Need advice on buying 1992 BMW 525i

[pacem]

Looking at this 1992 525i sedan, 5 speed manual, 208K miles on the clock.

It needs clutch, power window motor and probably a tune up.

I think I can do it all myself.

The repair shop wants it out from its parking lot so the owner has to either sell it quick or have it donated.

My question is what would be a fair offer for this 525i considering the work involved.
Or is this project not worth messing with?

The engine initially ran rough after a month of non-starting but then smoothed out, the exhaust seemed rich but no white smoke. I don't know how good compression is or anything like that.

The body seems pretty good with no major dents or rust.
The interior is poor but I am more concerned with mechanics than cosmetics.

I couldn't take very good pics but here is the best I could do.

 

[Chris142]

Run!

Well in my opinoin I sure wouldn't want to own one. I'd lowball em with $200. Maybe you can clean it up and sell it asap before it shows it's heritage and begins to dollar you to death.

 

[duaneb9729]

i dont know bmw's at all, but i have done what your considering.

when i did this, i looked at what could i get for the car should i need to part it out, an example would be could i get five hundred dollars for the parts should i need to part it out? then i would offer $150 to $200.

i am not saying that is the right offer.

but leave yourself enough room in case you get into the repairs and discover there is something expensive to do on it. more than you are willing to do.

judging from the inside of the car, it hasnt had much care in a long time.

you also might want to check on a bmw forum and see what sort of advice those folks have for you.

good luck
Duane

 

[PT1]

Looks like my kids were in the back seat

But also looks like a good "project car" if you are into that. Like others said...lowball to take it off their hands.

KBB says:

Condition Value


Excellent
$2,510

Good
$2,135

Fair
$1,660

Since this car is in "poor" condition I would estimate

 

[SilverC6]

Expensive car and expensive to repair and maintain.

If the owner gave it to you, you'll be spending a lot to get it going.

My wife is driving an '06 525i. It is likely the best car I have ever driven. It feels better that my '05 Vette in a corner (but the Vette is much faster).

I won't be owning the BMW after the 100,000 mile extended warranty is gone.

Factory brake service is $1200-$1400 an axle.

 

[XS650]

What a sad fall from grace.

I with whoever said offer him what the junk yard would pay him if they towed it from that spot plus $100 if you really want it.

It might be a fun project, or it might be a money pit that wouldn't be worth it if he gave it to you. Your call.

 

[VK56VD]

I would probably stay away unless you get the car for $100 and willing to do the work yourself to get it going? The thing needs a very good clean up. If you want a project car, go for it.

Check all the hoses first since critters love to eat at them when a car has been sitting for a long time.

It may also not be worth it. You can probably find a similar one in excellent running condition with records for a couple of grand. It may be worth to buy this one as a parts car as others have mentioned and part it out on a BMW forum of that vintage.

This car has met is fate unfortunately as someone did not appreciate and provide it with the care it deserves. The owner was definitely not a BITOGER.

 

[pacem]

Thanks for the comments...

Spartuss, you hit the nail on the head, the oil has not been changed in 10K miles...(and I doubt very much it's synthetic).

To clarify, the car does not run . The owner said about donation / write off but even that seems doubtful.

Old BMW turn into money pits quickly. Suspension being one example of expensive stuff and I don' t have any repair records for it.

I am in Wash. DC area and the shop quoted the owner $2500 to fix it (Clutch, power windows, not that much work really on the surface at least). So obviously the repair costs exceed vehicle cost.

It would cost me $75 just to tow it.

 

[sprintman]

I own a BMW. Run away from this as fast as you can as you have no idea what you are letting yourself in for.

 

[pacem]

I had an '87 325i that was a real money pit.. half the car was replaced and yet more and more stuff kept breaking.

But this is a newer generation, maybe it got better?

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: pacem
I had an '87 325i that was a real money pit.. half the car was replaced and yet more and more stuff kept breaking.

But this is a newer generation, maybe it got better?
Nope. They are garbage IMO.

 

[02Pilot]

A properly maintained BMW is capable of going on to very high mileage without enormous cost; a neglected BMW will continue taking money out of your wallet until it is all gone, then ask for your first-born. I say this having owned five BMWs, none less than seven years old or under 100k miles at time of purchase; one ran to 238k miles before rust killed it (mechanically it was still in excellent shape). They are wonderful cars, but you need to choose carefully buying used. Unless you do your own work and like projects, this one's not for you.

 

[MrCritical]

This one will kill you on parts prices alone.

Keep walking.

 

[02Pilot]

In looking more closely at the pics, the body does seem very straight, and it appears to have a cloth interior, which is not exactly common. If you could get some compression numbers and maybe pull the valve cover, you'd have at least some idea on the engine. The M50s are pretty stout, so anything short of a black goopy mess will probably be salvageable. As to the maintenance level of the previous owner, one generally reliable indicator is the brake fluid. BMW specs a two year flush interval; if it's fairly clean looking, the car was probably maintained.

If you did all the work yourself and the engine was in decent shape (why doesn't it start?), you might have an interesting project. You'd be looking at pretty much a full suspension and probably a cooling system, plus some ancillary bits. Maybe 1800-2000 worth of parts to start with. Not really worth it from a purely monetary standpoint, but if you really like the car and get lucky with no other major failures, it's not completely out of the question. Better if you can get them to give it to you free for taking the time to drag it away.

 

[pacem]

The engine does start... It's just the car sat for a month.

When it did, I saw that the exhaust was pretty rich.

It appears I would have to do:

1. The clutch (Not that expensive, several hundred $ I think) but time consuming
2. Power window motor - take the door apart,
3. Replace the entire interior with leather - how much at the junk yard? Probably a few hundred?

 

[ksJoe]

If you do it, start with the just the clutch. Once its roadworthy drive it a couple months. If it seems ok mechanically, then buy the window motor, interior, etc.

 

[ZZman]

http://www.kbb.com/KBB/UsedCars/PricingR...QuizConditions=

 

[pacem]

Thanks for the advice. I came to the conclusion that I should offer something like $200 for it. In the worst case, I can part it out.

 

[VK56VD]

Keep us updated!

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: pacem
Thanks for the advice. I came to the conclusion that I should offer something like $200 for it. In the worst case, I can part it out.


That sounds like a good amount to offer as long as you know what you are getting into and can do most of the work yourself.

I saw some good advice earlier in the thread, take care of the clutch and get it drivable before you put any money into non-essentials like the power window or the interior. No sense investing in fru-fru stuff until you are sure it's a keeper.