What to do with my '89 E30 Touring

"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
08/19/2015 at 11:59 • Filed to: None

After a lot of work to get it right the BMW is in !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . However, I’m trying to figure out what to do with it. Export to the US? Lack of demand. Keep it for myself? Too many cars already. Sell locally? Keep as backup for my !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ? Any suggestions?

I’ve taken some pictures of the car for an upcoming ad, but I’m still not quite sure what the best way forward is. More info/pictures in the oppo link below.

Downside for me is that the car still has its German registration and no plates. It means I can’t drive it, officially. I can legally import it (€150, once), but I’d need to pay ownership taxes (€50 a month) and insurance (€20 a month?) then.

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DISCUSSION (27)

Opposite Locksmith > duurtlang
08/21/2015 at 11:11

Send it to me because I will take such good care of it and I'm a poor STEM major student

DrScientist > duurtlang
08/21/2015 at 11:13

long term storage?

also, what would the cost be to export it?

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > duurtlang
08/21/2015 at 11:15

Let me graduate college (in 4 months), get a job, and I’ll buy it. I’m not even joking. It looks like a great car and I’d love an e30 wagon. Would complement the garage very nicely. So, if you don’t know what to do, or get the price you want, keep it for a while.

duurtlang > DrScientist
08/21/2015 at 11:16

Shipping to a Eastern US port would be about $1500 I’d guess. Something like that. Car itself: $4500.

Long term storage is nice, but it would only delay the problem.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > duurtlang
08/21/2015 at 11:17

Offer it on Oppo. I know you’ve sort of tried before, but post the as with a headline of something similar to “Anyone want a RHD E30 Touring for $4500?” I know lots of Opponauts would jump at the idea. If that doesn’t work, try selling it locally. Should be more demand.

duurtlang > Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2
08/21/2015 at 11:18

I’ll give you an even better option: graduate college, fly to Europe, drive it around Europe for a week or two, then take it with you overseas. Possibly take some friends with you. Seriously though, I can hold it but I’ve held it for others who then decided they didn’t want it anymore.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > duurtlang
08/21/2015 at 11:20

So $6,000 to buy it and bring it to the US?

This is soooooo tempting.

duurtlang > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 11:22

It’s LHD, but agreed. I just don’t want to spam Oppo too much. It’s not a commercial site, so I try to not make a blatently commercial post.

Kinja'd!!!

DrScientist > duurtlang
08/21/2015 at 11:23

Seems like a great car for $6k. dont know how much of an ordeal all of the paperwork would be.

Maybe get in touch with a consigner here in the states? or a specialty sales dealer, who might already have a buyer. of course they’d take a cut, but you never know.

a place like this...

http://www.exoticclassics.com/

might already know some bmw nuts that would be happy to get their hands on your car.

duurtlang > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
08/21/2015 at 11:23

Yes. That’s it, excluding any type of US-related registration/tax/whatever.

iSureWilll > duurtlang
08/21/2015 at 11:26

Someone has to buy this for $6k-$6500. It is a smokin deal! If I had the money I would definitely do it but.... I’m poor... Good luck!

You could try posting on r3vlimited, e30tech, etc.

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > duurtlang
08/21/2015 at 11:28

The job part is a necessary, but, it’d be cool to test drive it first. you’re in Germany? I have a good friend in Berlin.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > iSureWilll
08/21/2015 at 11:37

Forums are good, too.

duurtlang > Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2
08/21/2015 at 11:46

I’m in the Netherlands actually, but the BMW resides 5 minutes from the German border.

Horkin' Up Dangle Hams > duurtlang
08/21/2015 at 12:34

Marry it.

Edit: Wait, I actually read it now. Still marry it.

Horkin' Up Dangle Hams > duurtlang
08/21/2015 at 12:36

Gentleman, please make this happen. It would be a shining example of why this very corner of the internet exists.

duurtlang > Horkin' Up Dangle Hams
08/21/2015 at 12:36

Well, it’s certainly of legal age and still about 3 years younger than the German I might actually marry. I don’t want to marry something with a stick shift though.

duurtlang > Horkin' Up Dangle Hams
08/21/2015 at 12:48

I’m trying to pimp this car here for a while now. I get comments about how nice it is, how lust worthy and how cheap. Still though, no one bites.

RallyWrench > duurtlang
08/21/2015 at 13:56

Damn you Californiaaaaaaa!

someassemblyrequired > duurtlang
08/21/2015 at 14:14

I can guarantee it would be worth substantially more once it’s off the boat and out of customs, but a lot of people are scared of the process, even though they could drive it for a couple of years, then sell it on at a profit.

Why they’re nervous (outside of buying a car from afar):

Getting the vehicle on the boat is straightforward, but there is some customs clearance work that needs to be done on the U.S. side. I’ve only imported a vehicle by land, and it was straightforward (even the forms weren’t bad, and this was for a newer Canadian car), but through the ports there is more unpredictability in terms of how longs customs will take to process the vehicle. There is import duty as well (2.5%), and a myriad of inspection fees you *might* have to pay.

When you go to pick the vehicle up, you often need a TWIC card to get it out of the port or someone who has one to escort you (not expensive, just a pain). If you don’t live near a port, then it becomes an expensive logistical headache. Vehicle shipping in the U.S. is extremely expensive (most shipping is by truck), so you can get slammed there as well, especially as someone with a TWIC needs to pick the vehicle up. So your target market is primarily people living near a ro-ro port.

Flipping vehicles in the U.S. is tricky too - as someone without an auto dealer’s license you are restricted in the number of vehicles you can sell in a year, and that number is very low. You are required to formally title the vehicle in your name before selling it, and pay sales tax on the value of the vehicle (which in my case is over 10% of what the state values the vehicle at - a number which is often high).

I definitely don’t want to rain on your parade, because it is a beautiful car that I would love to have in my driveway along with your GTi (if it weren’t already full and we weren’t moving cross-country in the next few months). I think finding a U.S. buyer is likely - it just may take time, and you may want to partner with someone who has their dealer license in a location near a port. Have you considered marketing it in Canada? Importing JDM vehicles privately/commercially is much more common than in the U.S., and there are many dealers who specailize in cars from overseas. Also bringatrailer.com is a good spot to get exposure for less common vehicles. There is also a German speaking dealer in California that imports a lot of stuff from Germany - californiaclassix.com - he tends to be into higher end, older stuff, but it might be a good contact in this case. I’ve bid on some of his cars, and they seem like good people, but I’ve not bought any, so can’t vouch directly.

someassemblyrequired > someassemblyrequired
08/21/2015 at 15:21

That California dealer might not work as I forgot would still need to be smogged since California has different rules (pretty much impossible to register newer foreign cars there (after 1975). They might still be able to put you in touch with someone.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > duurtlang
08/21/2015 at 15:25

Ask DeMuro if he wants to buy it, and if not, ask him to pass it on to the other Jalop editors. There's a great story here...

DasWauto > duurtlang
08/21/2015 at 16:46

Would you consider $6K CAD?

If it wasn’t for our exchange rate being so poor right now, I’d make a serious offer but as it is, $8k CAD isn’t as appealing. :(

Horkin' Up Dangle Hams > duurtlang
08/22/2015 at 05:46

Yep, all I can offer is more of the same. Everyone here is rooting for it to find a good home, and we all wish it could be with us.

duurtlang > DasWauto
08/22/2015 at 13:41

Excluding shipping? Sure. That’s more than what I’m asking for.

duurtlang > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
08/22/2015 at 13:45

I’ve had a conversation with Doug. Over 100 emails long. About E30 Tourings. I just couldn’t find the one he wanted (red, ix, nice , manual). He ended up with the Nissan instead. This car is neither red nor an ix, it has the smaller six and it isn’t as pristine as what he’d want. It’s not a bad idea though. I even asked graverobber if it could be featured on NPCP if I were to post it on a legitimate site with a fixed price and a text in English, but never received an answer.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > duurtlang
08/22/2015 at 15:04

Definitely worth a shot. Also, maybe ask Bring a Trailer if they'd be interested?