Is this a good car?

#1

Okay. I would like to start off by saying I apologize because I know this question has probably been asked a million times before. I am new to the website and I am just learning my way around it. I have been a member for a while but have just now been in a position where I can afford/ have the ability to build a car. I was cruising craigslist looking for a car and came across this.

I have a 86 BMW 325e 2dr coupe with 2.7l straight 6 cylinder M20B27 engine, 5spd transmission, black interior. Not sure of the mileage because the odometer has stopped working (which is common in the these cars.) Currently displaying 138k. Has a few cracks in the dash and the seats look a little worn but not ripped or bent. The A/C system works but need to be recharged and a new belt put on. It has original paint and the body has a few dings but if someone knew what they were doing they could make this car shine again. Also has Bilstein Sport shocks and lowering springs. Not too aggressive but perfect for the street.

Great gas mileage. Gets 30mpg+ on the hwy and 24mpg in the city.

Recently put $1000+ in maintenance in this car. Here is a list of work that was done a little over a month ago.

  • New Timing Belt & Belt Tensioner
  • New Water Pump
  • New Radiator
  • New Thermostat
  • New Accessory Belts
  • New Valve Cover Gasket & Rocker Arm Shaft Seals
  • New Shift Knob
  • 89+ front end conversion
  • Replace ICM
  • New Vaccum Hoses
  • New Fan Clutch and Fan
  • New Distributor & Rotor Button
  • Flushed Cooling System
  • New Spark Plugs
  • New Fuel Filter
  • New Fuel Lines
  • Recent Oil Change
  • New Clutch Stop
  • New Clutch Master and Slave Cylinder
  • New PBR Brake Pads
  • Recent Brake Fluid Flush
  • Bilstein Sport Suspension
  • BavAuto Front Lowering Springs
  • SPAX Racing Rear Lowering Springs
  • Tires Staggard +1 oversize in the rear.

Runs and drives great. Cheap on gas.

Asking $1700 OBO. Cash Talks. No I don’t need you help selling my car and I’m not shipping anywhere.

Now, I know 325e is not an eligible vehicle without the proper engine, ecm, diff, etc. For the price would this be a good starter?

#2

Nope.

#3

Thank you. I was suppose to go look at it tomorrow. :blush:

#4

its an eta, you want an i/is car.

#5

yea I have been looking for an “is” because I know they come with the required/loved 3.73’s and lsd, but they are kind of hard to come by. I have been looking around and saw this one and saw that it had quite a bit of work done to it. I know the suspension isn’t correct but I figured I could sell it for partial payment towards the correct setup. O well, thanks for the advice…the search continues.

#6

Get a hold of your regional SpecE30 honcho and ask him/her about getting a mentor that has a weakness for fine beers. If I’d a had a mentor for basic questions early on, I’d a saved myself a lotta problems. Well, early on at least. All the problems after the first 6 months, I take credit for myself.

Now, lets start with the sarcasm. Like, ok the motor, DME and harness would have to go. And of course the diff has to get swapped out. '86 was the first year for ABS, but your car might not have it and installing that would be a real pita. All that being said…there is that dandy shift knob so I’m torn.

#7

I looked around and may have missed this, but why does the motor, dme, and harness need to go? I saw in the appendix section of the regulations the listed acceptable computers and engines but I was just curious as to the reason.

I am on a tight budget and this would be a daily driver for a while (hence why I am building a car instead of buying, unless I found a really good deal) and if it doesn’t meet the specs and would need too many changes it wouldn’t be worth it.

On a second note, other than being an is what are the prime years to look for. I know there is a difference in cooling systems and such.

#8

It’s an e motor which is not the same as an i motor. Fewer bearing journals in the head, longer stroke and lower rev limit. DME goes with the motor, as does the cluster.

#9

The LSD is an easy swap and they are not terribly hard to find, so just keep an eye out for a rust-free “i” car. The “is” cars are quite hard to find cheap enough to turn into a race car.

I don’t know if you are in a rusty area, but I would even look for a rust-free automatic before a rusty manual.

A lot of the work that won’t be done on an old beater (timing belt, hoses, plugs, wires, etc) is stuff you will want to do yourself anyway just to make sure it is done right.

I’ve bought donors with body and suspension damage to save a few bucks, but it was false economy.
Good luck searching!

#10

The most important things are a 5 speed and an “i” motor. I would keep looking till you find a car with a solid running “i” motor and a 5 speed so you can avoid any kind of hastle with an engine or transmission swap initially. The differential is an easier swap as Steve mentioned. Cars are out there, but you gotta be willing to hunt and drive to get one possibly. I paid $800 for an 87 325is with a running engine and a broken transmission. I had to drive 8 hours to go get it and tow dolly it back home. Used transmission was $250, and I had the car on the road.

#11

Where are you located?

#12

I got ya, I live in Knoxville, TN so rust isn’t a huge problem here unless you start going towards Kentucky to look for a vehicle. I moonlight at a performance shop so doing a lot of the work myself will be relatively easy as far as tools and equipment goes. Thanks everyone for the advice!

#13

Search craigslist, it might take a bit to find a good candidate.

http://chattanooga.craigslist.org/cto/1953286017.html

http://jacksontn.craigslist.org/cto/1890617254.html

http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/1940982678.html

http://knoxville.craigslist.org/cto/1944465584.html

http://lexington.craigslist.org/cto/1902872326.html

http://memphis.craigslist.org/cto/1964804752.html

http://memphis.craigslist.org/cto/1953290011.html

Look here also

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=41

#14

SgtSkid wrote:

You need to talk to Greg Moberg. He lives a little E of you. He’s very tuned into the local E30 scene and will probably have good ideas. Look him up under Member Profiles.

#15

Ranger wrote:

You need to talk to Greg Moberg. He lives a little E of you. He’s very tuned into the local E30 scene and will probably have good ideas. Look him up under Member Profiles.[/quote]

Will do! Also I have been looking for cars in the $2000 range. Is this a realistic price range and what should I expect in a car in this price range?

#16

My advice is to go to http://www.searchtempest.com and put in your ZIP code and search for “325is” with a radius of maybe 250 miles or however far you want to drive. Make that search a favorite and run it at least once a day. You’ll find at least one car a day to look at.

For $2000 you can find a fully functional stock 325is with minimal rust, minor mechanical problems, and no wreck history. You’ll need to be patient and willing to walk away from quite a few cars. It might take a month before you find the perfect car at that price, but it is certainly out there.

#17

SgtSkid wrote:

[quote]
Also I have been looking for cars in the $2000 range. Is this a realistic price range and what should I expect in a car in this price range?[/quote]
That’s a lot of money for a donor car. I’d be thinking more like $1k. A guy selling an E30 for $2k is thinking about his pretty interior, AC and electronics work, new tires, bushings and shocks. You don’t care about any of that. You just want no rust and decent sheetmetal.

#18

around 1000$ is good for an i. Is’s are to beautiful to make into race cars especially if the leather sport seats are still nice. I’ve seen a lot of them for sale for 8k or more lately. Check for rust under the pedals. mine has a lot of hidden rust. Or buy a rusty i donor and a good e for the shell.

#19

gte024h wrote:

[quote]My advice is to go to http://www.searchtempest.com and put in your ZIP code and search for “325is” with a radius of maybe 250 miles or however far you want to drive. Make that search a favorite and run it at least once a day. You’ll find at least one car a day to look at.

For $2000 you can find a fully functional stock 325is with minimal rust, minor mechanical problems, and no wreck history. You’ll need to be patient and willing to walk away from quite a few cars. It might take a month before you find the perfect car at that price, but it is certainly out there.[/quote]

Very handy website!

#20

Just found an 89 325I 5 speed I am going to go look at on Monday (hopefully)

[b]This is a great little car. I bought it a few months ago to fix a few tings and sell.

The new parts include:

Fuel Pump
Wheel Bearing
Tires with less then 5000 miles on them
Tune Up - Plugs, Rotor Button, Cap
Some sensors ( i.e. coolant temp)

What it needs:

It just needs a little TLC and it will be a sweet car.

Price is 1700.00 or Best offer [/b]

When I emailed the guy he said he still had it and stressed that the price was negotiable…we’ll see.