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What would I pay for a 325ix?

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    What would I pay for a 325ix?

    So. I'm Australian, and our car import laws are changing.

    We never got the 325ix, being left hand drive only and also having dick all snow here made it an easy no for them to bring it over.

    I intend on flying to America, picking up a 325ix, road tripping it on the western half of your country and then flying back having the left the car with an exporter to bring it back home for me.

    The car ideally would be sorted. No engine swaps, no aspiration conversions, but something solid and reliable. For example I don't want to piss around with chasing down driveline issues while attempting to have a holiday.
    Obviously you can never expect one to be completely perfect, but a good base.
    Would have to be a manual coupe.

    What's a ballpark price for such a car?
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    (clicky on piccy to get to thread)

    #2
    The going rate for a solid driver will vary (obviously), but a two door ix could probably be found for around 8-9k

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      #3
      Originally posted by Tisoc View Post
      The going rate for a solid driver will vary (obviously), but a two door ix could probably be found for around 8-9k
      That's reasonable. Do they all rust?
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      (clicky on piccy to get to thread)

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        #4
        Let me know if you actually do this. My door is open to you (about an hour from San Francisco).

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          #5
          Originally posted by Danny View Post
          Let me know if you actually do this. My door is open to you (about an hour from San Francisco).
          I appreciate it a lot, thanks.

          Oh! I could time it for the Picnic. That would be cool
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          (clicky on piccy to get to thread)

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            #6
            I just sold my '88 Coupe that was pretty nice for close to $9k. I'd say a sorted 2dr iX with minimal rust, $7-10k.

            In your search be mindful of:

            -tcase VC
            -rear diff VC
            -front axles
            -strut housing rust (by gland nuts)
            -front DS splines/grease
            1990 Brilliantrot 325iS Build Thread
            1989 Zinnoberrot M3 Build Thread

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              #7
              Originally posted by econti View Post
              That's reasonable. Do they all rust?
              Mostly the ones from the east coast, but west coast cars aren’t totally in clear. If they spent any time in places like Tahoe, they probably got some rust.

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                #8
                Most E30 ix's will be rusty POS's just because of what they are - built to drive in the snow/winter, where salt is likely to be applied in copious amounts. But that doesn't mean they are rusty to a fault. The fact that a good chunk of the few ix's that were imported here in the US still survive shows how well they were built, if anything.

                My own ix has one small rust spot on the front window seal, and I believe it is only there because the hole-in-the-wall company I paid to replace the windshield 10 years ago damaged the paint when removing the seal. I will fix it eventually, but it spends 99.9% of it's life covered in my garage, so it's not a big priority.

                I live in the PNW however, where salting roads is only a recent phenomenon - we are more likely to have ice on the roads than lots of snow (the ix still kicks ass on ice though). Previous to modern times, where we close all schools and declare a state of emergency for 0.25" of snow (about 6mm), the state/county would only apply a bit of sand/gravel at troublesome intersections as required. And we survived just fine, thanks.

                On the other hand, many moons ago I bought an ix for parts, and that thing was like 75% rust - but it was from New York, and probably spent 99% of it's time driven on liquid salt/snow roads - so duh, it was gonna be rusty as hell (it turned out to be a boondoggle, but anyway).

                Luckily, M20s leak out of every orifice they were gifted by God, which acted like a corrosion protection to the parts I wanted.. the rest I gave away as scrap metal (the douche-nozzles that picked it up complained that the car was stripped - duh, I advertised it as free scrap? you knew it was free, right?). Anyway, most of that drivetrain is still in my ix today (nearly 300k miles and counting). After probably 200 drag-race-launches and half a dozen track days, the original VC finally died at ~250k miles - which I swapped out for the one from my old auto transfercase.

                An ix must be extremely rare in Australia. On the one hand - I question why you would "need" it. I have never been there (maybe one day, it sounds awesome!), but I can't imagine the AWD being necessary. At risk of sounding like a hypocrite - as I may be the longest AWD resident of this forum - a RWD E30 will be cheaper to buy, cheaper to mod, cheaper to maintain, and far easier to find parts for. Especially somewhere that AWD isn't needed at all, you will have a hard time finding replacement parts for a car that nobody else in the country owns.

                On the other hand, nobody 'needs' a 30 year old BMW. So maybe this one came across your lap for a good deal (or what seems like one), or you just really like it and want to have something rare. So I will say this - they are very solid, fun to drive cars, and even fun to mod. So if you like it, go for it - being an ix doesn't make it impossible for a mortal to own (especially since Aus has so many great fabricators like RHD).

                But if you see the engine bay shows signs of rust, or anywhere else - there is probably going to be more, a lot more. If I see rusty fasteners in the engine bay, that's a dead giveaway - all of the stock bolts/nuts on my ix look good as the day the left that factory in Bavaria 28 years ago. If they look like they will fall off if you blow the dust away, I would reconsider.. even if the rest of the car "looks" pristine.

                For a price, ironically I'd put them at or above what I paid originally nearly 20 years ago - $7-$9k for a solid driver. I have seen low-mileage creampuffs for $15k, but, meh. Most of them are going to be 30 years old now (1988 was the most popular year). Age is a bigger factor than miles. I wouldn't get too tied up in options or year either, because all parts can easily be retrofitted - but I would still try to find a manual, the automatic trans ix is so anemic you will probably regret your purchase (it was fine back in the day, but now I would be run over by minivans).
                Last edited by nando; 12-09-2018, 11:28 PM.
                Build thread

                Bimmerlabs

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                  #9
                  Nando, a friend of mine lived in Australia for a year and was glad to have his AWD Subaru. Some backroads can get quite swampy after some rain.
                  I have to admit though that my RWD LSD Touring never had any problem going anywhere on steep hills with fresh snow or in slippery conditions. So yes, noone needs an awd e30, but it's nice to have something special.

                  Be aware of lowered cars. Being lowered is very hard on the front driveshafts.

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                    #10
                    nah. my ix has been lowered almost the entire time I've had it. the CV shafts have like 300k miles on them now.
                    Build thread

                    Bimmerlabs

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I have tried to sell my mechanically sound 88 multiple times for 6k but even with no rust the not great quality paint keeps it from getting sold on.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by econti View Post
                        So. I'm Australian, and our car import laws are changing.

                        We never got the 325ix, being left hand drive only and also having dick all snow here made it an easy no for them to bring it over.

                        I intend on flying to America, picking up a 325ix, road tripping it on the western half of your country and then flying back having the left the car with an exporter to bring it back home for me.

                        The car ideally would be sorted. No engine swaps, no aspiration conversions, but something solid and reliable. For example I don't want to piss around with chasing down driveline issues while attempting to have a holiday.
                        Obviously you can never expect one to be completely perfect, but a good base.
                        Would have to be a manual coupe.

                        What's a ballpark price for such a car?
                        I have to ask... why? They don't handle as well, are slower and have a weak (if not maintained) drive train that can't take much power.

                        I bought, restored/painted and immediately sold one because I thought they were meh to drive. That said I hear they're epic in snow.

                        ymmv
                        Build Threads:
                        Pamela/Bella/Betty/325ix/5-Lug Seta/S60R/Miata ITB/Miata Turbo/Miata VVT/951/325xi-6

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                          #13
                          Originally posted by nando View Post
                          nah. my ix has been lowered almost the entire time I've had it. the CV shafts have like 300k miles on them now.

                          are we talking about MTech -20 or -80/60?

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                            #14
                            Geeze I don't know. I have had GC coilovers for a long time. Probably closer to -80/60?
                            Build thread

                            Bimmerlabs

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                              #15
                              i would one day like to have one of each of the models, so an iX, a diesel, a touring, a M3 and of course my 318is as it will never be sold.

                              Also because the turbo street car scene here is huge and after seeing what Mr Jarnet did with his a fat ol turbo on the side would be fun.

                              Also for the road trips I usually do, 4wd is pretty necessary for a lot of the better places to go
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