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New member(E30 325is)

3K views 39 replies 5 participants last post by  tomstin 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey everyone!

Let me quickly introduce myself and why I joined. I go by Shakur. I've been searching for a E30 related stuff online and it leaded me to here. I have visited couple other forums too but this seems to be the most alive one. At the moment, I haven't yet gotten my BMW E30 yet. But I've been working on it find one. Hope I can get some knowledge from the gurus in this family!

By the way, I found this beautiful 1987 E30 325is and drove the car in person yesterday. Seller is asking $6.5. I'm a newbie to the car world(but love E30), Having hard time to validate if the car worth the price tag. I have few pictures and a short video. what do you think? what should i watch out before buying it. i have saved for this moment snd i have one shot, really dont wanna ruin it. Any help/advices would be appreciated !

https://youtu.be/E5UmLZg1F-M
 

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#2 ·
Welcome to Bimmerfest, Shakur!

Your video is private so we can't watch it. :(

The pictures look really good. The car appears to be clean. How many miles? And, very important, when was the timing belt last changed?

The driver's seat has a seat cover. Look underneath the cover. Reupholstering E30 seats is expensive.

Look UNDER the car. Is there any sign of rust?

The asking price doesn't seem excessive, but I strongly suggest you have a pre-purchase inspection done by an independent BMW shop. It could potentially save you thousands of dollars, and any deficiencies found can be used to bargain down the price.

Good luck. :thumbup:
 
#3 ·
Really appreciate for your comments! I thought I would be ignored :(
Car has 154k.
i forgot when the timing belt was changed but he has all the service records in hand, and a lot of receipts.
I couldn't see whole bottom of the car, but did try to spot rusts,, what i saw was muffler was cutoff and he said the previous owner cut it becuz of rust. Car was originally registered in New Mexico then later transferred to CA. Looks pretty rust free. has new paint on top of the old paint.
From the picture it does look like the seats have cover but those are not covers, seats are worn and cracks on rear seats, not the worst i've seen so far.
Yes I just scheduled a pre-purchase inspection.
oh by the way, I have made the video public now, dont know why i made it private. here is the link, pls take a look now,tell me how it sounds if you dont mind :) , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5UmLZg1F-M

I will inspect the car tomorrow, But the seller said he doesn***8217;t really care what the inspect result would be and he won't change his price as he claims this car is good he is confident to sell it later by keeping it longer, he seems to be a nice dude, but he's been driving this car since last year Oct, not that long, plus before him car had 3 owners. So I think it is still better to check it again. there could be things he is not aware of too, right? if everything goes well then i will own this beauty tomorrow. Hopefully ,after this lockdown is over, drive it and get to meet folks in this forum! really excited! Thanks again for replying to my post and helpful tips!
 
#4 ·
I moved your thread to the E30 forum so you can get some help/advice/answers. I have 2 E30s, and have (regrettably) sold several more that I owned briefly.

I am concerned that the sellers says his price is firm no matter what the PPI uncovers. What if the inspection discloses something major, like a failing u-joint in the driveshaft (BMW u-joints are not DIY rebuildable....you have to get a replacement). I hope nothing is wrong with the car, but he's being hard-headed if he thinks he can get $6500 for it if you find rust or damage.

Again, good luck!
 
#5 · (Edited)
I moved your thread to the E30 forum so you can get some help/advice/answers. I have 2 E30s, and have (regrettably) sold several more that I owned briefly.

I am concerned that the sellers says his price is firm no matter what the PPI uncovers. What if the inspection discloses something major, like a failing u-joint in the driveshaft (BMW u-joints are not DIY rebuildable....you have to get a replacement). I hope nothing is wrong with the car, but he's being hard-headed if he thinks he can get $6500 for it if you find rust or damage.

Again, good luck!
The inspection has been completed. List of findings by the mechanic below.I asked him if he is open for negotiations and he rejected.:( Should I still consider the offer?
 

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#6 ·
If he's firm and not open to negotiations imo walk away. Have you seen the car in person? Bronzit can appear great in photos and upon look at in person it can look like crap, it hides scratches very well and the clear coat on them fails and can look like butt.

If he's looking to sell then he/she should have some flexibility imo.
 
#12 · (Edited)
I found this one, and what do you guys think? How much this does E30 deserve? I wanna offer the guy. Looks like in OR which is like 10 plus hrs drive for me.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1987-BMW-3...f0f0aa6f5:g:AycAAOSwGIVepZ-N&autorefresh=true

Highlights:
1987 BMW 3 Series 325iS
Sedan 2D (2.5L I6 EFI)
Mileage: 225,000
Asking price is $10,900,00

What's done:
Lowered on H&R springs, this car handles amazingly.
New front pads and rotors, as well as timing belt and water pump last year. Subframe bushings and guibo replaced the year before.

NEEDS(Seller):
-Odometer (cable?)
-Onboard computer (does not work***8212;do any of them?)
-Door locks - stuck but lock/unlock feature functional at trunk
-Muffler -in pretty bad shape, but actually sounds awesome!
 
#14 ·
Looks like a clean car but for that money it should be perfect. The speedo is probably gears, cheap and easy. The onboard computers do work. Door locks can be very fiddly to sort out but should not be expensive. Exhaust system should be an easy fix. The seats need to be reupholstered which can get expensive.

Again, I think he's asking too much.
 
#19 ·
, looks awesome and pretty clean to me, price is good too(4.5k). but i want a stick shift not auto. even the owner stated he would keep if it was a manual one. how rare it is nowadays? i feel like i joined the game very late. but i was broke most of the time. hey thanks a lot! Plz keep me posted if you come across one.
 
#18 ·
One question, how much experience do you have repairing cars? Are you willing to work on the car yourself? These cars are more than 30 years old. If you have to depend on a shop to perform the repairs you***8217;re going to go broke fast!
 
#20 ·
hmm,, i'm welling to get my hands dirty, this's been my dream since my childhood, now seeing some lights ahead after saved few bucks to get one. clean cut answer for the question: I have very little knowledge on cars as far as mechanics concerned, but again, i wanna work on it and build my knowledge as i go, have a paid off daily drive car. im new and looking for an e30 which would run for a while without major issues, not giving me hard time that fast as i wouldnt be able to fix it immediately on my own. (dont hate,)
 
#23 ·
English being your forth language it is very good! That car looks as clean as you will find. The power steering issue could be almost anything. As for shifting, probably the clutch. Shanking on the highway is probably bushings. With these 30 + year old cars, you can expect every rubber bushing and hose will need to be addressed / replaced.

These cars are fairly easy to repair yourself. Parts can be expensive. If you have to depend on a shop for your repairs, it can get real expensive quickly. Look for a local independent BMW shop and get a pre purchase inspection.
 
#24 ·
Yeah, car is pretty clean. What do you think about the engine? 263,000 miles on it? rest i will try to fix myself, but if engine goes wrong, i would be ruined,. Right next to the shop there is a BMW dealership, do you think it is a good idea to let them check? the certified BMW dealer? i fear that they are super expensive,, i will check with them tomorrow. New updates from today is the guy called me and told me that the steering problem has been fixed and will work on why steering wheel shakes tomorrow,. i scheduled one more round test drive, now the question is, given that he fixed the issues i noticed last time, i believe i cannot ask him 3k anymore, 4k would be better? i dont wanna insult the owner by asking tooo low too, i mean if car deserves the value i should pay. thanks again for your reply!
 
#25 ·
With these low compression engines, a properly maintained 263k should not be a major worry. The BMW dealer will charge top dollar for an inspection, but a compression and leak down test will give you an idea of the health of the engine. And another set of eyes looking over a car is always a good thing. All depends on how much risk you are willing to take. My E30 has been a bit of a hobby for me. I tend to drive it daily, but when I removed the head to solve a head gasket leaking oil, it's my second car, so going without it for awhile waiting for parts wasn't a problem.

I like to caution people when buying a 30+ year old car, and a BMW specifically. They are great cars, but do tend to be needy from a maintenance perspective. As I mentioned almost anything rubber will need to be addressed. The timing belt is your first concern. Fuel lines need to be inspected regularly (you don't want to burn the car down). Make it run, make it stop, make it go down the road straight and make it safe. Then worry about cosmetics and performance.

Again, you're looking to buy a 30+ year old car. Expect to have to do some work to it.
 
#26 ·
I would like to give my 2 cents worth of advice here.
If you are not mechanically inclined and have lots of spare time, do not try to fix up a car. Any car !
I have a workshop and can often set a mechanic on my car for a few hours and look how long it took me to rebuild my E30.
I have a buddy who works as a engineer in the emirates and he bought a good condition running E30 to fit a M60/62 motor. He is still busy after 4 years, which means 8 months of work in total.
 
#29 ·
i asked the owner about the transmission service on Carfax report he said he has checked the transmission as a new owner and willing to provide record of it. Belt has been replaced at 57k. Below are the stuff he did and claimed he has all the record for them.

At 60K:
Shocks
Fuel tank
Fuel pump
Rear transmission seal
Shift Lever Gasket
Control Arms
Rack and Pinion (3 yr warranty)
Inner and outer tie rods
Shocks and struts
New strut mounts

At 58k:
Spark wire set
Fuel tank cap at 58k
Coolant sensors at 58k (brown one)
Engine temperature sensor at 58k (blue one)
Radiator sensor at 58K
Thermostat at 58k
Coolant hoses 58k

At 57k:
Spark plugs
Timing belt
Distributor cap
Distributor rotor
Water pump
Oil pan
Tires

Performance upgrades:
Upgraded aluminum radiator (still have original)
Garagistic X Brace
Garagistic Lollipop bushings
Garagistic Front & Rear Strut Bars

what do you think if the car is as he described, worth for 10k? I'm planning to do a PPI before buy it. if nothing is wrong with it, specially mechanically, 10k is a good deal? Car paint is bad, if you see it in person it is worse then the pictures. There is one small dent on fender, there is another one, and bigger dent, wheels aren't in good shape too.
 
#30 ·
As for the timing belt, it may be a few thousand miles ago but it is at least 10 years old...life expectancy is 3 years as I recall. Either way, the car is 30 years old and you can expect all the rubber parts (bushings, hoses and gaskets) are aging out and will need to be replaced soon. As with any 30+ year old car, if you can't do a lot of the maintenance yourself, don't buy it!

As for the $10k price, that's your decision. Is it worth it to you? There are few unmolested E30 coming to market so you can expect the prices for good ones to increase. But "car" and "investment" should rarely be in the same sentence.

Good luck!
 
#31 ·
I'm with tomstin about the timing belt. It can have zero miles after the belt was changed, but if it sat there for 4+ years (let alone ten!) it should be changed again. The longer it sits unused the more likely the belt will have taken a "set" and will fail at the area that was curved over the pulleys. $10k is steep considering the condition of the paint, and that "immaculate" interior can't honestly be called immaculate considering the dash is no doubt cracked under that dash pad.
 
#33 ·
I laugh every time I hear "only needs a recharge"! That and "ran when parked", are the two phrases that mean, to me at least, "bring your wallet!"

The question I would ask on the AC is, was it converted to R134a or is it still R12? There should be a sticker. If its still R12, that conversion to R134A, DIY is around $1k.

We're all here because with love these cars. And personally, I like the ability to diagnose and fix things. And with 30+ year old cars, there is always something to do!
 
#34 · (Edited)
The question I would ask on the AC is, was it converted to R134a or is it still R12? There should be a sticker. If its still R12, that conversion to R134A, DIY is around $1k.
It was converted to r134a before he bought it. The guy is sharing list of stuff put into this car today, what's done to it in a spreadsheet and i will share it with you too.

If you can think of as many questions ,like this, as you can would help me a lot. I wouldn't know if you didn't mention this AC conversion. Jst looked it up and learnt it!

Jst now he comes back said this: Hey although it has the hoses, the hose/and cap are in place where you have to be careful when you open the hood otherwise the hose cap falls off. Mine fell off eventually and I didn't recharge it after that.
 
#35 ·
I don't what to pick this car apart, just inform you on what to be looking for. For the Pre Purchase Inspection (PPI), I would suggest a compression leak down test. That will give you a good idea of the health of the engine. Look at the brake hard and soft lines. Along with the fuel hard and soft lines. All suspension components, particularly the rubber parts.

The thing to keep in mind, cars do not age well just sitting. 10 year old rubber parts with 5k miles are probably in worst shape than 3 year old parts with 60k miles. Fuel sitting in the tank, without stabilizer, typically rust inside the tank. All these 30+ year old cars suffer from debris in the tank. Unfortunately, without pulling the in tank pump, there is no real good test.

Oh, and caps on the AC ports keep the dirt out and should NOT be dependent upon to hold pressure.

As I have mentioned in other posts, make it run, make it stop, make it safe, then worry about cosmetics!
 
#38 ·
Interesting that they didn't do a compression or leak down test.
Intake boot crack is typical, again, rubber parts don't age well
Wipers, fan shroud, exhaust hanger, heat shield all little nits you can take care of yourself.
Going to need brakes soon, not a big deal, easy enough to do yourself
Rear sway bar links cracked (assume rubber bushings) not a big job
Oil leak could be cam seal (typically done with timing belt), valve cover gasket or head gasket. Probably valve cover gasket.

All this stuff is fairly typical of a car this age. There is always some risk in buying a used car. The question for you is: Is it worth it to you?

Again, if you have to pay someone to do all your maintenance and repair work, avoid 30+ year old cars...particularly BMWs.
 
#39 ·
All this stuff is fairly typical of a car this age. There is always some risk in buying a used car. The question for you is: Is it worth it to you?

Again, if you have to pay someone to do all your maintenance and repair work, avoid 30+ year old cars...particularly BMWs.
Hit or miss, I bought it and took it to a different shop and did a full inspection yesterday, i guess now time to get dirty. I know i'll need a lot of help with these items.. o_Oo_Oo_Oo_O check it out and what do you think? I would appreciate if you can point out where to begin 1st? I have a friend who has E36 and has tools and a space to work.

Compression numbers on engine:
Cyl 1:
180
Cyl 2: 179
Cyl 3: 190
Cyl 4: 186
Cyl 5: 187
Cyl 6: 162 - Lower

Much lower compression at cyl 6 compared to others.

Spark plugs removed from engine were full of oil and were old.
End caps still attached and ignition wires were barely connecting.
Removed end caps, cleaned off oil and installed back in.

------------------------------------------------
Valve cover leaking all around
Needs Valve adjustment
Most likely needs timing belt, water pump, seals
Intake hoses are all ripped and not holding along with idle control valve hose, air hose and by pass hose
Power steering reservoir bad and leaking
Radiator mount has wrong mounting hardware and loose
Coolant low
Throttle body leaking and needs new gaskets/ coolant leak at throttle body heater

---------------------------------------------------
Strut bearings bad and suspect reason for wheel hitting the body
Shocks weak at front
Shocks completely blown at rear
New oil pan and hardware
Front main seal leaking
Rear main seal leaking
Bad motor mounts
Bad transmission mounts
Transmission leaking
Has new power steering pump and some lines
New gas tank but missing hardware. Only holding on 2 bolts
fuel lines (metal) hanging down and not attached to body of the car (fuel line leak was found and couldn't pass the smog, i guess they did the good job repairing it)
Fuel input hose original and dangerous (may rip at any time)
Exhaust hangers missing and exhaust hanging down
Exhaust shield missing hardware and hanging down/ banging on the exhaust/ body
Sway bar links bad at rear
Axles are almost ripped
Rear subframe mounts torn and trailing arm bushings
Differential is a open unit NONE LSD 3.73 ratio
Brakes are all old and glazed
Pads are glazed (over heated)
Rotors have lip on them
 
#40 ·
So now you have a project! For the compression, I was always taught that within 10% was acceptable, and you're pretty close. Given the list of items you have, you may want to do the timing belt and related items. That project will give you an overall look at the hoses and belts. Pelican has a nice kit that would be a good start. Along with new spark plugs, cap, rotor and wires.

As for the fuel leaks, don't delay addressing those. I've had mixed results with parts store non-metric hose. I now only use high quality metric, fuel injector hose and prefer crimp on clamps.

And start with buying a Bentley manual.
 
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