Opinions on a e38/e32?

[davintosh]

Those photos are definitely an e32, but like I said, '88 was the first model year for that body style, so probably just a typo in the ad. Nice looking car though. Too bad it's not a manual; the auto trans can be a problem. It's not an iL, so it's got that going for it, but it doesn't sound like the current owner is much for maintaining his own cars, so check it over CAREFULLY. Maybe have a trusted mechanic give it a once-over.

Things to look for; HVAC controls operating properly, window regulators all working properly, seat controls working, play in the steering wheel, rust at the door bottoms... Looks like a decent car, but photos can hide a lot.

[rlomba8204]

Are all the votes to run away referring to the e38 or the e32?

The original post was only about E38s.

Yes and no moosehead, I should've posted it as early 7 series or 735i-750il, anyway thanks for the reliable info guys, I appreciate it, I'm really digging the bigger vehicle idea, I was rear ended at 70kms, on the highway in my e28 and drove home while the car that nailed me was written off on the spot(laugh at the diving boards will ya?). Having 2 kids ride with me most days, the bigger the better. I could pick up a 84 735 in pretty decent condition locally for 1k, I'm gonna check out some sites with a run down of e32 common issues before any purchase, but I thought I'd run past the e28 clan first! Cheers eh?

Honestly, I am not sure of what your financial situation is, but a fixer-upper 7 series, and that's what this car looks like, and what most of them are at this point in their lifecycle, is probably not a good idea unless you are a DIY-er with some significant skills.

Moreover, while I don't believe the E32 is unsafe by any stretch -- far from it in fact -- there is not much question that if you are changing vehicles anyway, and you have kids involved in the equation, I would try to find something substantially newer. Put a little differently, I wouldn't sell or trade a perfectly good E32 (or E28 or E38) that was otherwise serviceable becaues newer cars are "safer." But if I were looking for a new car, and especially if kids were in the equation (two kids mean outboard seating, for example), I would find something newer.

Car safety has made significant strides in the last 10 to 15 years, and so while you needn't buy a 2010 model, if a car from the mid-2000s is do-able for you, I think for the most part you will be in a safer, more modern, and more reliable car, and you may not be that much worse off, in terms of what you would be spending to bring any older BMW up to the level where it could be properly characterized as "reliable daily transportation." Most of the cars that you are considering for the neighborhood of $1000 or so, irrespective of whether they are E32s, E28s or anything else for that matter, will need significant work.

So the best advice I could give you is that unless you are an experienced DIY-er, avoid an E32 project, and any $1k E32 is a project. If you insist on an E32, figure on spending $4k or so to get a decent one (there was a nice manual in Roundel a few months ago, low mileage with a manual, for $5k or so IIRC), or if you are not an experienced wrencher, find something a lot newer and frankly, a lot more modern in terms of safety features. This is where frankly an E28 is a better fit -- it's a lot easier to handle yourself than the next generation cars. In any event, you don't want to be breaking down roadside with two kids in the car.

[slammin_e28]

E32 = (we don't have a $$ flushing down a toilet so that's the best I could do!)

That is all.

[cvillebimmer]

The electrical gremlins are far more prevalent in the earlier cars. I would look for MY 89 or later. I've had very few electrical issues with my e32.

[cvillebimmer]

E32 = (we don't have a $$ flushing down a toilet so that's the best I could do!)

That is all.

I respectfully disagree. Turbo related spend aside, my M30 e32 hasn't cost me much more to maintain than any an e28. So long as you can avoid paying dealer prices for new electronics, it's really not much different.

[slammin_e28]

V8/V12 E32 = (we don't have a $$ flushing down a toilet so that's the best I could do!)

That is all.

I respectfully disagree. Turbo related spend aside, my M30 e32 hasn't cost me much more to maintain than any an e28. So long as you can avoid paying dealer prices for new electronics, it's really not much different.

Whoops!....I was thinking V8/V12 e32. M30 ones are alllllriiiighhhttttt!!!

Fixed!

[rlomba8204]

V8/V12 E32 = (we don't have a $$ flushing down a toilet so that's the best I could do!)

That is all.

I respectfully disagree. Turbo related spend aside, my M30 e32 hasn't cost me much more to maintain than any an e28. So long as you can avoid paying dealer prices for new electronics, it's really not much different.

Whoops!....I was thinking V8/V12 e32. M30 ones are alllllriiiighhhttttt!!!

Fixed!

I always get a good chuckle from these posts slamming other BMWs, typically newer ones. Although the E32 is hardly new anymore, in fact it's old. You see the refrain of, for example "avoid the E36/E34/E39 etc." And then what starts to happen is that the E28 wears out eventually, like all cars do, and the person buys one of these newer, absolutely horrible BMWs. And amazingly enough, like a Christmas miracle of sorts, they become a convert to whatever newer BMW they have purchased, realizing that while, yes, it has flaws, so did the E28 but in time, like with the E28, the flaws, and fixes, become well known and so the "mystery" is removed from the car. And then what happens, inevitably, is that the category of BMWs that now suck moves up in time a generation or two, and of course the car that the singer of the "new BMWs suck" refrain owns is excluded from the category. It's actually pretty amusing to watch because it is so predictable.

The most well known example was Mike Miller in Roundel. Everything post-E28 and E30 was absolutely horrible, until he bought an E46. And now E46s are of course fine to own, but only if you observe the caveats that Miller rehashes every month in his column responses and follow the maintenace schedule that was appropriate for BMW cars made in 1975. Because it is obvious to all of us that nothing has changed technologically since 1975, right?

I could go on, but I think the best point that could be made to the original poster here, and to others asking a similar question, is that while certainly different models have different pitfalls, and many people here are right to point them out, on average your best bet is to find a car that is well maintained, with a documented history, and owned by a reasonably intelligent person that took care of the car. (And it is always cheaper to buy a better car up front.) The fact a car has been maintained and is in good order is a far better indicator of future reliability / usability of the car than various tales you hear on the internet (because if it is on the internet, we all know it must be true). I think this is especially true with cars like these older BMWs, because there is no longer any relevant reliability data from the normal channels due to the cars' age now.

[Alfonso Bedoya]

Thanks rlomba8204 if I could raise up 4k in a day I would go and get a new to me bimmer, but raising kids is far more expensive than any bimmer! After doing the heater core on my 83 eta I feel like I could do some wrenching on this, an M30 motor, but I will take it in to my bmw tech, pre purchase, if it passes my test drive heheh. If not save up for the 4k e32. I have Transporter bug in my head! Thanks so much my e28 brethren for all the tips. If all else fails I could get my hands on a 5er with the e to i head swap, Dinan chipped, new Bilstiens all around, 5 speed with short shift kit, and LSD diff owned by a bmw tech. The suspension is going on mine and there are rust holes in the footwells on the drivers and passenger sides the rear floor panel of the eta is fine. There are MANY more quirks with this eta, and I'm getting tired of them frankly.

[WilNJ]

Thanks rlomba8204 if I could raise up 4k in a day I would go and get a new to me bimmer, but raising kids is far more expensive than any bimmer! After doing the heater core on my 83 eta I feel like I could do some wrenching on this, an M30 motor, but I will take it in to my bmw tech, pre purchase, if it passes my test drive heheh. If not save up for the 4k e32. I have Transporter bug in my head! Thanks so much my e28 brethren for all the tips. If all else fails I could get my hands on a 5er with the e to i head swap, Dinan chipped, new Bilstiens all around, 5 speed with short shift kit, and LSD diff owned by a bmw tech. The suspension is going on mine and there are rust holes in the footwells on the drivers and passenger sides the rear floor panel of the eta is fine. There are MANY more quirks with this eta, and I'm getting tired of them frankly.

I hate to say it because it's a rut I haven't gotten out of yet, but you need an appliance.

The eta you have isn't worth anything to anyone else, so keep it to have fun with as funds avail themselves.

For day to day transport, get a Honda, Toyota, Ford, etc. less than 10 years old.

[Tammer in Philly]

Thanks rlomba8204 if I could raise up 4k in a day I would go and get a new to me bimmer, but raising kids is far more expensive than any bimmer! After doing the heater core on my 83 eta I feel like I could do some wrenching on this, an M30 motor, but I will take it in to my bmw tech, pre purchase, if it passes my test drive heheh. If not save up for the 4k e32. I have Transporter bug in my head! Thanks so much my e28 brethren for all the tips. If all else fails I could get my hands on a 5er with the e to i head swap, Dinan chipped, new Bilstiens all around, 5 speed with short shift kit, and LSD diff owned by a bmw tech. The suspension is going on mine and there are rust holes in the footwells on the drivers and passenger sides the rear floor panel of the eta is fine. There are MANY more quirks with this eta, and I'm getting tired of them frankly.
:bawl:

I hate to say it because it's a rut I haven't gotten out of yet, but you made need an appliance.

The eta you have isn't worth anything to anyone else, so keep it to have fun with as funds avail themselves.

For day to day transport, get a Honda, Toyota, Ford, etc. less than 10 years old.

+1. If you don't want to worry about or spend money on your DD, for god's sake don't go buying a low-dollar, 20-year-old luxury car.

-tammer

[Alfonso Bedoya]

I called the owner twice I could prolly get it for 4-500 dolla but she never calls back it's a sign...

[1st 5er]

E32 M30 5 speed would be my choice if I wanted to drive a tank.
Otherwise get another E28.

[iNJECTiON]

I had a E32 V12 for awhile... The ownership experience did not turn me off of BMWs despite having a lot of issues keeping the EML happy so it can run on all 12 cylinders and odd transmission problems.

Not to mention every DK you find in a junkyard is usually bad and to buy one new is $$$$

I do miss the power and the engine rumbling when you start it. Damn I miss It too much

[Alfonso Bedoya]

Thanks for info guys. The e28 does not want to leave my side...it would have been nice to have a new adventure with another bimmer though, as the dufus seller has not returned any calls, kinda dumb if you want to sell it, call back, makes no sense.

[CSBM5]

I always get a good chuckle from these posts slamming other BMWs, typically newer ones. Although the E32 is hardly new anymore, in fact it's old. You see the refrain of, for example "avoid the E36/E34/E39 etc." And then what starts to happen is that the E28 wears out eventually, like all cars do, and the person buys one of these newer, absolutely horrible BMWs. And amazingly enough, like a Christmas miracle of sorts, they become a convert to whatever newer BMW they have purchased, realizing that while, yes, it has flaws, so did the E28 but in time, like with the E28, the flaws, and fixes, become well known and so the "mystery" is removed from the car. And then what happens, inevitably, is that the category of BMWs that now suck moves up in time a generation or two, and of course the car that the singer of the "new BMWs suck" refrain owns is excluded from the category. It's actually pretty amusing to watch because it is so predictable.

The most well known example was Mike Miller in Roundel. Everything post-E28 and E30 was absolutely horrible, until he bought an E46. And now E46s are of course fine to own, but only if you observe the caveats that Miller rehashes every month in his column responses and follow the maintenace schedule that was appropriate for BMW cars made in 1975. Because it is obvious to all of us that nothing has changed technologically since 1975, right?

I could go on, but I think the best point that could be made to the original poster here, and to others asking a similar question, is that while certainly different models have different pitfalls, and many people here are right to point them out, on average your best bet is to find a car that is well maintained, with a documented history, and owned by a reasonably intelligent person that took care of the car. (And it is always cheaper to buy a better car up front.) The fact a car has been maintained and is in good order is a far better indicator of future reliability / usability of the car than various tales you hear on the internet (because if it is on the internet, we all know it must be true). I think this is especially true with cars like these older BMWs, because there is no longer any relevant reliability data from the normal channels due to the cars' age now.

This is a great post. A classic. Should be a sticky someplace where people are required to read and sign.

It has been going on as long as I can recall. In the very early days when the E12 came out which was a quasi-replacement for the E3 Bavaria (i.e. lower priced M30 powered car as BMW pushed the E3 up the price ladder by only selling it loaded up in 1975), there was no significant bashing. It all blew-up when the E21 hit the streets. Holy crap what a time that was...and for many good reasons since here in the US the E21 was anemic, heavy, rolly-polly, etc. However, all the bashers driving 2002s had: springs, Konis, swaybars, downdraft Weber or sidedrafts, headers, Recaros, etc, when they proudly proclaim how horrid the E21 is...and so the beginning of what is described in this post above is ignited.

Speaking of E32s...I've owned two of them, one auto we bought in 1992 and one 5spd/LSD I bought from my father in 1996 (he ordered that car in summer of '87). We loved those cars, and the biggest issue with them was the HVAC box and actuator motors as both cars had the issue, one of them twice. Having owned an E28 535i from 1986 through 1997, I'd say that expense-wise neither of the E32s was much different in total cost over a long period of ownership. Of course these experiences are on cars from new or almost new up into the mid-100k miles range. It's probably a whole different story buying an E32 today. I haven't seen a seriously decent one since I sold the 5spd car back in 2002.