E12's?

[Guest]

There's this 1979 528i for sale locally (saw add in newspaper). I called the guy and it only has 99,000 (!) miles, newish tires, new water pump, and I think a new timing belt, automatic transmission is excellent, and the body is in good shape(for a Michigan car). He says it runs good but could probably use a tune up. It needs a battery, and a brake booster. Apparently, he bought it from his grandpa a while ago who had it sitting in a barn for a long time. He's asking $700 obo, (I'll start at $550). I going to go look at it tomorrow. I would buy this car for my daily commute and for the winter so that I don't have to drive my e30.

I guess the reason for this post is that I'm wondering if I could be getting myself into a mess. I'm hoping that I will be able to do all the work that it might need, including the brake booster myself. If I address only the basics to get it running decent, would it be too hopeful to think it would be a dependable car? Here in Michigan, vintage BMWs really hold their value. I'm expecting that with the low miles it has, I could clean it up best I can and turn around and sell it for $2000 next spring. What do you think?

[golfdmb18]

i owned a '77 530i for a while. They are decent cars but my least favorite out of all the bmws ive owned. I doubt you would be able to sell it for $2000 ever unless it had euro bumpers and was pretty much mint. For $500 it would make a reliable winter car though.

[CleanAzzE30z]

Those engines last forever. The M30 is just as bulletproof as an M20. My dads E12 engine is in my uncles 1979 528i and its got no rebuild still going with no problems. Obviously youll have the usual old bimmer things to watch out for like rust and things. but 99K miles is NOTHING for that car. They are tailhappy though.

Mariano

[euroshark]

E12s rust... bad. Electronics are ages behind even the E28 too, though they both use ceramic fuses. I have an E12 based 635CSi euro and the thing is a pain in the ass, which is why the motor is coming out and going into my E30! If I get the itch someday, I will restore the body and stick a 4.4 liter V8 into it. I'd look for a cheap E28 if you want reliable transportation. You can probably find a decent 528e (with the familiar 2.7 eta M20) for less than $1500.

[AdamF 88iS]

Check to see which tranny it has. If it's the Borg/Warner one then I'd stay away from the car. If it has the ZF one then it'll be fine. Those old ZF 3hp-19s are even more reliable than the 4hp in E30s.

Check if the diff mount on the trunk floor is tearing, check for other usual rust, etc. Other than that they are pretty basic cars.

[assoutE12]

I have an 81 528i that has been problem free for over 5 years. I haven't driven it since I got my e30 because it has a fuel leak issue and I have been to lazy to fix it, but it runs damn good and is fun as shit to drive even though it's big as hell. I'd buy it if it's nice.

[Funkmasta]

no E12 from Michigan will be worth $2000 ever. lol

due to rust. If the seller says that the rust isnt bad... then that means that the rust is present. If rust is present on an E12, it is done. Its a parts car, get ready to break some bolts! :)

[kendogg]

I'm suprised, and concerned nobody has pointed out that that enigne has no timing belt. It is chain driven. I would be wary of a car with flaky maintenence history. I'm curious as to why the owner thinks he had a timing belt changed on an engine that has no timing belt.

[88325isboy]

i had a 1978 530i and the rear shock towers rusted out and that was a pain to fix.

[thrash]

As of 1979 there were still head warping problems, i believe. At least it shouldn't have thermal reactors like the 78 and earlier 530i, but if you're going to get an E12, the '81 528i 5speed is the one to get, as it has lighter body panels, the revised head design, and a 5 speed tranny. A 79 is probably a 4 speed.

The advice given to get an E28 528e is good - at least those are motronic and are much more common/plentiful. Bodies seem more durable as well. An E12 will _feel_ like an old car. An E28 is still nicer than most new Ford/GM products :)

[CleanAzzE30z]

1979 is a 4 speed. E28s are the balls. Id definitely get that one if you had the choice. Theres also much more aftermarket for that one, hard to find, but existent.

Mariano

[E30 Wagen]

no E12 from Michigan will be worth $2000 ever. lol

due to rust. If the seller says that the rust isnt bad... then that means that the rust is present. If rust is present on an E12, it is done. Its a parts car, get ready to break some bolts! :)

Yeah, I went and looked at it today, which turned out to be a waste of time and gas. The thing was a major piece. I was hoping the worst on the body would be faded paint and that the two "little" rust spots could have been easily repaired. The stupid guy made it sound like such a nice car, that it had been driven gently by his grandpa and has sat in a covered barn for most of its life. Haha, nope! Trashed interior, and plenty of more rust than how he described, missing trim pieces, small rear end collision... He wasn't home so I never got to start it up, wouldn't have made any difference though...

What boggles my mind, however, are these idiot people trying to sell their cars, but it's obvious that they've made no attempt whatsoever to try and make the car as presentable as it could be. It was obvious that this guy lived in a very poor, unpaved area, but he still could have spent like ten minutes to at least wipe the interior down with a rag and maybe organize the seatbelts, clean out the loose change, cleaned the wheels, cleaned out the pine needles, etc. This is the third time I've gone and looked at an old BMW like this. One that I test drove, the guy said the car had been sitting for a while, yet he still had a bunch of shit everywhere, and a car seat still in the back. Another one, the guy hadn't driven it for a year, but he still had like his entire CD collection and shit dangling from the rearview mirror and floormats all over the place, and a filthy four year old K&N cone filter. Sitting in his apartment driveway are the four other cars that he owns. What the hell is wrong with people?![/rant]

[Funkmasta]

sounds like a "towing auction special" :)