Deciding if I will buy another bimmer

[Kibokojoe]

Found a 91 735i with 111,000+ miles. Body is good very little rust. Couple of small dings. Front dam has been crunched hitting a high curb. Interior is nice and seems that all electronics work. Awesome stereo. Drives nice. new tires, new brakes, new ac . Down side The M30 Engine performs poorly and its a Automatic

Tonight I returned to look at the car one more time started the engine and noticed that the hose on the fuel regulator valve was broken and not connected. Plugged the valve and hose with my finger and immediately the car smoothed out. Wish this hose was easier to reach and replace. Could have found out real quick if this resolved the problem. I have read where these engines will have excessive noise from not only the valves but also the injectors. Will the fuel reg valve not connected up properly cause the injectors to build high pressure and make excessive noise? I have talked the guy down to $3000 but it looks like the dam with be around $700 to replace. The engine noise scares me and I don't want to get into any major engine repairs.

[632 Regal]

3K sounds a little on the high side right now. Should be able to pick something similar in the 1500-2500 range. Too bad the body is kinda messed. I doubt the car was maintained either, did you ask to see the service records? No records and cut the price in half.

[Ross]

At 3k he won't have anyone standing in line for it.

M30s need periodic valve adjustment so maybe this one is overdue. Check the banjo bolts that retain the oil line for the cam and rockers for tightness if you buy it. Fuel pressure won't change injector noise, actually a nice sharp click is good. The hose is a fifty cent two minute job.
The autobox in that car is the ZF 4hp22, a good box with a real drain and dipstick that no one ever suggested would last forever without maintenance.
Sound decent to me, try and get the price down.

[Kibokojoe]

Thanks for the input. The guy will be gone through the weekend but I will talk to him again when he returns.
Always wanted to ask if the girl under the car is your girlfriend?

[Kibokojoe]

He says that he has the maintenance records but I have not seen them yet.

3K sounds a little on the high side right now. Should be able to pick something similar in the 1500-2500 range. Too bad the body is kinda messed. I doubt the car was maintained either, did you ask to see the service records? No records and cut the price in half.

[Ross]

Always wanted to ask if the girl under the car is your girlfriend?[/QUOTE]

If I had THOSE to play with do you think I'd be here talking with you?

[Kibokojoe]

Point taken

[genphreak]

Always wanted to ask if the girl under the car is your girlfriend?

Is that a girl? I doubt it somehow. Never see girls under e30s round here. Maybe 'she's' a tranny working on a transmission problem!

Seriously tho, good advice here. $3000 is a bit rish, esp if it isn't running too well. If the tranny is bad it will cost you that again, and other things commonly on the list are AFM, suspension arms & bushes, brakes, exhaust (not cheap either), cats (beware cars that have been running badly for a while, cats don't take that happily) and obviously rust, etc. nick

[Rick L]

Have you looked at any E38? If you're looking for a 7 series, I think E38 is much nicer and more luxurious than E32. And I have seen many mid 90s E38 ~$5k with 110k - 120k miles. But not sure about the early V8s with Nik problem...

Found a 91 735i with 111,000+ miles. Body is good very little rust. Couple of small dings. Front dam has been crunched hitting a high curb. Interior is nice and seems that all electronics work. Awesome stereo. Drives nice. new tires, new brakes, new ac . Down side The M30 Engine performs poorly and its a Automatic

Tonight I returned to look at the car one more time started the engine and noticed that the hose on the fuel regulator valve was broken and not connected. Plugged the valve and hose with my finger and immediately the car smoothed out. Wish this hose was easier to reach and replace. Could have found out real quick if this resolved the problem. I have read where these engines will have excessive noise from not only the valves but also the injectors. Will the fuel reg valve not connected up properly cause the injectors to build high pressure and make excessive noise? I have talked the guy down to $3000 but it looks like the dam with be around $700 to replace. The engine noise scares me and I don't want to get into any major engine repairs.

[genphreak]

Most Niks would be looked after by now, but always it is something to check. e38s are much nicer than e32s, they are really an e32 mkII. Only thing bad about them is the plastic front lights (but no biggie; the e32 glass ones need maintenence too). Hey these are BMWs. Rule of thumb is always, the more dealer service history, the less mods, the less miles and the more meticulous owner history the better. Never buy a Bimmer from a fool, let alone some guy that bought an old one for his first car and is now selling it for 'some reason'. it will have lots of non-apparent problems and to make things worse, apparent ones will be 'in the making'.

You want one from someone that bought it for the right reasons and maintained it with the same thinking...