Trying to be a new e9 owner
- Thread starter Bmwnyguy
- Start date
It’s not under $20k, but that’s a tough number to find and still get a decent coupe.
You need to be very active if you are seeking to find a low priced coupe. I found my car 15 years ago with a low budget, high effort approach.
Buying from a dealer and the auctions is out of the question - they will not price a good coupe that low.
Obviously, you need to review and follow every coupe for sale that is discussed here. Most likely you need to get into a private party transaction, and one where the car hasn't been on the market very long (if at all). I suggest attending events where coupe owners bring their cars - Vintage at Saratoga comes to mind - and talking to all the coupe owners you meet there. Do they know of cars that might be coming up for sale? Then I would get to know the shops in the NE that work on old BMWs and talk to the owners there. Start with the ones that have worked on your BMWs and then work through the coupe owners you meet at car events to find others. And I would find a way to get an introduction to Mario Langston at VSR. He's well known for his coupe work, and has a good client base. He evaluated a car for me that I didn't buy. Let those guys know you may be a buyer if one of their customers wants to sell.
I did all of this, and it took me three years to find my car. The car had good bones, but it had been sitting for at least 5 years. And it cost more than your budget. The car had a new battery and new tires, but I still needed to repair a bunch of electrical stuff, replace all the hoses, belts and fluids, redo the brakes and a handful of suspension components and fix a vacuum leak in the brake booster hose to make the car driveable. I did all this work myself; if you can't do this you need to budget for the fact that a low priced coupe is going to need work right away.
Maybe the market has gotten a lot softer, but I suspect that you may have to consider a larger budget to find a coupe with good bones and then make it driveable.
Buying from a dealer and the auctions is out of the question - they will not price a good coupe that low.
Obviously, you need to review and follow every coupe for sale that is discussed here. Most likely you need to get into a private party transaction, and one where the car hasn't been on the market very long (if at all). I suggest attending events where coupe owners bring their cars - Vintage at Saratoga comes to mind - and talking to all the coupe owners you meet there. Do they know of cars that might be coming up for sale? Then I would get to know the shops in the NE that work on old BMWs and talk to the owners there. Start with the ones that have worked on your BMWs and then work through the coupe owners you meet at car events to find others. And I would find a way to get an introduction to Mario Langston at VSR. He's well known for his coupe work, and has a good client base. He evaluated a car for me that I didn't buy. Let those guys know you may be a buyer if one of their customers wants to sell.
I did all of this, and it took me three years to find my car. The car had good bones, but it had been sitting for at least 5 years. And it cost more than your budget. The car had a new battery and new tires, but I still needed to repair a bunch of electrical stuff, replace all the hoses, belts and fluids, redo the brakes and a handful of suspension components and fix a vacuum leak in the brake booster hose to make the car driveable. I did all this work myself; if you can't do this you need to budget for the fact that a low priced coupe is going to need work right away.
Maybe the market has gotten a lot softer, but I suspect that you may have to consider a larger budget to find a coupe with good bones and then make it driveable.
Every $20,000 car I’ve seen in the last 10 years needed $120,000 worth of work
https://ebay.io/m/nbJhfJ
This one a 2800cs
This one a 2800cs
Both in US are 170hp, 2800 motor smoother to me
Back many moons ago (late 1990's/early 2000's) I started my E9 search focusing on believing I had to get the best 3.0CSi I could find (that is a CSi that I could afford) - thinking that was the 'car to have'. I had a 2002 since 1984 and always wanted a Coupe and started out thinking I wanted/needed to get the top caliber car to make it worthwhile for me.
When I got into the details, and actually started driving various examples, the differences between the earliest 2.8L cars and the later 3.0L cars (let alone the injected ones) were trivial compared to actually wanting to find the car in the best overall condition (again - the best that I could afford).
In the end - I found a 2800CS and enjoyed that car (in its stock form) for many years. I then had it upgraded to a CSi appearing M90 with the later brakes to (kind of) get back to my original goal of a CSi... when I could afford to do so.
FYI - As Chris notes above, the 2.8L motor puts out as much power as the larger carb'd car - you just have to wind it up a bit more to do so... But with the 2.8 - it is so smooth, IMO that is a good thing as it loves to go. And that was with the OE 4 speed. Now that I have the 5 speed with my M90, I actually kind of miss that I don't get up in the rev range as much as I used to. Granted, the injected M90 I have now compared to the previous carb'd 2.8 is kind of apples to oranges example - but there was something special about the way the 2.8 runs that was so nice..... (when my old 2.8 behaved - LOL - hence the new motor).
Good luck
When I got into the details, and actually started driving various examples, the differences between the earliest 2.8L cars and the later 3.0L cars (let alone the injected ones) were trivial compared to actually wanting to find the car in the best overall condition (again - the best that I could afford).
In the end - I found a 2800CS and enjoyed that car (in its stock form) for many years. I then had it upgraded to a CSi appearing M90 with the later brakes to (kind of) get back to my original goal of a CSi... when I could afford to do so.
FYI - As Chris notes above, the 2.8L motor puts out as much power as the larger carb'd car - you just have to wind it up a bit more to do so... But with the 2.8 - it is so smooth, IMO that is a good thing as it loves to go. And that was with the OE 4 speed. Now that I have the 5 speed with my M90, I actually kind of miss that I don't get up in the rev range as much as I used to. Granted, the injected M90 I have now compared to the previous carb'd 2.8 is kind of apples to oranges example - but there was something special about the way the 2.8 runs that was so nice..... (when my old 2.8 behaved - LOL - hence the new motor).
Good luck
I know Hagerty indicates that the 3.0cs and csi are much more valuable than the 2800. I don't understand why, and for someone with a modest budget seeking a fun hobby car, I wouldn't limit myself to a particular model of e9.
You want as little rust/body work as possible, as complete as possible, and as few mechanical issues as possible in that order.
You want as little rust/body work as possible, as complete as possible, and as few mechanical issues as possible in that order.
Not sure this is real ,but may as well check it out.
ameritechreconcasper.com
1974 BMW 3.0CS 4-Speed
1974 BMW 3.0CS 4-Speed for sale at Ameritech Recon Casper. $22,000 · 45,000 mi · Gasoline · Manual · RWD. Year: 1974 | Make: BMW | Model: 3.0CS | VIN:…
DOMAIN INFORMATION
CreatedAugust 6, 2026 at 5:20 AMUpdated: August 6, 2026 at 6:09 AM · Expires: August 6, 2027 at 5:20 AMDomain Age45 daysRecently Registered
RegistrantGridinsoft privacy protected KN (Saint Kitts and Nevis)
Classic scam site
3. Secure Your Item
To secure your chosen item and start the shipping process, we require full payment via bank wire transfer to our designated corporate account. We prioritize the confidentiality and security of your payment information.4. Trustworthy Payment Handling
Your payment will be securely held in trust until you receive the item and have 10 business days to thoroughly inspect it. This ensures your financial security throughout the transaction.5. Receive and Inspect Your Purchase
Upon receipt of your item, take the time to inspect it thoroughly to ensure it meets your expectations and matches the description on our website. You have 10 business days, along with temporary plates, to legally inspect and test drive the equipment.6. Satisfaction Guaranteed
If the item does not meet your expectations upon inspection, you have the option to return it at our expense. We ensure a prompt and hassle-free refund process within 24 hours, managing the pickup and return shipping logistics.7. Finalize Your Purchase
If satisfied with your purchase, notify our team to proceed. Sign the necessary documents, including the bill of sale and title transfer, to complete the transaction. Providing us with copies helps expedite the release of your funds from our account.