http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-E34-M5-engine-motor-S38-Dinan-M88-M30-535i-M6-RARE_W0QQitemZ270213903557QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item 270213903557

No reserve:shifty

Even as a core that seems a bit high to me. And it's not a full s38, it's only a short block.

A full S38 is pretty easily $4K or more, though with that mileage I'd be cautious.

You don't often see S38 short blocks for some reason...

Joe @ Autobahn Sport has a pretty good reputation btw.

You say so. The ad says the car was fanatically maintained, sure has a hell of a lot of sludge all over it for a fanatic.


Lunatic I could believe...

All the money that an S38 is worth is in the head and the intake. Without those it's really not worth buying.

All the money that an S38 is worth is in the head and the intake. Without those it's really not worth buying.

and likely why those parts are gone :stickoutt

well for 100 bucks...haha....if it stays i might buy it for the hell of it..

You say so. The ad says the car was fanatically maintained, sure has a hell of a lot of sludge all over it for a fanatic.


Lunatic I could believe...

Yea - I didn't think much of the sludge, either.

There is also a 280 tranny from the same car (I'm assuming) that has some bearing noise for $750. A used 280/5 with no syncro or bearing issues is worth an easy $1200+. Not sure what I'd give on one that was going to need some attention. Cores aren't easy to find (though I have sources :devillook), and a rebuild is ~$1900-$2200 if you can find a guy who will do it (280's are a notorious pain in the ass - something to do w/ special tools required to press the bearings and it still sucks).

Joe is on the BigCoupe boards pretty regularly, and seems to have a rep for being straight and reasonable prices.

For me, the short block isn't worth much at all unless you happen to need it and have the "rest" of the motor - can't be too many S38 guys like that out there!

Will be interesting to see where it sells...

joe's local to me, and has given me good prices on the smaller items i've bought from him (switches mostly). i'll do more business with him.

i saw the M5 that this must have come out of, had sweet wheels on it, and a very nice interior. hit something in the front driver' side. sad...

This engine was offered for around 4k on eBay in the last few months. I think it didn't sell because 1) it burned/burns oil, as disclosed in the original ad, 2) it has a lot of miles.

As to the quality of the seller: I attempted to do business with him once, then inadvertently did do business with him to disastrous results. On the phone about a part, he first told me that he'd been selling them for X dollars, we talked some more, then I asked for the price on the part, and it magically became X + $50. Click. A few months later, I inadvertently did business with him through an associate. They took my money, never shipped the part. A month later, I managed to get a refund. It was a mess.