need help please

[jeremy 2]

if i was to daily this in the city, would it be practical in terms of fuel usage and just general wear and tear? what sort of milage would i be looking at to 100ks? also on cold mornings how long would it take to get this thing started?
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/auction-1245268223.htm

Edited February 1, 2017 by jeremy

[NZ00Z3 187]

I'l be thinking about how hard it would be to get it's next WOF in a couple of weeks:

- Speedo not working.  May be related to the engine/diff change or might need a cluster change and re-code for the modifications

- Check that it has a LVV certification plate for the engine change and any other modification that needs certification.

[jeremy 2]

2 hours ago, NZ00Z3 said:

I'l be thinking about how hard it would be to get it's next WOF in a couple of weeks:

- Speedo not working.  May be related to the engine/diff change or might need a cluster change and re-code for the modifications

- Check that it has a LVV certification plate for the engine change and any other modification that needs certification.

that aside, how will it be as a daily?

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2959]

In all honesty, from looking at the photos and reading the description this car is a potential nightmare.

If you are good with mechanics or have friends that can do things mates rates, then negotiate hard on the price and go for it, if not steer clear especially for a daily I see unreliability everywhere.

Too many signs that the car has been fiddled about with, and then not maintained / sorted thoroughly. A ticking time bomb for any new owner.

[Gabe79 410]

As someone who just went through the process of looking at ~12 cars and finally choosing to get one inspected and bought. I highly recommend you get it inspected at a BMW garage.

 

The seller of my 530i from here:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1249166182

Is awesome and got his own inspection done at his local garage which are ostensibly European car specialists. They missed quite a few BMW specific things (broken sensors and such...) 

Now, like I said, I looked at 11 other cars before even deciding to get one of them inspected, I used the method from this video:

and used the checklist as my personal pre-purchase check.

Only one of the 12 made it to the point I took it to Bellars and whilst the inspection itself cost ~$220, I managed to knock off a lot more than that off the cost.

Take it for what you will, but I can't recommend that inspection service enough.

[hotwire 352]

^^^^ An E30 is much much more simplistic than an E39 so no where near as many traps to fall into.

That said, as Jon alludes to - this car has been seriously dicked with & possibly/likely not well done - judged on it's condition.

I would add - I think it is severely over priced too. I recently got for my son a NZ new, near mint condition, totally original/un molested, high specced, 1990 325i at just over 5k & with a substantial service history. Admittedly auto (about to convert with a correct G 260 kit that i have) & no M tech 2 (bugger) but is a far superior car to this one.

[MD13 494]

On 2/2/2017 at 1:20 AM, jeremy said:

if i was to daily this in the city, would it be practical in terms of fuel usage and just general wear and tear? what sort of milage would i be looking at to 100ks? also on cold mornings how long would it take to get this thing started?
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/auction-1245268223.htm

Looking at your original questions:

1. Not honda practical but a lot more fun

2. The m20 is an old engine and not that fuel economic. I had a 325 some years ago and I think it was somewhere around 12l\100km... Memory isn't that flash though :-)

3. In a garage I'd expect it to start first time everytime. If you are going to leave the poor old thing on the road for days at a time without driving it then it might take a few cranks.

If you are mechanically minded or have a good relationship with your euro mechanic then go have a look. It's looks to me like a reshell - probably due to crash damage or rust. If done well then good fun. Check Thoroughly!

[Mark 178]

My 325i does about 12l/100km - running on 98 BP that works out at about 27c per kilometre in fuel costs.

Also, you'll get a bloody strong left thigh dailying a manual E30 in Auckland traffic.

 

 

 

[BM WORLD 1283]

used to daily my old 86 e28 m535i 3.5L m30 when it was stock  from papakura to mt eden daily

stock tall gearing 3.07 diff and torquey motor and lightish body

would get 11.5L per 100km 

and on a trip 8L per 100km

my old e36 and e46 328ci 5spd doesn't get any better really