On the hunt for a 318ti. Is shipping a car a good idea?

[iregret]

I'm located in Oregon. I've been on the look out for a decent 318ti for the last month or so. Prices seem to be all over the place. I am somewhat picky though. I'd prefer white, and it has to be a stick shift. Almost all the ones I've seen are automatics.

I need a reliable daily driver while I finish my turbo 6.0L in my silverado. After that's done, I'd like to swap a 4.8L with ls1 intake and accessory drive mated to a T56 6 speed. I'm aiming for gas mileage and am familiar with GM's LS series engines. I'm not overly concerned with 50/50 weight distribution. It's about gas mileage and reliability.

I'm looking for something I can drive for a few years with proper maintenance while I collect parts. I figure I can upgrade suspension and brakes in the meantime.

So I haven't had the best of luck sourcing the proper car in the Pacific Northwest. I've found a few potential candidates in California though.

I've been told to try to source a 1995 model specifically. They said to was the easiest for the swap. I do not have emissions so I'm not sure if model year really matters that much.

I've found a 1995 318ti in Georgia. It has 100k on it and is white with tan interior.

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...Index=14&Log=0

I have a real problem buying a car I can't check out for myself. I've contacted the seller and the assured me the cars in good shape and said they're near an airport and it isn't much of a drive.

Some of these reviews are pretty alarming though.

http://www.dealerrater.com/dealer/Mo...-review-19085/

Thoughts?

[jca]

Why don't you ask the dealer to take some more pictures on a cell phone and send them to you? I bought my ti only having seen pics of it, but the photos were numerous and high quality.

[pdxmotorhead]

95 is OBD1 so its mildly simpler than a later car. Wedging a LS in the TI is not for the faint of heart, its a tight fit. I have a 95 that may go on the market in Nov but its a black 5 spd. and we raised 2 kids in it so the interior is not pristine will need new front seats and its got 200K on it.. It recently got demoted from Wifes DD to my DD when we bought a E46.. Better mileage than my Jeep.

Dave

[BRADESTAR]

I've been on top of the Seattle and Portland Craigslist market pretty well since March, almost daily. I think that you could probably find what you are looking for locally if you have some patience and would be willing to comprimise on some things. Right now is the skimpiest I've seen on CL.

You could always buy one local whilst gathering parts and keeping your eye out for your White Whale.

Run the Carfax and if it satisfies I wouldn't be ascared to ship from just pictures. People do that all the time, on some auction site.....forgot the name.

I don't see what the big deal is about that white one there tho....

[iregret]

It's a 95' and it's white. No big deal otherwise. My only real requirement is that it's a 5 speed. I'm going to end up changing the suspension anyway.

I've found a white 95' in Sacramento. It's got 400k+ on it. Engine needs a water pump and head gasket. I'm thinking I could drive down there and tow it home. A replacement m42 is around 975.00. I could swap the engine and start collecting LS swap parts.

BMW M42 1.8L Engine for E36 318 318i 318is 318ic

http://bit.ly/19HSyx6

It would actually work out where I could probably just pick the engine up when I picked the car up.

I'm not in a super hurry, I'm just tired of 14mpg with my silverado. Plus I've got a n2o kit waiting for installation, and the 6.0L turbo setup waiting for a swap.

I need a daily driver so I can get back to my truck.

[dhb210]

I'm selling my 1998 318Ti DARK GREEN which has 175k miles on it. I just spent $6000 in past 6 months and higher if you include past 3 yrs of repairs. A few dealers have offered me $1000 for it. I'd like to get more. Car is currently in Maine and is unregistered but passed inspection in May. I believe the car needs further work since radiator blew twice recently but only on hot summer days in bumper to bumper traffic. I think now that it is cold season it won't have trouble. If you're interested please let me know

[zoner]

Be patient- the right one will come along that doesn't require you to ship it, travel far, or swap engines...

[iregret]

I've been keeping watch! I'm probably going to have to venture down to California to get a reasonable deal though. They seem to be pretty scarce in the Northwest.

[BRADESTAR]

About a week ago there was a great looking Grey TI in the Seattle area and I thought of you. It was priced around $3500 and was stick. Should have sent you a PM. It seemed to be on CL for the full week so with luck it will come back. If I see it again I'll post it here.

Your right about a lack of TI's in the area. I think because there was big money here during the manufacture years that folks passed over this entry level rig.

They are around, but I looked for a while and endid up shipping mine here and couldn't be more pleased. I got a '98 cali active for $3100 and the shipping was another $1200, from Florida. Across the friggin country. Still feel like I made out well for what people are asking around here for some beat stuff.

Your best bet might be to try to convince PDX. November is about a week away.

[raamaudio]

The key things to watch for are rust and frame damage, also a very high mileage car will not hold up the the added weight and power of an LS swap as well as a low mileage car.

Shipping has gotten incredibly expensive, I bought a solid running local car for less than a salvage wreck plus shipping.

That said, I have a green 5 speed, sunroof, 120k miles, zero rust, zero frame damage, newer clutch and shocks, etc...car I will be selling as soon as I finish swapping int the black interior from my other ti, I bought it to get the gray interior I wanted.

This is the kind of car you want to buy for the long term, not a worn out, rusted, damaged car, it will be far less costly and a far less headache over time, not much time at that either.

It as some parts store shocks on it but I have a set of Bilstien shocks and springs(one shock is blown) I could put on it for a moderate cost as well.

If I was going to stay in my home and keep my shop, I have a loaded shop with a lift, metal fab tools, tubing bender........I would do an LS swap into it as I have a forged LS1 sitting here. I am selling out nearly everything I have and going full time RV with the CE edition 300HP S52 in the back of the trailer though.

Good day
Rick
801-829-4997
Morgan Utah, an easy flight and drive back home, costs less than shipping.

[BRADESTAR]

Check it out! I found the Grey TI I was talking about in the earlier post.

http://www.bmwpugetsound.com/vbb/sho...ighlight=318ti

Good deal, huh........Now I'm talking to the guy that bought it.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/pts/4180339661.html

Smash, smash another one bites the dust. He says everything is still there. Who wants to go in on this with me. I don't need much, just have a problem passing up deals.

[pdxmotorhead]

Dang bad timing for me or I'd be all over it I could use the interior badly..

Dave