thinking about buying this e30

[guitarman962]

https://classics.autotrader.com/clas...NX=PSEMAILLEAD

80k miles:

Here are the issues:

-top is manual only. Current owner is the third owner and not sure if it works.
-cracked dash. I am not sure what I would want to do. Replace or dash cap.
-front seats need to be reupholstered
-clearcoat peeling around the bumper area
-he mentioned that it might need new shocks

This is all I know so far without seeing the car.
He wants 5500. I am in North Carolina and would likely ship. It is an 18 hour drive...I could fly down...the wife is up for a road trip.

What does everyone think? What should I offer? or should I walk away?

[Stanley Rockafella]

do it

[roguetoaster]

It's probably going to need some serious work as seems to be the case with low mileage cars, but if the price works for you just go for it.

Or if you're looking for a better deal that's near at hand I have a zinno 87 325i automatic 'vert with working A/C, uncracked dash, good shocks with very few needs that's slightly more than half the price you're looking at. Granted, the miles are substantially higher, but that only matters if you don't plan to drive it, and want to invest in a non-M E30.

[bangn]

It certainly looks like a nice tidy car.. Bumpers are easily repaintable.

interior looks pretty tidy and 80 percent of the original seats are rooted in e30s anyway

looks like a good car to use as a starting point

[McGyver]

The pictures of the car do a fuckin barrel roll, that's awesome in and of it's self!

Also, totally affiliated, totally willing to meet you half way or something:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=382495

[864E30]

I think you can find a better price. i picked up my Zinno convertible E30 with near immaculate interior (crack free dash, Leather in good shape just needed some love and nutrients, and OMG the glove box is actually there), working top and was able to drive it back from Charlotte NC to Greenville SC with no issue at all and I picked it up for just under 3k. There are some good deals to be had out there, that's not one of them. Check SC and GA, there are a couple of E30's that could be had for 3 to 4k

[Das Delfin]

That's a high price considering what it needs

Low mileage cars aren't always a great deal. The rubber seals in the motor tend to leak really bad from sitting in storage. Sometimes you have to replace brake lines, fuel pumps, and pretty much anything that comes in contact with a fluid. Cars are designed to be driven, not stored as collectors items, and there are certain precautions you have to take if you intend to store it for a long period of time.

For upholstery count on spending 1k for a diy kit or around 2k if you have it redone at a shop.. in vinyl

You can upgrade the springs/shocks to a H&R/Koni setup for around 700. Otherwise just replace the shocks with OEM for around 400

The dash is now NLA so your options are get a cap, fill in the cracks and repaint it, or have it flocked or wrapped to match the seats etc. You could also find a dash locally without cracks but it will still be a used dash and may crack again in a year.

clearcoat... I have no idea, but paint isn't cheap

The top being manual is probably the best part about the car. Leave it as is. To fix the electronic top you have to buy two motors (one for the top and one for the tonneau cover). The top motor is 800 alone. Then you have to have the tension straps on the top replaced. These help the top fold and prevent the new motors you just bought from burning up. Unfortunately the only way to get to the straps is to also replace the top. And at that point you may want to replace all the seals. We're talking thousands of dollars at this point.

His 8k starting price is insane. Even his 5500 price is too high. If you can get it for 3500 that's more reasonable.. but at the end of the day it's still an automatic. There are much better deals out there

Of course... get a carfax to verify mileage. You won't be happy if you buy it and it really has 180k

[Staszek]

That's a high price considering what it needs

Low mileage cars aren't always a great deal. The rubber seals in the motor tend to leak really bad from sitting in storage. Sometimes you have to replace brake lines, fuel pumps, and pretty much anything that comes in contact with a fluid. Cars are designed to be driven, not stored as collectors items, and there are certain precautions you have to take if you intend to store it for a long period of time.

For upholstery count on spending 1k for a diy kit or around 2k if you have it redone at a shop.. in vinyl

You can upgrade the springs/shocks to a H&R/Koni setup for around 700. Otherwise just replace the shocks with OEM for around 400

The dash is now NLA so your options are get a cap, fill in the cracks and repaint it, or have it flocked or wrapped to match the seats etc. You could also find a dash locally without cracks but it will still be a used dash and may crack again in a year.

clearcoat... I have no idea, but paint isn't cheap

The top being manual is probably the best part about the car. Leave it as is. To fix the electronic top you have to buy two motors (one for the top and one for the tonneau cover). The top motor is 800 alone. Then you have to have the tension straps on the top replaced. These help the top fold and prevent the new motors you just bought from burning up. Unfortunately the only way to get to the straps is to also replace the top. And at that point you may want to replace all the seals. We're talking thousands of dollars at this point.

His 8k starting price is insane. Even his 5500 price is too high. If you can get it for 3500 that's more reasonable.. but at the end of the day it's still an automatic. There are much better deals out there

Of course... get a carfax to verify mileage. You won't be happy if you buy it and it really has 180k

I agree with this, especially for Verts, they seemed to not have gotten the E30 tax as hard as the coupes have and there are still a ton out there. For the price he wants it should be in better shape, I think he is asking so much is the low mileage, and someone will fall for that. I tend to agree that low mileage unless its on a super collector car is useless, it just means there is a ton of stuff that needs to be replaced, that the PO hasnt done yet.

[101]

feels more like a $3500 - $4000 car to me.

If the clear is peeling on the bumpers, its just a matter of time before it starts peeling on the other horizontal surfaces. It is zinno red, after all.

I would not worry too much about the automatic top. Most have broken long ago and have been converted to manual operation

For that kind of asking price I would have at least spent $25 on a new front badge and cleaned the leaves out of the cowl.

Service records and an underbody inspection are key to determining what to offer. If its had a recent timing belt service and the brake and fuel lines and suspension bushings are good, I'd lean more towards the high side of my range.

[Stanley Rockafella]

I agree with this, especially for Verts, they seemed to not have gotten the E30 tax as hard as the coupes have and there are still a ton out there. For the price he wants it should be in better shape, I think he is asking so much is the low mileage, and someone will fall for that. I tend to agree that low mileage unless its on a super collector car is useless, it just means there is a ton of stuff that needs to be replaced, that the PO hasnt done yet.

I never noticed this until you just mentioned it.
I recall in the early 00's the price of vert's was almost in e30 M3 territory.

Now nobody wants em, it's all about the coupes

[Staszek]

I never noticed this until you just mentioned it.
I recall in the early 00's the price of vert's was almost in e30 M3 territory.

Now nobody wants em, it's all about the coupes

A member is doing a Vert M3 conversion, a project I always wanted to do! But by time got around to getting my E30 I already had a vert M3 so I decided to go with a coupe and the prices were backwards by then, I could get a vert cheap!

[guitarman962]

Decided to keep looking. Thanks for the input guys.

[allen_t]

Good idea! I bought my vert with 70k miles around the same price but it had perfect interior and 9/10 exterior. The previous owner had kept it well maintained. Low mileage doesnt necessarily mean the car will need ton of work if there is service history.