Hi all,

I know there are a few BMW guys here, and I need a little help.

I'm looking at a 1988 BMW 325. It looks to be in very good shape. It has 174,000kms, a 4 door, dark grey. I talked to the owner last night, and he said that it was imported from Germany around 10 years ago, so it's an actual euro-spec car. It has some sort of Sport Suspension package, and it's a lot lower than stock. It sounds like the suspension is stock, but I'm not too sure. The owner also tells me that he had the car dyno'd and it came in at 195hp, I'm assuming at the rear wheels.

There's been quite a bit of work done to it. New rad, all engine seals replaced, timing belt and water pump done, all new bushings in the front, new exhaust, and some other stuff that I forget right now.

It has no power options, I'm not sure if it has A/C or cruise.

He's asking $7000CAN for it. Would that be a reasonable price? Would it being a euro model make it more or less desirable, and would parts be tougher to get? Are there any trouble spots with these cars?

I plan to take it for a drive next week. I'll try and post some pics as well.

All thoughts appreciated.

That is too high, I had a 89 325 and sold it with the same amount of miles. At that point they start to nickel and dime you to death. I would not buy one with that many miles on it. You are only asking to spend a lot of money on something that is only so so in performance. I also think he is lying about the dyno but i could be wrong. Stock they were only about 145HP. They go pretty good. If he is putting that kind of power out of it, he has modified the engine and I would not be surprised if it will have problems very soon. 7K is way too high for an 88. I can get a mid 90's or even newer for that here.

As for trouble spots? Check the transmission driveshaft coupler, they are very common to go out and when they do, it is catastophic. You could wind up replacing the transmission and that is not cheap either. The coupler is pretty much the same on all of them, some are a bit larger than the others and they are not very easy to change out. Expensive to have done too since they have to remove the exhaust system and everything to get them out. The part itself is only about 50 to 60 buck. The labor will be around 300. Again, I would pass on it.

Yo Dude
Thats some primo $$
It has too be something else...what are regular 325 going for in your area ?
Last summer I bought a 91 with a blown motor, very good body for 500$, sold it retail for 4500$... prices are really low in the Belle Province...
This winter I refused to pay 11K for a 1997

Check these things...
Shifter is a fuckass $$$ = loose
Front shock towers rust = hell hole X 2
Front end and brake parts are dirt cheap.

As myself...we take what we can get sometimes.

Good luck
Joe

Ask if the head bolts have been replaced. 88/89s had problems with them breaking. Driveshafts are rebuildable ONLY by specialists, and are major bux. Listen to the differential, they get noisy. Cams begin to go flat around that mileage if the oil hasn't been regularly changed. BTW, I think only the "is" came with the sport package, and they were all 2 doors IIRC. The Cap'n

I agree, it sounds like a lot of money. I saw a cherry '89 325is on craigslist a few weeks ago for $4K (US). I've always wanted to get a 325is of that vintage. If and when I need another daily driver and if I can find a lower mileage example I'd go for it. I think I'd avoid grey market cars as well. At least with 911s you always hear that mileage is undocumentable. It's theorized that a lot of those cars were clean but higher mileage cars with odometers rolled back.

I used to have a 320i. I found it easy to work on, well designed and durable, but at 125K+ miles you end up replacing a lot of small stuff. I drove the 320 for 8 years and 80K miles and probably replaced:

radiator, hoses, and thermostat
heater core (twice)
heater valve
heater blower motor,
voltage regulator
muffler (twice)
ignition switch
wheel bearings
brake cylinders (rebuilt)
brakes a few times
new brake rotors and drums once
brake master cylinder
clutch master cylinder
clutch
"horse hair" in seats was starting to deteriorate
fuel pump

I eventually got rid of it, not because it wasn't still a reliable car but because I was simply tired of working on my daily driver every other weekend. Maybe that's an exageration but a couple times a month I'd have to fiddle with something and then every 3 or 4 months I probably had an all-day Saturday project to perform on it. That included oils changes and maintenance as well but still I've probably had to spend a Saturday working on my current daily driver VW Jetta 3 or 4 times in 11 years.

Unless he can come up with all the work done to the engine, 195 RWHP is total BS, if he claiming that's at the flywheel, it's still more the the US spec E30 M3. It is only 15-20HP short of my E36 M3. 7K it too high and these things are everywhere.

never been too much of a BMW fan, however, if I won the Lotto, the new M5 might get the nod to occupy my garage before a new P-car

the new M5, "only" 500HP

There are many, newer ones for less.

but as stated already, my 1991 3 series began to nickel and dime me. Translate that into BMW language and it turns into "dollar and more dollar" you to death.

I did however put almost 300K miles on her before donating her to childerens cancer non profit.

She'd still go 135MPH and get there pretty quick.

I replaced her with a newer Tacoma 4X4 and the 914...

I knew a guy that had been a BMW mechanic at a dealer. He told me the joke in the shop was BMW stands for "Bring much wallet".

I understand that 914 calipers fit on them for a quick upgrade.

QUOTE (larryp @ Jun 3 2005, 04:17 AM)

I understand that 914 calipers fit on them for a quick upgrade.

LOL!

That's pretty pricey - I just picked up an 89 325is for 2K. 175,000 miles, 2 owner - religiously maintained. It's still a solid car, but I'm doing some looking over it to make sure everything is up to snuff.

I think the rear end is a little loose, like there is some slop in the R/P.

They made 168hp at the flywheel out of the factory. That's a hotrod to get that much at the rear wheels...





Tom

QUOTE (toecutter @ Jun 3 2005, 03:50 AM)

I knew a guy that had been a BMW mechanic at a dealer. He told me the joke in the shop was BMW stands for "Bring much wallet".

I always heard that BMW = Big Money Waste

Hey Mike, If the owner brought it over from Germany it had to meet Canadian specs, many of us military guys did just that and tried to ship engine components etc. separately to then try to duplicate European perf. If this is really imported from Germany there will be paperwork, customs stuff, etc. As far as BMW's are concerned I have one, 528 e, great car, daily driver, 300 k plus, trouble free, just normal maintenance. The price is a bit high but remember our friends south of the border think in US dollars, do a conversion, then ask the ques. again. Rust free is a biggy and you being in Sask. it should be real good. Check if the rubber bushings are getting dried out, replacing them really brings the ride back to how it should be. Call me if you want.

Ian Stott
Moncton

I have a 90 325is, has the sport suspension and LSD rear diff, and it is not that low. I bought mine for $4300 two years ago with 119K on the clock and all the records. I also had a very similar car bought out from under me for $4400 while I was looking, so that seems to be the magic price point, and this was for the IS which is the car everyone wants. I have been seeing regular 325i's go in the 2-3K range.

I would be cautious with all those upgrades and the big power claim unless you know who did the work.

Outside of that, these are great cars, are known to go well over 200K if maintained, they handle good and make decent power, and you can do most the maintaince yourself.

Good luck,

Tony

QUOTE (mike_the_man @ Jun 2 2005, 03:57 PM)

All thoughts appreciated.

I'd say pass on it, and keep looking

Thanks for all the replies. The car is $7000CAN, which is about $5600US, so I'm not sure if that makes much of a difference to any of the replies. It also has 174,00kms which is about 109,000 miles. Doesn't seem to high to me. Also, being in Saskatchewan, the market is a little different than somewhere like Cali. European cars tend to go for a bit more money, but the price may still be high.

I though 190hp seemed pretty high as well, so I'll see if I can get any more details on that. I think I'll probably pass on it though. I would have to sell my S4 to buy this, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to do that.

Thanks for the help.

QUOTE (mike_the_man @ Jun 4 2005, 06:30 PM)

I would have to sell my S4 to buy this, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to do that.

Nooooooooooo. Don't sell the s4, its definately cooler than the bimmer