E30 Zone

I am going to view a 1991 325i Sport tonight, it has 99k on the clock and as far as I know it has a Full service history. What should I be looking out for when inspecting the car?

Im worried about changing from a reliable newer car to something older and dont want it to end up being a costly mistake as I intend it to be my daily driver.

For instance if the head gasket was to go how much would it cost to fix? or if the diff was to go how much would it be to replace one? Also what are common faults in the E30's. I dont want to be dipping my hands in my pocket every few weeks!!

All help and comments welcome as I am in two minds what to do as a previous car I bought give me real trouble and I dont fancy going through that all again.

Thanks

Dave

You're buying a very reliable, fantastically well engineered low milage car, which should easily outlast any of the brand new mass market stuff from lesser manufactuers being sold today.
Main thing I would look at is rust, especially in and around the rear wheel arches. Look in the side pockets in the boot for dampness, as water here often gets in through rust holes in the arches,(and a few other routes as well).
Petrol tanks can leak when full also due to rust.
Check the steering fluid is red, not grey. Check the coolant is clean and the oil isn't grey.
A lot depends on how well the previous owner kept on top of maintenance and servicing, so have a giood look at him as well, and make a character judgement.
Tidiest E30 I ever bought had a British Legion sticker on the rear window and golf club score cards in the door pockets.

Ive only known the owner in the past 6 months, however my mates who know him well are shocked that he's selling his "Baby" as he looking to get onto the housing market. It basically been rebuilt and all genuine BMW parts went into it as he was that fussy. The only thing he knows it needs is a new clutch release bearing and hes that confident about the car that he is prepared to have it put through the MOT for me in August.


Thanks for replying Brian

Brianmoooore wrote: Tidiest E30 I ever bought had a British Legion sticker on the rear window and golf club score cards in the door pockets.

It had a fcuked/worn clutch then

Na, wise words from Brian...he knows his E30's

massive wrote:[

It had a fcuked/worn clutch then

Didn't, on account of it being an auto (Don't worry, it'll have an encounter with a M5X or a M20B27 one day).
Came up as two owners only, rear seats didn't look like they'd ever been sat in, fronts nearly as good, and I don't think the owners had ever worked out how the load cover (it's a touring) worked.