February 01, 2013 06:10PM
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Registered: 11 years ago
Posts: 2 |
Hey guys I'm looking to buy a e30 325ix
Just wanted to know what I should look for in it? Are the Awd models a pain? A lot of problems? The one I'm looking at has 250k on engine & chases 3 owners Bone stock All electronics work All lights work No leaks Body has minor rust 5spd What should I offer? I, a e30 noob |
February 01, 2013 07:26PM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 944 : Lake Havasu City, Arizona |
February 01, 2013 07:33PM
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Registered: 11 years ago
Posts: 2 |
February 01, 2013 08:14PM
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Registered: 14 years ago
Posts: 48 |
The IX is the single greatest E30 fun you can have, in my opinion. Especially in the snow. I'd take one over an M3 any day. However, if you're strapped for cash and you're going to keep it as your daily, I would suggest staying away. As an E30, it's bound to be riddled with secret problems, especially with 250K. Add to this the rarity of specific parts, (drive train related especially) and you're looking at a pretty penny once the problems start piling up. However, if the body is mint, the drive train is solid (be wary in the front end) and the transmission feels normal, by all means: JUMP ON THIS INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY. Up here in the northeast, an IX that is rusty as hell with 200K goes for around $3000-$4000 easy. |
February 02, 2013 03:26PM
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Registered: 14 years ago
Posts: 799 : O Porto |
Is a fair price, considering you will want to touch-up the rust.
The ix is a collector's piece now, and has it's own legion of fans. If you can spare the money, and have a daily driver, it may be a very interesting project! If you take good care of it, you certainly can pass it on with a profit in the future. Please keep us posted! |
February 04, 2013 01:46PM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 584 : Vermont, USA |
The big thing to consider when buying an iX is the condition of the viscous coupling in the transfer case. They are tough as nails and last forever if treated well, but have an Achilles' heel if they're abused. By "abused" I mean towing with only two wheels on the ground, or any other action that forces the front and rear wheels to turn at different speeds. If that happens, the VC overheats and loses its ability to lock. Over the years, this has happened to a lot of them, and it's an expensive repair. A good center diff will cost around $1000 for just the part. Unfortunately the only good way to test it is to jack up the rear of the car and ask the front wheels to move the car. With a good VC, the rear wheels will turn about the same rate as the fronts. With a bad VC, the rear wheel will spin a lot faster. Here are a couple of videos:
Good VC (mine): [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cbGeSJ9dHc[/video] Bad VC: [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYQr-sNXZps[/video] When I bought my iX it had 120K miles, no rust, and I paid about $5000. That was a little on the high side. Prices are a little higher now as they get scarcer, but for one with 250K miles and some rust, $3750 seems a bit high, but if the VC is good and the rust isn't bad, not outrageous. I've seen them for less than $3000, but most of those have some bigger problems. BTW, there's a Yahoo mailing list where lots of iX owners hang out, and there are iXes offered for sale there pretty regularly. You can subscribe here: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/thebmw325ixclub/ __________ Dave '91 325iX Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2013 01:46PM by Dave_G. |
February 04, 2013 01:53PM
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Admin
Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 584 : Vermont, USA |
Here's an alternative to the jack test for testing the viscous coupling on an iX, from the 325iX Club Yahoo list:
I've never tried this, but by all accounts it's a good test, and probably easier to do with a car that you're testing out before buying. __________ Dave '91 325iX |