Some pre-purchase help :).

[E30stz 0]

1991 320i

200,000 km's

Full service history at BMW McMillan since imported as well as overseas documents

Serviced every 10,000 km's supposedly

1. I've been told it has two problems that havent been fixed yet - other than that its mint.

Coupling has cracked

Oil 'weep' from the transmission

Would you guys be able to give me an idea of how major these are and also a rough cost estimate.

2. Would you deem this car worthy of being purchased seeing as it is on high km's but has been regularly serviced and comes with full service history.

Cheers

E30stz

[BMA 0]

Its 10+ year old car, u wont find any car on the road that hasnt got something worn out/broken/faulty.

If u gonna do the repairs yourself, go ask for a quote for parts from a BMW parts supplier. Also u might be able to get some bits off 2nd hand try SD European (Hamilton) or that parts place in Manukau (European Connection i think its called)

OR

Go to a mechanic and ask for a quote.

I would recommend Gavin (Bellar Motor Works) or Ernest(Bavarian Motors). They both know their E30s well.

Theres another good mechanic place in Kingsland I heard that do BMWs.

The car has high km, so it will need a cambelt if it hasnt been replaced

[Grant 4]

Both cheap and easy problems to fix.

The gearbox will be leaking seals, they are cheap to get replaced. The coupling is also cheap to get fixed.

My guess is that all up the cost will be around $300 - $400 for these two issues for a specialist to carry out the repairs.

Don't use second hand parts for either of these. New parts are cheap, and these parts fail over time, second hand parts will just fail soon too.

Good luck

Cheers

[E30stz 0]

What are your thoughts on buying it

Is 200,000 km's with servicing every 10,000 km's necessarly a problem ?

It has service history.

[Grant 4]

200,000 km's is not that much for an E30 engine (I assume that it is an E30).

Also all of the problems tend to happen before the car gets to 150,000km's (shocks worn, leaking power steering, auto gearbox needing overhaul etc) therefore chances are all of these have been replaced.

The six cylinder E30 engines are pretty strong units, and it should have plenty of life left in it still.

If the body is pretty straight and rust free, then is should be fine. However as the car is getting on a bit, I'm sure issues will come up from time to time that will require attentiom, I think that you just have to be semi-prepared for that and not get too annoyed when this happens.

Get someone to have a look over it (it sould be money well spent) and if it checks out ok, then by all means buy it.

Cheers

[Carl 3]

I agree with Grant on the g/box, weeping (not leeking) is most likely going to be worn seals which isn't a mission to fix. It also could simply be a case of overfilled transmission oil or the wrong type (ie, ATF instead of MTF).

Coupling cracking is a simple change ge it driveshaft coupling or steering coupling, they're both DIY's.

As for high km's, that's probably the genuine milage which is all good cause at last you know it ain't tampered with and E30 engines last for donkey's years. I've got a 1990 E30 that's clocked 100,600k's as of this weekend but I doubt that as the true milage...if it were true milage then at least i'd know whether or not it needs a new cam belt

[E30stz 0]

Cambelt, coupling and oil weep will be fixed before purchase apparently. So go go go ?

[bmwsparkle 3]

yeah i reckon, 200kms is not always a bad thing, better 200kms of warm long runs then 150kms of cold short runs

[Grant 4]

Cambelt, coupling and oil weep will be fixed before purchase apparently. So go go go ?

Go for it.

Cheers