Self control, is it really worth it?

"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
11/21/2014 at 09:48 • Filed to: E30 Touring

Recently I spotted this 1988 BMW E30 Touring for sale for very little money. I've been trying to talk myself out of buying it, telling myself "you've already got two of those", "it doesn't have AC" and "the small displacement straight six in this 320i isn't worth it". It doesn't work. Damn it. My wallet is itching.

It will need a new driver seat.

173k km/107k miles

DISCUSSION (19)

505Turbeaux > duurtlang
11/21/2014 at 08:34

I like the little six. Pretty sharp looking car

In other news my search has also expanded to Pajero and Patrol turbodiesels and early Espace turbos. I think I am going crazy

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > 505Turbeaux
11/21/2014 at 08:38

Apart from the Espace, definitely not. Pajeros and Patrols are awesome.

duurtlang > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
11/21/2014 at 08:40

And there I was, considering the (early) Espace turbo the most awesome of that bunch.

505Turbeaux > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
11/21/2014 at 08:43

I dont know why they have an appeal to me. Probably my propensity for French "cars" and utility. They are really junk though, right?

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > duurtlang
11/21/2014 at 08:44

I live in the US where we can't get the Patrol and the Pajeros are neutered and not available with a diesel. The Espace F1 is cool, but a normal one? It's just a minivan.

Brian Silvestro > duurtlang
11/21/2014 at 08:54

Goddamn I want that

Mattbob > duurtlang
11/21/2014 at 09:05

buy it now.... I would.

duurtlang > Brian Silvestro
11/21/2014 at 09:10

It's so cheap I could have this specific car shipped and ready for you to pick it up at a major east coast US port for $7k all in, excluding US based customs/registration.

The 'problem' is that I've got another one just like this waiting for export as well and I lack the space to store a lot of cars. Waiting, as that other one is merely 24 years and 11 months old.

Brian Silvestro > duurtlang
11/21/2014 at 09:25

;_; I wish I had space for it, I want one so bad.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > duurtlang
11/21/2014 at 09:25

Oh, it's worth it.

But you have to know when to pounce as well. BUY

twochevrons > 505Turbeaux
11/21/2014 at 09:30

My folks had a second-gen Espace while I was a teenager. Ours was a 2.2 automatic, and glacially slow, and the handling is just all understeer, all the time. My father once described it as cornering "like a puppy on wet linoleum." The interiors are comfortable, but it's an '80s-'90s French car, so its not doing to be terribly durable.

But, I can see the appeal – the reconfigurable seating is really cool (I think that they were the first to offer that), the plastic body construction is neat, and they're immensely practical. My parents bought a tent thing that went onto the back, Aztek-style, and used theirs as a camper.

Still, if I wanted to get a French family hauler, I'd go for a Citroën CX Safari, or XM wagon. But that's just my love of complexity and hydraulics.

Klaus Schmoll > 505Turbeaux
11/21/2014 at 11:12

IIRC you want to drive it through Europe before shipping it back. Keep in mind that basically all old diesels are banned from German cities.

505Turbeaux > Klaus Schmoll
11/21/2014 at 11:14

I am likely not going to make it over in the next year to do so, so I am going to have duurtlang do the business and ship one. I actually didnt know that about old diesels. Hmmm

Klaus Schmoll > duurtlang
11/21/2014 at 11:17

Are you skipping your Autoholics Anonymous meetings again? Is it time for an intervention?

Klaus Schmoll > 505Turbeaux
11/21/2014 at 11:25

In a desperate try to bring fine particle levels down and meet EU standards, they declared all inner cities eco-zones and banned older diesels and petrol vehicles without catalytic converters. A move particularly popular with small business owners, who all had to buy new vans if they wanted to still be able to drive to their (work)shops.

duurtlang > Klaus Schmoll
11/21/2014 at 11:26

I am duurtlang, and I'm a recovering Autoholic. I've been sober for...

It doesn't work.

duurtlang > Klaus Schmoll
11/21/2014 at 11:30

Are vehicles with non-German plates exempt? That might be a loophole we can use. Also, if I'm not mistaken, you're fine as long as you stay on the highway, even with German plates and a red sticker/no sticker.

My Peugeot has a nice green TÜV sticker despite my Dutch plates, so it doesn't impact my daily driver in any way, luckily. I'll be leaving for Sauerland in 2 hours and München in a few days.

Klaus Schmoll > duurtlang
11/21/2014 at 11:34

Both your Peugeots are fine as they have catalytic converters, and I don't think they can do anything about cars with foreign plates, so that should be fine anyway.

On an unrelated note, haven't heard or received anything from the guy with the '91? ix.

duurtlang > Klaus Schmoll
11/21/2014 at 11:57

Some people are strange like that. He took the initiative to contact me twice, but when asking questions they suddenly stop responding. I had a 325i seller on whatsapp like that once.

My 205 doesn't have a cat by the way. I'm not sure about my 320i either, although I assume it does as the previous owner mentioned it became euro2. My Golf and 406 definitely do have a cat.