Just bought this - 1989 BMW 320I touring

[RedSparrow]

Just bought this with a hangover:

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260649779936

 

I'm going to collect first thing tomorrow.

Someone reassure me that I've done the right thing!

[dollywobbler]

Well, considering my internal barometer was saying '£700,' you've done ok as long as it's not got a serious problem! They're nice and I'd like one.

[Torsten2001]

Ha Ha Ha!

[trigger]

I can't see any reason to reassure you, It looks very nice, Good spec model with PAS, sensible mileage and lots of mot, I can't see any problem there at all, You wouldn't loss any money on it at that price neither.

[Parky]

German build quality, easy spares availability, a bit of space in the back for bits of chod and OMG RWD GR8 4 DRFTN 111111!!!!!!ROFL!!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, deffo a decent purchase RS. Looks pretty straight and original and should make a decent smoker. And I hope the hangover clears!

[Torsten2001]

actually I'm sure it'll be fine

 

couldn't you have bought a Marina or sumfink shite?

[RedSparrow]

Cheers lads. I think I'm just having some booze-related paranoia.

 

I've wanted something like this for a while - estate but not too huge and good enough to use as a daily. Not really shite though, sorry!

 

It's a 55 mile drive home tommorrow so that will be the acid test.

[pogweasel]

My experiences with 6-cylinder BMW's are not filled with joy but with hideous wallet-emptying terror.

GR8 4 drftn though, and by christ do they make a nice noise....

[RedSparrow]

I imagine they're a bit thirsty.

What other common problems are there?

[pogweasel]

HGF!!!

 

bushes, lots of them, ones on the back end are a pig and if left unattended make the car disgusting to drive.

 

rust - bottom of the front wings go from the inside out, battery trays, arches, sills, a-pillars, scuttles...

 

Lots of elderly electrics to become eclectic in their operation...

 

Still, that one does -look- OK...

[hennabm]

NOT so much HGF but head cracking.

 

The M20 motor has a renowned history of head cracking. I've had three of these engines in various motors and everyone of the b****ds has cracked on me at some stage.

 

There's no given age or mileage. I've had one go at 80k; one at 170k and another at 160k.

 

Yet my mate has had one for 18+ years and it has never cracked.

 

But I still love the old E30s

[Pete-M]

I did a double take for a second then.

 

I had this for six months or so a year or so ago.

 

 

325i SE Touring auto. Black leather, aircon, LSD and a few other tasty bits. Cost me £271 to buy, £100 on bits and bobs and lasted a good while of abuse. Sold it to a breaker eventually as no-one wanted it because it was auto and didn't have Sport leather seats.

 

Oh, the head gasket went.

 

Good thing though. Manuals are a lot better on fuel than autos, so you've done well. Never mind that fact that yours looks tidier.

 

If you ever need a dented front passenger door, complete with window etc, there's one in my garage I keep meaning to chuck in the tip.

[woolleyiain]

No. Please don't.

[Cheggers]

Looks like you've done well there...assuming there are no major problems I'd call that a bargain

[Negative Creep]

No. Please don't.

 

I agree. Please save some standard ones from being drifted into the nearest kerb

[scooters]

Just bought this with a hangover:

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260649779936

 

I'm going to collect first thing tomorrow.

Someone reassure me that I've done the right thing!

great buy - lovely things these and looking different enough from the modern ones to stand out - a lot of car for £580

 

well bought

[Alexg]

Great buy! But in not running the TR7 as a daily you loose a few points i'm affraid....

[Peter C]

If it leaks fuel when you fill the tank or you can smell petrol from under the car that will be a split vent pipe. Remove the back seat and cover plate to access the top of the fuel tank. Remove clip from vent pipe, cut a bit off the end of the vent pipe, refit the clip on the vent pipe and job done.

 

Nice car BTW.

 

A couple of years ago I had a two door 325iSE Auto, same colour as yours. That was a cool car.

[RedSparrow]

Ta lads.

There will be absolutely no ratting or pimping of any sort. It will be staying standard. However, fat-bottomed girls are most welcome.

 

Picked it up today.

Drove it 85 miles non stop, didn't miss a beat, no overheating. The coolant light came on, so I topped up the coolant and... it went off. I am not used to things working that smoothly!

 

The economy meter is rather depressing though!

[Pete-M]

Losing coolant is a tad depressing too. Mine did that, first sign of the dreaded HGF I'm afraid.

 

If it manages around 200 miles before the light comes back on it'll probably last a while though. I did about 6000 miles in mine like that, and then it started to steam...

[RedSparrow]

Losing coolant is a tad depressing too. Mine did that, first sign of the dreaded HGF I'm afraid.

 

If it manages around 200 miles before the light comes back on it'll probably last a while though. I did about 6000 miles in mine like that, and then it started to steam...

I thought that might be the case. Ah well, I'll just see how long she lasts.

Is it an expensive/difficult fix then? I have seen talk elsewhere of people drawing comparisons with the beloved k-series...

[pogweasel]

I thought that might be the case. Ah well, I'll just see how long she lasts.

Is it an expensive/difficult fix then? I have seen talk elsewhere of people drawing comparisons with the beloved k-series...

How does £1100 sound.

That's how much mine cost to put right (though it was a 2.5 with some special bits).

[Pete-M]

It's not that bad a job to be honest. Fiddly, but nothing too scary if you've got a little bit of patience. Just takes a while to undo all the little nuts and bolts holding things together. The inlet manifold is a pain if you've not got a decent selection of various length extentions and spanners.

 

I did one on the path without any special tools other than a decent socket set and spanners.

 

Get the head crack tested before you shove it back on. False economy to spend all day swinging spanners only for it to be a cracked head.

 

Takes a while to set the tappets properly, but it's worth spending the extra 40 mins or so to get them spot on. Nothing sounds worse than a rattly BMW sixpot.

[Pete-M]

How does £1100 sound.

That's how much mine cost to put right (though it was a 2.5 with some special bits).

About £500 too much. I charged £600 when I did the last one, and that included crack testing, skimming, oil seals, valve guides and a few other bits and bobs.

[pogweasel]

Aye, maybe it was a bit steep, but it was a very thorough job done by one of the very very few people around here you could trust to do a job like that, and not be doing the same job again within weeks....

[Pete-M]

Truth is, you can DIY it if you've got time.

 

If you've not got time, then they've got you by the taaahn 'alls and BMW main agent prices gives specialists the excuse to charge £50 an hour for a £30 per hour job.

 

The one I did I did for pocket money and took a week between stripping it and putting it back together.

[cms206]

£1100? My mate's just been quoted £1400 for an M42-powered E30 318is...

[Rusty Pelican]

Glad mines got an M10 lump , gutless as it is , Nice looking motor though , estates look better than the saloons IMHO

[Owain-328i]

Splendid. You wont have any trouble with that if you maintain it properly. Yes they can throw a head, or a head gasket, however very often this is down to being overheated in the past due to water pump failiure.

 

First port of call, timing belt, tensioner, water pump, and change all the fluids. Then just do an oil change every 6 months and a coolant flush every 2 years. BMW 6's dont like dirty oil or coolant and dont put up with it for long.

 

Remember that and theres 300k plus miles in that for you.

[RedSparrow]

Receipts show that in the last year its had:

 

Fuel system treatment

Motor Flush

Expansion tank

Water pump

Timing belt

'V' belts (?)

Front suspension arms

 

plus various bushes etc all done by BMW dealers.

 

I'm optimistic, someone has spent loads on it, in the last year alone.