Buying an e30: Need some advice

[StayHungry]

Found a potential e30 to buy today and before driving up to Phoenix to at it I need some tips and pointers on what I should be looking at, and whether its a good deal.

The description:
Edit, May as well just link to it: http://phoenix.craigslist.org/car/623532502.html

Talked to the guy and he sounds very earnest, gave me an estimate of perhaps 125,000 miles and of course I'd get it checked by a mechanic. It's a 1989 325is and its red with a tan interior. Looks really clean by the pictures. He says the battery on the odometer is running low thus the mileage is wrong.

So, what should I be worried about or look at? What should I ask about?

Thanks guys.

[atomic]

The mileage is wrong because of the gears that drive the odometer are most likely broken. There are NO batteries that runs the odometer on these cars period. The batteries he is talking about are in the SI board (service indicator) and can make other things not work properly in the instrument cluster.

If the car is red and he says the clearcoat is coming off and needs to be repainted. The car has most likely been repainted at some point as the red on these cars are a single stage paint with NO clearcoat at all. So look for possible wreck damage that was not fixed properly.

With his misconceptions on those points I would really question that the timing belt and water pump were replaced. Ask for receipts for this repair. If nothing can be provided, assume it has not been done.

[808AWD325xi]

Check out the antenna grommet...if it's worn and brittle or otherwise compromised, water can collect at the bottom of the rear left quarter panel and rust.

[StayHungry]

He claims he bought it with his brother as a project, but neither had enough time to commit to it, and when he mentioned the battery he said the instruments in the cluster occasionally stop working and start again due to it, which sounds correct. He must have thought the odometer had something to do with it.

[E30_fiend]

Service records service records service records.

The best way to come into your current situation is to expect the worst. That way, when its actuall not that bad, you will be really excited about it. Honestly as long as the body doesn't look too bad, the rest can be repaired and it can be done at a small cost to you. Mainly look at the motor, if its completely filthy, the second guess his timing belt statement. Get in the car, put it in gear, guessing its a 5 speed, and check the play of the gears, also push the clutch in and see how the pedal feels. If it is very sloppy, this is a bad sign because the cars have hydrolic clutch systems. If the pedal is tight or hard to push then you should be alright.

Check it out and let us know!!


E30Fiend

[Danny]

Don't jump on it too soon, as stated above.

If anything, wait till you fall absolutely in love with one first.

[StayHungry]

One question, can the 87 models be converted to plastic bumpers? How difficult/expensive would that be? It's the only thing I don't like about it really.

[kenika65]

you will love it when you bolt on some euro bumpers. And install a 1.3 ecu.

[Apex381]

If you are serious about it be sure to take it to a euro shop, not Billy Joe Bob's car fixery. Assume many more miles than that... when I was buying the e30 I never found a single car with a working odo and everyone said that it had just failed a couple days before. That car will probably need suspension and drivetrain work. Listen for differential or wheel bearing noise at this milage as well. If you buy be sure to change the gear oil to red line.

I'm in the midst of conveting my car to plastics now. Not easy but much cheaper than euro bumpers if you have the time to do it.

[atomic]

Get the full vin # from him and log onto and pay the small fee at carfax.com to get a full report on the cars history. It will tell you if there were any accidents, odometer fraud and such and could save you a drive up there to look at it.

There is a write up on doing the bumper swap, but IMHO you need to do the rear lower valence as well to make it look right. And honestly it is way more work to do the swap than I would care to do on a car unless it was real cheap. FYI I paid $1400 for a 1991 325i with a carfax certified 129k miles on it. And had never been painted or wrecked before. It was however an automatic with a severely cracked dash, but those were easy fixes.

[Jean]

Don't fall in love with a car, don't buy the first you see.

[StayHungry]

Well it's definitely not the first I've seen and I'm not totally sure about it until I see it. But fits my needs: Right color, manual, 325is, coupe, not convertible, right price range, and low enough miles (according to owner).

Only thing that doesn't "fit" is that its an 87 not an 89-91. But to be honest I've seen so many other cars for sale nearby that are so much further off. Either too expensive, color I dont like, automatic, and many are convertibles or sedans.

Will check the VIN # though, thanks

[Jean]

If VIN checks ok, it doesn't have rust, or needs something major like a clutch job, or complete engine or suspension overhaul 2k isn't bad at all even though it's an 87. Buy a set of euro bumpers if you want and have a nice looking car + paintjob.... basically, if you save money on the purchase most likely you'll end up spending the difference or more down the road.

[E30_fiend]

Euro bumps look really good but they are really expensive as everything else is also. But on the contrary, I have seen some guys rock diving boards pretty well with the right offset wheel and suspension it could all look really good


E30Fiend