Worth the purchase?

[ubersteuer]

I'm currently looking for an e30 318i/is.  I looked at a 318i today and am on the fence whether I should buy it.  I'm not super familiar with e30s or m42s as I've been a 6 cyl e36 guy during my time in the BMW world.  It's black on tan with 191k on it.

The good
Good straight body, no major dings to speak of
Paint in good condition, oxidized but a good buff and polish would bring out the shine
Interior in decent condition
Starts up and idles well
Recently rebuilt tranny and new clutch (best shifting e30 I've ever driven)
Good tires
Smogged and tagged through December

The bad
Misc trim needs replacing
Coolant leaking from one of the small lines underneath the intake manifold
Loses some power and has hesitation above 3500rpm (I'm guessing AFM is on its way out)
Valve cover is sweating a tad - likely would not need replacing for a while
Oil pan gasket needs to be replaced soon
Front suspension is a bit loose, feels as if the control arm bushings are basically gone? (shook quite a bit over bumps, but seemed stable through turns and normal driving).  I checked the ball joints and they seemed to be ok as there is no play in the wheel itself
Cracked dash, no glovebox or radio.
SI board is dead - only tac, fuel and temp gauges work.

He's asking 1500 and lowered his price already to 1300... is it worth the asking price or thereabouts?  I was thinking if I could get it for around 1000 it would be worth it and then putting in a few hundred to fix all the things.  I am mechanically inclined so it would just be the cost of parts.

[HATER-PROOF]

What I would do in this scenerio-take the G to his location and say"Look this is what I can afford for this car" kinda wave it around(money talks better in person).

[ubersteuer]

I actually took the grand with me but didn't even whip it out in person.  I just was kind of set back by all the surprise problems.  Once I got home I realized most are pretty easy fixes and fairly cheap.  Still trying to make up my mind so I posted

[DesktopDave]

You seem pretty much on track with your estimate of the car.  I don't know where you're located so I'm not sure about the price, but it seems in line with the car especially if the body is OK.

I like the 318 because it combines later BMW engine with their earlier-style body.  A lot less weight makes for a lot more fun.  The M42 was really intended for the e36...I suspect it got here before the new shell was ready.  They're very similar motors with the same electrical systems, you'll be in familiar territory.

I'd go for it...but the less you buy it for the more you have for trim bits...they can add up.  I've been hunting them down for a while myself.  The car is better put-together than the early e36s IMHO, less electronic bits and more robust components.  They are cheap to run though, most of the problems I have are pretty trivial.

That pan gasket you see leaking is likely also the front main seal.  If you buy it make sure you pull the lower pan and check the front bolts in the upper pan, they have a habit of loosening up.

I also agree about the front suspension.  Probably balljoints & the arm bushing.

[John W]

The m42 -- especially the stuff in the top end -- is more finnicky in terms of durability than most of BMW's six cylinder engines. Take that into consideration, especially with a car that is quickly approaching 200k miles.

You can get a dash cover for about $100 and a glovebox at the junkyard or on a forum like this one for little $$.

Sounds like the suspension -- at least the front end -- is going to need at minimum new struts and control arms. But what used BMW doesn't need new control arms?

Because the car sounds like it has a good body (any rust or accident history?), I think it's worth $1k. But it also sounds like you'll be spending some time and money to make it a good driver.

[ubersteuer]

Thanks for the replies!

I'm in California which is apparently the largest depository of e30s in the states .  The late e30s are definitely better put together than the early e36s... no separating door panels comes to mind.  It doesn't look like it has had any accidents in many years as all the is equally neglected.  All but one of the body panels have matching vins.  I've yet to run a carfax.

I was just a little hesitant to make an offer since it's the first e30 I've gone to look at and I didn't really know how many "to fix" items to expect a cheaper e30 to have.  I'm just trying to weigh whether I should buy a fixer upper or just throw down some more cash for a less needy car.

[DesktopDave]

You'll likely have your pick of clean e30s. :cool: Up here in the rust belt they, uh...rust. :mad: Like you can't believe.  So we really put a premium on clean cars.  Down your way you'll likely run into emissions troubles...so a high mileage 318 might get expensive.

On the other hand, you'll save a lot on gas.  I use mine mostly on the highway and it's always in the low 30s.

[xwill112x]

$1000 318i?

yes please!