Help selling a 535

[Schanckopotamus]

Hey all,

I am trying to sell my '91 Island Green 535i because of a lack of funds and have had no luck so far. I have had it posted on craigslist for about two months now and have had no serious interests. At this point I am getting desperate. I am asking 2300 for the car right now and I don't think thats a horrible price considering what I have done to the car.

Does anybody know what else I could do? The link is below and if anybody could give me any kind of advice I would really appreciate it. :help

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/2996031406.html

[BavarianFanatic]

Better pics would help for starters.

[onlyOEM]

And pull a bumper from the junk yard for $50, even if it's the wrong color (and it won't be because I only ever find green e34s at the yard) it will be way more appealing.

[4play]

You gotta SELL the car! Your write up is lacking. You need to write the features and benefits of the car, what condition is the interior, body, tires? Talk about the central locking system, real wood trim ( not stickers like some cars), everything that makes the E34 a pleasure...
Detail the heck out of it and take some better pics in the daylight.

Good luck with the sale.

[trive2]

I dunno about "selling" it so much. Just make sure you list everything that's been done to it maintenance-wise. Try to avoid talking about modifications. Make sure it looks like you love and cherish it and for god sake take better pictures! MUCH better pictures!

[Gravik]

That high of mileage probably does scare some people away.

You should also list the car for sale on the forums here.

[DarkKnightM3]

better pics will sell even a crappy car, write it out like it's a persons first love. Buy a bumper and for gods sake buy some simply green and clean that engine bay. People expect to sell there cars these days in a recession and if you want the price you have to sell the person on the car.

[PorscheH6]

Remember, you need to learn how to omit some things. Not stuff like mileage, color, and model year.....but.....yeah....

You need to try and 'sell' the car without putting anyone off before they even see the car.

Take pics during the day. Those pics are horrible.

GLWS.

[ARMAN]

pics sell

[rsKien]

Hi there OP!
About the pictures..
Please take a look on this link, and check out the tips.
http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/p/259603/1699767.aspx

[ross1]

Decent daytime photos. Your ad omits a picture of the driver's seat, coupled with that steering wheel cover says to me that the interior is probably beat. Show the complete interior and depersonalize the car.
Your price doesn't scare me, a decent ad should get some action.

[WhoNew]

What I see is that it has an oil pan gasket leak and an exhaust leak.

Like everyone else said, pics.

[Brake_L8]

You need a better ad.

FWIW, I sold my 197k 535i/5, in "solid runner with little issues" condition for $2900 in about a week. This is the ad that made the magic happen. It seriously took 30 minutes of my time to put this together.

Provide more information, take better pictures (mine were from my iPhone, shot on a very overcast day) and you can get what you want from it.


OK, let's clear some things up first.

If you're going to email me and set up a time to see the car and not show, please don't consider buying this car. If you're going to call me and set up a time to see the car and not show, please don't consider buying this car. If you're going to offer me an automatic Geo Metro and $200 cash, please don't consider buying this car. If you're going to buy this for your 18-year-old daughter named Muffy because, "Daddy, it's a BMW!" and have her take it to a dealership for everything it needs, please don't consider buying this car.

If, however, you like older BMWs with older motors and three-pedals-on-the-floor-as-Hans-and-Klaus- intended, you should keep reading.

It's a 1991 535i, 5-speed manual. Jet Black (I think, no metallic or anything) over Pergament (parchment) tan leather. Has the Winter/Cold Weather package, which gives you heated front seats and a (still working) Limited Slip Differential in the rear. Has medium-ish wood trim that is in good shape overall with minor cracking.

HISTORY
She's covered 196,700 miles. This will continue to increase, as I commute 30 miles round-trip every day in it. I bought the car at 185,500 - give or take a hundred. She was originally leased at Hoffman BMW in Bloomfield, New Jersey to a dentist. Looks like he had it for three years and turned it in, then it was sold CPO in 1994 to the second owner in Falls Church, V A. He owned it until 2009, blew the head gasket and decided it was time for a new car. So, he gave it to a guy who ran a BMW shop. That guy fixed the HG, and it bounced around several sketch-ass used car dealers in Maryland for two years. I guess not many people want to drive a big, old, manual trans BMW in Northern V A/MD/DC traffic.

I did, so I bought it from this Middle Eastern guy in MD who made up a very phony story as to why he had the car and had to sell it. I signed my name to a V A title with a very American-sounding name on it, aka the second (long-time) owner.

Well, when cars sit without being driven much for two years, little things go bad. In that vein... let's talk about what I've done to it.

FIXES | MODS | SWEET STUFF
It came to me with three brands of dry-rotted tires on four wheels. I sold the stock 15's and replaced with 17x8" BBS RX. They are wrapped in 235/45/17 Kumho Ecsta ASTs. One center cap is missing. The other three have BMW center caps. I would replace the one, but I can't find it anywhere. BBS caps are $25 each, and I have better things to spend $100 on than that. Sorry. The spare wheel/tire is in there, too. It's old.

The shifter was awful. It now has all new (OEM) bushings, an E60 545i Sport shift lever, and an E46 ZHP shift knob. You can now find and engage all 5 gears and reverse! The long-term owner did tell me the clutch was replaced, although at what mileage, I don't know. It's still strong though.

Audio is something that I like to have sorted out. It's got a JVC Arsenal head unit, with Bluetooth and iPod capabilities. The iPod cord will charge your newer iPhones/iPods including the 4S. Stock speakers that (I'm pretty sure) are not blown out. I've been running a 10" subwoofer in the trunk which will not come with the car. I will leave the RCA wires in place that run to the head unit, though. It's a pain to pull them out.

Trunk lid was messed up and didn't latch easily, so I replaced it with a different one. It's debadged and obviously, the VIN won't match. This may also apply to the hood, as sketchy Maryland man told me the hood was replaced. He also lied to me a lot. Take that for what you will.


WHAT'S GOOD
* Strong motor that pulls hard
* Replaced radiator and (so says sketchy Medi) replaced water pump. Doesn't overheat, at all. Fan clutch is good.
* OBC and Check Control work with no false readings. I had an issue with false readings but it was a now- fixed ground problem.
* All windows work, as does the sunroof (tilt and slide). One touch open/close on the driver's window and sunroof. No leaks from the 'roof.
* Central locking works well and I have two keys. Two! One is original and one isn't.
* Seats are powered and heated. Heat works on both. They had the twisties, I fixed them. They look worlds better now. Power stuff all works.
* Brakes are good - I replaced rear pads last month, everything else looks fine
* All-new front end stuff. Had some nasty shimmy, so I threw the FCP Groton kit at it. New upper/lower control arms, tie rods, sway bar end links and idler arm. Shimmy is near non-existent now.
* After three headliners, I finally got one that isn't saggy and awful.
* Aluminum throttle/cruise cable bushing doodads


WHA T'S LESS GOOD
It's only bad if you are a pessimist.
* Front passenger door does not lock with central locking. I just lock it manually. It will unlock fine, every time.
* Front bumper is cracked on the pass. side, and front pass. fender has a small crunch. Previous owner (from Falls Church) told me he hit a van at work and never had it fixed.
* Rear fender (above the left taillight) has a little crunch, too.
* Front left and right rear doors have some relatively-poor rust repair done. Doesn't bother me any.
* The sunroof liner (the fabric part) is peeling at the front edge. So, when you close the sunroof, you have to help the fabric along or it will jam. I've replaced the part three times (with above-mentioned headliners) to try and keep the OEM look, but they're all so old the glue is giving up. You could re-do it with new fabric and it'd be fine again.
* Driver's seat cushion (where your ass goes) is tearing at a seam. The seat has been re-covered at some point and the shades of tan don't quite match. I was going to look for an OEM cushion to get the right color again.


A few photos are below, and I'm happy to email a link to Flickr where I have more. I had the link posted, and CL deleted my ad.
Feel free to ask me to shoot more of anything, too.

I'm asking $3200 OBO as it sits. If you want to bring your own wheels, I'll sell the BBS's separately, but I'd rather leave them on the car. I have a binder full of receipts for everything I've done. It's been a great daily driver, I'm just tired of the size. The only trades I will consider are for 1996 - 1999 BMW 328i/is sport package 5-speeds. If you do not have one of those, and want to trade me a different car, please re-read the previous sentence.

I live in Fairfax and work in Dulles, so pretty flexible as far as where I can meet.

http://i.imgur.com/OMqyF.png

[redimension]

For sale is my 1991 Island Green BMW 535i w the rare 5 speed. Tan buffalo leather interior //in what condition// with power heated comfort seats and wood trim. Cold AC, power windows, power locks and BMW style 32 17” wheels w //insert thread life here//
Only selling because I have no place to park it or keep it anymore. 237k on the car, don’t let that fool you though. This engine is one of the best engines ever built by BMW and can easily reach the 500k mark! I have done a lot of work to the car in the past two months, she runs well and is blast to drive! She is just ready for a new owner who can finish showing her the love that I started giving already! Tons of NEW parts installed and some new parts that will come with the car!

Things I have done/ features (all OEM parts)
New rear drive train support
New Flex joint guibo
New Fan clutch
New magnetic oil cap
New battery
New fuses
New wiper blades
New Bilstein Sport Rear suspension
New Bilstein Sport Front suspension (not installed)
BMW Mtech springs
New windshield washer pump
New oil filter
New valve cover gasket
New spark plugs
New hub centric rings New oil pan gasket (not installed)
New brake pad sensors(not installed)
New exhaust gaskets(not installed)
New coolant hose clamps
New UUC short shift kit

Recent Oil change and Coolant flush

[htharkere34]

Your ad needs more zazz... like this:

jalopnik.com (http://jalopnik.com/5905078/jesus-tap+dancing-christ-the-greatest-craigslist-car-ad-ever)http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17koxdxoknvw8jpg/original.jpg

[DerekG]

Your ad needs more zazz... like this:

jalopnik.com (http://jalopnik.com/5905078/jesus-tap+dancing-christ-the-greatest-craigslist-car-ad-ever)

Lol I was seconds away from linking that ad, it's hilarious.

[redimension]

ya i lol'd when i saw that ad too, my little brother owns a teal grand am...

[Schanckopotamus]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the input.

[Funk49]

Does anybody know what else I could do? The link is below and if anybody could give me any kind of advice I would really appreciate it. :help

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/2996031406.htmlYou're ad is a lot better... but take that thing to the car wash ASAP and wash that engine bay down! :eek:

Then go retake a bunch of pictures when it's light outside! Pics sell man!

GLWS

[4play]

Ad is better but only slightly.I have flipped 4 cars in the last 6 months on CL. You will get what you are asking and in a timely manner but you gotta put the time in to prep the car. Take daytime pics, detail everything...
Details you need to list
Cruise, air,tilt, on board computer which tells you range,average mph, average mileage,trip distance etc, dash display can be programmed to display any of the functions from the OBC and is easily called up by a quick push on the turn signal stalk. Car has a central locking system that will lock and unlock the whole car with a turn of the key but will also close any open windows, including the sunroof. Drivers window and sunroof operate with "one touch" operation. Car has factory ellipsoid projector low beam headlights as well as factory projector fog lights...
Talk about the tool kit
Leather interior
Any accidents? When showing it point out that all doors, fenders, trunk,hood and engine have the same vin # that is displayed on the dash...people that know nothing about BMW's may find this interesting...
You gotta put some thought into the write up, but the more you do with that, and the detailing of the car, the more you can get for the car... The quicker it will sell.

Of all the cars I have sold... 2 Jeeps, Durango, a4, I have made a profit on every one and the longest any of them took to sell was 2weeks, and that was the gas sucking Durango!

Like others have said, pictures sell....but really pictures will get people wanting to come and look...the write up will sell it.

Good luck with the sale.