NOob

[Mharon]

Hey guys so im new here. Im looking at buying a 1989 BMW 325i. Theres two of them up for sale where i live in my budget for a new car. I should have about 500 left over when I buy it. So my quiestion is: What should I look out for when buying an E30, and what should I put into it when I buy it?
Thanks
-Matt

[gtdragon980]

Check for rust on the rockers and underbody, in the trunk where the battery sits, anywhere else really. Find out the last time the TB is changed, and change it anyway. Look for any major oil leaks around the headgasket area, Valve cover, oil pan, under transmission etc. Probably will be leaking power steering as well. Drive and feel for any odd shaking, vibrations or knocking. That stuff can get expensive to repair, but it is maintenance. Just don't over pay for it if it has much of those problems and get em fixed for a nice reliable car.

[Threehz]

It all depends on what you want to do with the car. So, what do you plan on doing with the car?

Depending on your location, you should watch for rust of course. Check for leaks under the car on oil pan, tranny, and where the tranny meets the engine. Drive it. Floor it. Slam the brakes. Take a drive on a straight road and let go of the wheel, see if it pulls to one side or the other. Is the stick sloppy? Does the clutch squeal? Do you hear clunks going over bumps? Do you hear clunking when flooring it? Power loss? How's the steering, tight, loose? Hopefully the engine will be cold when you go to see it, listen to how it starts up the first time. Is there ticking? If it's not apparent how the car has been cared for, check the fluid levels and see if they've been maintained. LOOK UNDER THE CAR. Check ball joints, lollipops, CV boots, fuel/brake lines...

$500 can go a pretty good ways on doing maintenance for an E30 if you do the work yourself. What is your total budget?

Unless the car is spotless, the leftover money should all go to regular service/maintenance.

Speaking for R3v as a whole... Find the cheapest, most clapped out E30 you can, and save the rest of the money for BBS RS 'rims', it's the best way to go if you're trina drift hella tight.

[Threehz]

Do people usually abbreviate TB for timing belt? I instantly thought throttle body.. Then again all my cars have chains.

[dnguyen1963]

Check for cracked hoses and loose elbows. Vacuum leaks are the most posted problem for E30. TB is for both timing belt and throttle body. You just have to read the sentence and interpret its abbreviation.

[Cephas]

Timing belt is the number one thing you'll want to be sure is in good shape. After that, control arms/ball joints and tie rods. From there, just be ready to spend a few hundred a year (or more) on maintenance.

[Mharon]

thanks for the info. my total budget is 3500 to start. Low I know, but around here the average price for an e30 is about 1500. I will be trying to put another 1500 into this year If i can get it. Do you think this will cover everything? I live in Denver so rust usually isn't an issue, or not that i have seen.