Need Help Choosing

[cmacleod]

Hey guys,
This weekend I'm going to check out two E30s and currently I'm at a loss for which one I should snag if they both exist as advertised. Wondering if I could pick your brains and get your opinions.

First Car:
1991 318is
143XXX miles
undercarriage good, spring perches healthy, battery tray starting to go rot out but looks save-able, rust starting to show through paint on the rockers, looks like some rot where the battery wires feed into the trunk. New suspension all the way around bushings tie rods... etc etc (stock), new oil pan, new power steering rack, no leaks, terrible condition cloth interior but I have a perfect pearl beige set to toss in, and lightly cracked dash (also have a crack free dash to toss in). wants $5500 which I'm in no way paying lol going to work him down.

Second Car:
1987 325is
104XXX miles
Undercarriage great, perches perfect, battery tray perfect, floor pan and rockers perfect, no leaks, small amount of rust near the pop outs and some of the chrome window trim, good condition black vinyl interior, crack free dash. guy wants $5000.

Idk what do you guys think? I like the way the late model looks with the valence and plastic bumpers wayyy better and the E30 318is is arguably one of the best packaged bmws ever and I love how nimble they are when you throw them into corners. Mechanically, the 318is is healthier with everything being replaced and overhauled recently not to mention the car itself looks nicer, but the body is really beginning to suffer but definitely save-able. The 325is has good condition mechanicals and a considerably healthier body, but its an early model, and its valance is pretty dinged up. Both will eventually need a respray and both are red.

[mark1991]

You may not like this advice because, if followed, your search becomes more difficult: I would hold out for a rust free west coast or southwest 318is. Best advice I got a long time ago was to be more concerned about rust/body condition than mechanical condition.

If the market is telling us that a rusty 318is is valued at around $5000, then you should be able to find a rust free(practically rust free) 318is with nice paint for around $7500.

[hippiester]

i'd pick the 325is, but i also like the early cars.

[rturbo 930]

What do you mean by 'rust near the pop outs'? I know you mean the pop out windows, but I've never heard of that area rusting. And I must be out of the loop because $5k for a pretty rusty 318is sounds way overpriced.

Personally, I'd pass on both those cars, especially for those prices. Take Mark's advice and get yourself a rust free west coast/dry state car. My E30 is the first truly rust free car I've owned, and it makes the whole experience soooo much more enjoyable. Having a rust free car is underrated, if anything.