Should I buy an old E12?

Post Fri Oct 17, 2008 11:04 am

The time have arrived there I have now got a girlfriend and she lives abroad so that means I need to spend my cash on something else than running a Beemer with an M60 V8 who is asking for TLC all the time, so my plan is to sell it as soon as I have got here intro an MOT. So for me, I will from now on spend my money on plane tickets instead, but I cant just cut off my passion for cars and BMW, so I have found a conclution for my problem, and that is to buy an 28 year old BMW 518 with an MOT and Tax for very little money, and I have found the opbject Im looking for... The only issue is a big dent on the passanger door, and it dont run as it should when it idle (an easy fix because its an old M10 engine)

But Im a bit confused, should I buy this car or should I just trow my cash into something Non-Bmw like an old Volvo?

I have ad some pictures of the E12 I have found...

Dent

Post Fri Oct 17, 2008 12:44 pm

DO it!!!!

So you have a lady now, eh? terrible

Post Fri Oct 17, 2008 1:01 pm

Yes I have Sir, yes I have its a loong story this one.....

Post Fri Oct 17, 2008 1:05 pm

78dude wrote:Yes I have Sir, yes I have its a loong story this one.....

Let me guess, Tax, and trying to explain that she's only "blow up" to Customs...

I'm sure I'll hear all about it

Post Fri Oct 17, 2008 1:35 pm

One of the big attractions to E30/E34 is the build quality,we all know that E30s rust,but not as badly as their contempary's from lesser makers. But earlier BMW's such as E12,E21 and E28 do rust badly,so is this E12 really such a good buy?BTW,are you coming over to the UK for next year's zone roam?

Post Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:21 pm

That looks in nice condition...

So long as the underneath is just as good it will be a nice (but slow) old bus...

I think I'm right in thinking that the E12 518i (and 520i) had Kugelfischer mechanical injection...

Poor idle could be related to the fuel pump or it could be a distributor problem...
The fuel pumps are becoming a little hard to find and expensive to recondition...Distributors are easy to sort out...

Post Fri Oct 17, 2008 7:05 pm

I would, I've just bought a e21 for a "Sleeper" project and am putting a M30b35 into it

Post Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:44 pm

Buy it they're lovely cars -okay a crapper heavier older version of the e28 but how many have you ever seen on the road? They have 70s bmw charm I just love the digital clock on mine-
space age

Post Sat Oct 18, 2008 5:11 pm

Go for it - an E12 518i is always a lot better than a Volvo 244DL............

That rear door dent will push out and a skilled dent bloke will get that out without painting it. The side strip is probably still available from BMW.
With 90 bhp it'll be dog slow (unless it really is an L jet 518i - very rare) and it will probably have no PAS and a four speed box. Long trips and hills will require forward planning. Looks like a tidy car though.

Post Sat Oct 18, 2008 7:28 pm

Put a V8 in it

Post Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:18 pm

Andyboy wrote:Go for it - an E12 518i is always a lot better than a Volvo 244DL............

That rear door dent will push out and a skilled dent bloke will get that out without painting it. The side strip is probably still available from BMW.
With 90 bhp it'll be dog slow (unless it really is an L jet 518i - very rare) and it will probably have no PAS and a four speed box. Long trips and hills will require forward planning. Looks like a tidy car though.

Don't think l-jet came in until the E21/E28 era...

I'm pretty sure E12s are mechanical injection

Post Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:37 pm

Can,t you just get a girlfriend that lives in Sweden?. Problem solved.

Post Sat Oct 18, 2008 10:36 pm

gooner1 wrote:Can,t you just get a girlfriend that lives in Sweden?. Problem solved.

It looks like she will move to me in March and that means even more less cash because then I will have my self and another person to feed.
But thank you guys for the advice and I will call the seller to morrow

Post Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:15 pm

Fushion_Julz wrote:
Don't think l-jet came in until the E21/E28 era...

I'm pretty sure E12s are mechanical injection

Pretty sure my e12 m535i is Ljet but I didn't know the 518s could be. Check that car well for rust! Have a look behind rear seat back at the arches a box section there rusts out from the inside -that was a nasty surprise for me and invisible from outside the car.

Post Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:34 pm

save it

Post Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:39 pm

No, it won't be L Jet, it's a bit too old. It was only the later South African cars that used L and later on, LE. This thing will have K Jetronic. It's only the really ancient 520i's until late '76 that used the mechanical injection, Kugelfischer like the 2002Tii with the diesel style injection pump. K Jet is sort of electro/mechanical with an electric pump, relays and an electronic cold start system. Bloody horrible.
L jet E12's were the 528i and M535i. 76-77 520i's were K Jet as well.

This one hasn't got the funky clock in the heater fan rotary switch.

The clock replaces the rev counter - probably more use for measuring acceleration as well as a desk diary. The colour is Sapphire blue with marine blue cloth.

Post Sun Oct 19, 2008 12:43 am

518i? Don´t do it,
unless you plan on a 3,5 and turbo, then I´m all for it.

Post Tue Oct 21, 2008 1:26 am

As rav320uk said why not opt for an e21 or an e30 316i of the 318is

You really will notice the difference in performance in that and I dont think it would be too much more economical than the options I stated above.

Post Tue Oct 21, 2008 2:14 am

Defo a e30 318 mate the e12 is a 70s classic that needs as much attention and more tlc the ure v8 bm e30 defantly!

Post Tue Oct 21, 2008 5:48 pm

They obviously don't use enough salt on the roads in sweden......

Post Tue Oct 21, 2008 6:07 pm