Possible 1996 318ti project car - Recommendation for PPI in metro Detroit?
 

Reposted (also) from BimmerForums :smile:

Hello,

Total newbie to the forums, live in Chicago and was directed here by a longtime BMW owner Texas friend.

A good friend has his high school & college car, 1996 318ti, sitting in his parents' garage in West Bloomfield. He and his dad are the only ones who ever drove this, and unfortunately it has now been sitting in this garage for almost a decade since the last time it was started. Emphasis underlined, lol

The battery is dead, and his dad has not been able to track down maintenance records to determine the mileage, but I'm assuming it is well under 100k... guessing between 55-65k based on how many years it was driven and the fact it was only ever driven locally.

I'm hoping to find a good shop in metro Detroit where I can have the car towed for a thorough PPI, to determine if the car is feasible for restoration (and figure the necessary budget), ultimately to determine the offer price. Any recommendations or advice are wholly welcome!

Link (only image I have right now)

Miscellaneous:
Car was purchased direct from the factory in Germany and brought back by his dad.
5 speed manual
Has AC, aftermarket CD player
Roll-up windows, no cruise control, otherwise minimal accessories/barebones
Cloth seats