Cheap e36 Convertible - Summer fun or a summer of expense?
Discussion
I'm thinking it'd be fun to get a convertible for the summer. I reckon the kids would love it! I'm looking at it being a third car so don't really want to incur any nasty expenses if possible as the other two cars cost enough as it is.
What do you reckon to a 328i with 110k on it. It's got an autobox but I guess that would suit the cruising around in a convertible mentality.
Will it explode the minute I leave the sellers house or is it more likely to burble it's way through the summer and then hand me back a largish portion of what it cost me in a year or so?
What do you reckon to a 328i with 110k on it. It's got an autobox but I guess that would suit the cruising around in a convertible mentality.
Will it explode the minute I leave the sellers house or is it more likely to burble it's way through the summer and then hand me back a largish portion of what it cost me in a year or so?
Edited by V8Wagon on Saturday 17th March 00:37
Goodness only knows.
I wouldn't buy an auto one though. Doesn't suit the car.
The electric roof mechanisms are rubbish and always need readjustment, if not a new mechanism: buy a manual one.
The front window regulators are prone to failure so the glass will fall out of the doors.
The engines are usually scrap if they've had HG failure so don't buy if you suspect that.
The suspension will be knackered at that mileage so look for paperwork to say what's been done, otherwise it'll drive badly and wear tyres really quickly. The brake pipes will probably be an MOT failure for rust too if they haven't been done.
Basically there's loads of maintenance issues with these cars that make them fairly expensive to run for what they are worth, as a result they are mostly owned for a bit then passed on before a big bill. My general rule of thumb with used cars is that you'll spend the first year fixing things that were ignored previously, then after that you'll have some clear time. On this basis, either: keep it for more than one year, or: keep it for one summer, fix everything and sell it to me.
I wouldn't buy an auto one though. Doesn't suit the car.
The electric roof mechanisms are rubbish and always need readjustment, if not a new mechanism: buy a manual one.
The front window regulators are prone to failure so the glass will fall out of the doors.
The engines are usually scrap if they've had HG failure so don't buy if you suspect that.
The suspension will be knackered at that mileage so look for paperwork to say what's been done, otherwise it'll drive badly and wear tyres really quickly. The brake pipes will probably be an MOT failure for rust too if they haven't been done.
Basically there's loads of maintenance issues with these cars that make them fairly expensive to run for what they are worth, as a result they are mostly owned for a bit then passed on before a big bill. My general rule of thumb with used cars is that you'll spend the first year fixing things that were ignored previously, then after that you'll have some clear time. On this basis, either: keep it for more than one year, or: keep it for one summer, fix everything and sell it to me.
Edited by fozzymandeus on Saturday 17th March 11:21
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