93 BMW 318is $400 obo - good deal?

[Raduque]

There's a CL posting locally for a 93 BMW 318is that needs part on it's engine put together. The ad says the intake and valve cover is off. The lady's asking $400 obo for it. Is this worth it? It has leather, sunroof and a manual, but she has no idea how many miles.

 

[jlee]

Pictures? Rust? Overall condition?

If it's mint and just needs the intake and valve cover put back on, you're probably in business with a few $ in gaskets and 15 minutes. That's a pretty vague description...

 

[Raduque]

I emailed asking for more info, but all the info from the craigslist ad is in my post.

 

[BW86]

:camera:'s?

 

[Zenmervolt]

There are few things that cost more than cheap German cars... Ask me how I know...

More seriously, as others have said there's just not enough information to go on. One thing that important is how long the car has been sitting in that condition. If it's been like that for a couple of years and mice have made a home on the camshaft, it's not going to be as simple as just putting the valve cover back on.

ZV

 

[angry hampster]

Depends how long the valve cover has been off.

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
There are few things that cost more than cheap German cars... Ask me how I know...


ZV

I'd read about that and believe me, I'm hoping it's not much more that a "slap it back together, change the fluids, let 'er rip and hope for the best".

 

[GTaudiophile]

I would be careful about the M42 engine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M42

My parents had a 1991 318is and experienced two such broken gaskets in one year, each replaced at around $3K a pop! In short, it was a lemon, and they sold it and never bought another BMW.

Edit: http://www.unofficialbmw.com/a...rofile_gasket_faq.html

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: Raduque

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
There are few things that cost more than cheap German cars... Ask me how I know...


ZV

I'd read about that and believe me, I'm hoping it's not much more that a "slap it back together, change the fluids, let 'er rip and hope for the best".

:laugh:


Yea good luck with that.

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
I would be careful about the M42 engine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M42

My parents had a 1991 318is and experienced two such broken gaskets in one year, each replaced at around $3K a pop! In short, it was a lemon, and they sold it and never bought another BMW.

Edit: http://www.unofficialbmw.com/a...rofile_gasket_faq.html

Egads, that's horrible.

I'm thinking this might be why the engine was torn apart. I think I'll just pass on it.

 

[Arkaign]

BMW inline 6's are pretty darned solid for the most part. I haven't heard the same praise for their 4-bangers.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Pull that boat anchor of an engine and put in an LS1.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Pull that boat anchor of an engine and put in an LS1.

lol, that made me find this, E30 with a Chevy small block running 10.2 in Poland, being edged by an even-faster Vette.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY_d_HXKMe0

That poor BMW, it looks insanely riced, but it's got the juice. 10.2 in the 1/4 is blazing.

 

[Black88GTA]

There was a website where a guy was detailing his progress on swapping a V8 into a mid-90s 3 series, with tons of pics and descriptions, etc...I don't remember the url, but it was quite a read. Last I saw it hadn't been completed yet, but I haven't looked at it since last year sometime. Wonder if he ever finished it.

 

[luckysnafu]

Originally posted by: Raduque

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
I would be careful about the M42 engine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M42

My parents had a 1991 318is and experienced two such broken gaskets in one year, each replaced at around $3K a pop! In short, it was a lemon, and they sold it and never bought another BMW.

Edit: http://www.unofficialbmw.com/a...rofile_gasket_faq.html

Egads, that's horrible.

I'm thinking this might be why the engine was torn apart. I think I'll just pass on it.

How many miles are on the car? If it's over 100k, which it probably is, the profile gasket had to have been changed by now. I have a 1991 318is with the m42 engine and haven't had problems with it. I have no proof the profile gasket was changed but know it must have been based on the mileage of the car. I would suspect the gasket was changed on the car you are interested in.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

24 hours of Lemons candidate!

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
There was a website where a guy was detailing his progress on swapping a V8 into a mid-90s 3 series, with tons of pics and descriptions, etc...I don't remember the url, but it was quite a read. Last I saw it hadn't been completed yet, but I haven't looked at it since last year sometime. Wonder if he ever finished it.

That swap is actually pretty common, and video and web searches turn up lots of results, with various degrees of success for the swaps.

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: luckysnafu

Originally posted by: Raduque

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
I would be careful about the M42 engine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M42

My parents had a 1991 318is and experienced two such broken gaskets in one year, each replaced at around $3K a pop! In short, it was a lemon, and they sold it and never bought another BMW.

Edit: http://www.unofficialbmw.com/a...rofile_gasket_faq.html

Egads, that's horrible.

I'm thinking this might be why the engine was torn apart. I think I'll just pass on it.

How many miles are on the car? If it's over 100k, which it probably is, the profile gasket had to have been changed by now. I have a 1991 318is with the m42 engine and haven't had problems with it. I have no proof the profile gasket was changed but know it must have been based on the mileage of the car. I would suspect the gasket was changed on the car you are interested in.

Well, I'll never know. The lady didn't reply to me email, and nobody's picking up at the number provided. Ah well, I already have one money-sink I'm trying to get rid of, I don't really need another.