Think I have just bought myself a 325 Sport .

[Cosmosblack74]

Been looking for a nice 325 2dr ether SE or a sport, even asked on here but nothing nice about.
I like the 325 tec 1 for sale on here but not into a cracked dash but a cracking lookin car.
I am hopeing this 1 is nice it sure looks it from the pics and I am paying good money for it, just waiting for more pics and details of work that's been done .
So before anything else is there anybody selling anything nice on here SE TEC 1 TEC 2, give me a shout but it's got to be something nice and original my budget is 10k a little more if it's the right car.
The 1 I am looking at is nice but the chap has not owned her for long due to circumstances that's the only thing that's worrying me .
Any advice or a thumbs up to anybody selling would be appreciated, lookin for a nice machine tho a˜Ž

[Awarded]

Good luck with finding the right car. Do you have a link to the car you are referring to so people can advise.

I assume the tech 1 for sale on here is mine. If so, id be happy to find and swap in a crack free dash if you are interested. Let me know.

[Cosmosblack74]

Yes when I saw you car I thought hello this looks nice, got to the cracked dash bit and my heart sunk, beautiful example otherwise it really is .
Jeez I would not attempt to change a dash as I am pretty sure it's not that easy to do.
The car is on eBay for 12k not sure how to post a link .

[Awarded]

Dash swaps are relatively simple, a few hours work. What i was saying is that i could do the swap for you once a sale was agreed, if that makes sense.

This car? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-BMW-E30- ... Sw9mFWHWeU

[Cosmosblack74]

That's the 1 anybody know or seen it?

[Awarded]

Car does look good. Odd choice of tyres, I don't recognise the brand so assume they are budgets, which seems at odds with the apparent quality of the car...

[Mitchen]

That car looks awesome superficially.. mileage is somewhat high.. I'd be checking everywhere for any hidden rust. For that price, there should be zero work need doing.

[Cosmosblack74]

Thrust bearing needs doing the chap says.
Lot of money been spent, 4 owners from new and yes the miles are high but what can you do not a hell of a lot of cars to choose from.

[Cosmosblack74]

Nothing gets past you guys, last thing I would of thought about was the tyres, mmmmm budget tyres on a spot seems at odds is right .
Tried ringing about your tec 1bud no reply .

[rh306]

If you use it a fair bit and push it up to 160K the value could start dropping of fairly dramatically I think? No mention of what kind of service history there is either apart from a vague reference to old MOTs and 'bills'

[Nobby_N]

Unless its full history and seriously has no rust its too much!
Take an expert and screw driver! Also a car that's 12k on budget tyres with thrust bairing needing doing shouts pennyless chancer who has not had funds to keep it the way it should be!

[Cosmosblack74]

Think there is a lot history, you guys are makin me think now maybe not such a good deal after all was just about to send a holding deposit until the weekend .
There is not a lot to choose from more chance of finding a e30 m3 .

[Mitchen]

Yeah once you get that to 160-180k, I don't think it'll ever be worth top end money like he's asking..

Plus if we're being pedantic, he's not used many OEM parts, mostly the cheap ECP option, which leads you to ask where else he's cutting corners... also his audio set up is potentially retro fitted, seeing as he's gone for Pioneer speakers and a blaupunkt head unit. That's like having leather front seats, and cloth rears

[Mitchen]

Think there is a lot history, you guys are makin me think now maybe not such a good deal after all was just about to send a holding deposit until the weekend .
There is not a lot to choose from more chance of finding a e30 m3 .

Mate go there and have a look before committing.. it looks like a very good starting block for a lovely car if anything, albeit an expensive one.

[rh306]

Think there is a lot history, you guys are makin me think now maybe not such a good deal after all was just about to send a holding deposit until the weekend .
There is not a lot to choose from more chance of finding a e30 m3 .

Mate go there and have a look before committing.. it looks like a very good starting block for a lovely car if anything, albeit an expensive one.

Excellent advice. Never put any money down on any car without looking at it/ or getting someone you trust to look at it. It's easy to make a car look good in pictures. Making one look good in flesh is another matter....

[Blitz]

Yes when I saw you car I thought hello this looks nice, got to the cracked dash bit and my heart sunk, beautiful example otherwise it really is .
Jeez I would not attempt to change a dash as I am pretty sure it's not that easy to do.
The car is on eBay for 12k not sure how to post a link .

A crack in the dash is the least of your worries with e30s.

[Cosmosblack74]

Well this is what the zone is all about,stopping fellow e30 enthusiasts from making a potential expensive mistakes when thinking of buying an e30.
Advice taken and took on board a˜Ža‘a, I was only puttin a deposit down as somebody else was meant to be viewing Monday or Tuesday.
It does look like a cracking car but as mentioned to many things don't add up, tyres and budget service parts and all this £400 radio more important factors to take into account never mind a radio .

[Cosmosblack74]

Got some nice pics sent and a video, is there anybody that could have a look at them, I can send via what's app or something .

[Cosmosblack74]

It does look nice tho, what to do what to do a˜a

[Kedge]

Only had a quick browse and looks good on the surface, but not many cars can look as good as a Sport and be a corpse underneath, never buy one without viewing it, or having someone view on your behalf.

If it's as good as he's made it look he should have no problems of showing you pics of any of the rust traps, bet he hasn't!

[KW355]

I would not be put off by a cracked dash. Any e30 will need some work doing to it. Better to buy a car that is known on the zone

[pacerpete]

Thrust bearing needs doing the chap says.
Lot of money been spent, 4 owners from new and yes the miles are high but what can you do not a hell of a lot of cars to choose from.

Thrust bearing = f*cked gearbox , FACT ! Gearbox change using a correct Sport close ratio box , gear linkage, clutch etc will leave no change out of £6-700 ! As for the Hero tyres !


Be sure to get this car THOROUGHLY checked BEFORE handing over any money. The seller is obviously less than honest, and possibly so is his car

[Cosmosblack74]

Can anybody look at these pics for me that this chap has sent, or maybe go and look at the car for me if anybody is close, will sort expenses out.
I really do like this 1 and I could be waiting months before anything nice comes up for sale .

[Cosmosblack74]

Wow Pete you seriously got a bad vibe from this car then, I guessed experience does that to you a˜Ž
Thought a trust bearing was not a big deal advicable to change the clutch etc while doing it, well that's what he said anyhow.
So even parting with top money don't mean you going to get a top car, sure glad I asked for advice now cheers guys a‘aa‘a

[pacerpete]

Sellers always use the 'thrust bearing' line when their turd has a f*cked gearbox. Telling you the layshaft bearings are toast and the gearbox needs a £500 rebuild would dampen your enthusiasm somewhat.

A noise that goes away when you put your foot on the clutch is an internal gearbox issue. A noise that becomes apparent / gets worse when you put your foot on the clutch MAY be the release bearing. Most noises are the former.

In nigh on THIRTY years working on scrap, I could count the amount of noisy thrust / release bearings I have come across on one hand and have spare fingers. The amount of noisy / shagged gearboxes would need many hands !

[Cosmosblack74]

A knowledgable man Pete thanks for your advice .
A kind fellow zoner has offered to post the pics and videos sent, see what you guys think a˜Ža‘a

[Mitchen]

[Mitchen]

Can't upload the videos, but he hasn't give you much info in them, other than the fact the battery needs changing, and he's got all the MOT certificates.

[Cosmosblack74]

You got to admit she does look smart, hope you can get the short video on a˜Ža‘a, thanks again for you offer to post a˜Ž

[Cosmosblack74]

Did you hear the start up from cold ? , thanks anyway for trying a‘a

[Mitchen]

What one? The one where he turns the engine on but warns it may not start because of the dodge battery.. or the one where he just goes trough the MOT certificates.. but doesn't show you any detail on advisories etc. just the year of the MOT lol.

Get down there and give it a proper inspection. Get the buyers guide off the wiki and crack on! These tarted up snaps and his little video clips of his paper work, aren't telling you anything.

[Cosmosblack74]

The 1 with the battery, yeah but getting down there before somebody snaps it up if it's as good as it looks .

[Mitchen]

It's a lot of money for an E30.. I'd be very surprised if that car sold quickly!

[Nobby_N]

Only way I would ever spend over 10k plus on one of these old turds is if I took PacerPete, Barry or Sweep to inspect it, Ive never met any of them but they know what there looking for!
The car looks amazing, but as seen on this site so so many times, looks are not everything, with the kit of and carpets up it could start getting £££££ and that's without the fooooked gearbox!

[Kedge]

Those pics show nothing of what you need to see.