15 year old looking to buy 1988 BMW e30
Posted by LazyRip5045@reddit | Autos | View on Reddit | 47 comments
I am 15 years old looking for a project car/potential daily driver I currently have 3000$ to spend and parents are willing to chip in money towards buying and insurance it so I have more money left over for potential repairs, etc. I will be going back to work soon so that $3000 will steadily increase, he also said he’s willing to negotiate the price. Should I buy this car?
Max_delirious@reddit
Don’t do it
flavorjunction@reddit
Not sure if rage-baiting or just dumb. Someone asked this same question on r/Autos but has since been deleted.
Overall thought was no, not a great idea.
Knife-Fumbler@reddit
No, it's just a kid that's a bit naive about car restoration. Which I'm sure we all were at 15.
rudbri93@reddit
Shit, i sure was. At 14 i bought a car that was essentially boxes of parts. Luckily i didnt need to drive it but it was a rough learning experience.
Knife-Fumbler@reddit
Now that, 11 years later, I purchased a 17 year old car with some miles on the clock, I'm thankful that my parents didn't let me find out the hard way that I wasn't Arnie Cunningham. As far as I know it was perfectly kept, garaged, but it still developed slight chain rattle around 114k miles and fixing it + resealing the engine alone set me back 2000 euro.
rudbri93@reddit
Oh i spent a lot of years busting knuckles on cars i couldnt afford to have fixed. My first street car was a $100 bmw 320i, dad handed me a haynes manual and said if i could fix it i could have it. Needed a clutch.
Knife-Fumbler@reddit
That's a pretty lucky find!
rudbri93@reddit
Oh this was back in '06, the car was from '83. Guy who owned it wanted it scrapped, instead dad dragged it home. Glove box filled with water every time it rained lol.
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
You get it
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
I think the post you are talking about was me and it was a completely different car at a different price with different problems, I figure the consensus on this will be different because it is a very different car. I am just looking into my options, dumb or not.
raptor_reaper@reddit
Only thing that's a e28. In all honesty go do it. At 15 you need to make mistakes to learn and that is a good platform.. imo.
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
How many miles are they typically good for?
raptor_reaper@reddit
Sky is the limit kid. Engine dies swap a newer m58 from an e36 generation. The point is to learn. You do not get that liberty later on in life.
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
That’s the idea, I have posted a couple posts similar to this about old bmws and everyone keeps just flat out saying I shouldn’t even think about it. I understand that point is mostly valid but I mainly am interested in these cars to learn more for down the road.
graytotoro@reddit
As I said on your other post, are you willing to spend everything you have on a car that may be undrivable for long periods of time while you wait for parts or money for them?
It’s not the worst idea if you have access to a second car. Otherwise you’ll find yourself having to reschedule plans with friends when it goes down or scrounging forums in the hopes someone has a replacement whatever you need. Sometimes you get lucky and it’s a simple fix. Other times it isn’t.
VampyreLust@reddit
A m50 engine from the 90's is about $1k without the harness and all the other shit you'll need to install it in that car, can you afford that?
Important-Ad3820@reddit
I bought an E36 when I was 15 and quickly released I couldn’t afford to fix it. Taught myself and became a BMW Master Tech years later.
mr_lab_rat@reddit
Still too old. As I said, go for a broken e46.
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
Are u okay with me dming you with a question I when in terms of e46’s?
mr_lab_rat@reddit
Sure, I had couple of e46 projects. E46fanatics.com is a great internet resource but it’s not as active as it used to be.
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
Yea I’m still looking around for e46s and a range of Mercedes that I was told would be reliable and have good aftermarket support.
VampyreLust@reddit
I get that you want an older bmw because I saw your other post about the 635 I think it was, the question I would have is how much cash do you have above and beyond the $3k you'd be spending to buy it. Have you done the math on insurance, gas and the ohs shit fund per month you'll need? Even just buying a 10 year old Mazda or Toyota you should be saving $200 a month for surprise maintenance if it's your daily. That on top of gas and insurance Carrie's greatly but safe at $400 a month minimum to own the car, do you have access to that amount that you can devote to the car every month?
Post in r/projectcar you'll get more in depth answers.
7w4773r@reddit
Get a stick shift car, that will be one less worry. Otherwise they’re solid cars and you’ll get the chance to learn a whole bunch about working on cars, whether you want to or not.
As people mentioned on your other post, even the cheap BMWs are expensive to run anymore. Parts aren’t as cheap as they used to be, and paying a mechanic for labor is not feasible as a 15 year-old. Ideally you’d have a second car to drive while you worked on this and got it to a reliable running state. E28s and e34s are basically bulletproof, but they require attention and TLC. You can’t just drive them and neglect them like you can a Japanese car.
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
Yeah I would ideally like a manual but they are a lot rarer in my area and often more expensive. Paying someone else to do the work has never once crossed my mind in terms of my future car, and I am eager to work on cars; learning through the ups and downs. I also do not NEED this car running well any time soon, I have other means of transportation until that point.
7w4773r@reddit
Well then I’d bide my time and save my money until the right car comes along. Don’t rush to buy one just for the sake of buying one. Go and look at a few and maybe even test drive them (if they run) and then make your mind up about what you actually want and set your sights on that. It will be worth it in the long run.
It’s a real shame you missed the bus on the cheap e30s. They used to be $1500 all day long. Not anymore lol.
You could also consider a Miata if it fits your needs. They’re the best sports car out there. Easy to work on, reliable, economical, and they’re slow enough that you can drive them as hard and as fast as you can and not get in trouble.
H-ManDaMan@reddit
What's ur project goal with said car?
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
Get it to run well, and then do some basic cosmetic mods.
H-ManDaMan@reddit
I see. I mean, I always say go for it. This comes from a guy who has a rally car he purchased on a whim with no real wrench experience ethier. My only suggestion is to get a manual cause it's a useful skill. Maybe look into a Miata.
YorgiTheMagnificent@reddit
Reach out to Sreten @m539_restorations on Instagram. He's a huge BMW DIY restorer and I'm sure he could give you advice on what to look for.
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
I reached out to him
schleepercell@reddit
This is probably a better option than the other one you were asking about lol. I don't think you know what you are getting into with these old BMWs. This one might keep running for a bit. You should look into getting a Civic instead, everything is going to be cheaper/easier.
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
I feel like deep down I know these old bmws are a bad idea but I just can’t give them up even though it is likely a bad decision, I would get something more reliable like a civic but surprisingly those are rarer and even more expensive then beemers and Benz’s in my area
schleepercell@reddit
It seems you are looking at the cheapest options, which for a car like this is a bad idea. If you take the cost to buy a car like this, and add in the amount to get it into a decent running condition, the money would have been better spent just buying a better car to begin with. "Jack point boxes mostly gone" "Floors a little soft" "nothing unreasonable for a 36 year old car that spent its life in new england" makes it seem like its pretty rusted out, and its probably not worth the effort to even fix it.
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
Yeah those points he made about the rust will probably throw me away from potentially getting it.
thingamajig1987@reddit
One of the biggest things to consider in the price of a car is not only the purchase price, but the price of ownership. How much is insurance, maintenance, repair, etc. A car that was once expensive and now isn't will still have expensive parts
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
Yeah I’m fine with letting it sit for a while and just doing small maintenance and repairs while I get more money to eventually do bigger things to it, I just was wondering if at the price it is listed if it is worth it
thingamajig1987@reddit
Cars that sit for a while will often end up needing new work too, just be careful.
importfanboy@reddit
As stupid as the other you posted. Same Problems. Dont expect different answers here from the other post you deleted.
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
Whole different car so it is not “stupid” to want to see if there would be a different response, not all cars are the same. What may be obvious and “stupid” to you and others, is not so obvious to me which is why I am asking in hopes of learning. (Off-topic your drawing of the Cyberpunk Quadra VTECH is sick)
GreatGhastly@reddit
If you plan on buying this car, plan on becoming a mechanic whether you want to or not.
Red_Brox@reddit
The almost 30 year old in me tells me no. But 15 year old me would absolutely send it. Especially with the support of your parents. It won't be easy but you'll learn. Send it!
rudbri93@reddit
Well for starters thats an e28 5 series, a 528e. And if you dont have wrenching abilities stay away from this one.
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
Oh I could’ve sworn I said that in the title sorry that was a typo
rudbri93@reddit
E28s are good cars, some parts are getting tough to find. But this one is a basketcase. Dont buy someone elses project as your first car, idc what make it is.
hbwnot@reddit
BMW = Breaks More than Works
vegasvinny@reddit
Couldn’t pay me $2925 to have that piece of shit leak oil in my driveway/ garrage
LazyRip5045@reddit (OP)
👍