People who got dirt cheap E30s, how did you do it?

[totheredline]

^I'm still waiting to see pics of this "e30" you bought

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A few pics of the dirt cheap Edirty.

Sorry about the crappy Android quality

It's a little ugly but I absolutley love this car. It feels so right getting back in an e30. I test drove a lot of other cars but I couldn't connect with them like I do in e30. They just didn't make me excited. I jumped in this beater E30 and fell back in love.

This car officially redeemed me. I've got the passion back. I remembered why I loved these cars so much.

Can't wait to build another one. This sedan is gonna stay mostly stock and just be a solid DD. Doing t-belt/water pump, all fluids and a tune up next week and that's really all it needs. Suspension is already super tight. The M20 is dirty but very strong, even with the slushbox.

My next build will be V8 powered with manual everything like my 88 but this time in an early shell with euro bumpers. ..

For me, it's E30 or nothing at all. No other car will satisfy me.


Oh, here's the e30 I built before this one.
The sedan isn't quite as nice.

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[e30davie]

Buy them with known mechanical issues, lowball based on problems, drag it home and fix issues.

My m20 e30 had a mean misfire, which turned out to be a stuffed head and headgasket. but for $1700 AUD a s1 white coupe with a perfect body, paint and interiour was hard to go past.

Another ~$1200 to rebuild the top end of the engine, and $1000aud to convert to manual and i have a s1 white coupe in manual with a good m20 for under $4k aud. And best part is i know what has been done and wont need to be done for a long time.

Just remember body, paint and interior are hard to fix cheaply, those are the most important aspects when buying old cars. Everything mechanical can be fixed by backyarders with spanners and sockets.

[roguetoaster]

Buy them from truckers. Got mine from a trucker who only was in town every two weeks or so and decided it would be too hard for him to sell it otherwise and no I did not buy it at a truck stop and there was no sex or drugs exchanged.

It's very suspicious that you specifically stated what wasn't exchanged, makes me think that this is exactly what you did.

[The30man]

Buy them from truckers. Got mine from a trucker who only was in town every two weeks or so and decided it would be too hard for him to sell it otherwise and no I did not buy it at a truck stop and there was no sex or drugs exchanged.

[estoguy]

Let me guess, you only buy cars from older single women?

What's wrong with that? ;D I like me some cougars. ;)

[roguetoaster]

haha I am not about to disclose my bartering methods

Let me guess, you only buy cars from older single women?

[5Toes]

haha I am not about to disclose my bartering methods

[MR E30 325is]

You need to have cash and be prepared to go meet people as soon as the ad is posted.

This is definitely a good strategy.

I have also had luck getting incredible deals with ads that have been posted for over a month. In one case, the seller was frustrated and done dealing with the car, so he accepted my ridiculously low offer (excellent deal).

I am trying this tactic again. Hopefully it pans out just as well this time.

[loki_]

You need to have cash and be prepared to go meet people as soon as the ad is posted.

[stonea]

^I'm still waiting to see pics of this "e30" you bought

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[totheredline]

Just bought an auto 1990 4 door with working AC and an LSD for $500 yesterday. It's rust free, straight and interior is good but the paint is toast and the plastic bumpers are destroyed. These cars can still be had for cheap just gotta know them well and find an owner who thinks it's just an old car.

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[jeffnhiscars]

i dont think I've ever post dmwhat I paid for our cars but:

Alice "the time capsule" we bought 2 yrs ago afternreciv I got a phone call from a note I had left on her windhield some 3 years earlier. Went to look at it...126k one owner every pieece of paper since new including the 1987 title cert. paid her asking price...$1350.

My cabrio Barn Find I found on autotrader. It wasn't running but had 98k. Broken tb so needed a head. I rented a 4x4 diesel and a trailer and drove to WVA and also paid asking price...$1000

Don't ask me what I've spent since

[91cabrio]

yes it is about luck, extra cash flow, and seeing it before anyone gets to it. I was lucky when I was in Arizona for 7 years
I found on c/list all of these
1987 325 conv with a body kit & 18s for $700 running good

1988 blk conv needed alt belt from a girl had no idea what she had $400, new top, exhaust, seat covers, lowered

My 91 blue conv with hole in oil pan $700
Later that night hunting for parts I found a white 89 conv built for bmw racing for $500 that had 17in TSW wheels w/new rubber, supersprint full exhaust, h&r lowering springs, billsteins rears and koni adjustables up front, poly bushings

91 white on white m tech edition $1500
89 red conv $900
another red conv $700
another black 89 conv $500

the best was an oem M tech kit. The guy had no idea what he had. I was there for a handle release for the conv top when he said this use to have a nice M steering wheel. I was in a dark barn. I stepped back and noticed the M tech kit. Tried not to freak out asked him how much does he want for these molding. The look ok. There diff i said. He says make me an offer I said would you take $150 (yes $150 No type O) he said yea sure and just take the trunk it has a spoiler on it also

They are out there especially in Arizona I flipped all of them. Yes even the white M tech I regret that one. I am up in NY now and they are hard to find. especially rust free. I still have my 91 Blue conv I shipped up from Arizona. Soon to sell. I found another white on white M tech edition 1992 here on Long Island for $1200 blown motor. Just keep looking, if your near Arizona thats a gem of a place to find them

[BaltimoreBimmer]

That's $750 of hole.

lol, here's the hole I found on my first CL e30 purchase. Straight up corkscrewed on the inside.

[e30crazie]

I've seen a fair number of stories of E30s purchased for $1,000 and under. There's some guy on /r/E30 who got a very good looking car with a cracked oil pan for $325. Yet every time I check craigslist, the best I've found is a totaled car with half of the parts already gone for $1,000. Even checking CL across the country with searchtempest, there's almost nothing.

Where are you people finding these deals?

Its all timing, persistence and a lot of luck. I've bought 3 e30's in the past 5 years for about $2500 collectively.

1. 89 Alpine 325i alpine white auto coupe - paid $700.00 5 years with a broken rocker. Replaced the head with a good used one from the salvage yard and is running and in my possession till this day.

2. 88 325 SETA Lachsilber auto coupe -- paid $350.00 last year in San Francisco (drove a day to and from to pick up from the LA area). Car was running but the seats were shot. Bought a whole interior with sport seats for $200.00 and replaced it. Still own the car.

3. 88 325 SETA Lachsilber auto coupe for my son - paid 1500.00 in January 2017. Replaced nothing yet for the exception of the driver seat. Son drives it everyday.

I think I was lucky and was right there when the add went up. I've lost some good deals too because I was beat to the punch but I've gotten extremely lucky.