I found a 1988 E30 M3 about 45 mins from me at what looks to be a good price and in good shape. Can anyone help me out and tell me what to look for as problem areas. Any help is appreicated.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6131&item=2438140191

i actually took a look at it too and almost went up to see it on saturday

looks like a clean car, obviously has been autox or tracked, and you should ask for more pictures...

funny cause i offered $8K on sat and i think they would have taken it...now the price has gone above that and the buy it now at $9K is gone...

jeff

Originally posted by JLee
i actually took a look at it too and almost went up to see it on saturday

looks like a clean car, obviously has been autox or tracked, and you should ask for more pictures...

funny cause i offered $8K on sat and i think they would have taken it...now the price has gone above that and the buy it now at $9K is gone...

jeff

The BIN is still there as far as i can see. I did get an email fromt he seller and he said its a one owner car and the owner was a professional older guy, so I don't think it was tracked. I'd like to see it but I cant get there before the end of the auction.

hes got harness belts in the rear seat, it HAD to have been either tracked or autox

i still think for around $9K its a decent buy

jeff

True, I missed that. I will probably call to talk to them. I def would not buy it without seeing it.

let me know what you find, if you don't take it, i still might ! :D

jeff

I drove by there there a week ago. Ofcourse, once I saw it, I had to stop and walk around the dark parking lot to check it out (12 o'clock at night). The car looked amazingly clean. I took down the number and called them the next day. The salesman told me that the car had a clean title and runs very, very strong. He also mentioned that the owner traded it in for a Porsche.

Eric

RDM3, are you going to buy it ?

i wonder if someone on this board is..

jeff

Originally posted by JLee
RDM3, are you going to buy it ?

i wonder if someone on this board is..

jeff

I would love to buy it, I just cant get there to see it before the auction ends

very sweet looking car. the interior is clean. i would run a carfax on it. the car may also have suspension. you never know it might have alot of stuff done to the car. you notice the evo steering wheel as well:D ask for history of car.

i would check the front shock towers for any sign of cracks. any areas for rust and test drive it. make sure it doesnt overheat and all the gauges work, ac and so on. check for signs of accidents.

otherwise good luck with the deal. just hope that car was around my area.

This is interesting, the original ebay buy it no was $9k, it ended at $8500, then had 2 bids retracted, so in all it ended at $8200. He emailed me yesterday and said I can have it for $8500 if I am interested after checking it out, now it is relisted on ebay for buy it now of $11,500, umm if no one bought at buy it now of $9k why would you raise it another $2500?? :dunno

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2440181521

I am still interested but confused :95 Its a 3 day auction, I will watch it to see where it ends, hopefully it won't go high and I can make a lower offer.

yeah thats really strange...but you know strange things happen on ebay...sometimes it does work out that way..if you list it again you can get more than the first time

so go check it out already and report back so i can buy it !:D

jeff

You should ask the owner for all the records. If this is a one owner or so car and he cannot produce any records, I would walk away. I am very bias about people who keep records, especially on a car like the E30-M3 which is getting to have almost collector status, and can be expensive to repair or restore if you car caught with major problems.

GOOD NEWS - CARFAX Certified History - Guaranteed!
This 1988 BMW M3 (WBSAK0308J2197394) qualifies for the CARFAX Certified History, a guarantee worth up to $5,000 that protects you from buying a vehicle that had severe damage, major odometer problems, or Lemon history reported to a Department of Motor Vehicles.

1. ACCIDENT CHECK

Total Loss Check No Severe Accidents Reported to DMV - GUARANTEED!
Other Accident Indicators No Accident Indicators Reported
2. MILEAGE ACCURACY CHECK

Truth-In-Mileage Check No Odometer Problems Reported to DMV - GUARANTEED!
Odometer Rollback Check No Potential Odometer Rollback Found
Mileage Consistency Check No Inconsistent Odometer Reading Found
3. LEMON CHECK®
No Manufacturer Buyback Reported to DMV - GUARANTEED!
4. OWNERSHIP CHECK

Number of Owners At least 1 Owner
Type of Owners Checked 9 Types of Vehicle Registrations
5. RECALL CHECK
BMW does not report recalls to CARFAX
6. WARRANTY CHECK
No data reported to CARFAX
DETAILED VEHICLE HISTORY 8 HISTORY RECORDS REPORTED
Tell us what you know about this vehicle



CARFAX does not inspect vehicles. This vehicle may have problems that have not been reported to CARFAX. A vehicle inspection is recommended. How CARFAX analyzed this vehicle's history.





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Year/Make/Model: 1988 BMW M3

Body Style: SEDAN 2 DR.
Engine: 2.3L L4 MFI/FI DOHC
Fuel: GASOLINE
Driveline: REAR WHEEL DRIVE
Manufactured in: GERMANY
Safety Equipment: 4 wheel ABS, Active (manual) belts

Standard Equipment: Power Windows, Power Steering, Air Conditioning, AM / FM Cassette, Power Brakes, Power sun / moon roof


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Total Loss Check:


GOOD NEWS! This 1988 BMW M3 (WBSAK0308J2197394) has had no severe accidents or other total loss events reported to CARFAX from a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). This vehicle qualifies for the CARFAX Certified History, a guarantee worth up to $5,000.

No Salvage Title Reported No Loss Due To Fire Title Reported
No Junk Title Reported No Flood Damage Title Reported
No Rebuilt/Reconstructed Title Reported No Hail Damage Title Reported
No Dismantled Title Reported No Canadian Total Loss Record Reported

Other Accident Indicators:


This 1988 BMW M3 (WBSAK0308J2197394) has had no accident indicators reported to CARFAX from its sources. This section checks for accidents and/or related damage reported from many public and private sources. Not all accidents are reported to CARFAX. A vehicle inspection completed by your dealer or professional mechanic is recommended.

No Salvage Auction Record Reported No Crash Test Vehicle Record Reported
No Fire Damage Record Reported No Airbag Deployment Record Reported
No Police Accident Record Reported No Damage Disclosure Record Reported


CARFAX depends on public and private sources for its accident data. Each one of these sources has different processing times. CARFAX can only report what is in our database on 11.Nov.2003 07:41:43. New data will result in a change to this report.
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Truth-In-Mileage Check:


This 1988 BMW M3 (WBSAK0308J2197394) had no odometer problems reported to a DMV under the Federal Truth-In-Mileage Act. This Act requires owners to disclose odometer problems and an accurate reading when a vehicle is sold. This vehicle qualifies for the CARFAX Certified History, a guarantee worth up to $5,000.

No Not Actual Mileage Title Reported:
Title issued by DMV when the owner discloses mileage fraud or a broken odometer.
No Exceeds Mechanical Limits Title Reported:
Title issued by DMV when the owner discloses an odometer rollover.


Odometer Rollback Check:


CARFAX found no odometer rollbacks for this 1988 BMW M3 (WBSAK0308J2197394). Rollbacks reported in this section originate from readings collected by a DMV or other verifiable source.

Mileage Consistency Check:


CARFAX analyzed the mileage history for this 1988 BMW M3 (WBSAK0308J2197394) and found no inconsistent odometer readings.

Date: Mileage:
04/04/1989 15,627
07/11/1991 26,000
01/29/1996 71,000
05/18/1999 72,383
05/02/2000 109,678
06/11/2001 111,312
04/25/2003 124,641
11/04/2003 128,001



Average miles driven per year 8,767 CARFAX Advisor® Compare this vehicle's average annual mileage to the industry average of 15,000 miles per year. Use this comparison to determine how this vehicle was driven.

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GOOD NEWS! This 1988 BMW M3 (WBSAK0308J2197394) has had no Manufacturer Buyback (LEMON) reported to CARFAX from a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). This vehicle qualifies for the CARFAX Certified History, a guarantee worth up to $5,000.

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Ownership History:


CARFAX estimates that this 1988 BMW M3 (WBSAK0308J2197394) has had at least 1 owner. CARFAX analyzed this vehicle's title history and other supporting events to identify potential ownership transfers. In compliance with the U.S. privacy laws, CARFAX does not collect or report owner names or addresses.

Estimated Owners: Date: Location:
At least 1 owner No data No data

Types of Owners:


This 1988 BMW M3 (WBSAK0308J2197394) was checked for 9 types of registrations.

No Private Use Registration Reported No Fleet Registration Reported
No Lease Registration Reported No Commercial Registration Reported
No Rental Registration Reported No Non-Profit Registration Reported
No Government Registration Reported No Built to Non U.S. Standards Record Reported
No Taxi Registration Reported

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BMW does not report recall information for specific vehicles to CARFAX.
Go to the CARFAX SAFETY & RELIABILITY REPORT for recalls issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the 1988 BMW M3. You can also contact an authorized dealership or BMW at 1-800-334-4269 to find out if this 1988 BMW M3 (WBSAK0308J2197394) still has recalls that require repair.

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CARFAX cannot calculate the remaining coverage for this 1988 BMW M3 (WBSAK0308J2197394) because no original manufacturer warranty information was reported to CARFAX by its source.

Estimated start date of warranty: 04/04/1989
Last reading reported on 11/04/2003: 128,001 miles
Today's Date: November 11, 2003

Type of Coverage: Original Warranty:
Basic No data reported to CARFAX
Drivetrain No data reported to CARFAX
Emissions No data reported to CARFAX
Corrosion No data reported to CARFAX
Transferable No data reported to CARFAX
Roadside Assistance No data reported to CARFAX
Safety belt & inflatable restraint No data reported to CARFAX


CARFAX Warranty Check does not take into account vehicle history events, such as major accidents resulting in Salvage or Junk titles that may void the original manufacturer warranty, even if these events are documented in this report. Complete warranty coverage information is available for this vehicle at the BMW web site.


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CARFAX searched more than 2.36 billion records from over 4,000 different public and private sources and found 8 record(s) for this 1988 BMW M3 (WBSAK0308J2197394).

Date:
Mileage Reading:
Source:
General Comments:


04/04/1989 15,627 New Jersey
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Riverside, NJ
Title #WBSAK0308J2197394
Title issued


07/11/1991 26,000 Pennsylvania
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Rushland, PA
Title #44215633
Title or registration issued


01/29/1996 71,000 Pennsylvania
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Rushland, PA
Title #44215633 02 SA
Title or registration issued


05/18/1999 72,383 Pennsylvania
Inspection Station
Passed emissions inspection


05/02/2000 109,678 Pennsylvania
Inspection Station
Passed emissions inspection


06/11/2001 111,312 Pennsylvania
Inspection Station
Passed emissions inspection


04/25/2003 124,641 Pennsylvania
Inspection Station
Passed emissions inspection


11/04/2003 128,001 Dealer Inventory
Bensalem, PA
Vehicle offered for sale

yeah the carfax is clean, i pulled it a month ago, but its been sitting there for a month

i would have to imagine at that price someone would have picked it up...so i can only assume people who have seen it have passed on it

jeff

the BIN price was raised to $11k

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2440181521

apparently he thinks that a lack of interest increases it's value

Hmm.

The car was driven approx 1383 miles from 96 to 99. That is a bit odd. That's less than 470 miles per year. I could understand that for a collector car, but not one with already 71,000 miles.

Remember cars can be wrecked and it never makes it to carfax, I know of at least 4-5 cars personal like that.

I get concerned when a car has very low miles over more than one year. Was the car damaged and not in operation? Did it have a blown engine and the owner could not afford to fix it etc.

My dad's corvette sat in a garadge for ~20 years, nothing was wrong with it when he parked it, he just had other responsibilities (my brother at first, then me too)

In fact, when we pulled it out, it started right up (all we had to do was clean the points, and give it some fuel)

Did anyone ever go see this car ?

Jeff

Bump. I'm curious as to this car as well. Anyone?

that car is worth about 5k , iv seen it and drove it , the motor is beat, the drivers seat redone and not good at that , front bumper looks like spraed with paintcan to cover road rash and just about all the fult lights on cluster on all the time .you diden miss out on anything , i had told the guy the most i would give him is 6 and a week later he called me back and told me ok , but i dont need another red on tan car i have one already.

P.S the car was hit befor and fixed , alsow has bad stress cracks under fusebox and overflow tank and some rust.

Originally posted by Evo2Trela
that car is worth about 5k , iv seen it and drove it , the motor is beat, the drivers seat redone and not good at that , front bumper looks like spraed with paintcan to cover road rash and just about all the fult lights on cluster on all the time .you diden miss out on anything , i had told the guy the most i would give him is 6 and a week later he called me back and told me ok , but i dont need another red on tan car i have one already.

P.S the car was hit befor and fixed , alsow has bad stress cracks under fusebox and overflow tank and some rust.

Thanks for the update, I guess it looks ALOT better in the pics then in person.

wow...thats baaaad :eek:

thanks for the update, any luck on selling yours ?

jeff

Not realy , im not in any rush ither , so its cool , the longer i still have it the more i might end up keeping it .