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325iC advice - LONG (archive)

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Posted by carlb-325iC on March 25, 2001 at 19:36:12:

In Reply to: 325iC advice posted by David Carr on March 25, 2001 at 15:12:40:

Thats alot to look for in the $7k range.
By euro, take it you mean the later color coded bumpers on the US cars...
The plastic bumpers on the cabrio were only on the last 2 years of production, so they are still quite high in price - usually over $10k.
The average mileage put on a car is 12-15k per year so an average '91 would have 120-150k.
The euro bumpers can be fitted, but with some difficulty.
If you are patient, there is always the chance of a bargain, usually in the late fall/winter when convertibles are hard to sell (I bought my '87 with 114k for $4,000 from a dealer during the bad storms last winter!)
Spring/summer is usually not a good time to buy a convertible - everyone gets the top down bug and prices go up.
Your best bet is an early model with a 5 speed (you can compress the bumper shocks or replace the shocks with ones from an '88 coupe or sedan - this shortens the diving boards considerably)
Alot of the really cheap ones are just that, cheap trashed cars that either have a questionable past or need major repair (read major $$$)
Look for one with a solid body and solid engine, don't worry about trim items or the back seat - commonly sun rotted - trim and interiors can be replaced at your leisure for very little money if you shop wrecking yards.
One way to get a good car at a better price is if the A/C is out - no one wants a car in the summer without A/c, use it as an opportunity to convert to r134 (the only real/lasting conversion is to replace the compressor/receiver/dryer/evaporator with new parts) as a good conversion even on working A/C costs about as much as fixing the A/C
A bad body is signs of trouble - esp rust - and a bad engine is another warning sign.
High mileage is rarely a problem on a well maintained German auto - I have 250k on my Mercedes S class and it runs and drives nearly like new (some more rattles, but thats all)
So get a good solid car that has been maintained, and use the minor problems as a bargaining point and shop until you find the one that you know you want!



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