Should I buy this car? I can get it for $7k, maybe $6.5k if I find out it has faults.
Part of me says >$5k for an E30 is too much but the other 90% of me says that even the shit ones are going for >$6k now and I'd end up spending the difference to get that sexy cardinal red interior anyways, so why not save myself the work?
autotrader.com
>that interior
$6.5k and call it a day before I do nigger
You better buy it before I do
That car would probably go for around 9k here in germanistan. E30s have become expensive and the days you could get a clean 325i for under 5k are over unless you get really lucky. That said, I'm also looking to buy one and since I feel like there isn't really an alternative, we just have to deal with it.
Do you have any clue how rare a red interior is on those cars? A shame its not a black exterior but still.
Red and black sport seat interior is rarer, could be reupholstered but who knows.
OP the thing about E30's is the dirty ones can go for 1-3k as long as they have a working engine and trans combo. This one is a clean later model coupe, with a red sport seat interior, basket weaves. So it's going to be a premium. I think 6k is a good number to shoot for but be ready to shoot for around 6.5k.
At the end of the day it still going to have the typical E30 problems. timing belt, cooling system, and rear battery tray rust. not to mention it's 200k+ chassis prob needs bushings and all done.
If the mechanicals are all good I'd say jump on it.
It's rare from the factory, but easy-ish to do yourself. Just make sure you have money because the seats/door panels are expensive, time because God knows how long you have to look to find a cardinal carpet and information because nobody knows whether or not the headliner is black or red. Google hasn't yielded me any results.
Are bushings particularly hard to do? I have no prior experience but want this car as a learning tool/project. I'm also not very familiar with suspension terminology, what are bushings?
>Are bushings particularly hard to do?
really depends on your skill level. sway bar and endlink bushings are easy if you know how to turn a wrench. the trailing arm and subframe ones will be a bit difficult to remove and replace. you should be able to look under the car and spot the nasty old ones that need to be replaced. or maybe you'll feel it when you drive
pic related the trailing arm with aftermarket bushings
I have to drive the car 300 miles home, and I know catastrophic failures are unlikely in single trips (I'd have to drive back on the current timing belt too) but worst case scenario what happens when I don't address this stuff?
The bushings are pretty easy, you have to remove a couple things to do the rear subframe and trailing arms but it's not difficult. If you replace them with polyurethane, you'll have better handling and they'll never wear out like the rubber
the timing belt will be the most catastrophic. car goes out of timing = valves and pistons get damaged among other things. I would look at the condition of the other V belts and if the owner has had the belt done recently. bushings and bad suspension stuff might make some noise and be annoying, but you'll be fine unless the thing is a rot pile of rust underneath
The price of E30s isn't a fad, unfortunately. In another 5 years they'll all be $10k.
A white plastic bumper 6cyl with a red interior? Definitely worth it.
>$7k
>mfw I got mine for $3,300 18 months ago and people laughed at me
HA!
I'm calling bullshit that anyone laughed at you unless you bought a sauerkraut'd ETA with no AC and half of the gauges shot
Good
Don't poly bushings squeak a lot though?
It's an eta that needed a new head gasket and a whole bunch of other shit, but it wasn't riced to death.
Head swap soon.
Lmao fucking called it.
Use plenty of silicone grease when you install and they won't
Bandaid. Look for others that have installed grease nipples/zerk fittings. Silicone doesn't last that long, not even some of the 'long life' grease some poly vendors peddle.
E30s have gotten silly. My father had a 325e he just wrote off for tax purposes because he couldn't get $500 for it only a decade ago, and it ran fine, it just needed some things to pass inspection.
too much desu. I paid 3k for a black 89' 2 door that only had 120k miles. this happened a couple of months back, not years ago. the car is clean AF and 100% stock
No way
What was wrong with it
4 or 6 banger?
>Part of me says >$5k for an E30 is too much
It is, but that's just how the E30 market is. They're just expensive because they have drift tax now.
Where I live you can't find one for under $10k
Not that guy here, w-what's wrong with the Eta?
There's one selling for $3k here, however it is in good condition and nothing is broken
slow
I heard you can put a 325i head on it pretty easily to make it a 2.7L stroker
Idk maybe
Fuck these overpriced fucking cars.
I have never driven one, but I seriously doubt the drive quality is "7 grand good". Especially since most of these are 25+ years old with broken odometers.
I'd rather have a Volvo 740 Turbo coupe for 1/3rd the price.
It's called Gods chariot for a reason though user. You're right in saying that $7k is a bit steep, let me explain.
Nowadays it's a $4-6k car in decent condition. Then there are the asshats price at $8-10k. It's truly not worth more than 5 but as others have mentioned ITT they're suffering from drift tax and appreciation.
My thinking is that, were I to buy one for $5k, I'd spend about $1-1.5k to make the interior look how I like it. Red. Buying this one for ≈6.5-7k just saves me the time and effort. Either way I'll be spending the same amount of money so why keep scouring craigslist?
This late bumper 325iS is also the most desirable trim of of ALL models from 1984-1993, stock cardinal carpet is super rare, and it has been maintained by the same mechanic since 20k mi. Now that last thing really commands a premium in an almost 30yo German sports car. Still truly not a $7k car but with all factors considered I'd be happy paying close to that amount. I'd say this is a pretty fair assessment.