1987 325i.. sell or scrap?

[Shmallpaul]

So it has come the time.. Bought this about 8 months ago with full intention of throwing money at it, s50 conversion plans etc.. However due to going traveling at the end of the year need to get rid of this one way or the other.

That being said, since I am leaving in 6 months I'm currently saving every last penny to contribute to my year away. So I want to be greedy and get the most out of it that I can really. I have 6 months so whether its a long term sale or a slow breakdown of bits its no bother to me.

I am not the most mechanical person in the world, but I'm sure I can take stuff apart, since I won't have to put it back together

Just looking for opinions for the best bang for my buck, and whether its really sellable, and an idea of value!

So the car, 171k miles, pre-facelift 325i. A little council I know, but had such plans of changing it!! MOT is up in 3 weeks, but since I have only done 1k on it since last MOT, and all advisories have been sorted I don't think it will fail for any reason.

The guy before me had started setting it up as a track car, by stripping out the whole interior. Dash is still in and some unknown leather seats (identified by some knowledgeable individual? ) Has a welded diff that was only done a couple months ago, just for a bit of fun.

Starts and runs great, even from cold (rare for an m20 so im told?) supposedly the engine was rebuilt a few years ago but no proof of this. pages and pages of reciepts going all the way back to 1990. Drives great otherwise except for the rev counter doesnt work (pretty sure this is a wiring issue) and the gear linkage wants doing as its a bit sloppy. Oh and there is a bit of play in the steering (advisory on last years MOT) the guibo is good so its probs the rack, but with that 4.5 turn manual rack I was hoping to get a clubsport in there ASAP!

As for the rust, there is some under the battery tray in the boot, sills are a bit infected and one rear arch has a bit on but has not broken the paint on. Drivers footwell also has a bit on, but nothing structual. Bulkhead scuttle etc looks fine.

Also drivers lock has started playing up a bit, locks but requires you to push the door in a bit whilst doing so, cant really be bothered to look at this until I decide what to do with it

Has a Zender front and rear bumper, although no idea why exhaust doesnt sit right, is on the hangers correctly so possibly wrong exhaust fitted??

Also not sure what the spoiler is, tech 1 sideskirts? aftermarket immobiliser, 'pina reps, goodridge hoses all round, lowered on springs. Some oh so tasteful angel eye headlights.

So.. what to do with her?

[Nobby_N]

Where is the car? how much is it, Only you can choose what too do!

[Gert_8]

Hi, I'm no expert - those guys will be along in a while, but I don't think your car's going to make you much whole, or fragged. The bits, or morsels people want have probably already gone, and that's if it had them
In the first place.

"Sports" diffs are in demand, but yours has been welded,
So that doesn't even make for a decent replacement. The wheels look like Alpina (reps I suspect) which are not loved.

Get some pics up. The "letherz" are.. Not original e30. E36 if not Audi....?

[Cypriotgeeza]

Id be interested with more pics..

more stripped out interior pics would be nice,

pics of rust,

price

location

you have pm

[Grrrmachine]

At the moment this is a valuation thread. If it becomes a For Sale thread I'll move it to that part of the forum, but you'll have to make sure it complies with the rules.

IMO though, to get any sort of value for it you need to de-council it a bit. Put a real diff on there, sort out the body kit, and fix some of those niggles like the rev counter.

[Cypriotgeeza]

At the moment this is a valuation thread. If it becomes a For Sale thread I'll move it to that part of the forum, but you'll have to make sure it complies with the rules.

IMO though, to get any sort of value for it you need to de-council it a bit. Put a real diff on there, sort out the body kit, and sort out some of those niggles like the rev counter.

technically someone like me wouldn't mind the niggles if the price was right

[Grrrmachine]

I'm sure you and quite a few others would buy it, but you won't pay decent money for it. If the OP wants he can try using the Wiki for a valuation:

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... s_it_worth

but if it comes back saying more than 500 quid then I need to fix the Wiki

[Nobby_N]

Grrrrr have you ever put a post on a thread without mention the Wiki? pmsl

[magpie]

location ?

[E30machine]

What he says ^^
And how much for cash money

[Grrrmachine]

Grrrrr have you ever put a post on a thread without mention the Wiki? pmsl

Probably about as many times as you've said something useful

[ImysE30]

Grrrrr have you ever put a post on a thread without mention the Wiki? pmsl

Probably about as many times as you've said something useful

[Shmallpaul]

I'm near Birmingham in redditch. As above this was a kind of advice on what I should do with my turd kinda thread rather than a for sale :p as for 500 quid, surely the donk and the kit are worth that alone! And while yes it is council the work required to put standard bumpers etc due to the fact it's a weird colour ( a vw purple I believe) would end up
Costing way too much so it's either sell as is, or break for bits.

Should also mention it's had new rear subframe bushes less than 500 miles ago, new rad about 2k ago, and a new battery last week since the last one died under warranty, also 3 months tax

I think I will have to make sure it does pass the mot before I consider selling whole as well really :p

I will get some crusty pics up tomorrow as I'm in Newquay this weekend

[Jim320i]

Never work it out on the basis that its worth more in parts so it must be worth the same whole... The whole point to a breaker is the price... It wouldn't be a breaker if it was worth the same in parts as a whole car. Most things are worth more in parts, but its then your time to strip it, then deal with the bruvz after the last price etc.

As above though, get some good pictures of the whole car and detailed pictures of the rust etc.

[Alex]

Being near a Birmingham is always a bonus when selling a car modified like this

Sell the council bits plop it up fit some chrome bumpers and enjoy it for a while is my suggestion

[E30machine]

Hi mate I have a friend in redditch who's after a BMW just like this can I have a contact number so he can arrange a viewing as he has cash waiting and is local to you thanks raz

[Shmallpaul]

Being near a Birmingham is always a bonus when selling a car modified like this

Sell the council bits plop it up fit some chrome bumpers and enjoy it for a while is my suggestion

haha you aren't wrong there!! And while that's a good idea cos of the weird colour will require too much effort ;)

[Shmallpaul]

Hi mate I have a friend in redditch who's after a BMW just like this can I have a contact number so he can arrange a viewing as he has cash waiting and is local to you thanks raz

That would depend how much cash would be waiting!!

As said though I will make sure it passes the mot first before I decide what to do

[E30machine]

How much without a mot as it will most likely be used as a cheap track car tbh

[Shmallpaul]

Well really I want 800 for it with the MOT.. but I think u will be looking for less than £35 less than that .. ;) since im pretty sure its gonna pass, so id rather sell it with!

[pacerpete]

Well really I want 800 for it with the MOT.. but I think u will be looking for less than £35 less than that .. ;) since im pretty sure its gonna pass, so id rather sell it with!

I admire your optimism............

[Nobby_N]

lol they always pass first time and will only require a fuse if it fails!

[Shmallpaul]

Haha, only done about 500 miles since last and all advisories sorted since last MOT!

Optimism gets me through

Course now I've said that..

[E30machine]

GLWTS its a bit over budget for him tbh

[Cypriotgeeza]

[Shmallpaul]

I know I know..

Been way too busy in the day to get the chance to add some rust pics, at the garage now MOT on monday so may as well wait for that!

[Benstanley]

+1

[Shmallpaul]

So a rather late update on this..

Despite my optimism failed on its MOT on rust in the front near side arch and rear offside arch (near suspension turret) welder I know says he will do it for £100-150 depending how long it takes him. Problem is has also had advisories on both sides of the rear subframe mounting area. He says this will be a pig to do and will require subframe to be dropped and parts made up etc. also needs a new front tyre, not sure of its worth it or breaking time?

And before you say pictures etc.. Give me a couple hours so I can upload on my pc rather than my phone ;)

[Grrrmachine]

If it's a two-door shell then I'd say it's worth doing. A 325i with known rot is worth the square root of f-all - it seems like you can't even sell the engines for much these days. But a 325i with documented proof of rust removal, especially one that's had its rear subframe bushes done, should sell for very strong money.

It just depends whether you have about 500 in cash lying around to get the welding and bushes done.

[Shmallpaul]

Bushes were already done a few hundred miles ago, that rust repair is gonna be a pretty big job, and it's not the only rust so I'm just not sure it's worth the investment!

[Rich320I]

sell it on to someone who will take the time to put it back together then, it doesn't look like it would break well anyway, welding if you can weld is not an expensive job, its when you have to get someone else to do the work.

[Shmallpaul]

thats the lot!

[Rich320I]

yeah needs a considerable amount of welding, i presume you cant weld?

[Jim320i]

Breaker breaker...

Thats alot of work to put right, to put right properly I mean and not just to patch over it to make it good for the MOT.

Whats your location too and how much would you be happy for it as a whole?

[Grrrmachine]

Yeah, having seen the pics that is a tragic amount of rear rust. Take up Jim's offer.