E30 325i Sport buying guide (Courtesy of Placey)
Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 4:49 pm
some hard won advice for you to consider or ignore as you choose:
generally have a plan before you get there and stick to it.
before you set off ask the owner to ensure that the engine is cold and that the car has not been used for at least half a day. take with you some cloths, some overalls, a magnet, a trolley jack (if you have one), a torch and a metal bar, failing that a large screw driver. ensure you have at least an hours daylight left when you get there.
if you find any serious fault be prepared to walk away. there's enough of these about to be picky - so you may as well get the best one you can. any fault that you do find point out to the owner as you go along.
first up crouch at each corner of the car and check all edges for straightness - a poorly repaired crash will show if you look carefully. also check each panel for ripples and dents. next check each and every shut line - they should all be about 3mm and even along every length. any deviations and it's been accident repaired. now check every edge for paint lines showing careless re-painting in the past. check everywhere for rust for if you can see it from the outside there'll be a load more behind it when you or somebody you're paying starts cutting it away. the sport in particluar requires bodykit removal for a proper rust evaluation - if the owner is reluctant or unable to remove it for you ask yourself (and maybe him/her) why that is. also check the areas noted above especially the suspension towers in the boot and below the windscreen as these are both difficult areas to repair. apply the magnet (protected by the cloth) to any suspicious areas - it will stick to metal not filler. feel the paint. looked after paint will be totally smooth to the touch, anything too rough is neglected. every panel should be the same colour and shade - look carfully for different paints. open and shut the doors and bonnet and boot - they should work smoothly and there shouldn't be any movement in the hinges. a proper body inspection takes a good 20 minutes.
if you've not walked yet then jack the car up and crawl underneath. you're looking for rust again but also the inside of the tyres and general straightness of all mechanicals, there shouldn't be any ripples in any bit holding wheels on or any unsecured bits hanging down and flapping in the wind.
if it's solid underneath then re-pop the bonnet and look at the engine. it should be reasonably clean but don't expect miracles - there's not many that clean under there regularly. there shouldn't be loads of any fluid over anything though. check that the radiator contains water and no oil and that the dipstick and oil filler cap shows oil and no water. other fuilds should be at the correct level too. ask the owner when the coolant was last changed - m20 engines require this every 2 years without fail or they become porous. a puzzled look on the owner's face means they don't know their car too well.
now get in and start the car. this is tricky as when it fires you need to watch the oil light and the exhaust at the same time. the oil light must go out pretty near immediately. anything more than a second and there's oil pressure problems. the exhaust needs to not be blue or black or too plentiful. take you're metal bar and put one end against your ear and the other against all four corners of the engine in turn. you'll be amazed at how clearly you can hear what's going on. (beware of rotating bits and loose limbs/clothing) any ticks or thumps that sound wrong are wrong.
now's a good time to inspect the interior. the seats should be comfortable at least (if the owner hasn't sorted out a desparately uncomfortable drivers seat then have they looked after anything at all?) the seat and pedal wear should match the mileage. everything should work. ok maybe a couple of fripperies don't work but everything crucial should work. you'll be surprised at how much a replacement trim panel that's cracked will be. budget 150 for 1 worn out seat.
by this time the engine should have warmed up and not overheated. if this is so then take it for a 1/2 hour drive. the owner will probably insist on coming with you - that's fine but make sure that he shuts up and leaves the radio off coz you're listening to every noise it makes. drive it fast and slow and make sure it brakes in a straight line when no-one's behind you. make sure there's no strange noises when turning at full lock too.
when you get it back re-start it to ensure it starts from warm too. then check under the bonnet again to ensure no fluids have leaked out during your adventure.
pay particular attention to the tyres. 4 matching branded tyres in good nick with non-kerbed wheels tell as much of a story as 4 non-matching chinese jobs with either names you can't pronounce or can't read coz they've been rubbed off by constant kerbing. owners tell you a lot too. rough owners sell rough vehicles. a bloke that brags about 3rd gear wheelspins tharshes the pants off it. a woman may drive it gently but if she doesn't know where the bonnet release is she hasn't looked after it. look at the state of the house it's coming from, generally people look after everything or nothing. work in progress house is better than a neglected dump. my ideal car comes from a clued up middle-aged woman from a spotless house who's husband is a car fan and looks after it carefully. you'll be lucky to find this but they do exist.
if you're still interested coz it's straight, rust free and drives nicely then re-iterate the list of faults to the owner and have a good moan about how expensive spare parts and garage labour rates are then make a low but not insulting offer. if it's refused then walk away and wait 15 minutes before going back with an improved offer. make them sweat for a while and see how much you can get off.
finally only part with a deposit once satisfied that the owner of the car is who you're dealing with and the numbers stamped on the car match the log book you're being offered.
good luck. if it's local to me (hampshire) then i'm willing to come with you - 2 sets of eyes are better than 1 and i don't mind crawling about on my back inspecting cars (too much).
paul
_________________
it's red and shiny and i should see a doctor....
generally have a plan before you get there and stick to it.
before you set off ask the owner to ensure that the engine is cold and that the car has not been used for at least half a day. take with you some cloths, some overalls, a magnet, a trolley jack (if you have one), a torch and a metal bar, failing that a large screw driver. ensure you have at least an hours daylight left when you get there.
if you find any serious fault be prepared to walk away. there's enough of these about to be picky - so you may as well get the best one you can. any fault that you do find point out to the owner as you go along.
first up crouch at each corner of the car and check all edges for straightness - a poorly repaired crash will show if you look carefully. also check each panel for ripples and dents. next check each and every shut line - they should all be about 3mm and even along every length. any deviations and it's been accident repaired. now check every edge for paint lines showing careless re-painting in the past. check everywhere for rust for if you can see it from the outside there'll be a load more behind it when you or somebody you're paying starts cutting it away. the sport in particluar requires bodykit removal for a proper rust evaluation - if the owner is reluctant or unable to remove it for you ask yourself (and maybe him/her) why that is. also check the areas noted above especially the suspension towers in the boot and below the windscreen as these are both difficult areas to repair. apply the magnet (protected by the cloth) to any suspicious areas - it will stick to metal not filler. feel the paint. looked after paint will be totally smooth to the touch, anything too rough is neglected. every panel should be the same colour and shade - look carfully for different paints. open and shut the doors and bonnet and boot - they should work smoothly and there shouldn't be any movement in the hinges. a proper body inspection takes a good 20 minutes.
if you've not walked yet then jack the car up and crawl underneath. you're looking for rust again but also the inside of the tyres and general straightness of all mechanicals, there shouldn't be any ripples in any bit holding wheels on or any unsecured bits hanging down and flapping in the wind.
if it's solid underneath then re-pop the bonnet and look at the engine. it should be reasonably clean but don't expect miracles - there's not many that clean under there regularly. there shouldn't be loads of any fluid over anything though. check that the radiator contains water and no oil and that the dipstick and oil filler cap shows oil and no water. other fuilds should be at the correct level too. ask the owner when the coolant was last changed - m20 engines require this every 2 years without fail or they become porous. a puzzled look on the owner's face means they don't know their car too well.
now get in and start the car. this is tricky as when it fires you need to watch the oil light and the exhaust at the same time. the oil light must go out pretty near immediately. anything more than a second and there's oil pressure problems. the exhaust needs to not be blue or black or too plentiful. take you're metal bar and put one end against your ear and the other against all four corners of the engine in turn. you'll be amazed at how clearly you can hear what's going on. (beware of rotating bits and loose limbs/clothing) any ticks or thumps that sound wrong are wrong.
now's a good time to inspect the interior. the seats should be comfortable at least (if the owner hasn't sorted out a desparately uncomfortable drivers seat then have they looked after anything at all?) the seat and pedal wear should match the mileage. everything should work. ok maybe a couple of fripperies don't work but everything crucial should work. you'll be surprised at how much a replacement trim panel that's cracked will be. budget 150 for 1 worn out seat.
by this time the engine should have warmed up and not overheated. if this is so then take it for a 1/2 hour drive. the owner will probably insist on coming with you - that's fine but make sure that he shuts up and leaves the radio off coz you're listening to every noise it makes. drive it fast and slow and make sure it brakes in a straight line when no-one's behind you. make sure there's no strange noises when turning at full lock too.
when you get it back re-start it to ensure it starts from warm too. then check under the bonnet again to ensure no fluids have leaked out during your adventure.
pay particular attention to the tyres. 4 matching branded tyres in good nick with non-kerbed wheels tell as much of a story as 4 non-matching chinese jobs with either names you can't pronounce or can't read coz they've been rubbed off by constant kerbing. owners tell you a lot too. rough owners sell rough vehicles. a bloke that brags about 3rd gear wheelspins tharshes the pants off it. a woman may drive it gently but if she doesn't know where the bonnet release is she hasn't looked after it. look at the state of the house it's coming from, generally people look after everything or nothing. work in progress house is better than a neglected dump. my ideal car comes from a clued up middle-aged woman from a spotless house who's husband is a car fan and looks after it carefully. you'll be lucky to find this but they do exist.
if you're still interested coz it's straight, rust free and drives nicely then re-iterate the list of faults to the owner and have a good moan about how expensive spare parts and garage labour rates are then make a low but not insulting offer. if it's refused then walk away and wait 15 minutes before going back with an improved offer. make them sweat for a while and see how much you can get off.
finally only part with a deposit once satisfied that the owner of the car is who you're dealing with and the numbers stamped on the car match the log book you're being offered.
good luck. if it's local to me (hampshire) then i'm willing to come with you - 2 sets of eyes are better than 1 and i don't mind crawling about on my back inspecting cars (too much).
paul
_________________
it's red and shiny and i should see a doctor....
