Quote:
Originally posted by Don Plumley
My son is learning to drive. (Talk about cognitive dissonance, sitting on the right side without a steering wheel in front of you.) Anyway, I'll be needing to pick up another car that he can have use of once he gets his license. It won't be "his" car but a family car that he'll have use of. Of course, we really don't need a car, but assuming he's gonna get in an accident, I rather it be a older, less valuable car (that is safe, of course).
He is going to contribute a fair percentage to the cost and upkeep from his savings. And that way, he gets a say on what we get since he'll be a partner in the car. Otherwise I'd buy an Orange Volvo 240.
So he's been looking at e36 BMW's (we both like e30's, I was hoping for airbags). Our idea is to find one that is a little broken, and fix it together so he learns to work on it, invests some sweat equity into the car, etc.
He just found a couple of 1987 535i - I was not looking for a 5 series - that are really, really cheap. Other than the usual caveats for a 20 year old car with a million miles, does anyone have any advice, opinion or otherwise on this era BMW?
Thanks!
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I have both an 1987 e28 535is and a 1990 e30 325i, the e28 is relatively more complex than the e30, but both are miles less complicated than the cars built after 1992. The first two years of the e36 are known to have electronic issues, same applies to the e34's of the same time period. e34 five series ran from 1989 to 1995, the last year had the six speed 540i's, with the 4.0 engine. Those would run more than your upper $5k limit if in good condition. There's two e34's with six cylinder engines, one with the older 2.7 liter M20 engine, and one with the newer twin cam engine that was fitted in the e36's. I'm not sure, but I think air bags began in the 1993 model year for both the e36 and e34.
If you want any more specifics, let me know.