Bmw Information

[sticklee]

There's lots of late 1980s BMWs for sale at seemingly good prices. Is anyone well versed ? What to avoid, what to look for. I saw a cheap one with a Toyota 2000 16V engine that seems like a good conversion. Any suggestions appreciated, even if it is 'avoid'.

[MikeyIdea]

I would say avoid, then I would scream avoid until I run out of breath

These cars were bought as new by the bit richer who drove them "sportily" but didn't even care to wash them. The first owner actually serviced the cars properly though. Then they were sold to young Thais who couldn't afford a new one and who... drove them "sportily". The cars were now washed every week but they couldn't afford proper services. Then they were sold again, guess what? The new owner still drove them "sportily" and washed the car every week, but he couldn't afford service so he did it himself though. That is, he changed oil but didn't do anything elso because he didn't know how to. The forth owner... Can't be bothered to continue

BMW are fine cars, they are not overbuilt though and 30+ years of being actively driven without! proper maintenance is not going to go unnoticed

Watch out for crappy dangerous customisations, electrics, worn out suspension and bushes everwhere which should have been replaced 10 years ago, do-it-yourself by someone who painfully obvoiusly shouldn't have done so,

If the car really feel well looked after, then OK. I use the word Feel, not look. Toyota conversion should be fine, best part of the whole car probably

If you are good enough to detect what has really been well looked after and what looks nice but really hasn't, then by all means go ahead. It is always going to cost much more that a jap to run and maintain but you know that and think it is worth it, not news

Good Luck

[sticklee]

I would say avoid, then I would scream avoid until I run out of breath

These cars were bought as new by the bit richer who drove them "sportily" but didn't even care to wash them. The first owner actually serviced the cars properly though. Then they were sold to young Thais who couldn't afford a new one and who... drove them "sportily". The cars were now washed every week but they couldn't afford proper services. Then they were sold again, guess what? The new owner still drove them "sportily" and washed the car every week, but he couldn't afford service so he did it himself though. That is, he changed oil but didn't do anything elso because he didn't know how to. The forth owner... Can't be bothered to continue

BMW are fine cars, they are not overbuilt though and 30+ years of being actively driven without! proper maintenance is not going to go unnoticed

Watch out for crappy dangerous customisations, electrics, worn out suspension and bushes everwhere which should have been replaced 10 years ago, do-it-yourself by someone who painfully obvoiusly shouldn't have done so,

If the car really feel well looked after, then OK. I use the word Feel, not look. Toyota conversion should be fine, best part of the whole car probably

If you are good enough to detect what has really been well looked after and what looks nice but really hasn't, then by all means go ahead. It is always going to cost much more that a jap to run and maintain but you know that and think it is worth it, not news

Good Luck

Thanks for the tip. I am very mechanical myself. I restored an MG and 3 Lotus in Canada. I brought lots of tools with me and there isn't much that scares me. I'm assuming the BMWs are metric, most of my tools are standard. I'd prefer a British classic really but the prices asked are just plain silly. Something to restore would suit me fine, I've got lots of time.

[kartman]

Good car you will just have to spend time finding a nice one they are out there, being a 1980's vehicle and this includes Toyota's theres a lot of "dogs" you will have to waste time looking at, as for the Toyota engine the most popular swaps are Nissan Sr20de and det turbo or the Toyota 1jg 6 cylinder . Probably the better cars would be origional engine or the sr20de the others tend to be owned by the tyre smoking fraternaty .

[Crossy]

WARNING WILL ROBINSON.

The older Beemers are not compatible with gasohol and since there is no longer (OK very rare) 'real' 95 available you could be looking at a costly upgrade / repair / LPG conversion.

My step-son has a mid 90's E34 5-Series, runs sweetly on LPG but he buggered the fuel injection system with gasohol so it won't run on petrol any more

[kartman]

Nice(in the photos maybe in reality also) 87 four door SR20 auto LPG just gone on TALADROD 95,000baht

[MikeyIdea]

Just one more comment for the OP here.

The prices are decent and low but they are not bargains because of that. The prices you see are just a representation of their true value in Thailand

[kartman]

Like the 88 drop top just on TALADROD 750,000 baht

[MikeyIdea]

Someone tries to sell it as a collectable ?