How much should I pay for this e30?: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Feb. 6, 2012 12:12 p.m. toad9977 New Reader

So I found what I would believe to be a really good starting place for an e30 project car but I'm not sure about the price tag. It's an '85 325e minus engine, trans and all of the non important interior (head liner, carpet, rear seat) and it has no rust on it. The guy want s $1000 for it but when I looked at it yesterday he said he would take offers as he wants it gone. Being originally from Green Bay and just moving down to Chicago, seeing a rust free e30 is somewhat of a rarity so to me the $1000 price tag doesn't seem to bad. Am I out of my mind? Is my euro s52 swap idea corrupting me into thinking this car is better than what it is?

So for the 165483665498 time I will raise the question, "What would GRM do?"

BTW, here is the craigslist post. http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/cto/2830474107.html
Feb. 6, 2012 12:15 p.m. DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork

I'd start at $500...
Feb. 6, 2012 12:17 p.m. singleslammer New Reader

Rust free is awesome but since it is the 325e that means that it has the 2.79 or 2.93 rear end so that needs to be swapped. If you are dead set on an E30 than this is a good one since it isn't cancerous but that price tag is STEEP. I would offer 500 for it. That is ONLY because of rust. Much more than that and you are better off flying south and driving a running rust free e30 back for 1K.
Feb. 6, 2012 12:25 p.m. oldtin SuperDork

Orbitz says there are $58 one-way tickets from Chicago to Atlanta. Get a complete, working $1500ish southern car, sell those non-important bits to someone who wants to keep their e30 looking good for the road and claw back some money.

What's hard to tell from the pics are what's missing that you're going to need that's going to be a pain or $ to replace. Maybe just me, but for a project, I'd rather start from whole even if I'm going to rip it apart.
Feb. 6, 2012 12:26 p.m. Apexcarver SuperDork

I bought a running 86 325e 4 door with rough paint, little to no rust and great interior (besides cracked dash) for $600 a few years back. I fixed up the engine a bit and did a craptastic spraybomb on it and sold it for $800 last year.

$500 is doable, but could be generous. Depends if its what you really want.
Feb. 6, 2012 12:46 p.m. stuart in mn SuperDork

$500 sounds a lot better to me.
Feb. 6, 2012 3:04 p.m. irish44j Dork

in context, I recently picked up a running, driving 318i, with only the slightest bit of rust, for $1000. And that included a good-running M10 engine (not exactly awesom, but it still drives), a spare engine, a spare transmission, 10 total wheels (including four "Euroweaves" that go for $500 by themselves), and a whole SUV-full of spare parts.

As stated before, i don't think I'd pay $1000 for an e30 with no drivetrain unless the body and interior are truly in great condition.

Also, how do you know it has "no rust" on it? I've found small rust sections on my e30 that I didn't find when I did my initial (pretty complete) full inspection of the car. Did you check out the car in person, or is that just what the owner says?
Feb. 6, 2012 3:19 p.m. oldtin SuperDork

$1500 running m20/auto 78k - seems like there's over $1000 you could recoup on it. http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/cto/2815937780.html

e36 abandoned drift car project - shell w/coilovers + drivetrain $750 (not sure if it actually included the drivetrain). http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/cto/2825364679.html
Feb. 6, 2012 3:20 p.m. toad9977 New Reader

I was kind of figuring that $1000 was pretty steep but like I said I don't really see too many rust free e30s up this way. I did check it out yesterday and it is rust free. There is a little bit of surface rust on the front fenders from where some paint peeled away when the owner rolled the fenders. No rust on the floor pans or in the trunk by the spare tire well or battery. I'll shoot him an offer to see if I can get him down to $500. I guess I just saw it and liked it since i was going to replace the engine and trans anyway.
Feb. 6, 2012 3:31 p.m. mr2peak Reader

Last shell I bought cost me $300, '87 325e with a seized head (cracked oil pan) but everything was in it's rightful place.. Don't forget you also have to get the shell back to your garage..

Think about how much effort it will take to get the interior back together and then make a decision. If the effort doesn't bother you, maybe it's better to find a car with a blown engine and part out the engine to fund the S52 swap.