Considering a high-mileage 318is

[AndeeG]

I was browsing craigslist earlier today and spotted this 1991 318is. It appears to be in very good condition cosmetically, and to have no mechanical problems. However, it also has 219,000 miles on the clock, which may be a matter of concern as the owner has no records. In his response to an email, he said that he "bought the car at around 210,000 miles from a smog technician in San Jose" and has done oil and filter changes himself. He also mentioned that the paint is good except for some key scratches on the driver's side door and that the car burns no oil.

What do you guys think? I plan on having it inspected before I buy, which I would think might eliminate a significant amount of unsurety with its condition. What would be a reasonable price?

[individualist]

From what I can tell in the pics, that car looks pretty good, however in my area the car is overpriced. Pretty much all of these cars are high mileage by now and require some maintenance now and again. Mine has 211,000 on it and I'm doing little things to it all the time, but that's kinda why I like it. It's as much of a hobby to me as it is functional. I'm currently building another motor for it even though the one that's in it is perfectly fine, I also have another tranny waiting in the wings, I just know that things won't last forever and I'll be prepared when the day comes. I'm a regular at the pickNpulls, I really enjoy that part of owning this car too.

Crawl around the car and see what has been done to it starting with the suspension. This is what typically needs attention first, check the exhaust while your under there. Then look under the hood checking for hoses and vacuum lines, are they old and brittle or have they been replaced, is there a lot of oil buildup on the motor (leaks). If the owner will do it, have hime pull the valve cover so you can inspect the timing sprockets, these will probably need replaced soon if they are sharp on the peaks.

Remember, you are really buying a project here not just transportation. You have to decide what stage you want your project to be in. If the car has been serviced for some or all of the things I've mentioned then it might be worth most of his asking price, if not then it's probably not worth it.

Here in the Kansas City area, that car would go for around $2,200 maybe.

[batsbats]

^ +1 what he said.

You can probably bring the seller down.  Having a price that high, for that many miles, is being asked to be counter offered.

The 318iS has to be the most sought after E30, excluding the M3 of course.  

I'm soo jealous of that rustfree cali body.

[AndeeG]

Thanks for the advice, guys. The seller has updated his ad with a short list of its problems, in case you want to check that out. He also mentioned to me that the steering rack had been replaced with the quicker e36 rack. How much of a difference does this make? Is it pretty much a universally preferred mod?

[hoevesruperd]

the e36 rack will give you a quicker ratio, faster response. not everyone has done it, but i guess many would agree it's a good upgrade. you shouldn't worry about that

bring the price down a little. 3500 is still a lot of money for an old car. i'd offer 2800 for rust-free example

[AndeeG]

Another thing: he said that the airbag wasn't working because one of the wires had been "pulled out or broken" and the srs bulb had been removed. Would restoring its functionality be a difficult task, or is it as simple as reconnecting a few wires?

[Cobra Jet]

If it were me, I'd also inquire as to why he's selling it only after 9,000 miles of ownership.

If you go to see the car, listen to the engine for ANY abnormal noises.  Ask him when the timing chain components were last serviced.  Ask if the profile gasket has ever been changed or serviced.

Watch the coolant temp gauge and see where it sits after the car has warmed up.

Take the car on a long drive to make sure everything functions properly.  Watch the dash for any lights that don't go off, or those that may come on.

As state by others, finding a really low mileage M42/318 these days is going to be rare and if finding one, expect to pay a premium, especially if it has all of it's service records.

If you go into the Reference Section on this site and the "How To" section, you'll see & find all of the most common M42 quirks & issues.  Read over some of the topics to familiarize yourself with the vehicle before plunking down the $$$$ for one.  They are great little cars, but if finding one that was not maintained, be prepared to spend $$.

[AndeeG]

Regarding the 9,000 miles of ownership, he said that he needed a truck. As for abnormal noises, he put down on the ad that the fuel pump makes noise but hasn't been a problem. I'm not sure he's going to know much about past services, as he doesn't have any records. I'll be sure to double check the How To section before checking it out.

[swiss318is]

3500$ for a car with over 200'000 miles on the clock?!? it seems a lot to me... or not? or are these prices normal on the other site of the world??

[individualist]

My fuel pump made some noise too when I first bought my car, 3 weeks later it died. An extra one of these laying around is good to have. I was left stranded at a stop light in the middle of rush hour when mine went out (only time the car let me down). Been able to collect 2 spares since that time for maybe ten bucks total.

[AndeeG]

My fuel pump made some noise too when I first bought my car, 3 weeks later it died. An extra one of these laying around is good to have. I was left stranded at a stop light in the middle of rush hour when mine went out (only time the car let me down). Been able to collect 2 spares since that time for maybe ten bucks total.

How hard is it to replace?

[individualist]

Not hard, remove the bottom back seat to expose the cover plate. Take that off, disconnect the small wire connector a couple of hoses and the four nuts/washers holding the sending unit. Pull the sending unit up and out followed by the pump itself. Maybe 15 minuites. Reverse the process to install the replacement pump.

[AndeeG]

Well, I checked it out the other day and had it inspected. This is actually the first time i've driven an e30 and I really liked it. However, the inspection turned up quite a few issues, all of which seemed to be due to regular wear rather than abuse. Here's the list:

Fuel pump - functioning, but it's loud and probably needs to be replaced.
Windshield Chip - apparently large enough to be ticketable, also liable to grow.
Front struts - old, need replacing.
Fan belts, antenna grommet, power steering hoses, oil pan gasket, differential side axle seals, brake pad wear sensors, rear sway bar bushings, lower A arm bushings, front brake hoses, and the driveshaft jurid coupler - all need replacing.
AC system - blows cool, not cold. Mechanic wasn't sure what the problem was, but thought it could be expensive.

With all this taken into account, the mechanic said he wouldn't pay more than $2000, which I agree with. However, the seller said he wouldn't go less than $3000 and would prefer to work on it himself than sell it now. That definitely seems high, but it's hard to let this oppurtunity go, considering how uncommon these things seem to be in my area.

[Cobra Jet]

if you are mechanically inclined or know how to read/search online - many of the items listed above can easily be fixed with some time by yourself...  Price out the parts needed and you would be surprised at the $$$$ you can save by making the appropriate fixes yourself.  Many of the above items are covered right here on this site - tons of tech and most of it includes pictures to help you through.

[nomad]

easy fixes if you like to DIY. Add to that list all the timing components  as you have no idea what's been done. Sounds like a good find if you are in the market.