Re: price of a 5-speed 735i (archive)

That sounds like a good price. For that money you can consider driving it until something poops out under the hood, then puttting a remanufactured head and/or entire new remanufactured motor in from Bavarian Engine Exchange (link). The head gasket is possible to do yourself if your are a better than average mechanic with good tools. The most diffucult part is ensuring that the timing chain is lined up correctly during reassembly. Definitely pick up a Bentleys manual if you get the car. It will save you hunderds of $$ and many hours of frustration when maintaining an e32. Good luck and if you don't buy it E-mail me. I might! :)

Have fun and if you do it welcome to the e32 board!

Robert

88 735i

Well I can buy it for 3,000$ I dont plan on using it as my main driver, only for fun. I'll drive my nissan as a daily driver. I just want to get a "toy" and would love to get into a BMW...Can the headgasket be replaced by ourselves or is it relatively difficult to remove the head on these....hell is it best to change the chain while the head is off as well?

Eric,

The 5 speeds were rare in the US because most who want a $50k luxury car new, don't want to shift. Now as more performance oriented (and less well off) buyers are attracted to the car late in its life cycle, more of us would like the performance advantage of a gearbox, especially in the lower powered 735i. Whether that increases its value significantly is debateable, personally I doubt it. Upside is skipping the rebuild on the automatic which can set you back 2k-5k depending on who does it. But rebuilding the Getrag 5 speed would likely cost about the same. Then you throw in replacement of the clutch which adds expense.
It used to be that automatic engines tended to last a little longer than sticks because the auto trans usually smoothed out stresses and limited the range of RPM somewhat on the engine mechanicals and stickshifts tend to rev higher as we use the clutch. No question though, to an enthusiast, a stick is MUCH more fun to drive.

The real issue with this car is the mileage. 210k is gettin up there and even with the best of care, chances are high you will face an engine rebuild if you keep the car very long. There are plenty of 200k cars out there running well. I bet by now it has had at least one head gasket and may be due for another soon. Valve guides, piston rings, camshafts, and bearings do wear, even in BMWs.

If you can get into the car for a reasonable price and just figure several thousand in repairs over the years (and budget for it) you will have the right attitude.

A good price? with decent maintenance, I would guess in the $4000-5000 range. But That is without even seeing the car.

Good Luck!

Robert 88 735 (175k... with a new head gasket!)

How much would be a good price for a 1988 5-speed 735i? The car has 210K miles on it. I know the 5 speed is rare, but what does that do for costs? The front has been recently rebuilt...brakes, tires hoses, radiator. Is the 5 speed more reliable than the automatic?
Thanks

http://www.bmrparts.com/engine1a.htm

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