clashcity74
06-01-2008, 08:45 PM
That is the question.
I do of course have somewhat of a luxury to not have to make the decision right away, but I have put myself in kind of a conundrum - and here I sit at 11 PM on the east coast trying to solve the question that has been nagging me all weekend.
Just took delivery of a 94 325i on Thursday. I was in the market to make a change, and the car jumped out at me - under 100k and under $4200 and had been owned by the State Dept. for most of its life.
When I made the purchase I was looking to replace the 86 325e that I've been driving for the past 4 years - paid $2600 for it on eBay with 98,000 miles on it. Before that was an 87 325is that I owned for 5 years.
So in the past few months some things started going south on my little Bronzit E30. At now 128,000 miles she developed an oil leak (from where I am not sure but I am putting a quart in every 2 months), there's a pretty strong vibration in the right rear at around 3800 rpms when shifting from 2nd to 3rd and going up hills. Gas mileage and power has dropped considerably along with the rigidity of the suspension. Besides that the paint isn't looking so hot, and the 2 cracks in the dash started to bother me.
I haven't put too much into the car besides oil changes, brakes and fixing the items that my mechanic advised me to replace.
I figured better to make a change than to start pouring money into this oldie but a goodie.
The E36 is a black beauty with just 93,000 and some minor interior cosmetic issues and could use some new wheels to replace the goofy looking stock ones. It also certainly has some of the more modern amenities that weren't around in 1986.
After my first couple days driving the car I quickly realized how different the two are, and how much I love the E30's.
Yesterday I moved my 86 out of the garage... and have been contemplating what exactly to do. I believe that I can grow to love my new (to me) E36, but my heart has and will always be with the E30.
Which brings me to the questions going around in my mind.... What to do.
I had it in my head that I would be best to sell the E30 to make the purchase of new wheels for E36 a little more bearable. But now I am second guessing and thinking of the various options - plus seeing the E30 sitting outside, knowing how much of a joy it is to drive and not wanting to see her go.
I'm not a man of great means (read: dollars), but I do ok. And am pondering the possibility of having 2 bimmers to enjoy. But which course do I take?
Do the daily driver thing with the E36 and have all the fun with the E30 - get a paint job, fix the mechanical issues, and then start to do some of the sport stuff I was considering when I got her.
Or - flip it around and do the fun stuff to the E36, and daily drive the E30...
There is of course the other option of just selling the E36 I just bought and putting the $4500 or so I can get for it into the E30.
I've been crusing around some of the classifieds on the internets and its tough to find an E30 that isn't in some form of disrepair, or if well-maintained is out of range in terms of price - don't quite have 5-6K sitting around to plunk down.
Besides the one I have is a known quantity...
Anyway - kudos to those who took the time read this. Thanks in advance to those who have input. And thanks for bimmerfest providing this forum and outlet for my late evening ramblings.
I do of course have somewhat of a luxury to not have to make the decision right away, but I have put myself in kind of a conundrum - and here I sit at 11 PM on the east coast trying to solve the question that has been nagging me all weekend.
Just took delivery of a 94 325i on Thursday. I was in the market to make a change, and the car jumped out at me - under 100k and under $4200 and had been owned by the State Dept. for most of its life.
When I made the purchase I was looking to replace the 86 325e that I've been driving for the past 4 years - paid $2600 for it on eBay with 98,000 miles on it. Before that was an 87 325is that I owned for 5 years.
So in the past few months some things started going south on my little Bronzit E30. At now 128,000 miles she developed an oil leak (from where I am not sure but I am putting a quart in every 2 months), there's a pretty strong vibration in the right rear at around 3800 rpms when shifting from 2nd to 3rd and going up hills. Gas mileage and power has dropped considerably along with the rigidity of the suspension. Besides that the paint isn't looking so hot, and the 2 cracks in the dash started to bother me.
I haven't put too much into the car besides oil changes, brakes and fixing the items that my mechanic advised me to replace.
I figured better to make a change than to start pouring money into this oldie but a goodie.
The E36 is a black beauty with just 93,000 and some minor interior cosmetic issues and could use some new wheels to replace the goofy looking stock ones. It also certainly has some of the more modern amenities that weren't around in 1986.
After my first couple days driving the car I quickly realized how different the two are, and how much I love the E30's.
Yesterday I moved my 86 out of the garage... and have been contemplating what exactly to do. I believe that I can grow to love my new (to me) E36, but my heart has and will always be with the E30.
Which brings me to the questions going around in my mind.... What to do.
I had it in my head that I would be best to sell the E30 to make the purchase of new wheels for E36 a little more bearable. But now I am second guessing and thinking of the various options - plus seeing the E30 sitting outside, knowing how much of a joy it is to drive and not wanting to see her go.
I'm not a man of great means (read: dollars), but I do ok. And am pondering the possibility of having 2 bimmers to enjoy. But which course do I take?
Do the daily driver thing with the E36 and have all the fun with the E30 - get a paint job, fix the mechanical issues, and then start to do some of the sport stuff I was considering when I got her.
Or - flip it around and do the fun stuff to the E36, and daily drive the E30...
There is of course the other option of just selling the E36 I just bought and putting the $4500 or so I can get for it into the E30.
I've been crusing around some of the classifieds on the internets and its tough to find an E30 that isn't in some form of disrepair, or if well-maintained is out of range in terms of price - don't quite have 5-6K sitting around to plunk down.
Besides the one I have is a known quantity...
Anyway - kudos to those who took the time read this. Thanks in advance to those who have input. And thanks for bimmerfest providing this forum and outlet for my late evening ramblings.