"Jay Lauer" (thefaultinourcars)
01/09/2014 at 23:51 • Filed to: None
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"Jay Lauer" (thefaultinourcars)
01/09/2014 at 23:51 • Filed to: None | 1
| 30 |
Anyone can join in, but I do want to hear from actual owners. It's a sedan, with a manual. Which is very rare.
!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
Go!
Mathias Rios
> Jay Lauer
01/10/2014 at 00:00 |
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I'm here to talk you into it. Can you wrench? Are you willing to risk blood, sweat, and cash + tears for this car? DO IT.
Battery Tender Unnecessary
> Jay Lauer
01/10/2014 at 00:03 |
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I would need a VIN at minimum to consider it. If the head gasket is gone and it's over 200k miles, I'm going to ask if it's had new guides, lifters, springs. Any cracks in the head? You're already in $5k+ territory, and that's if you do some of the work yourself. Need more history before I'd jump on that.
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Jay Lauer
> Battery Tender Unnecessary
01/10/2014 at 00:09 |
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I do need more history. I'm going to talk to him tomorrow. All the work will be done myself and with my father, the mechanic of 40+ years. Right now I own a high mileage E46, so I know what they like to do.
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Jay Lauer
> Mathias Rios
01/10/2014 at 00:10 |
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I willing to risk anything but cash. My hope is to fix the gasket myself with the my father. (I can wrench some but he's a mechanic 40+ years) and make a decent profit.
DasWauto
> Battery Tender Unnecessary
01/10/2014 at 00:12 |
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Yup, I'd want a VIN to see if it's a real M3 to start. The cluster and badging are right but the seats are not Vaders so I'd need to confirm that this car had the luxury package (I think the wood interior trim helps to that end).
As you mentioned, the top end will need to be taken apart checked and you'll likely want to replace those bits if they haven't been.
All that said, I want me an e36 M3 sedan.
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Battery Tender Unnecessary
> Jay Lauer
01/10/2014 at 00:17 |
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Ooo, if that's the case then the limiting factor is just it's authenticity. The E36 never really tickled my fancy (it's the only M3 I haven't owned but a friend from college still has his) but if I were to get one, it would either be a manual sedan or a lightweight (which isn't worth what some are already asking for them). If you can do the work and the car is a legit M3, then $2.8k isn't the worst idea I've heard.
ddavidn
> Jay Lauer
01/10/2014 at 00:19 |
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Tough call. I bought my M3 for $2,500 and everything with the engine was fine. It ended up costing me around $4,000 by the time I replaced most of what needed fixing. And I still haven't fixed everything right, three years later. It might not be the head gasket, but you are definitely in for a project. If this is what you want, I'd be happy to have another fellow E36 owner to commiserate with! So I'm for it because E36, against it if you don't have the money to start fixing things without a definite problem.
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Jay Lauer
> ddavidn
01/10/2014 at 00:23 |
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I mean I have the money to fix some things, but I'm looking for profits. I'm looking to flip it, fix the head gasket and all, and sell it to someone who really wants a M3 manual sedan.
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ddavidn
> Jay Lauer
01/10/2014 at 00:25 |
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Ah. I wouldn't try to sell an E36. Or start trying to fix things with the goal of selling it.
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Jay Lauer
> Battery Tender Unnecessary
01/10/2014 at 00:28 |
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Yeah, my hope is that being a manual sedan was raise demand and thus the price for it when I sell it. The main goal is to flip it for profit, while owning a cool car. I've managed to do it with everything I've owned, and I don't intend on stopping. Hell, I'd love any M3. The E46 330xi I have now has tickled my fancy (automatic) and I like trying new cars.
But for ease and certainty of profit, I could also buy another WRX wagon that needs head work for about $3500. I've already owned a WRX wagon, so I know they're great cars.
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Jay Lauer
> ddavidn
01/10/2014 at 00:31 |
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Yeah, I've been trying to get an idea of the demand for them on Craigslist. My consensus is that I'd be better off buying another WRX.
My phone blew up like I was the popular girl when I put my last WRX up for sale.
LappingLuke
> DasWauto
01/10/2014 at 00:40 |
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I'm fairly certain the M3 sedans were only available with the Lux package. Don't think I've ever seen a sedan with Vader seats or anything else sport pack related.
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ddavidn
> Jay Lauer
01/10/2014 at 00:42 |
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Yeah, definitely easy to sell a WRX. I would not advise waiting for someone that wants a manual sedan with luxury package.
Manuél Ferrari
> Jay Lauer
01/10/2014 at 00:42 |
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If it was the E36 M3 Sedan unicorn - no sunroof and MT then maybe
But this looks like a risky profit car. You might have to spend a lot...
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Jay Lauer
> ddavidn
01/10/2014 at 00:45 |
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Yeah, I'll know more when I sell my E46 soon. I think people want the M3 Sedan manual, it's just that there's so few that they buy the coupe instead.
Either way the WRX is easier to sell.
M54B30
> Jay Lauer
01/10/2014 at 00:46 |
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Link must not be right - it goes to a CL ad for a non-running, blown head gasket, beat up interior (w/o Vader seats), very high mileage BMW with a super CP $2,800 price. Oh, and the airbags don't work.
Oh wait, that's the right car? I'd stay far away. This is big time trouble, and very expensive parts and labor. Find a clean, running M3 for a fair price and you'll come out ahead in the long run
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Jay Lauer
> Manuél Ferrari
01/10/2014 at 00:47 |
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As far as I can tell. not having talked to the owner yet, it'll be a head gasket and head resurfacing. The labor I can do myself.
Does that one have a sunroof?
There's one other Sedan Manual for sale within six hours of me for $6700, and it's gaudy yellow..
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Jay Lauer
> M54B30
01/10/2014 at 00:50 |
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Keen eye noticing the airbag light. I'm not sure where you're getting beat up interior. It's look surprisingly good to me. And non-running/blown head gasket is kinda redundant.
Clean, running E36 M3's are about $6500
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M54B30
> Jay Lauer
01/10/2014 at 00:56 |
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No E36 M3 with 205k miles is $6500. www.kbb.com/bmw/m3/1997-bmw-m3/sedan-4d/?intent=buy-used&pricetype=private-party&vehicleid=7326&mileage=205000&anchor=true
The driver's seat looks like it has some nice rips/tears. Back seat looks good but OK gets hot summers - I'm willing to bet when you go to look at it that the dash has cracks.
If you go for it, best of luck but I have a sinking feeling it's a money pit and you'll wind up in the red.
edit: link is screwy so here's a screenshot of KBB
$4600 tops, $5k if the buyer doesn't bother to check KBB and that's excellent condition - I'm not sure any car is considered "excellent" condition after major engine repairs
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Manuél Ferrari
> Jay Lauer
01/10/2014 at 00:58 |
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Hard to tell but I think it has a sunroof
People love the sunroof delete. Lighter and the sedan is great to track. It's the same weight as the coupe and you can fit more track gear in it.
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Jay Lauer
> M54B30
01/10/2014 at 01:02 |
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I'll hold off on the KBB vs NADA debate.
I do see a small tear/smudge in the bottom of the seat. It is surprisingly clean inside. I've bought numerous cars from Texas/Oklahoma without dash cracks. It just depends.
But you're right, it's not as much of a sure thing as I like to buy. I may just get another WRX that needs work. I'm not about to go in the red on any car.
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Jay Lauer
> Manuél Ferrari
01/10/2014 at 01:03 |
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Is a sunroof add that much weight? I can take it or leave it, but I like having the sunlight in the car.
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M54B30
> Jay Lauer
01/10/2014 at 01:07 |
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I might be interested in buying a WRX ;)
I'm always just super suspicious of CL ads - I get anal over wondering: "I see what they want to show me, but what are they avoiding in pictures?" (Hence why I suspect dash cracks).
At least you have a decent BMW market, look at the only one in my market: http://rapidcity.craigslist.org/cto/4257996672…
Seller says it needs (from his email) "water pump, a few pulleys, a couple belts, a fan, fan clutch and radiator." And it's so god-awful hideous and tacky.
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Jay Lauer
> M54B30
01/10/2014 at 01:14 |
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Sadly, I sold my last WRX in October. I have an E46 now, which I'll sell soon.
I've been buying off CL for a while now, so I look at absolutely everything, but these are also fixer uppers, so I manage the ease of fixes. I could easily not do anything to that seat and just sell it that way, but I can't sell it without running perfectly.
My real trick to selling on CL is cleaning. Overcleaning. OVERCLEANING. Everything. Every jam, every hole, every visible and invisible piece. When your car is unbelievably clean, people can't really complain about much to drive the price down. A good clean is worth a surprising amount of money.
That Bimmer should be put down.
Arben72
> Jay Lauer
01/10/2014 at 01:59 |
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Buy it
S54 swap
Profit!!!! (or go broke from the expense of tires?)
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Jay Lauer
> Arben72
01/10/2014 at 02:02 |
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I feel like I'd go broke from the fact that no one would buy it.
No offense. I just don't trust other people's engine swaps when I look for cars. I knew my work is done at a proper mechanic shop with a mechanic (dad) with 40+ years. But I don't trust other people. And I don't expect them to trust me.
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Arben72
> Jay Lauer
01/10/2014 at 02:11 |
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Step 3 can be exchanged for just keeping it yourself and hooning. Honestly if you DIY it with your dad you can get a s54 for cheap now. This car is practically begging for it.
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DasWauto
> LappingLuke
01/10/2014 at 08:12 |
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That's possible. I don't know that much about the sedan specifically. I just know that those seats belong with the Lux package and would want to make sure they were meant to be there with a VIN check.
Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
> Jay Lauer
01/10/2014 at 08:26 |
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It might just have air in the cooling system. But, if it's a head gasket, you'll never get your money back.
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Jay Lauer
> Arben72
01/10/2014 at 12:01 |
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In theory, it does sound like a great swap, but I'm not good at keeping cars past 6 months. I would rather buy something I could flip and make money on so I could buy something better next.
Besides, if I'm going to motor swap a car, I would put a 5.0 into an early Rx7.