Buying first E30...what to look for?

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MrDazzle
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Mon Oct 24, 2005 4:47 pm

Hi,

Gonna be buying my first E30 (325i Sport) in the near future if all goes well. I'm looking at spending a fair bit on one, I have about Ԛ£6000 in total, but I'd like some advice please.:)

What should I look out for on these cars? Beyond the usual suspects when looking at second hand cars that is.

How can I tell it's a genuine sport? In particular how can I tell the LSD works without lighting up the rear wheels?;)

Where's the best place to look for one?

Cheers:)
TOURINGDADDY
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Mon Oct 24, 2005 4:54 pm

best place to start lookin is on here mate, welcome and good huntin youll need it lol
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DaveD
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Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:55 pm

for that sort of money you could have an m3

check out the bmw owners club classified section
MrDazzle
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Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:35 pm

Yeah, I briefly looked at an M3.

Thing is, my 'rents are helping me out with this car (hopefully starting me first 'real' job post uni soon), they're giving me assistance in getting 'set-up' as it were:) They took enough persuading to let me get a car with 'Sport' in the name (Even though I own a 150mph motorbike...go figure!), so an M3 would be way out.

Besides, for the road I think a bigger engine with more cylinders would be better.
markw
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Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:24 pm

Hi all.

I've also just started looking for an e30; preferably a decent 325i Touring. Rather than trawl through all the past topics, is there a a definitive buying guide anywhere online? Just wanted to be as clued-up as possible before starting the search in earnest...
billgatese30
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Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:38 pm

well, rust is usually in the rear wheel arches, check for wet floors to clogged water drains from the roof and scuttle panel (under the windscreen), the scuttle can be rusted on some cars too and can be quite costly to fix.

to check for a lsd, try jacking up one rear wheel, whilst the other is tocuhing the floor, make sure the handbrake is off, and the car is in neuatral, the wheel in the air should not turn.

a sport has black headlining, and a rear view mirror with map reading lights, it will also have a check control panel wich is a small panel on the roof next to the sunroof controls, it will have several red led's in it.

it may or may not say on the log book wheather its a sport or not, most do, but some don't.

the easiest thing to do is ask for the (can't remember if its the first or last) seven digits of the VIN number, and take it to a main delaer, they will then be able to print off an options list showing what the car was specced with from the factroy, including the sports pack...and any other options, as well as other infor like first reg date, colour etc.

err...other than that its all usuall stuff, listen for noises, feel for vibration etc, check history.

milages isn't always a problem with these cars, its better to get a 200K car with full history than a 100K car with none.

hope that helps
markw
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Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:44 pm

Thanks Bill/Chris,

Much appreciated.

Am I right in thinking all 325 tourings had sports suspension but not necessarily an lsd? Remembered hearing this somewhere some time back...
billgatese30
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Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:46 pm

i think so, i'm not sure if its only the rear springs, as they were harder then the standard so therfor used to accpet the heavier loading available with the touring.

not sure to be honest mate, but i'm pretty sure there is sometruth in there somewhere
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adamS
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Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:57 pm

Places to look for them include...

All the BMW mags you can lay your hands on
www.pistonheads.com
www.bmwcarclubgb.com
www.bmwcarshowroom.com
www.wlnautomotive.com (dealer has lots of beauties passing through with warranty 8) )

good luck :cool:
JOSEMI
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Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:59 pm

I know something to look for in most of them: knackered bearings and bushes, these when defective can be a pain :x
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Brianmoooore
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Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:09 am

325 Tourings had aluminium front control arms, but I've NEVER come across one that still has them!
Rust is the main thing to look out for, along with paintwork. Anything else, within reason, can easilt be put right.
markw
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Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:23 am

Thanks guys. Bit taken aback by how quickly I got so many responses! Feeling a bit guilty about hijacking this guys thread as well... :oops:

Well, I'm gonna start having a look 'proper'. I very much liked the look of PeteE30Tourer's, but just couldn't get round to looking at it quick enough:
http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... c&t=19054)

Thanks again, and might be asking some more q's in the near future if thats ok...?
billgatese30
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Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:28 am

ask as many as you like mate

and don't worry about hijacking his thread, at least you stayed on the same topic as him, and we've probably (i hope) answered some of his questions too.
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Brianmoooore
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Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:31 am

markw wrote:
Thanks again, and might be asking some more q's in the near future if thats ok...?
Ask away! That's what the tech help and chat sections are for.
MrDazzle
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Wed Oct 26, 2005 10:49 am

Cheers all...

One more thing. I notice some Sports have the ///M badges and some don't. Should I read anything into this, or is it meaningless?
E30BeemerLad
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Wed Oct 26, 2005 10:56 am

//M badges were a dealer fit option so are not the true signature of a sport, some dealers wacked them on as standard i think. they used to cost about Ԛ£3, some dealers will no longer sell them unless you can prove you actually have a sport
JoeP
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Wed Oct 26, 2005 5:29 pm

MODS
Is it worth making this a sticky or doing some kind of buyers guide as lots of people ask this, it was my first post back on the old board I believe.
Alpine White 325i touring
Saying 'No' to saloon and cabriolet wrongness :-)
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