Any advice on buying this conversion?

[1985db]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bmw-E30-325I- ... 1042698651

I love the look of it so much that I'm tempted, any advice appreciated. No idea of whether any of this is dodgy etc.

Thanks

[polsta]

3.5k for a 320 with a 325 engine and not its original color, weighed up for example against these nice genuine sports for not that much more, which would be much nicer to drive and own and money much better spent !!

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=241983

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=241640

[1985db]

3.5k for a 320 with a 325 engine and not its original color

Is that a bad deal? Sorry, am a newbie.

EDIT: Just seen your additions to the post, cheers

[daimlerman]

Converted car is worth the sum of it's parts.

Car is close to High Wycombe,nuff said!

[polsta]

if you look at your finances, look at the 2 cars linked, and think to yourself what sort of car would you rather own, youl make up your own mind,just saying a nice genuine original 325 sport would be money better spent and more enjoyable and desirable to own

[1985db]

Fair enough, thanks. Are converted cars any more likely to fall apart/have serious issues?

[Grrrmachine]

There's no inherent risk in converted cars, especially considering the 320 and 325 use the same engine family so an engine swap takes all of a day.

However, there is a huge amount of snobbery attached to any car, and if it isn't Ronseal (what it says on the tin) then you're taking a certain gamble about what you're really getting for the money... maybe not in terms of engine, but in terms of gearbox, differential, suspension etc.

But as always with old cars, buy on condition not on principle. A converted car with no rust is worth infinitely more than a Sport with rust issues.

[daimlerman]

Fair enough, thanks. Are converted cars any more likely to fall apart/have serious issues?

Depends on how they have been built and by whom they have been built.

TBO,a 320i with the guts of a 325i is worth about £500,IF the shell is solid.The non-standard colour does not help it's case.

Just my opinion,of course!

[polsta]

most "converted/conversion" cars, are nice e30s just with a more modern engine in and other bits, its only a 325i engine- so its common sense an original 325i/sport, in original color, would be more desirable/better/valuable , for serious issues/falling apart, it all depends on quality and depth of work, if a shell for example (like that blue one) had been totaly stripped, 100% fully rust hunted and sorted out, proper full bare shell prime and re spray and pain stakingly re built properly, would obviously differ to one thats just had a bucket of paint thrown over it and some bodgery, and would differ in price and quality, and without masses of pics you cant tell, even if it was all done properly like that- it would still not be as desirable as a nice genuine sport like the 2 linked above if rust free and nice, often these sellers of mash up e30s spend a lot of money-making them worse with all sorts of mods and messing about- to then think its worth what they have spent on it, when really as dailerman says they end up worth the sum of parts on them

best thing to do if looking for one, is spend time looking around on here, look through pages and pages of the photo gallery section, and cars for sale sections, get an idea for the cars, and something will start to stand out and take your fancy

[Grrrmachine]

500 is way too low Malc, even just on principle.

In this case, I like that car. They've done the engine bay as well as the door jambs so this isn't a backstreet paint job; someone's taken care this time around. The engine's clean, the leathers look smart (if worn) and there's a 13-button OBC, which compensates for the cone filter and M3 badge on the rear.

It's not worth anywhere near the asking price, but I still think it could pull in 1500. Shame the headlight wash/wipe's been deleted though.

[Chris_B86]

It's possibly too expensive, but looks well done, and I do like estoril. If you look at what some people are asking for ordinary SE's then it doesn't seem too bad.

I think the only thing I'd change would be the colour coded number plate surround and the exhaust

[1985db]

Thanks for the advice, everyone - much appreciated!

[driftmaster808]

this is a 2k car tops, lovely colour and fine paint job but not a original colour so many people would not contemplate buying it, hence why the general feeling is its between 1500 - 2000k

[andyp]

quote]



TBO,a 320i with the guts of a 325i is worth about £500,IF the shell is solid.The non-standard colour does not help it's case.

Just my opinion,of course!

mate you cant buy a 316 breaker for £500.00 anymore, it was the price of a 325 3 years ago but not anymore