NMNA - comes with a bunch of parts.
why are they always so far away
So the price seems good, but would this be a bad move with no BMW experience?
The price is good. All major parts seem to be there.
Not sure the driver's seat is correct, its a comfort seat and I think that car should have come with sport seats. The passenger seat is aftermarket.
The engine is an "i" engine, so original to the car.
The AC belt is missing, the other two are there ... most likely a bad compressor.
I would buy this car, you can recoup the price by selling the engine and transmission ... or very close to it.
I agree, $1k is a good price for an E30 w/out rust (especially with a title), this will sell quick. The manual swap parts are worth 1k (driveshaft, pedal box, transmission). If it has a limited-slip diff, that's another $400 - $500 (look for an "S" painted on the bottom of the diff. Usually when you see E30s in this price they're ETA (or "e") cars (lower reving, more economics engines), or automatic convertibles.
FYI: you may need some creative ratchet extensions to get some of the transmission bolts put back in. Also, make sure you have the right star-shaped sockets (Harbor Freight is fine). If you can't find a record of the timing belt being done, plan to replace it
I don't think there's anything overly complex about BMWs of this era, or E30s. There are lots of forums and FB groups to find answers to questions, get advice, DIY write-ups etc. The Bentley manual is the best printed manual and it's only $40 on amazon.
I paid $1k for my non-running E30 and replaced the engine myself. I got it running, but it started knocking and threw a rod through the block the first time I left my neighborhood. Turns out the PO had cracked the oil pan and run it out of oil. I had never done anything remotely that complex on a car before and tackled it w/out major issues. Replacing the engine was actually easier than troubleshooting electronics or replacing the subframe bushings (awful). Take your time, plan ahead, be patient.
As noted previously, get the Bentley manual, read it, and almost anything is fixable. For 1k I think it's a heck of a deal.
You'll need to log in to post.
