Would you save this unicorn? (E39 wagon content)

http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/4809173858.html

This guy has had this manual E39 wagon listed for about two months now. It was initially at $4500 and the price has been slipping week by week to its current point. I'm tempted to show up with $3k cash and see if he goes for it.

It will obviously need fuel level senders, and it looks like new rear air springs would be in order too. But, depending on the summer wheels/tires included and the other details, it could be worth it.

GRM, what would you do? Would you step in to save this unicorn? (I have had many BMWs and worked on my dad's E39 regularly so I am well aware of their needs, just wondering if the manual wagon-ness is skewing my thought process...)

Rust would determine my answer.

If you are close go see the rust.

If not, ask for detailed pictures of all the rusty spots plus under the car. As noted above rust would be the determining factor for me.

Look carefully underneath. If its solid enjoy your unicorn.

Definitely worth investigating if you're close. You could fix it up, drive it awhile and sell it at a price that would probably pay you back at least 100% of your investment (minus time).

Going to look at it tomorrow.

if only I was closer....

Seems like a good price, hopefully the rust is minimal.

Check my E39 refurbish project in the Builds forum to see all the little stuff that goes wrong on these cars over time and with differed maintenance. I'd say $3000 is a good price for that if you can get it and it doesn't have a whole host of issues wrong with it.

Do you want a wagon because you want a wagon or do you want a wagon because everyone says that wagons are cool? I still don't get the wagon thing. I mean, I'd rather have a wagon than an SUV, but that's about as far as the wagon want goes with me.

Pretty car. Def should buy it and drive it for many years!

I want to swap my 540i/6 gear into a 540T.

E39s don't rust. That is why they have such a reputation for "the little things", it's because the car doesn't dissolve first.

Kind of like how we keep discovering new diseases that kill us in our 80s. It's because the things that used to kill people in their 30s and 40s are now relatively trivial.

I have an e39 525iT manual. It took 2 years to find it, and while it was under 100k and had the options I wanted - sport/lowered suspension, 17" style 5 wheels, small sunroof, the simpler HVAC system - it cost WAY more than you're looking at. Like more than double.

I've done a clutch, an accessory belt idler, valve cover gasket, oil seperator+lines, cam position sensors, a new ribbin cable on the OBC display and a blower resistor. Maybe a few other little things. But it's pretty much dialed in and it drives like new, and it's the perfect daily.

One of my favorite cars I've owned was a 1999 528it sport with a manual. Fun car that is useful too.

Adding photo to make you want. Note: previous owner added M5 front and M Technich T rear bumper shells.

aaaaaaand its gone.