My first car. A 1993 BMW 320i. Advise?

[Midevilshadow]

Hi all, so I just bought my first car, and as someone who doesn't know squat about cars, it'd be nice to have some insight or advise about what to do.

First of all
- I'm a student, turning 20 in April.
- I only have a G1 (but I'm getting a G2 very soon).
- Never had insurance on any car.
- Not much experience with driving, but I wouldn't say I'm bad.
- Learned how to drive manual from this car (Drove only in parking lots with an experienced driver at night).

So long story short, I now own a 1993 BMW 320i which cost $1100.

Things about the car
- The front right fender is rusted.
- There's other rust around the car, but I think it's not as noticeable as the fender.
- The car pulls to the left.
- The rear defogger doesn't seem to work.
- The interior is pretty worn out.
- There's 240K-ish KM on it.
- The hand brake needs to be pulled up a lot before it'll work.
- The battery may need to be replaced... it's pretty old.
- Tires are worn out, pretty bad for this weather.
- It's modified with a short ram intake (Whatever that means).
- According to the previous owner, only premium gas has been put in it.
- No license plates on it currently.

What I've been told
- The 320i is an import car.
- The 320i is kinda rare.

So yeah... questions
1) Was this an okay deal? Was I ripped off?
2) Keep or no keep?
3) If Keep, what should I fix up, and how much should it cost (ish)?
4) How much could I get for this if I tried to sell it?
5) If I don't want it to be perfect (to save money) what is the bare minimum that I need to repair to drive it safely and to past the safety test?
6) Was either of the things that I've been told about the car true?
7) What about insurance? I was thinking an insurance that only covers the other person's car (not my own). About how much would that cost?
8) Should I keep pumping premium in this thing? Or is it just a waste?
9) Should I get winter tires? All season tires? Keep my current tires?

Any other advise about driving manual cars, about driving in general, and about insurance would be great.

Yeah, I know I'm asking for a lot here, but if you're gonna tell me to do my own research, please know that I am/am going to, but I really trust this forum so I'd like some opinions from around here.
Anywhoo, nobody feel obliged to answer my questions okay? lol
Thanks in advance.

[robbieD]

...but aren't these questions you should have asked before buying your car?!

Anyway, regarding being ripped off...you paid $1100. Any vehicle capable of moving, stopping and turning for $1100 is a good deal IMO

[Midevilshadow]

...but aren't these questions you should have asked before buying your car?!

Anyway, regarding being ripped off...you paid $1100. Any vehicle capable of moving, stopping and turning for $1100 is a good deal IMO

Lol I knew someone would say that.

Problem is that I don't know squat about cars, including the right procedures in buying one. Oh well, you learn from your mistakes right?

Buying it was kinda spontaneous, and even though the guy was 100% lying, he said that someone was coming the day after me to pick up the car if i didn't. I thought the price was too good to pass up so I took it.

Oh and I forgot to mention, yes the car seems pretty damn solid. Besides those points i stated earlier, I haven't had any trouble driving it.

[TenzoR]

I would try and find information on a BMW specific forum instead bimmerfest, maxbimmer, etc

There are lots of good independent BMW mechanics in GTA if you are willing to pay (RMP, Cross are the two that comes to my mind).

[afici0nad0]

i'd suggest visiting the numerous bimmer forums for more comprehensive responses.

but i think many of the questions you've asked here are moot. you've already bought the car. enjoy it.

[BanjoBolt]

.....
So long story short, I now own a 1993 BMW 320i which cost $1100
Congrats! Now enjoy the ultimate driving experience while be prepared for some unexpected expenses ;)
Unless you want to throw tons of $$ at it, try to be a handy person as much as you can. As others said, read the forums, get a service manual,...


- The front right fender is rusted.
- There's other rust around the car, but I think it's not as noticeable as the fender.
Sand, treat with RustCheck, prime & paint


- The car pulls to the left.
Check alignment & suspension


- The rear defogger doesn't seem to work.
Check fuse


- The interior is pretty worn out.
hmm....


- There's 240K-ish KM on it.
Oil & filter change asap, and timing belt if applicable. The rest...check the owner’s manual. Check out the forums


- The hand brake needs to be pulled up a lot before it'll work.
Front & rear brake job is due


1) Was this an okay deal? Was I ripped off?
A little late now eh!


2) Keep or no keep?
You got a buyer ready?


5) If I don't want it to be perfect (to save money) what is the bare minimum that I need to repair to drive it safely and to past the safety test?
Tires/brakes/suspension work - depends on what parts to be replaced. But be prepared to spend around the same as the car’s purchase cost, maybe double that at worst


7) What about insurance? I was thinking an insurance that only covers the other person's car (not my own). About how much would that cost?
At least twice the cost of the purchase price


9) Should I get winter tires? All season tires? Keep my current tires?
Winters for a RWD, of course

I would set aside $3k to sort out the maintenance & unexpected repairs, perhaps another $3k for insurance.
I know, it’s probably more than expected eh? But hey, it’s a bimmer. Since you've got it, enjoy it :)

[z24driver1986]

First thing, find yourself a mechanic and make good friends with him this will save you alot of money!

Second of all, the car sounds not bad but we need some pics and a hoist to make better observations. By the sound of it the car would fail safety because of the brakes and tires. Brakes are not that expensive to buy but tires can be costly. Get yourself some All Season tires and your good to go. I recommend Second Time Around Tires in Scarborough or Oshawa for Tires. It might need an alignment too.

I personally would start to clean the car like crazy; interior and exterior. Get it all clean and armor all it. Remove the seats and clean the carpet as well. You will find the car to smell and feel better to be in.

For safety they look for a few things, tires,brakes (lines (no rust),actual brakes), emergency brake, lights (check them), defrost (front), clutch safety switch (car only starts with clutch in), underbody rust, stuff like that.

When you get all those things I said fixed then take it for a safety test. Find a mechanic either from someone you know or from online (here, BMW forums) and bring the car to them. Actually it would even be better to bring the car before fixing any of that to find out if its worth to keep

[pgfreak]

Who is this guy? ^ (2 posts up)
Have you owned a BMW?
I get a really condescending vibe about your post towards BMWs. My BMW has been more reliable than my Honda ever was.
BMWs are good cars, especially if the previous owner also treated it very well.

[TenzoR]

Who is this guy? ^ (2 posts up)
Have you owned a BMW?
I get a really condescending vibe about your post towards BMWs. My BMW has been more reliable than my Honda ever was.
BMWs are good cars, especially if the previous owner also treated it very well.

key word ;)

[BanjoBolt]

Who is this guy? ^ (2 posts up)
Have you owned a BMW?
I get a really condescending vibe about your post towards BMWs. My BMW has been more reliable than my Honda ever was.
BMWs are good cars, especially if the previous owner also treated it very well.
No need to be defensive bud :)
I never said BMW is problem prone. Considering the age of the car, how little history is known based on what OP gave, I just assume something of a worst case scenario.
I think cars made in early 90's to be better than the newer ones, though all that is moot if previous owners didn't give a ****
It's better to be prepared for the worst than getting shocked by the bills later.

[trixstar]

if i were you, i would've spent a bit more to find a "working" car that wouldn't need that much repair. This way, you would save money over the long run as to buying a cheaper car and throwing money at it to fix it up. since it's already been purchased, it's too late, unless you can find a buyer for it and forget about the hassle of doing all the major repairs.

[SkylineGTR]

My advise would be to make it safe to drive (fix the brakes, alignment, wheels etc etc); which will prepare it for the safety test AND THEN worry about fixing the little problems like rust and paint etc. I would definitely consider fixing it up, it's a bimmer, don't let it go to waste.

[Pete_Coach]

Midevilshadow, I read your post twice. I also read the responses. I have owned BMW's along with quite a few other cars. I have quite a lot of mechanical experience. The BMW is an import and the 320i is far from a rare car.
I will be blunt. You, my friend bought the wrong car for yourself. The car appears not to be mechanically sound, it appears to have structural issues as well. It appears to have seriously expensive issues already. There is nothing inexpensive about any of the issues you have listed. I am saying all this because of your admitted lack of automotive knowledge and skills.
If there was a way out, I would take that road as soon as possible. If there is not, do minimum to keep the car on the road and when your first repair estimate hits $500 (which will be as soon as you take it into a shop for anything), get rid of the car. The BMW is not a car that nickle and dimes you to death, it feeds voraciously on $100 bill. If there is no way out, just drive it till it dies. IMO, I believe you have gotten a bad deal.
I loved my BMW's but, I was able to fix most things myself. I would not have bought that car, even knowing how to fix it. The parts alone just to get it safetied will cost you more that the car. Sorry for the bluntness of my post.

[shawn99]

I owned a car that had all of kinds of issues, nothing is infuriating than getting stuck on the road, not knowing if your car will work the next day, and the idea of paying repair bills on a monthly basis.

That is why I took the plunge and bought a brand new car. I figure in the long term, I'm saving money and my sanity. You have to be realistic and buy a car within your budget. Get a luxury car when your income will supplement it.

[lazarus]

Lol I knew someone would say that.
Buying it was kinda spontaneous, and even though the guy was 100% lying, he said that someone was coming the day after me to pick up the car if i didn't. I thought the price was too good to pass up so I took it.

Hind sight is 20/20. If someone ever tells you that someone else is going to buy it the next day, just tell the seller that you can't get the money until the day after that, and if the buyer falls through to give you a call.

If they call you, that's when you offer them less money for the car, cause you know they are desperate.

[bahasad]

a 1993 320i for 1100? Doesn't sound like a good combo.
But let's refrain from commenting on the deal, I wouldn't let it go to waste, and start replacing the necessary things to get it driving. Fix the battery, brakes, and tires (I would do it in that order). Refrain from driving it too much now, the weather isn't great and RWD, bad brakes, and poor tires doesn't sound like a good combo.

If you are able to fix it up a bit, I think it could be pretty rewarding. I am looking at older Beemers too...I wouldn't say there are reliable and dependable cars, but they aren't bad either. You gotta have a bit deeper pockets:lol: and have patience.

[Midevilshadow]

Congrats! Now enjoy the ultimate driving experience while be prepared for some unexpected expenses ;)
Unless you want to throw tons of $$ at it, try to be a handy person as much as you can. As others said, read the forums, get a service manual,...


Sand, treat with RustCheck, prime & paint


Check alignment & suspension


Check fuse


hmm....


Oil & filter change asap, and timing belt if applicable. The rest...check the owner’s manual. Check out the forums


Front & rear brake job is due


A little late now eh!


You got a buyer ready?


Tires/brakes/suspension work - depends on what parts to be replaced. But be prepared to spend around the same as the car’s purchase cost, maybe double that at worst


At least twice the cost of the purchase price


Winters for a RWD, of course

I would set aside $3k to sort out the maintenance & unexpected repairs, perhaps another $3k for insurance.
I know, it’s probably more than expected eh? But hey, it’s a bimmer. Since you've got it, enjoy it :)

Thanks for the advise, if I decided to keep it I would have helped me a lot,
...but from this post:

Midevilshadow, I read your post twice. I also read the responses. I have owned BMW's along with quite a few other cars. I have quite a lot of mechanical experience. The BMW is an import and the 320i is far from a rare car.
I will be blunt. You, my friend bought the wrong car for yourself. The car appears not to be mechanically sound, it appears to have structural issues as well. It appears to have seriously expensive issues already. There is nothing inexpensive about any of the issues you have listed. I am saying all this because of your admitted lack of automotive knowledge and skills.
If there was a way out, I would take that road as soon as possible. If there is not, do minimum to keep the car on the road and when your first repair estimate hits $500 (which will be as soon as you take it into a shop for anything), get rid of the car. The BMW is not a car that nickle and dimes you to death, it feeds voraciously on $100 bill. If there is no way out, just drive it till it dies. IMO, I believe you have gotten a bad deal.
I loved my BMW's but, I was able to fix most things myself. I would not have bought that car, even knowing how to fix it. The parts alone just to get it safetied will cost you more that the car. Sorry for the bluntness of my post.

ah man... you really hit me with this.

And the real kicker. My friend took it to a mechanic the other day. They said it's not worth it to fix up. :| I really don't want to spend so much more on this car. I guess I'm gonna sell it then. Thanks a lot man, and don't worry, no offense taken or anything, in fact this was just what I needed to make up my mind.

First thing, find yourself a mechanic and make good friends with him this will save you alot of money!

Second of all, the car sounds not bad but we need some pics and a hoist to make better observations. By the sound of it the car would fail safety because of the brakes and tires. Brakes are not that expensive to buy but tires can be costly. Get yourself some All Season tires and your good to go. I recommend Second Time Around Tires in Scarborough or Oshawa for Tires. It might need an alignment too.

I personally would start to clean the car like crazy; interior and exterior. Get it all clean and armor all it. Remove the seats and clean the carpet as well. You will find the car to smell and feel better to be in.

For safety they look for a few things, tires,brakes (lines (no rust),actual brakes), emergency brake, lights (check them), defrost (front), clutch safety switch (car only starts with clutch in), underbody rust, stuff like that.

When you get all those things I said fixed then take it for a safety test. Find a mechanic either from someone you know or from online (here, BMW forums) and bring the car to them. Actually it would even be better to bring the car before fixing any of that to find out if its worth to keep

Yeah, so the mechanic said it's not worth it :|
And I can't take pictures of the car currently, it's at a friend's place.

Hind sight is 20/20. If someone ever tells you that someone else is going to buy it the next day, just tell the seller that you can't get the money until the day after that, and if the buyer falls through to give you a call.

If they call you, that's when you offer them less money for the car, cause you know they are desperate.

That's a good idea, I'll make sure to do that next time.

So it's settled, I'm selling this car then.
Thanks guys. And uh, on a side note,
Is anyone in the market for a beat up beemer? :lol:

[anycee]

I'd ride it til it dies. Don't put any money into it. Maybe fix the alignment if it is bad, and get used tires if the current ones are totally gone.
As an old car, you are saving on insurance, and if you can make it last 12 months then you don't have a bad deal.

[Focus]

If you don't know anything about car, and is a student who don't have lot of cash to spare, sell it, sell it asap. It is a cash burning pit.

P.S I have a E36 on my drive way.

[bmw_xperience]

be prepared to go into the prostitution business! it will rape you in fees esp a 15 yr old bmw.

my advice: if you can't afford a bmw.. don't drive one, seriously

SELL IT QUICK!

[vaportech]

Hind sight is 20/20. If someone ever tells you that someone else is going to buy it the next day, just tell the seller that you can't get the money until the day after that, and if the buyer falls through to give you a call.

If they call you, that's when you offer them less money for the car, cause you know they are desperate.

Do you play poker?

[Narci]

Question though..doesn't a car have to go through emissions and safety before it can change hands?

Judging by the problems with the car, it doesn't sound like it will pass safety.

http://www.ontariolicences.com/ssc2.htm

[canadiankorean]

Did you see how much insurance would be?
You only have a G2, only 20 yrs old... you should check to see if you can afford insurance.

[VivienM]

I'd ride it til it dies. Don't put any money into it. Maybe fix the alignment if it is bad, and get used tires if the current ones are totally gone.
As an old car, you are saving on insurance, and if you can make it last 12 months then you don't have a bad deal.

Except that it seems like the OP can't get it safetied... at least, not without throwing insane money at it.

[bobby5]

Used car purchase lesson #1: Make sure the car is roadworthy!

Really, a seller should just give the car away if he can't or unwilling even to safety it before selling!

[lazarus]

Do you play poker?

Well of course I do. But I think my point is that the buyer had all the power in this case. From the sounds of it, the car is a piece of junk. If you asked him how long it's been sitting, that would give you a good indication on how long it's been for sale too. (you could have also asked for a buyers package)

Now that the OP knows more about buying cars, he will know when to buy and when to wait. In this case, even if the seller wasn't lying about another interested party, he could have easily moved on and went back to the auto trader and started over..

I guess the moral of the story is not to buy a car spur of the moment. It's really a cheap lessons, so hopefully the OP learned a lot. (sounds like he did anyhow). If he sells the car, then maybe he can get some money back. :)

[canadiantofu]

Just curious. Don't you have to show proof of safety certificate for cars 10 years or older in order to obtain insurance? or is that different for Ontario?

[olddog]

hey,
i have only read the OP post but will say this. Am not trying to be harsh but it might sound like. While the chances of getting a one in a million troiuble free BMW is rare, the chances of that car being a problem car is very high.
You have bought yourself a ticking timebomb.
BMW's are not reliable in my opinion. The best time to own a BMW is when it is new and in warranty. After that its one trip to the mechanic after the other.
Particularly being a student , u shuld have gotten a japanese.
A honda, nissan....or if u wanted luxury an older well-maintained Lexus.
Thats reliability for you. Plus Hondas are easy to maintain.
Now with that said, you could be lucky and have a "good" old bmw on your hands.
enjoy it but dont make it a moneypit.They have great suspension and ride nice. But once u find yourself jumping from one expense to another, accept your loss and sell it.


good luck

olddog

[wisdom_kid]

I was going to purchase a 1992 BMW 325i. The seller told me there was work to be done, and it would cost around 1 grand. I decided to go on the bimmer forums (maxbimmer.com) and ask others about the car. Almost everyone told me not to buy it, as the repairs would cost me over two grand.

I was pretty happy about getting the BMW as it would be my first car, but I am even more happier that I didn't purchase it.

[drivert]

1. Insurance: if you had coverage under your parent's policy before you got your first car, your insurance will be cheaper. I think your premium will cost more than $4000.
2. BMW are imported cars (true). They are also rear wheel drive and will make you miserable in winter driving conditions. You need one set of new tires for sure $400-500. If you can afford it, get the winter tires as well.
3. Handbrake and rear defrogger are safety features. They need to be fixed ASAP. The cost depend on where you take the car to. Call around and get quotes.
4. The car needs alignment because it pulls to the left $110-130. You need to get this done or your new tires will wear out unevenly, and get damaged.
In my opinion, the cost of geting this car up and running is too high for a 16 years old car. I would not have bought it in the first place.
You might lose some money if you sell it now. If you do, look for front wheel drive in your next car eg. Honda Civic, Mazda 3.
Good luck.

[drivert]

1. Insurance: if you had coverage under your parent's policy before you got your first car, your insurance will be cheaper. I think your premium will cost more than $4000.
2. BMW are imported cars (true). They are also rear wheel drive and will make you miserable in winter driving conditions. You need one set of new tires for sure $400-500. If you can afford it, get the winter tires as well.
3. Handbrake and rear defrogger are safety features. They need to be fixed ASAP. The cost depend on where you take the car to. Call around and get quotes.
4. The car needs alignment because it pulls to the left $110-130. You have to do this or you new tires will wear out unevenly and get damaged.
In my opinion, the cost of geting this car up and running is too high for a 16 years old car. I would not have bought it in the first place.
You might lose some money if you sell it now. If you do, look for front wheel drive in your next car eg. Honda Civic, Mazda 3.
Good luck.

[terrybear]

the only bmw 320's I've heard are the most reliable & cheap to keep up where the early to mid 80's ones as a few of the canadian used car review mags said.

that being said a used honda or toyota should be what your looking at. something that will use little to no gas. Especialy with gas prices how they are I couldn't see owning a 20+ yr old V8 based veicle.

[KorruptioN]

The biggest question I had was - why didn't you do any research whatsoever before blowing a ton of cash (at that age, at least) on something that you know nothing about?

Even on here, if you made a thread (or better, did some searching), you would've been able to get a lot of good info as to what your first car could be. You're only 19... save that cash for post-secondary. You won't regret it.

[notanexpert]

the only bmw 320's I've heard are the most reliable & cheap to keep up where the early to mid 80's ones as a few of the canadian used car review mags said.

that being said a used honda or toyota should be what your looking at. something that will use little to no gas. Especialy with gas prices how they are I couldn't see owning a 20+ yr old V8 based veicle.

Do you know what you're talking about???

The E36 320i was sold in Canada from 1993 to 1995, with a 2.0 litre 6-cylinder, 150hp engine. It is an "import" as ALL BMW's in Canada are imports because most are made in Germany (although a few are made in the US, such as the Z3, Z4, X5 and VERY few 90's 318's, but NOT the 320i).
The 320i has a lot of people scratching their heads because it was NOT sold in the US. Does not make it really rare, because it is one of the most popular models OUTSIDE North America.
If you are not mechanically inclined, I would not recommend this car, or ANY car that is 15 years old and has a history full of question marks.
That being said, a lot of people on this forum give ****** advice, like "it needs brakes done front and back" when the only symptom you give is parking brake catches very high. E36 BMW's have a SEPERATE system for the parking brake, even the parking brake LININGS are different from the service brake PADS. A parking brake lever high indicates to me that most likely the tension on the cable needs adjustment, nothing more can be said without a proper inspection.
If you need advice on something SPECIFIC, you can PM me, I know these cars very well.

[Qube]

Here's the best advice now...

Take the car and see Charlie at Bimmersport. Have him give you his honest opinion on it, and what needs to be done so it's safe for you to be driving it around. Come back with results :)