Is this good deal for an E36????

[*George*]

My neighbour has just brought a new car, and was not happy with the £500 offered by Renault as a part exchange against his E36 328i Coupe.

He is keen to sell it quickly and can’t be bothered with going through all the advertising bother, so has asked me if I’m interested, which I could be. He told me to give him an offer- roughly around £1.3k.

I am going to look at the car in detail this weekend. But at a glance it looks not that fantastic- but is it worth spending money on?

Standard 1998 328i M-tech Coupe. 112k miles, full leather, runs ok.

It has a few dents and scratches on it and the BBS alloys are badly kerbed. MOT due end of Feb 09. Tax end Feb 09. It has been serviced at a BMW specialist. Latest History:

011/2004 - Rear sub frame bushes replaced
05/2005 – Oil Service
04/2006 – Inspection 1
05/2007 – Annual Check – fuel pump.

So not the best…

It’s got a Nikasil engine too- so I know there is a small risk there.

Depends on what I find when I look over it more thoroughly, but at least its gona need a big service and cosmetic work. Is it worth offering £1000 for it if its not got any other large problems, and spending the money sorting it? Would it be better to for out 2.5k on a better good example????

[forsure]

I'd want him to put it through an MoT.
If it passes it sounds like a good deal is possible.
If not, negotiate based on the cost of repairs - or (if it needs many hundreds spent) forget it.

[minerva]

I really wouldn't touch it without the MOT. I made a similar mistake with a 1995 525i 2 years ago (so around the same age as the one you are looking at). It was lacking proper service history and had 1 month on the MOT left to run.

I paid £500 for it. And scrapped it two months later.

[sniff diesel]

I'd say it's worth no more than a grand as there are plenty out there for similar money. Let us know how you get on.

[*George*]

If I were to offer £1300 if it got through the MOT is that to much or OK? Work the price down if it failed depending on the cost of the problem.

This is obviously after I have looked at it/driven it, to ensure it does not overheat, have a slipping clutch, been rapped around a tree etc.

[Ecurie Ecosse]

I can't comment on the current market, but what a car £1300 buys you these days!

Anyway - be sure to keep some money aside to perform the 325i manifold conversion which should unleash an extra 22bhp:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[wpo750]

That's fair money for a standard 328 coupe but you've mentioned 'm-tec' and BBS alloys which prompts me to ask if it's a Sport model. If it is (says so on log book, black headlining, sport seats etc) then £1300 is cheap, even with a nikasil block...