Is that Andrew's hedgehog???:eek:
What's it worth.... or.... What would you do?????
Go over the car, see big ticket items that need to be dealt with and price them out, then remember for every big ticket item you see, there are 2 that you don't see..
And add a 20% pad to the price of everything.
Thanks Markos!
Adawil, thanks for the correction!
Steve, skills... well I guess better than most but not as good as some. Trust fund...... nope, missed that boat. Self employed so not quite as good as a MS job.
We do have a space, a lift, (2) 2002's, (2) E21's and a '88 E28 M5.
You might go through some of the prior restoration projects and see what you're up against on the things noted before. But you seem game and to have a lot of experience. I wonder if the owners would let you evict the Clampetts' dinner, put in a new battery, add a little oil, get a clean gas container and line with a new filter on it up to the pump and see if it starts--unless you can see the electrical has been eaten away. I only say this because a number of things in the engine bay look like they were once well maintained--radiator fins look perfect, coolant hoses, A/C bits, wiper motor, distributor, etc. look better than some running cars recently for sale, and the air cover has less rust than many. All of this is superficial, but I'm kind of astonished at how hearty these things are and even a neophyte like me can get them running. I also take some heart in the newer battery that it was running just before parked.
Jay, thanks for the thoughts and comments. They duplicate mine. Based on how clean the engine bay is ( critters excluded) ... I think it will start w/o to much effort but then is it worth more to the owner....... such is the delema of life!
Rek
Well-Known Member
You can look at this on a cost benefit analysis and it probably won't work for you, but thats not what its all about.
What do you WANT to do? Can you picture it as a solid runner which you can use each day? You'll get extraordinary help and expertise on this forum from the members which simplifies the whole thing. You can also do it all in stages and if you're handy mechanically, then these can be very rewarding.
I jumped for mine which was worse that yours, albeit cheaper - but I thought with my heart and not my head. I vowed that I would do the minimum to get it on the road until my budget could afford it.
Finally - how is the relationship with your wife? Prepare for that to be tested
What do you WANT to do? Can you picture it as a solid runner which you can use each day? You'll get extraordinary help and expertise on this forum from the members which simplifies the whole thing. You can also do it all in stages and if you're handy mechanically, then these can be very rewarding.
I jumped for mine which was worse that yours, albeit cheaper - but I thought with my heart and not my head. I vowed that I would do the minimum to get it on the road until my budget could afford it.
Finally - how is the relationship with your wife? Prepare for that to be tested
Rek
Well-Known Member
.....oh and I agree. Don't start it for the owner. See if the crank turns, thats all that Mike Brewer did on Wheeler Dealers on a 2002 tii which wouldn't start.
Good thought. If it is in an estate and been sitting there long enough to birth the moss and weeds (not to mention a marsupial), you'd think they'd just want to unload it at this point. Of course, I shouldn't presume people are reasonable, and lots of crazy goes on in some estates. That might explain why it hasn't been sold already.
I picked a carcass pretty clean a few years ago. It was fun, I had some help and most importantly, a place where the car was stored that was not in my garage where my wife would see it daily for 2 years
First, your pictures are all of the unimportant areas. If you've been lurking here, you know the pictures we all want to see to make an initial guess about condition of the body. But from what you've shared, it might not be too rusty.
How capable of a mechanic are you? Have you ever rebuilt a complete brake system and are you comfortable pulling a motor, disassembling, working with a machine shop and assembling yourself? Do you know how to use tie-rod separators, spring compressors, flare wrenches, a DVM, hog ring pliers, tubing bender & flaring tool, spade crimper, and tap and die? Do you have a decent enclosed workspace and tools for this sort of thing? If yes I think this car looks like a great candidate for your goal of getting an E9 on the road for well under $20k. As others have mentioned, you should assume as the minimum a full end-to-end rebuild of the entire hydraulic (including the transmission), fuel, cooling systems, and a partial restoration of the electrical system. If the motor is seized then you get to have fun with your big tools and precision measuring devices.
I'd call it a $4k car.
How capable of a mechanic are you? Have you ever rebuilt a complete brake system and are you comfortable pulling a motor, disassembling, working with a machine shop and assembling yourself? Do you know how to use tie-rod separators, spring compressors, flare wrenches, a DVM, hog ring pliers, tubing bender & flaring tool, spade crimper, and tap and die? Do you have a decent enclosed workspace and tools for this sort of thing? If yes I think this car looks like a great candidate for your goal of getting an E9 on the road for well under $20k. As others have mentioned, you should assume as the minimum a full end-to-end rebuild of the entire hydraulic (including the transmission), fuel, cooling systems, and a partial restoration of the electrical system. If the motor is seized then you get to have fun with your big tools and precision measuring devices.
I'd call it a $4k car.
Agreed the pics are superficial. That was as far as I could go without permission.
As far as capability, my son and I have done the stem to stern described above on my 2002, his E28 M5, his 320i etc.
On mine, this included complete engine rebuild and 5-speed swap.
As far a shop, we are set with everything needed, including lift.
Thanks for the positive nod. We will just have to wait and see what they want for it.
As far as capability, my son and I have done the stem to stern described above on my 2002, his E28 M5, his 320i etc.
On mine, this included complete engine rebuild and 5-speed swap.
As far a shop, we are set with everything needed, including lift.
Thanks for the positive nod. We will just have to wait and see what they want for it.
Agreed. It's rumored that the guy to assume ownership doesn't want it. Time will tell.......
Wil, i think many people have outlined the potential body costs and where to look for hidden rust. i can tell you if you had a car with zero rust, a complete repaint is 10k to 15k if you do a lot of the removal / reinstall. the problem on the outside is the parts that continue to go NLA. for instance - front grilles, rocker trim, many other trims, windshield gaskets (you can buy aftermarket), switches, etc.
here is where you will have difficulty controlling costs - while you have the engine out - lets replace it (14k +/-), lets replace this system with new, that system, etc. that can easily be another 10k. can you do it for less - maybe ... it depends on what you are starting with. if you start with a running / driving car ... you can keep it going for a lot less. a car that isn't running, doesn't have a good cooling system or brakes ... the costs can be substantial.
my opinion, save and buy a decent, running car ... you will save money. then restore it at a later date. the other side is, its not hard to take 2 years+ to get a car from this shape to a decent driver
here is where you will have difficulty controlling costs - while you have the engine out - lets replace it (14k +/-), lets replace this system with new, that system, etc. that can easily be another 10k. can you do it for less - maybe ... it depends on what you are starting with. if you start with a running / driving car ... you can keep it going for a lot less. a car that isn't running, doesn't have a good cooling system or brakes ... the costs can be substantial.
my opinion, save and buy a decent, running car ... you will save money. then restore it at a later date. the other side is, its not hard to take 2 years+ to get a car from this shape to a decent driver
You already know my thoughts but I’ll state publicly that you are a perfect candidate for this car and it would be a missed opportunity to pass it up.