Help with Buying Decision

[EVLE30]

Yup, there's a definite premium to be paid in Alberta for an E30 in good to excellent condition. And an even higher premium for them in British Columbia.

I'm starting to consider importing an E30 from California or Japan. But I'll give the domestic market here in Canada a bit more time to see what pops up over the next few months.

[Stanley Rockafella]

e30's in AB and Sask can fetch a MINT if they are in good cond.

I recall flying to Edmonton from Regina to get mine in 03. I can only imagine what I'd get for it now if I had it back there

[EVLE30]

How bizarre. Maybe he decided not to sell, and wanted to make sure you wouldn't keep calling to make offers? Strange characters selling cars in Calgary....

So because my curiosity was killing me, I actually contacted the 325e guy to ask him if the deal fell through or something. He said he said it a week ago but held it temporarily for the buyer who had no space at the time. So when I saw him driving by in the 325e, he was literally on his way to hand it over to the buyer!

The part that really got me, though, was that he said he sold it for $2,900 (he was asking $3,700).... and I was prepared to offer him $3,000 before that other guy beat me to the punch! Oh well. I guess timing is everything.

[word is bond]

How bizarre. Maybe he decided not to sell, and wanted to make sure you wouldn't keep calling to make offers? Strange characters selling cars in Calgary...

Why would he save up/wait for a 325is? Someone please school me if I'm wrong, but unless your in South Africa, doesn't the 325is make the same power as the the 325i? Upgrade your suspension, throw in some sport seats, and an mtech wheel, and you've got basically the same thing, right?

Good luck in your search. It seems like the 318is is really going up in value, but for some reason, the 4dr 318i hasn't. They seem like good value at the moment, in the e30 market.

[EVLE30]

If you can afford a Evo and an Elise, save up and get a nice rust free 325is.......

I don't mean to sound obnoxious, but but I don't need to "save up" to get a nice rust-free condition E30. Or even to get a brand new car. The point is that I want a certain car for a certain price point, not due to affordability, but from the perspective of value and what my specific intent is for the car. I want an E30 that's a low up-front cost, because I'm new to E30's and I want to grow into them and learn to work on them. Not just go out and buy a near-perfect car, which would be less fun to me.

I once viewed a car that the owner would not allow me to drive, but he did take me for a ride and he pushed the car hard.
It was a 1970 911. I made an offer and he said he'd sleep on it. Next morning, he said he was keeping it.
I can't believe he didn't at least drive you around.

The plot thickens..... I thought things were getting weird after that 318i guy wanted extra money to allow me to get my own mechanical inspection. But then this happens..... This evening I went to check out a 1988 325i sedan that was located literally one block away from the 325e that I wanted to buy at the start of this thread. As I turn onto the street where the 325i is, I see this E30 in beautiful condition coming in the opposite direction. And lo and behold, it's the same 325e! Being driven by the owner who told me he had sold it last week!



This is, without a doubt, the strangest used car buying journey I have ever been on.....

[GillesBigCowboy]

I once viewed a car that the owner would not allow me to drive, but he did take me for a ride and he pushed the car hard.
It was a 1970 911. I made an offer and he said he'd sleep on it. Next morning, he said he was keeping it.
I can't believe he didn't at least drive you around.

[mr2peak]

If you can afford a Evo and an Elise, save up and get a nice rust free 325is. You will be much happier, and it will be much easier to sell it when you decide to.

I have never heard this forum suggest an "e" over an "is" car before. I certainly would want an "es" at the least..

[EVLE30]

Loool. Fuck that guy.

Indeed!

Technically the 2 doors are also sedans but the centered B pillar theoretically makes the car a bit stiffer. Not that you'd really notice the difference.

Thanks for the info.

[Wh33lhop]

Oh? I didn't know that. I've heard people say that the chassis are identical. What makes the sedan stiffer?

Technically the 2 doors are also sedans but the centered B pillar theoretically makes the car a bit stiffer. Not that you'd really notice the difference.

[Wh33lhop]

Loool. Fuck that guy.

[EVLE30]

I can understand weeding out tire kickers but not letting someone drive a common 318i sedan? What's this guy on? I'd walk away. $3k is more than fair for that vehicle.

Wow..... so the guy was asking for $4,000. I made a conditional offer of $3,000 (pending test drive and independent inspection, as opposed to the inspection he'd already done just prior to putting his car up for sale). And now he comes back to me and says that he'll sell it to me for $3,000 based on a test drive and if I accept his existing inspection as-is, but it's $3,600 if I want to take it for my own independant inspection. I have NEVER heard of that before. I'm walking away from this one.

Like you said Cletonius, I think this guy is on something.... lol

[EVLE30]

318's with m42s are great cars for track/auto x since they're so light. Sedan chassis are stiffer then coupe chassis btw.

Oh? I didn't know that. I've heard people say that the chassis are identical. What makes the sedan stiffer?

[3vilE30]

318's with m42s are great cars for track/auto x since they're so light. Sedan chassis are stiffer then coupe chassis btw.

[EVLE30]

Sunroofs are good things. Unless they leak.

I can understand weeding out tire kickers but not letting someone drive a common 318i sedan? What's this guy on? I'd walk away. $3k is more than fair for that vehicle.

I agree. I found his "prove to me your serious before I let you test drive it" a bit off-putting. But whatever. It's his car. He can do what he wants with it. If he doesn't get a better offer in the next while, then I'm assuming he will contact me for a test drive and to carry this transaction further. But if he still wants "proof" of my seriousness at that point, then I'll tell him good luck with finding another buyer. I'm in no hurry to find/buy the right car. There will be others.....

[Cletonius]

Yup, it has a manual/non-powered sunroof. Why do you ask? Is a sunroof a good or a bad thing?



I think so too. I haven't test driven it yet. But I'm thinking I will enjoy it more than the 325e as well.

I've only viewed it in person and listened/watched the engine run and watched the owner drive it into a parking lot to meet me and then leave again. He is hesitant to let people test drive the car until the buyer has shown a serious level of interest. So I made him a conditional offer (subject to test drive and full mechanical inspection) that I mentioned in my earlier post, and he said it was less than he was hoping so he would think about it. I guess if he accepts my conditional offer, then a test drive will be the next step.

Sunroofs are good things. Unless they leak.

I can understand weeding out tire kickers but not letting someone drive a common 318i sedan? What's this guy on? I'd walk away. $3k is more than fair for that vehicle.