from the average person and their 325. The average 325 will go for under 1000 whether it has coilovers or not. which is all the op was asking. I didnt check but I just have a feeling he doesnt have a 325 locked in an airtight tomb somewhere.

all opinions but self evident in my opinion. Or let me say, much more likely than not.

i can't tell if you're trolling or not at this point. how many people do you need to have tell you that KBB DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING ON CARS LIKE THIS?

[Rustyduktape]

Who wants to pay 4500 for a car with diving boards?

I do! I do! I did


But, it was clean, stock and low miles, and an '87 is.

[reelizmpro]

Let's look at the rust factor. Rust has been killing old cars for years, moreso in certain parts of the country. People used to just swap shells, now they are more likely to do restoration, y? Because clean cars are a premium now. Being in Cali we think nothing of this, but look at how many cars are bought by out of state buyers, some r sight unseen. People are paying 5 figures for nice looking e30s! I think you are missing the bigger picture. Sure in ca, some people just see it as an old car and want to get rid of it because they think no one wants an old car but there are people who do...enthusiasts who work on their own cars do. With the magazines constantly showing e30s love the following is getting stronger. People are selling their e36/e46 etc just to get a swapped e30 or m3. The e30 represents a time when things were simple and nit stuffed full of electronics and cheap parts. I been in the game a long time and this is what I've noticed.so either us enthusiasts are delusional or there are still some owners out there that don't know any better and selling cheap.

[nando]

KBB = hahaha :|

[stamar]

are these asking prices? What sort of math? Ive done about all the research I need to do I just looked up kbb, showed some examples from where I live Id rather see someone else come up with some research. You come up with something to change my opinion.

send the 88 is for 2100 owner a message asking him to email back what his car sold for. that seems good.

Hes putting it up for 2000, probably going for 1500 probably not different than most. next year subtract.... 500? 250? from those numbers. That seems like pretty reasonable average. Good idea of what an 88 is should go for. thats what I would expect pretty much exactly.

would buying 1000$ in wheels make the car worth 3100$ asking and go for 2500 after waiting? Probably not. Thats what this thread is about.

If I repaint my car is it going for 1000$ more? Maybe but not if Im going to hold onto it for years. i estimate no but some of the dumber buyers are very impressed by paint so Ill admit it could.

[Cabriolet]

why dont you do a little math and stop running your mouth. the average e30 sells for $3500. non-running $500-$700, perfect $5000+

just bc you have mismatching panels/paint doesnt mean the rest are as poorly kept. yes beater sell for low prices but that doesn't mean anything.

1988 325is black 200k maintained $2,100
1989 325is white rear ended $1,600 missing tranny
1990 325ic swartz some maintainance $2,500
1987 325ic white 129k maintained $2,600 auto
1989 325is Bronzit 236k maintained $4,200 manual
1991 318is swartz 145k maintained $5,300 manual
1988 325is white mods, salvage $3,300 manual
1988 M3 white 132k maintained $19,988 manual
1987 325is red 280k some maintainance $2,200 manual
1985 325es 154k some maintainance $2,500 manual
1987 325 white 162k some maintainance $3,000 auto
1988 325ic white beat $1,250 manual
1986 325es white 262k beat, accident $3,000 manual
1988 325ic Bronzit 181k some maintainance $3,000 auto
1989 325ic glacier 90k not great $3,400 auto
1987 315i swartz 300k some maintainance $2,000 manual
1988 325is red 160k some maintainance $3,800 manual
1991 318ic red some maintainance $4,237 manual
1989 325ic white blown head $800 auto
1985 325e white 286k needs maintainance $1,700 manual
1986 325e $2,500
1987 325e blue needs maintainance $2,250 manual
1989 325i red 179k some maintainance $3,888 auto
1987 325ic blue needs maintainance $2,900 auto
1990 325is black 206k maintained $4,500 manual
1987 325is Bronzit 156k beat $3,650 auto
1989 325is Bronzit 180k some maintainance $2,950 auto
1987 325e swartz 200k beat $500 auto
1986 325e brown 172k some maintainance $1,900 manual
1986 325es black needs maintainance $3,000 manual
1986 325es black 256k needs maintainance $3,200 manual
1986 325e Bronzit 103k some maintainance $1,950 manual
1985 325e silver beat $700
1989 325i glacier 183k beat $2,795 auto
1988 M3 red 225k some maintainance $17,500 manual
1991 325ic white 180k salvage $3,500 auto
1987 325e Bronzit 213k mods, needs work $1,960 manual
1991 318ic red some maintainance $4,237 manual
1991 325i Bronzit needs maintainance $3,500 auto
1986 326es red 186k some maintainance $4,259 manual
1992 318ic blue 193k mods+hardtop $7,900 manual
1989 325i black 185k+ salvage $3,400 manual
1987 325e black 200k beat $1,900 manual
1987 315is red 164k beat $3,400 manual
1988 315is white needs maintainance $1,900 auto
1990 325is Bronzit 145k maintained $5,000 manual
1987 325is red 165k needs maintainance $3,400 manual
1987 325ic white 276k beat $1,900 manual
1987 325i Bronzit 213k maintained $3,000 manual
1987 325e white 162k needs maintainance $3,000 auto
1987 325es red 115k salvage $2,500 manual
1991 318is red 150k some maintainance $3,500 manual

[stamar]

the average value will be 500. the condition of all cars will be worse. the top line one will go for 5000$ and 18 others will go for 1000 or less. Average and beaters.
Not all will be cheap I see your point I never said otherwise. More will be cheap to create a low average.
The perfect car will still be expensive, however for the most part it wont sell or will take longer. It has a theoretical value like spider man #1, worth a lot but nobody wants to buy it.

different from the average person and their 325. The average 325 will go for under 1000 whether it has coilovers or not. which is all the op was asking. I didnt check but I just have a feeling he doesnt have a 325 locked in an airtight tomb somewhere.

all opinions but self evident in my opinion. Or let me say, much more likely than not.

[nando]

i never said anything about the "value" of my car. but it's hilarious that since you've found some beaters on cragislist for $500, then every E30 is a $500 beater.

think about this - even a wrecked E30 is worth more than $500 in parts.

clean E30 prices have been pretty much the same since I bought mine, 10 years ago.. only now it's way harder to find a clean, stock, unmolested one, and really easy to find a $500 peice of junk (sorta - can't say the last time I saw a running E30 for $500 within 500 miles of me).

[stamar]

well in the next 5 years a low mileage car does become rarer. what about a high mileage one? Like most e30s will have higher mileage in 5 years.

mileage doesnt really mean anything but its plugged in to vehicle value in an open market.

I appreciate your opinion but come up with something to change my opinion. Anything. Why is your car going to be worth more in a year? two?

in 5 years there will be more 500$ e30s. probably abandoned because of a headgasket or whatever. Not collector cars.

heres a 318 im going to look at.

http://humboldt.craigslist.org/cto/2927419931.html

no longer worth buying a fuel pump for the owner. In a few years 325is the same way will be the same, only theres a lot more of them on the road than 318is. I dont doubt that for a moment.

And more importantly there wont be a lot of people with 500$ for them theyll be part of a huge expansion in junkyard volume.