Your thoughts on purchase
Moderator: martauto
Hi All,
New member on the forum here so thought I would say hello.
I've owned a number of BMW's in the past including an E30 320i and an E46 M3. Currently in the stable is a E39 530d Touring.
I have been looking for a weekend motor and came across the below on Pistonheads.
Was hoping to get your thoughts on such a purchase...
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/ ... al/3704485
Thx
Pri
New member on the forum here so thought I would say hello.
I've owned a number of BMW's in the past including an E30 320i and an E46 M3. Currently in the stable is a E39 530d Touring.
I have been looking for a weekend motor and came across the below on Pistonheads.
Was hoping to get your thoughts on such a purchase...
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/ ... al/3704485
Thx
Pri
- BHadley
- E30 Zone Regular

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- Contact:
Looks ok, boot badge is on the wrong side tho!
As with any body kitted car try to see past the kit to see the state of the metal beneath.
Rear arches , sills , roof etc....
Good guide on wiki for what to look for...
As with any body kitted car try to see past the kit to see the state of the metal beneath.
Rear arches , sills , roof etc....
Good guide on wiki for what to look for...
It's currently on eBay and just purely based on the wonderful feedback of the seller, I'd probably run far and very fast > http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-H-BMW-E3 ... 19fbdd09fd
If I were you, I'd keep looking...
It's not easy to find a clean 325i, so take your time. And to be honest, I'm not sure what's all the fuss with the "Sport"? If it's the suspension and the body kit, surely you can add those bits later, especially considering the fact you can fit whatever shocks/springs that suit you?
Bumpers and all that are not a big deal.
So if I came across a nice genuine 325i, which was an SE or just a basic model, I'd go for it and then add the bits I wanted.
But that's just me.....
If I were you, I'd keep looking...
It's not easy to find a clean 325i, so take your time. And to be honest, I'm not sure what's all the fuss with the "Sport"? If it's the suspension and the body kit, surely you can add those bits later, especially considering the fact you can fit whatever shocks/springs that suit you?
Bumpers and all that are not a big deal.
So if I came across a nice genuine 325i, which was an SE or just a basic model, I'd go for it and then add the bits I wanted.
But that's just me.....
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pacerpete
- E30 Zone Team Member

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- Location: Iver heath. South bucks.
There is always a slim chance that a car sold by a dodgy trader in High Wycombe may be decent but be on your guard and have a VERY good poke about / pay someone to have a very good poke about before handing over any money.
At that mileage, I would want to have a very good look at the MOT history which obviously can be done on line gratis. You will need the reference number off the V5 and or a MOT cert number and the reg. This will give you MOT history going back quite a few years and more importantly fail issues, advisories and mileage readings. I bet it makes an interesting read, as it does with many of these turds !

At that mileage, I would want to have a very good look at the MOT history which obviously can be done on line gratis. You will need the reference number off the V5 and or a MOT cert number and the reg. This will give you MOT history going back quite a few years and more importantly fail issues, advisories and mileage readings. I bet it makes an interesting read, as it does with many of these turds !
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Gert_8
- Married to the E30 Zone

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This car has already been discussed on the forum, with various issues pointed out, that are not so obvious (although if you look closely, you can see them) to stay clear of this.

PONY, 2013 - "Anyway span 360 degrees hitting the kerb and giving the old man two fingers as I was spinning like Michael Schumacher would
This 'sold' on eBay around a week ago. His mate clearly won the auction so it's back on there.
As said, get someone who knows what they are doing to look at the car. Apart from any mechanical problems someone with an experienced eye will be abill to notice any poor chassis and paint repairs/bodge's.
If you live a long way from high Wycombe I works say save your money and time.
As said, get someone who knows what they are doing to look at the car. Apart from any mechanical problems someone with an experienced eye will be abill to notice any poor chassis and paint repairs/bodge's.
If you live a long way from high Wycombe I works say save your money and time.
This 'sold' on eBay around a week ago. His mate clearly won the auction so it's back on there.
As said, get someone who knows what they are doing to look at the car. Apart from any mechanical problems someone with an experienced eye will be abill to notice any poor chassis and paint repairs/bodge's.
If you live a long way from high Wycombe I works say save your money and time.
As said, get someone who knows what they are doing to look at the car. Apart from any mechanical problems someone with an experienced eye will be abill to notice any poor chassis and paint repairs/bodge's.
If you live a long way from high Wycombe I works say save your money and time.
it would be a 120 mile round trip to see the car. From what I'm hearing its most likely to be a wasted journey.
Gert_8: I cant seem to find any conversations on this car on the forum. If you get some time please send over the link
Thanks
Gert_8: I cant seem to find any conversations on this car on the forum. If you get some time please send over the link
Thanks
It will be "worth more", but apart from that, it won't be any better.ross_jsy wrote:If you want a Sport, buy a Sport and ignore zd3bx's advice. Sports will always be worth money, a turd you fit a kit to will probably devalue it.
Good luck with your search
I guess for some people it's more important to have "Sport" in the log book, rather than a straight car.
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maggspower
- Turbo Farmer Tractor Driver
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- Location: Nowhere near South Wales, ok butt
Yes a sport is exactly the same, apart from the body kit, nice interior, limited slip diff, close ratio gearbox, uprated suspension.
Hmmm wait a minute
Granted, the engine is the same though.
Hmmm wait a minute
Granted, the engine is the same though.
Contact: theengineshedonline@gmail.com
Oh sorry, I forgot about the gearbox and the diffmaggspower wrote:Yes a sport is exactly the same, apart from the body kit, nice interior, limited slip diff, close ratio gearbox, uprated suspension.
Hmmm wait a minute![]()
Granted, the engine is the same though.
Well, the rest is an easy-peasy swap, no?
- Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 49358
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
All of these are standard E30 options, available on all E30s, except the gearbox, which was 325 only, and plenty were fitted with a selection of them. I have two that were supplied with the body kit, and neither of them is a 'sport'.maggspower wrote:Yes a sport is exactly the same, apart from the body kit, nice interior, limited slip diff, close ratio gearbox, uprated suspension.
Hmmm wait a minute![]()
Granted, the engine is the same though.
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Gert_8
- Married to the E30 Zone

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Hi Mate. The thread you're after is in E30 External ads.
Look for the thread title "325i Sport".
Look for the thread title "325i Sport".

PONY, 2013 - "Anyway span 360 degrees hitting the kerb and giving the old man two fingers as I was spinning like Michael Schumacher would
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Gert_8
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 11304
- Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:00 pm
- Location: In your back passage faster than a rat up a drainpipe!
Oh, sorry, I didn't see that. 

PONY, 2013 - "Anyway span 360 degrees hitting the kerb and giving the old man two fingers as I was spinning like Michael Schumacher would
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ross_jsy
- Married to the E30 Zone

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Not really, LSD's make a fair bit of difference.zd3bx wrote:Oh sorry, I forgot about the gearbox and the diffmaggspower wrote:Yes a sport is exactly the same, apart from the body kit, nice interior, limited slip diff, close ratio gearbox, uprated suspension.
Hmmm wait a minute![]()
Granted, the engine is the same though.But still, you would have to be Lewis Hamilton to "feel" the difference?
Well, the rest is an easy-peasy swap, no?
Right so body kit, £500 to £800 and you better hope you find one that's the same colour and doesn't need work or add that on top. I won't bother including the price of clips but they aren't cheap.
LSD's are fetching £300+ easily these days.
Gearbox is around £120.
Then interior, no idea but good luck on finding a black headlining.
So can very easily rack up £2k just sourcing everything, and you have a tonced up 325i with no real value added.
Buy a good Sport and be done with it. Granted that is easier said than done, but a heck of a lot easier than tarting up another car and it will have an inherent value.
what he saidross_jsy wrote:Not really, LSD's make a fair bit of difference.zd3bx wrote:Oh sorry, I forgot about the gearbox and the diffmaggspower wrote:Yes a sport is exactly the same, apart from the body kit, nice interior, limited slip diff, close ratio gearbox, uprated suspension.
Hmmm wait a minute![]()
Granted, the engine is the same though.But still, you would have to be Lewis Hamilton to "feel" the difference?
Well, the rest is an easy-peasy swap, no?
Right so body kit, £500 to £800 and you better hope you find one that's the same colour and doesn't need work or add that on top. I won't bother including the price of clips but they aren't cheap.
LSD's are fetching £300+ easily these days.
Gearbox is around £120.
Then interior, no idea but good luck on finding a black headlining.
So can very easily rack up £2k just sourcing everything, and you have a tonced up 325i with no real value added.
Buy a good Sport and be done with it. Granted that is easier said than done, but a heck of a lot easier than tarting up another car and it will have an inherent value.
Definitely a trader, you can tell by the very 'factual' way the ad is written.
Also you can't tell me there's not one little thing wrong. If I sell a car with a few niggly faults I'm up front about it, stops any daft renegotiations when you find window switches stuck or a gauge sticking. If you drive a retro you know it's never perfect.
Not saying don't go for it but be careful and go through everything with a fine tooth comb.
Also you can't tell me there's not one little thing wrong. If I sell a car with a few niggly faults I'm up front about it, stops any daft renegotiations when you find window switches stuck or a gauge sticking. If you drive a retro you know it's never perfect.
Not saying don't go for it but be careful and go through everything with a fine tooth comb.



