Hi all-
I think I finally found the e30 I want to buy! I've been searching for my e30 since I got rid of my e46. I've been pretty picky about what I'm looking for and I think I've found the car. Here's the Craigslist post. I went to go see it yesterday as it's only about an hour away.
Here's an imgur album of the photos I took.
The guy who is selling it is an German car mechanic/sales guy - lots of VWs, Audis and BMWs at his shop. He bought the car about a year and a half ago from one of his customers who was getting a bit older and wanted something more comfortable. He's done a good amount of work on it - auto to 5sp swap, various sensors, brakes all around, wheel bearings... really seems to know his stuff and knows the car well. There are two existing mechanical issues:
Otherwise, it is in really good mechanical shape. Needs a blower motor too.
Rust: Yes, it's got some rust. I've come to the conclusion that to get the car with the features I want I'm going to have to give on something and it's likely on the rust. On the upside the worst of it is at the bottom of the forward fenders right behind the wheels. There's a little bit on each jackpad there as well. No rust in the battery tray, very minimal on the trunk lights, some surface rust on the rear valence.
Overall body condition is really good otherwise. Nicks here and there - to be expected for the age - but nothing major. They haven't rusted through or anything and you can see an example of one on the picture of the headlight with the hood open.
That being said, here would be my plan for the car and where my questions lay:
1. Resolve mechanical issues - Oil leak and driveline vibration. New set of tires (for some reason it has winter tires on the front only).
2. Work over the winter on body issues. I don't know auto body, but I'd like to learn and would like to be able to sand, fill, and prime. I've done lots of moderate work on cars and it doesn't scare me. I'd leave the final color to the experts. Here's my question: I assume I should replace both front fenders. That's easy enough. Given the hood condition, should I just replace that as well? I'm not concerned with body panel VINs matching. My long term thought (spring/summer?) would be to get it to a point (sanded, filled, primed) to where I can get it re-sprayed and looking really top notch. Bring it back to life.
3. Interior. Ideally, I'd like to swap the interior to tan. It would get me the color I'm really after and resolve the seat condition at the same time.
Thoughts?? The guy is asking $4600. I'm looking at this as a project and to bring it pretty well back to restored. Make it a really nice daily driver should I want to drive it every day. (I have a work provided DD right now.)
I think I finally found the e30 I want to buy! I've been searching for my e30 since I got rid of my e46. I've been pretty picky about what I'm looking for and I think I've found the car. Here's the Craigslist post. I went to go see it yesterday as it's only about an hour away.
Here's an imgur album of the photos I took.
The guy who is selling it is an German car mechanic/sales guy - lots of VWs, Audis and BMWs at his shop. He bought the car about a year and a half ago from one of his customers who was getting a bit older and wanted something more comfortable. He's done a good amount of work on it - auto to 5sp swap, various sensors, brakes all around, wheel bearings... really seems to know his stuff and knows the car well. There are two existing mechanical issues:
- Slow oil leak. It appears to be coming from the oil pan gasket. Pretty simple fix.
- Drivetrain vibration that seems to be coming from the driveshaft. He fessed right up to it, wasn't trying to hide it. I wonder if it was from the 5sp swap where he had to replace the driveshaft with the manual specific one. From what I understand, the driveshaft is two-piece and needs to go together very specifically. If it doesn't, it can be unbalanced. I figure at the worst I'm looking at a driveshaft replacement on that one. Perhaps center support bearing? Guibo?
Otherwise, it is in really good mechanical shape. Needs a blower motor too.
Rust: Yes, it's got some rust. I've come to the conclusion that to get the car with the features I want I'm going to have to give on something and it's likely on the rust. On the upside the worst of it is at the bottom of the forward fenders right behind the wheels. There's a little bit on each jackpad there as well. No rust in the battery tray, very minimal on the trunk lights, some surface rust on the rear valence.
Overall body condition is really good otherwise. Nicks here and there - to be expected for the age - but nothing major. They haven't rusted through or anything and you can see an example of one on the picture of the headlight with the hood open.
That being said, here would be my plan for the car and where my questions lay:
1. Resolve mechanical issues - Oil leak and driveline vibration. New set of tires (for some reason it has winter tires on the front only).
2. Work over the winter on body issues. I don't know auto body, but I'd like to learn and would like to be able to sand, fill, and prime. I've done lots of moderate work on cars and it doesn't scare me. I'd leave the final color to the experts. Here's my question: I assume I should replace both front fenders. That's easy enough. Given the hood condition, should I just replace that as well? I'm not concerned with body panel VINs matching. My long term thought (spring/summer?) would be to get it to a point (sanded, filled, primed) to where I can get it re-sprayed and looking really top notch. Bring it back to life.
3. Interior. Ideally, I'd like to swap the interior to tan. It would get me the color I'm really after and resolve the seat condition at the same time.
Thoughts?? The guy is asking $4600. I'm looking at this as a project and to bring it pretty well back to restored. Make it a really nice daily driver should I want to drive it every day. (I have a work provided DD right now.)
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