I drove well over a dozen e30's and e28's before settling on an '87 325. It was easy because the car was tight, no "strange" noises. If it's neglected, these cars will let you know. Do tight turns left & right in a parking lot-you'll hear bad ball joints, etc. While parked, jerk steering wheel back and forth...hopefully no clunking noi$e$. Do electrical function test (brake lights, indicators, etc. Test acceleration & hit brakes hard! Check for leaks in main seal (lower engine). A/C is a plus. E30's, E28's are great and can be had for cheap, but if that intails immediate repairs, then you've lost any savings benefit. Check out www.bmwe30.net and bmwworld. -Randy I'm looking at an '88 325 iC that's for sale near me. It looks to be in good condition. I took it for a drive and she was solid and smooth. I'd like to get an idea of the top ten things to check for with this model. I've owned 2002's and know of their problem areas and was wondering if there's some things that I should be focusing on with E30's. Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks, Gary