Should I buy iX? Been researching all night.

[NeoMishMoo]

I've been reading for a few hours so I won't be too oblivious as to what goes on with these AWD mysteries.

Found a 1989 iX automatic for $1700. While I don't like auto's and am not thrilled about 4 doors I have always had a crush on the iX.

Looked at it yesterday but wasn't really prepared with good questions and didn't take pictures.

The Good:
Solid body, very little rust from what I saw
Four Almost new (<100 miles) tires
New Radiator
New Timing Belt
New lower control arm bushings
New Bilstein Shocks
New Rear Shock Mounts
New Sway bar end links
H&R Lowering springs

The Bad
Shitty Paint
Something wrong with sunroof (has it taken apart and covered with tarp)
Says needs sleeves for the transfer case, not sure how badly stripped the splines are.
Rear driver's window also covered with plastic (said the motor went bad, and never took the time to crank the window shut with a hex wrench)

I've never seen an iX around this area which makes me want it more. I've got my old rusty eta dd that needs downtime for some TLC, and a 318ti that needs coolant system/exhaust work.

I can't even look at E30's for sale because I want to buy every one I see for under 2k.

The owner needs money to open his own garage, but not sure if he will take much less. Said he already turned down a $1500 offer because the buyer knew nothing about e30's. He was wanting to paint it satin and rust the hood, now he is trying to sell a project. Should I stay away? Seems like a good investment.

[TurboJake]

I don't know about that. The transfer cases are pretty expensive if that's what's stripped. If it's the driveshaft that's not much better.

I'd really look at those splines. It may just need the sleeves if they're fine (and the t-case works). And the sleeves are cheap.

[rcsoundn1]

seems like you need one you can get in and drive, due to your two other projects?

[NeoMishMoo]

Well the eta is pretty broke down, but that thing will never die, been driving it since I was 16, it survived me driving it like a jackass in me teen years.

I'm thinking the splines are bad. He worked at the bmw dealership for years, and he bought the car to fix up, if it was just the sleeves I'm thinking he would have either replaced them and drove it himself, or fix them first and sell it for more.

I dug through a lot of forums on lengthening the splines but I'm not sure what the sleeves are, didn't see them in the pictures or overlooked them.

Owner says it drives great, so I'm thinking its a 2wd car currently, probably not good to drive it in that condition though

[agent]

I can't even look at E30's for sale because I want to buy every one I see for under 2k.

I can identify with this.

[nando]

I'm not aware of any "sleeves" in the transfercase. Maybe he meant seals? Bearings?

Trying to paint it flat black and rust the hood? Ugh. Do us ix guys a favor and save it from him!

If you get it for $1500 and even have to but a brand new t-case, you'd only be in for $3000. Id do a manual swap though.

[NeoMishMoo]

Id do a manual swap though.

Oh yeah I was enjoying your 10 year thread over a bowl of chilli at 4am last night. Ice storm hit this morning and I'm wishing I had that AWD right now.

Would love to do manual swap but it will probably take a LONG time for that to come about, if it was a 5 speed I wouldn't have even hesitated at buying it.

If I take on another project just not sure what I'm going to do with all these cars piling up. I know I really want swapped plastic bumper one day (had to resist the urge to buy a wrecked e36 m3 to have an engine saved for that day), I'll never get rid of my first eta, hell I can't even let my basket case ti go, but I guess there are worse things in life than having too many BMWs

So this sounds like a deal at $1500? I mean the wheels/tires/suspension make it worth it right?

[nando]

I think so, even with a bad TC it can be worth that much in parts alone.

if the car still moves and the front DS is stripped, that tells you the VC is good, and a good VC alone is worth a few hundred bucks. there are ways of working around the stripped splines if that's the only real issue - replace the output sprocket, or lengthen the splines, are two ways.

I've never heard of "sleeves" in the transfercase though, and I've had more than a couple apart. :p

also, the auto and manual transfercases use the same internals. potentially you could get a used 5-speed TC with a bad VC, but good splines, and swap the rear half of your auto TC into the front half of the manual t-case. that's actually what I did when my 275,000 mile 5-speed transfercase finally went bad from track abuse.

Basically, if the VC is actually good you have something to work with, stripped splines aren't such a big deal all by themselves.

[NeoMishMoo]

The owner says splines for the front driveshaft are bad, but says he would "personally" find another transfer case and put it in. If splines in driveshaft are only thing bad then wouldn't it only need a new driveshaft? Ideally I could just take that driveshaft and have a machine shop lengthen the splines and everything would be aok. But I'm guessing splines on both end are probably stripped. Someone on the forum mentioned welding tabs to fix stripped splines?

M3 ryan posted a TC for sale for $400 the day after I looked at the car. Seems like destiny.

Still not sure exactly what is going on with the viscous coupling. But I guess the next best move would be to try and see if we could take the driveshaft out and check the splines? I mean the guy owns a garage so maybe could have him do this.

[nando]

the splines on the transfercase get damaged too, not just the driveshaft.

but, there's another 1" of splines that aren't even touched in there, so yes, you can have it lengthened. beware, though, you have to remove the entire TC to put the driveshaft on with it lengthened.

if it drives with a stripped front driveshaft, then the VC is good. That also means that the TC in the car is worth keeping even if you get another one.

[NeoMishMoo]

The splines on the driveshaft are really one of the weak points in the engineering right? So more likely than not the driveshaft will need to be replaced? I've got a machine shop that can do amazing things, I found some pictures of someone who had their splines lengthened and I think the local machine shop could do the same.

I would have to remove the entire TC if I was to install a different one anyway correct?

I really can't imagine driving an e30 with an automatic transmission again, but I think differently after checking out the humble beginnings of you iX nando. Plus its starting to get slick outside and if I could get the awd up and running quick then I'd have peace of mind, however I don't think it would be done quick if I was to do it myself.

I should probably shut up until I post pictures and talk to the owner a bit more.

[nando]

it's not really weak, but it requires lubrication. If the lubrication is allowed to dry out, the wrong type is used, or it's not used at all, what happens is the splines rust, and then they strip.

yes, you'd have to remove the TC anyway.

at the very least, whatever you put into the automatic drivetrain, you can re-use since the only difference is the transmission and the front half of the case.