Opinion on price?

[kavinsky]

I'm looking to pick up a project car to pass the time and I found this craigslist ad:

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/da...112440331.html

I haven't been able to actually look at the car yet. But, assuming that the description in the listing is accurate, what's a fair price for the car?

[1996 328ti]

Hard to believe it has only 55379 miles.
What are you expecting for $800?
Guess it also depends on what interior parts is needed.

[MINIz guy]

Buy it. Strip it out and sell the rest of the interior. Fix the clutch.

You're well on the way to a GRM $2014 challenge car!

[kavinsky]

Originally Posted by 1996 328ti

Hard to believe it has only 55379 miles.
What are you expecting for $800?
Guess it also depends on what interior parts is needed.

I agree with you on the mileage. That was a red flag for me. Otherwise, I'm just looking for a solid engine, transmission (except the clutch, obviously) and frame/suspension, which shouldn't be a problem if the car actually only has 55k miles. Interior doesn't bother me all that much, I'm interested in taking on something a little more involved.

[kavinsky]

Originally Posted by MINIz guy

Buy it. Strip it out and sell the rest of the interior. Fix the clutch.

You're well on the way to a GRM $2014 challenge car!

Depending on what's left to strip from the interior, I may just do that. Who knows, maybe I'll do an engine swap.

[kavinsky]

I took a closer look at the pictures, and it appears to at least have front seats, a back bench, and a steering wheel, which is a start.

[zoner]

Run a car CARFAX on it and see if you can find any discrepancy with the mileage- as an OBD-I car, it would be really easy to swap out the cluster for a lower mileage one. I have a spare cluster that reads approx. 77k miles... it would real easy to swap into a 1995 and if no one bothered to investigate, I just sold you a 77k mile 19 year-old car!

[John Firestone]

Originally Posted by zoner

Run a car CARFAX on it and see if you can find any discrepancy with the mileage- as an OBD-I car, it would be really easy to swap out the cluster for a lower mileage one....

It is easy to swap out the cluster on any E36 as the cluster alone holds the mileage. An original cluster is also pretty easy to roll back. To give you an idea of how easy, before the practice was outlawed, a typical rate to change the mileage was 50 euros, about $70 at the current exchange rate.

I would sceptically examine a car's records and physical condition before I would believe the odometer reading.

[kavinsky]

Thank you all for your input. I finally spoke over the phone with the seller and he revealed to me that the car actually had in excess of 200,000 miles on it. Makes me wonder why he originally advertised only 50,000. Either way, I'm steering clear of this one and am looking at another one that was actually listed on here.

It's a charity auction car. Here's the link, if anyone is interested.
http://www.charitycarauctions.com/cg...itycar1/69416D

[1996 328ti]

Originally Posted by kavinsky

Thank you all for your input. I finally spoke over the phone with the seller and he revealed to me that the car actually had in excess of 200,000 miles on it. Makes me wonder why he originally advertised only 50,000. Either way, I'm steering clear of this one and am looking at another one that was actually listed on here.

It's a charity auction car. Here's the link, if anyone is interested.
http://www.charitycarauctions.com/cg...itycar1/69416D

Really?

Overheats and smokes

[kavinsky]

Originally Posted by 1996 328ti

Really?

I basically want to swap the engine. I'm probably diving in a little over my head. I don't have a donor car lined up, nor have I ever done serious work on an engine before. All I have going into this is (a little too much) enthusiasm, a somewhat detailed knowledge of how a 318ti fits together, a knack for figuring things out, and the ability to search the internet for DIY guides.

Please let me know if the following thought process is somewhat accurate:

Now, if the engine runs, but overheats and smokes, it's basically worthless. A possible cracked block, or any other number of nasty things could have happened to it, and it's not worth the time or frustration or money to attempt to restore it. That leaves a couple options:
1) Strip the car and part it out
2) Assuming everything else is in good condition, swap the engine
3) Stay far, far away from it.

Which would be the best? Thank you very much for your input.

[tiFreak]

Originally Posted by kavinsky

Now, if the engine runs, but overheats and smokes, it's basically worthless. A possible cracked block, or any other number of nasty things could have happened to it, and it's not worth the time or frustration or money to attempt to restore it.

it's most likely one of the plastic coolant connectors on the side of the block or the back of the head. the part's are cheap, changing them is somewhat difficult but nothing that would make it worth junking the car over

instructions on changing them can be found here: http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=18066

[kavinsky]

Thank you! I'll give that a look and see if I can't get it drivable for the time being.

[spectacula]

good luck with what you decide to purchase

[kavinsky]

Thanks for all your input! I ended up purchasing the '97 M-Sport at auction with a questionable engine. It's everything I wanted in a ti: gorgeous looks, manuals trans, super clean body and interior, and a little bit of work required to make it shine again. I'm looking to swap in an M52B28 and make her fast.. I'm very happy with how things worked out. I'll be posting updates as things progress!