Should I buy this car?

[bmWes]

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/5582183266.html

dont think its an actual m because on the wiki it says that 1988 was the first m year for e30's. However it seems like a nice buy. I am going to talk to the guy more and I will update whoever replies to the thread. Tell me what you guys think! Opinions, tips, anything! I'm driving out tomorrow to check it out and I'm super excited!

[5Toes]

well no shit its not an ///M. first of all its a fucking four door, that should be your first dead give away............. looks nice a nice car. was the nicest e30 you could buy in its year and it is certainly no base model. price seems right.

[flyboyx]

i think its a good deal. especially in the land of...well...where you live. euro bumpers, manual, hartge or bbs body kit. its gonna need a lot of work and it is a sedan but you probably should buy.

[tak7]

Now you should go today

[Das Delfin]

"shock tower cracked"

that's going to be an issue

Also of course it's not an m. Someone put an m badge on it. If you do research you'll figure out what an m3 is and you'll realize this is not one of those

Engine bay pics would help. It would either have an eta engine or a 325i engine. The 325i is preferable but you can work with either. The car's original engine isn't anything special unless you wanted to restore it to original spec.

Euro trim is cool, sport seats in a 4 door is also cool. It's not original, but neither are the engine and badges. Interior door handles are cheap. Windows are most likely switches but motors aren't hard to replace. Windshield wiper fluid has been removed?? Go to pick n pull and put one in. It's easy.

Passing smog = new cat or O2 sensor

The seller doesn't exactly sound like he's in the know. He seems like a guy who took it to the mechanic for most things. Hence the 10k invested

How long has it been in California? Assuming there's no substantial rust, you should grab it if you can get it for a bit less. It will cost money to fix the shock tower

[Stanley Rockafella]

it's am m3 brah, of course you should!

[reelizmpro]

That car has been on CL for a while. He recently lowered the price $1000. Being a euro car is a plus but cracked strut tower isn't and who knows what else it may need. It's worth checking out though if you're into 4 dr sedans.

[cavpilot]

To me, the cracked shock tower and the clapped out engine is a total red flag. Somebody has been riding this thing hard.

[E30_Narek]

That car has been on CL for a while. He recently lowered the price $1000. Being a euro car is a plus but cracked strut tower isn't and who knows what else it may need. It's worth checking out though if you're into 4 dr sedans.

I remember it being in the $6k range at one point, so he lowered the price a lot more.

[rcsoundn1]

Are you going to make a new thread each time you find a car in CL that you like?

[exhaust]

To me, the cracked shock tower and the clapped out engine is a total red flag. Somebody has been riding this thing hard.

Agreed.

This lived a rough life. Enthusiast owned doesn't always mean good news. Many of us beat the crap out of our cars. A cracked shock tower and dead engine are indicative of many other problems. Unless you're getting it for a steal and are a capable mechanic, walk.

[roguetoaster]

The answer to "should I buy this car" should always be maybe, as we have the same amount of information the OP does without inspecting the car in person. If you can't inspect a car, or find someone who can assist you with that process you probably can't handle an older car, and you should head for the nearest Honda dealership.

[bataangpinoy]

Agreed.

This lived a rough life. Enthusiast owned doesn't always mean good news. Many of us beat the crap out of our cars. A cracked shock tower and dead engine are indicative of many other problems. Unless you're getting it for a steal and are a capable mechanic, walk.

Agreed. I wouldn't even begin negotiating a price until you did a compression test, looked under the aero bits for rust, looked at the rocker panels and thoroughly inspected the damaged strut tower... An 84 grey market car will probably be the rustiest e30 possible. the early cars (up to 86) really didn't hold up so well over the years. I parted out an 86 325is (yup, also grey market) because I could not save the chassis or the interior. Rust and mold got the best of it.

[varg]

I started this ad at $8,000, have $10,000 into it, and the value of this car is going up.

$8,000-$4,000 = increasing value
lol, how does that work?

Jokes aside, this car is a basket case and has been beaten like a rented mule, that much is evident without even seeing it in person.