What's it worth...'73BMW 3.0 CS

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todd j

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I may have a chance to pick up an all original 1973 3.0 CS. When I say all original I am sure some parts have been changed but for the most part it's a 1 owner car from new. Body has no rust out only small blisters on passenger side front fender by the door. Rest of body has minor door dings but nothing major. Floorboards are solid and doors, trunk, and hood all open and close solid. Interior shows wear. Seat cover are cracked and would need to be replaced. Carpet is so so. Car was running when parked but has not been started in ~5 yrs. Never owned a Bimmer before and not sure what to offer for this car.

I looked at the car again this past weekend. Floors are solid with only minor surface rust. Spare tire well has a couple of rust out spots but not major size holes. With the exception of 2 small dings all the trim is in perfect shape. No peeling of the chrome and it's all there.

Any suggestions would be welcomed.
Thanks
Todd
 

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You really have to dig into the body to assess what it is worth. Many E9's look excellent on the surface and have some very expensive problems inside. You need to get it on a hoist and take the rocker covers off to start. Also take a point a shoot camera and shoot up by the hood release.
 
Thanks for the reply. I'll look again as soon as I have a chance. The car has spent the majority of it's life in a closed garage when not in use. From what I remember when the hood was open there was no rust. The lady that owns it wants to move it out soon. I've never fooled with BMW's before so I don't know what's a fair price to pay.

thanks for any and all advice
Todd J
 
Good luck. For a non running car, do not pay too much. Hope it works out.
 
If its got rust blisters on the outside, its got rust on the inside for sure, and you just cant see it.

My car when I bought it looked beautiful, I found a blister of rust the size of you small finger nail under the rear bumper, 6 years later and many many many many $$$$$ its nearly fixed / finished :)

Do your research well before you part with any money.
 
Thirty years ago I purchased a 1971 2800 CS from the first owner, a doctor's widow who put approx. 43,000 miles on the car and kept it in a heated garage. When I pulled back the carpet on the front floor pans I could see the asphalt. Beware.

The mantra around here is buy the best car you can find. Unless you are looking for an expen$ive years long project. If you are that's great.
 
todd j said:
Body has no rust out only small blisters on passenger side front fender
Floors are solid with only minor surface rust.
Spare tire well has a couple of rust out spots but not major size holes.

Any suggestions would be welcomed
Click to expand...

Todd:

My suggestion would be to re-read what you wrote. Sounds like you are trying to convince yourself.

This could be a fair deal, but don't delude yourself into believing that this is a rust-free / problem-free car. Sure, if you can pick it up for a few thousand and are willing to invest several times that in bodywork, paint, upholstery, mechanical, ... you could end up with a nice coupe. Alternatively you could pay that total sum now for a finished car and begin enjoying it immediately.

I'm not saying this isn't a good starting point for a project, but you need to accept that it will be a project.
 
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By the time you can see rust under the hood it's very far gone

todd j said:
Thanks for the reply. I'll look again as soon as I have a chance. The car has spent the majority of it's life in a closed garage when not in use. From what I remember when the hood was open there was no rust. The lady that owns it wants to move it out soon. I've never fooled with BMW's before so I don't know what's a fair price to pay.

thanks for any and all advice
Todd J
Click to expand...

The rust starts inside the fenders and body. By the time you can see it on any visible surface such as tops of the fenders, it's already perforated the inner body panels (eg. you're just seeing the tip of an iceberg). Search and read recent threads on where to check for rust. View Sven's restoration for visuals on where to find these problem areas.
 
Thanks for the replies and keep them coming. I understand what everyone is saying about the rust, but so far I don't see it being a big concern. I am going to see the car again tomorrow and will look closer and take some pictures of the problem areas mentioned. From what I have seen on the 2 trips to look at it everything about the car is solid. While I have no experience with Bimmers I have been fooling with cars since I was a child. I have a 1930 Model A Ford, 1966 Chevelle cont. and a 1971 Karmann Ghia. So while not an expert I know what to look for and where.

So let's go out on a limb here and say the car does not have the major rust problems associated with these cars. What is a fair price for this car?? Not sure how many times I can continue to look at it without making an offer. She is patient with me but I don't want to wear out my Welcome.

Thanks for the help and patience with me.
Todd
 
Todd,

what part of the country are you in? we can probably help you find somebody who can help you get a good assessment of this coupe.

cheers
scott
 
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todd j said:
So let's go out on a limb here and say the car does not have the major rust problems associated with these cars. What is a fair price for this car??
Click to expand...

Todd:

We haven't seen any detailed pictures of the car.
We don't know the mechanical condition, mileage, ...
We don't know where it is located.
We have no idea of the seller's motivation.

How on earth do you expect us to give you a number? Since it does have some rust, the interior needs help, it doesn't run, etc. you are probably in the < $5K range.
 
I agree with most all of the comments, especially Scott's...(I'm guessing Gulf Coast; concrete drive with brick, palm trees, but also deciduous trees, brick house almost looks low-country SC..I digress..) I didn't even know about this site when I ignorantly and blindly bought my first coupe (now a Tsing-Tao beer can), and my second that has had many $urgeries to now be rust free (well, as much as any non-desert coupe). I have a third car that I bought thinking that I could buy a front clip and rear deck lid and have a car...it is, as you said, "solid"...the doors and the rusty rear deck lid still close like a vault, but it will never be a car again. Where the bubbles were, are now real rust, where the rust was in the front clip, is now compost... Ran when we parked it five years ago...trying to figure out a trap door so it can be a solar dog house. My point is that these cars were very early uni-body/chassis, and like the roach motel, rust checks in, but it doesn't check out...People loved them, loved their driveability, and drove them in the rain, and mud like an Oldsmobile....I thought that I knew quite a bit about cars, hell, even BMW's from my 70's era 2002's, but our coupes were basically hand-built cars, with different technology (Karmann), even, than the BMW factory. If you can't secure a coupe-knowledgeable person, at least take a rubber mallet and bang along the underside sheet metal to look for the soft or the crusty...

A few other thoughts...I think that the car is a repaint, not that that is necessarily anything, but it doesnt appear to be an original color either, which is a neg to me, as it is one of the little signals as to how much the car was loved... Is the dash wood discolored and tired at each end..that would speak to moisture...most of the early glues used in the plywood in our coupes, is hide-glue, which is water soluable, which is why many delaminate over time...furniture of this time period, is much the same; and only survived dry/indoors.

I dont mean to sound too negative, tho..to me, IF the car will drive (but probably not stop, as the brakes are probably suspect..) and is solid with only a few bubbles, I would offer maybe $5-7K...AFTER she says "I'd like to get $10K"...but as mentioned, I would let her ask before you bid...Not that it matters, but that 73 was probably around $11-12K brand new...The best of luck to you.

Dave
 
todd j said:
Thanks for the reply. I'll look again as soon as I have a chance. The car has spent the majority of it's life in a closed garage when not in use. From what I remember when the hood was open there was no rust. The lady that owns it wants to move it out soon. I've never fooled with BMW's before so I don't know what's a fair price to pay.

thanks for any and all advice
Todd J
Click to expand...

Was it pushed out of the garage for the picture? Otherwise if the picture was taken outside and the car does not run then it lives outside. Looks like a daily driver. Was the lady the driver?
Any records from a mechanic to indicate why it is no longer used and what was done last?
It looks like the lady wants to sell more than we want you to buy it...
 
I agree with Dave on the color, that's the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw your photo. Lots of good comments about what to watch out for and what to expect in the future, you'll always get that with this forum. Another thing to consider is what you plan on doing with it. You can always throw a much of money at a coupe, or you can get it running good and enjoy it "as-is", a little rusty, driver, what every you want to call it.

I actually prefer "drivers" or cars that aren't perfect but I can jump in and drive without worrying about how far I'm going or where I'm going to park it.

If the car runs and drives pretty well I'd start at around $3-4k and see how she reacts. My logic with the seller would be that you're hoping to buy the car and resell it for what you paid for it if you find out it would cost too much to restore. Tell her you're inexperienced with these cars and a little afraid of what you're getting into. If she knows you're excited but apprehensive she might work with you a little better.

Dan
 
I have owned BMWs, 2002, Bavarias, Coupes, since 1971. Every time I read a thread like this I realize how much I don't know. I knew squat when I bought my last coupe and lucked out. Well at least I think I did. New buyers have so many advantages if they follow the sage advice of this bunch. Hint, hint.

Steve
 
We haven't seen any detailed pictures of the car.
We don't know the mechanical condition, mileage, ...
We don't know where it is located.
We have no idea of the seller's motivation.
Click to expand...

I have more pictures uploaded and have more I can send you.
Car has 90,000+ miles. Car does run and move under it's own power. Brakes work but I would not take this car across country just yet.
It is located north of Baton Rouge, La. (not sure why this matters???)
Ladies husband died 5 yrs. ago and car is taking up space in garage.
Car was repainted years ago.

I went today and look at car once again. I did find a small rust out spot on passenger side floorboard. Rest of floors, under hood,rockers all seem solid. Spare tire well also has some rust out. I put a hot battery and some gas in it and it fired up and ran. See attached links for Youtube video.

Maybe this will help you to better see the condition of the car.

Thanks again for the replies and advice. Keep them coming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyb3g8wy6Gw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGfCP4cFrpY
 

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