Just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Mark and I'm in 3rd week of e30 ownership. My best friend's dad bought a used 1987 325is (5 speed) about 12 years ago and used it as a dd until about 2005 when he purchased a slightly used e46. In 2010 it was put in the garage where it stayed untouched except for when it had to go in for NJ inspection.
My friend was over for New Years and mentioned that his parents wanted to just get rid of it and I asked him how much they wanted. I wasn't really serious. I live in downtown Philadelphia and I only drive to an office in the burbs once a week at which point I use my girlfriend's Honda Fit. A month passed and the idea of the car had completely left my mind, but then I got a text from my friend's mom asking if I wanted the car for a dollar. Of course I said yes and picked up the car a couple weeks later. After a new battery she started right up, I had to get her home 70 miles away so I stopped at a quick lube and had them do the oil and I was off to the turnpike hoping to god that I wouldn't snap a timing belt.
Two days later the car got a new timing belt and water pump (upon my request) but other then that passed PA inspection with flying colors. The car came with all service records (had all recommended service done) and though broken odo says 275k, it's pretty perfect mechanically. The engine was actually replaced by bmw in 1991. It seems like the first owner piled about 50k miles a year and at 107k had to have the engine replaced at no charge, then piled another 100k on it over 2 years and then sold it to my friend's uncle who drove it about 5k miles a year for 8 years before passing it to my friend's parents. The odometer died in 2005 but it seems at most the car went 20k in that time which would put the m20 at about 200k.
I was always a car nut (I can turn a wrench but more about the history) as a kid and my first car was a Mercedes 240d (I know, I know, slow as fuck but a tank none the less). I always had a love for german engineering and the understated/functional design. This car put me right back there and I'm looking forward to doing work on it. I live in the city so I am basically limited to working on small projects, I'm currently restoring the passenger sport seat. My goal is to let a good garage handle any big mechanical work and just keep it as a nice, stock timepiece. I love diving board (refer back to 240d). It has one spot on the rocker that has rust and I am pretty sure some on the rear quarter under the bumper but I'll have this professionally remedied in a couple months. I'm renting a spot in a garage by my house and I don't plan to take her out in wet weather unless I absolutely have to.
I've already learned a ton in 2 weeks by looking over the forum but look forward to being a part of the community and getting to know my car.
Here's a pic: Black with cardinal red interior.
My friend was over for New Years and mentioned that his parents wanted to just get rid of it and I asked him how much they wanted. I wasn't really serious. I live in downtown Philadelphia and I only drive to an office in the burbs once a week at which point I use my girlfriend's Honda Fit. A month passed and the idea of the car had completely left my mind, but then I got a text from my friend's mom asking if I wanted the car for a dollar. Of course I said yes and picked up the car a couple weeks later. After a new battery she started right up, I had to get her home 70 miles away so I stopped at a quick lube and had them do the oil and I was off to the turnpike hoping to god that I wouldn't snap a timing belt.
Two days later the car got a new timing belt and water pump (upon my request) but other then that passed PA inspection with flying colors. The car came with all service records (had all recommended service done) and though broken odo says 275k, it's pretty perfect mechanically. The engine was actually replaced by bmw in 1991. It seems like the first owner piled about 50k miles a year and at 107k had to have the engine replaced at no charge, then piled another 100k on it over 2 years and then sold it to my friend's uncle who drove it about 5k miles a year for 8 years before passing it to my friend's parents. The odometer died in 2005 but it seems at most the car went 20k in that time which would put the m20 at about 200k.
I was always a car nut (I can turn a wrench but more about the history) as a kid and my first car was a Mercedes 240d (I know, I know, slow as fuck but a tank none the less). I always had a love for german engineering and the understated/functional design. This car put me right back there and I'm looking forward to doing work on it. I live in the city so I am basically limited to working on small projects, I'm currently restoring the passenger sport seat. My goal is to let a good garage handle any big mechanical work and just keep it as a nice, stock timepiece. I love diving board (refer back to 240d). It has one spot on the rocker that has rust and I am pretty sure some on the rear quarter under the bumper but I'll have this professionally remedied in a couple months. I'm renting a spot in a garage by my house and I don't plan to take her out in wet weather unless I absolutely have to.
I've already learned a ton in 2 weeks by looking over the forum but look forward to being a part of the community and getting to know my car.
Here's a pic: Black with cardinal red interior.
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