Help - Buying 350i - Purchase Checks

[swell610]

Hi.

I'm going to look at an '88 350i. Apart from the obvious stuff like condition etc are there any 'must do' checks apart from letting the car run standing to see if it overheats / fans come on / get under and check chassis - like how do i check to see if the shocks are shot / bushes worn - are there any checks you wish you'd done b4 you bought??

Replies bourne from experience very much appreciated!

[dickymint]

Hi Guy and welcome. Few smaller items to check, obvious but easy to overlook whilst the rose tinted goggles are on and that V8 roar has hypnotised you into handing over the loot!

Both headlights pop up preferably at the same time!
Electric windows work well.
Electric mirrors both work.
check how wet the carpets are and does the grass need cutting
Gearbox problems can be very expensive.

But my advice above all is: make sure you want a 350 and not a 390SE 400SE etc. I say this as a lot of 350 owners go down the route of upgrading cams, motors, ECU's etc. to get more power, when its ultimately cheaper to by a bigger Wedge in the first place!

Good luck and get yourself booked in for BBWF2006

[gunmetal]

dickymint said:

Hi Guy and welcome. Few smaller items to check, obvious but easy to overlook whilst the rose tinted goggles are on and that V8 roar has hypnotised you into handing over the loot! Both headlights pop up preferably at the same time! Electric windows work well. Electric mirrors both work. check how wet the carpets are and does the grass need cutting Gearbox problems can be very expensive. But my advice above all is: make sure you want a 350 and not a 390SE 400SE etc. I say this as a lot of 350 owners go down the route of upgrading cams, motors, ECU's etc. to get more power, when its ultimately cheaper to by a bigger Wedge in the first place! Good luck and get yourself booked in for BBWF2006

Mr MInt maybe it's an idea to make a webpage for people who wants to know the pos.and neg. thinks about a wedge. Maybe on the wedgepage of Mike.

[number 7]

If you get the chance to jack the rear wheels off the deck, you can check for play in the (non-adj) wheel bearings and driveshaft uj's, the latter of which are regarded as something of a weak point. If you can't lift it, a clunk when taking up the drive usually points to one or more shot uj's. Not that expensive in parts terms (c. £15 each x 4) but can be a pain to get the driveshafts out to change them. Ditto the rear discs - not expensive but an even bigger pain to change them, which is why they can get left. Difficult to check for wear, but lots of corrosion on the faces is not good. Also not unknown for the alloy diff beam to break (I've had one go on a 350 and one on a 400) but I would hope that an owner would recognise a problem - you should be able to see it without raising the car. Diff. out job if it's broken. Check that the roadwheels are not too mashed or bent - unavaiable new and rare SH. Exhaust manifolds can crack and blow but should be easy to hear, especially cold. Check how much mechanical sympathy the owner has when warming the car up. Shouldn't exceed 2500 rpm until hot. Camshafts can wear out in 50K miles typically - check if it's been done.

Don't let all of this put you off the V8 experience though. Once you've driven one, there's no going back. And get a copy of the Bible.

Good luck.

7.

[anonymous-user]

My advice would be dont drive it until your absolutely sure, dont fall in love with it until you have been through all your checks and weighed things up... sorry to be boring but it was the best advice I had.

And the THE most important bit... buy the bible 20-30 quid well spent and you will learn loads before you go. www.tvrbooks.co.uk/


>> Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 13th February 19:40

>> Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 13th February 19:41

[swell610]

dickymint said:

Hi Guy and welcome. Few smaller items to check, obvious but easy to overlook whilst the rose tinted goggles are on and that V8 roar has hypnotised you into handing over the loot! Both headlights pop up preferably at the same time! Electric windows work well. Electric mirrors both work. check how wet the carpets are and does the grass need cutting Gearbox problems can be very expensive. But my advice above all is: make sure you want a 350 and not a 390SE 400SE etc. I say this as a lot of 350 owners go down the route of upgrading cams, motors, ECU's etc. to get more power, when its ultimately cheaper to by a bigger Wedge in the first place! Good luck and get yourself booked in for BBWF2006

Thanks for such a warm welcome - even if the car blows up at least I'll find some people to comiserate with! OK got those points. I had a 280 in the early nineties - and briefly a 390se. I love Wedges. I almost bought a 390se last week - and I have to say the extra 60bhp was a plus as opposed to a minus - but how can I put this I've been driving a citroen cx for 4 years - enough said!

[blaineuk]

swell610 said:

I almost bought a 390se last week - and I have to say the extra 60bhp was a plus as opposed to a minus - but how can I put this I've been driving a citroen cx for 4 years - enough said!

you will soon get used to it and want more, go for a 390.

[swell610]

[quote=number 7]If you get the chance to jack the rear wheels off the deck, you can check for play in the (non-adj) wheel bearings and driveshaft uj's, the latter of which are regarded as something of a weak point. If you can't lift it, a clunk when taking up the drive usually points to one or more shot uj's. Not that expensive in parts terms (c. £15 each x 4) but can be a pain to get the driveshafts out to change them. Ditto the rear discs - not expensive but an even bigger pain to change them, which is why they can get left. Difficult to check for wear, but lots of corrosion on the faces is not good. Also not unknown for the alloy diff beam to break (I've had one go on a 350 and one on a 400) but I would hope that an owner would recognise a problem - you should be able to see it without raising the car. Diff. out job if it's broken. Check that the roadwheels are not too mashed or bent - unavaiable new and rare SH. Exhaust manifolds can crack and blow but should be easy to hear, especially cold. Check how much mechanical sympathy the owner has when warming the car up. Shouldn't exceed 2500 rpm until hot. Camshafts can wear out in 50K miles typically - check if it's been done.

Don't let all of this put you off the V8 experience though. Once you've driven one, there's no going back. And get a copy of the Bible.

Good luck.

Hi Paul. Thanks for the response. This is a 60K car with full TVRSH up to about 40K - since then 'local specialist garage'. Very few miles in the last couple of years - but regualr start ups. Also - new Head Gasket a couple of years ago - if the HG was done well is that OK - or does it possibly point toward other overheating damage??

Do you think I should buy a 390 too!

Guy

[nick heppinstall]

swell610 said:

[quote=number 7] Don't let all of this put you off the V8 experience though. Once you've driven one, there's no going back. And get a copy of the Bible. Good luck. Hi Paul. Thanks for the response. This is a 60K car with full TVRSH up to about 40K - since then 'local specialist garage'. Very few miles in the last couple of years - but regualr start ups. Also - new Head Gasket a couple of years ago - if the HG was done well is that OK - or does it possibly point toward other overheating damage?? Do you think I should buy a 390 too! Guy

Buy yourself a 400 !
www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/65134.htm

[swell610]

Hi Nick - funny that you should write as I keep checking it out - I thought that would be long gone by now - it's very yellow!

[nick heppinstall]

swell610 said:

Hi Nick - funny that you should write as I keep checking it out - I thought that would be long gone by now - it's very yellow!

It is very yellow ! I would have been amazed if it had sold in three days. Their are other Wedges that have been in the classified for some time. I'm in no rush.

[number 7]

swell610 said:

Hi Paul. Thanks for the response. This is a 60K car with full TVRSH up to about 40K - since then 'local specialist garage'. Very few miles in the last couple of years - but regualr start ups. Also - new Head Gasket a couple of years ago - if the HG was done well is that OK - or does it possibly point toward other overheating damage?? Do you think I should buy a 390 too! Guy

To answer the last question first: Having gone in sequence from a 280 to a 350 to a 400, for me it probably would have been a mistake to skip the middle step as before the TVR's I had no experience of high powered RWD cars, and the 350 was our only vehicle for a few years. As you've already had Wedges, and if you don't mind the slightly more "temperemental" versions, I'd say go as big as possible, to avoid the early onset of upgraditis. Only problem is then that of rarity, and finding a good one in the right condition, miles, colour etc.

A bit concerning about the lack of miles since the head gasket. Is this because of an ongoing unresolved problem? Would be useful to find out the reason for the head gasket replacement - had it actually failed or was one or both replaced to cure untraced water loss etc. The 3.5 (if it is still that capacity) was not prone to cracked blocks, so that can be ignored. Maybe the water pump failed? Anyway, as long as it was properly repaired, should be ok. If the cam has never been changed, it's probably due soon. C. £750 at a TVR indy specialist. Not sure about "regular start-ups" - even if the car was brought up to temp, the oil won't really get hot enough to get rid of the moisture in the engine. Have a close look inside the oil filler cap and down into the rocker cover for signs of mayo or, worse, black sludge.

7.

[SteveHall]

sidewinder said:

My advice would be dont drive it until your absolutely sure, dont fall in love with it until you have been through all your checks and weighed things up... sorry to be boring but it was the best advice I had.

Have to agree with this. I was looking for 3-4 months when I got mine and refused to go for a test drive until I found one I was happy with (price/mileage/condition) as I knew that I would probably buy the first one I drove.

This looks useful for a quick check on engine condition, good site allround.
www.rpiv8.com/engine-4.htm#inside

[swell610]

Thanks for that - it's hard to imagine getting bored of a 350i when you haven't had a fast car for 4 or 5 years - also the 350i I have in mind subject to inspection has a nice colour combination - and I haven't seen a 390 in the right colours. Are you saying that the larger capacity cars can be more temperamental?

As to upgraditis - I think I would just sell and repurchase.

I'll get back to the vendor on the Head Gasket issue and see what he has to say about it - will let you know. I will also check for mayo!

Thanks for the info on cost on the cam - any other things a 60k miler is probably going to need if not done already??



To answer the last question first: Having gone in sequence from a 280 to a 350 to a 400, for me it probably would have been a mistake to skip the middle step as before the TVR's I had no experience of high powered RWD cars, and the 350 was our only vehicle for a few years. As you've already had Wedges, and if you don't mind the slightly more "temperemental" versions, I'd say go as big as possible, to avoid the early onset of upgraditis. Only problem is then that of rarity, and finding a good one in the right condition, miles, colour etc.

A bit concerning about the lack of miles since the head gasket. Is this because of an ongoing unresolved problem? Would be useful to find out the reason for the head gasket replacement - had it actually failed or was one or both replaced to cure untraced water loss etc. The 3.5 (if it is still that capacity) was not prone to cracked blocks, so that can be ignored. Maybe the water pump failed? Anyway, as long as it was properly repaired, should be ok. If the cam has never been changed, it's probably due soon. C. £750 at a TVR indy specialist. Not sure about "regular start-ups" - even if the car was brought up to temp, the oil won't really get hot enough to get rid of the moisture in the engine. Have a close look inside the oil filler cap and down into the rocker cover for signs of mayo or, worse, black sludge.

7.
[/quote]

[swell610]

Thanks very much for that advice - wise words - all too often too quick into the car for the drive - then it feels strange to start poking about - and so you start talking pound notes before the due diligence. Thank you both.

SteveHall said:

sidewinder said: My advice would be dont drive it until your absolutely sure, dont fall in love with it until you have been through all your checks and weighed things up... sorry to be boring but it was the best advice I had. Have to agree with this. I was looking for 3-4 months when I got mine and refused to go for a test drive until I found one I was happy with (price/mileage/condition) as I knew that I would probably buy the first one I drove. This looks useful for a quick check on engine condition, good site allround. www.rpiv8.com/engine-4.htm#inside

[SteveHall]

swell610 said:

..... and so you start talking pound notes before the due diligence....

I should also point out that despite my due diligence, plenty of pound notes have been parted with during ownership!

[swell610]

I should also point out that despite my due diligence, plenty of pound notes have been parted with during ownership!

so often the way!

[GV]

Before you do any mechanical checks....check the chassis in particular the outriggers. If they're coroded...you have a major job on your hands. Nuff said.

[mikeb]

......Well thats easy enough to say! but you have to have a really good dig to find the trouble. For instance this passed an Mot! - the prat doing the Mot failed to notice this in the chassis and this is with the car up in the air on a ramp with a 'trained' bod looking for rust!




Bank on some chassis work. On a 350i you have the option of taking the GRP sill off to get at the outriggers (re Ian Sayers article on the Wedgepages site) on the later model cars you are in for more fun and its either a cut out job involving big holes in the footwells etc, a refabrication of the entire outrigger section or a body lift or off completely job.

Have a good old poke around before parting with the loot, but I would bank on at least some chassis work to be done at some point. Nothing to be too scared of but bank for it anyhow and just more hassle on the later cars.

MikeB

www.tvrwedgepages.co.uk

[swell610]

Thanks for that fellas. If I can'r get under the car - can i check the outriggers by feel?