looking to buy a 325IS 1995 model 117k Need Help!!!

[charles mcginty]

hi,

seller is car repair shop, who bought from previous 10 yr owner.

spoke to previous owner, who sold car for 1500 to shop owner, he did some repairs, and is asking 4500

previous owner was frustrated by battery going dead very quickly, even with a brand new battery (2 days in winter, 1 week in summer).

could this be symptomatic of a larger and more expensive problem?

had car inspected by a 3rd party, and they gave it very good review. just a few minor repairs. body is perfect.

I am concerned about the power, since shop owner/car seller claims there is no issue, where seller gave a contradicting story. 3rd party did not test battery, as it started right up.

Thoughts on this battery issue?

Headliner also needs to be replaced, (hanging down), and heard this is a DIY true?

Thoughts on what the card should go for?

THANK YOU!!!

[CMG]

So was the battery problem fixed or no, even so $4500 is a bit high.

[jmo69]

$4500 seems high, the car has a parasitic drain. You need to put a multi tester between the battery and the cable and then pull fuses until the amperage draw drops to near zero. Then trace that system to the fault. I haven't done a headliner but it is DIYable, search for one.

[Dash01]

$4,500 is very high. $3,000 is more like it.

Headliner from PicknPull is ~$20. DIY with JoAnn Fabrics fuzzy cloth and spray adhesive should run ~$45, plus an evening messing with it.

[Automaticftp]

Walk away.

Unless you're prepared to grossly overpay for it - that's a $2500 or so car. And to spend potentially a LOT of time hunting down the parasitic drain.

[ChuckDizzle]

$4500 should be a turn-key and ready to drive E36 without issues

[Avec]

$4500 should be a turn-key and ready to drive E36 without issues

$4500 should be almost perfect. There are some cosmetic things that are DIY, but the parasitic drain can be an SOB to track down. When found it may be something simple or something expensive. You should be as to find an E36 in really good condition, ready to go for $2500 - $3500 all day. Check the classifieds of this forum

[Butters Stoch]

If I was going to spend $4500 on an E36 I (personally) would pick up a M3 that needs some work . Slowly fix her up and you will be happier in the end.

[JDStrickland]

The thing to do is search autotrader.com and see what other cars of the same model and year are being offered at in, say, a 100-mile radius of your ZIP code.

Your car is worth no more than the average of the cars you find. If you find few, then expand the radius. Once you arrive at the real value, then decide what it might cost to chase the drain issue that is killing the battery.

Personally, I've had 4 different BMWs, 2 '94 325s and 2 "00 323s, and none of them has had a battery problem other than the battery lasting more than 6 years, and I had to screw around with it for several weeks after I should have replaced it. I drove it so long that it would not take a charge on a trip from San Diego to Los Angeles, and this kind of trip should be more than sufficient to charge a battery IF the battery is any good at all. The point is, the cars are pretty good. The battery is an unknown.

I bought a battery for my F150 that turned out to be defective. The previous owner of yoru car could have done the same thing -- bought a bad battery -- and did not consider this possibility, then got tired of the struggle to get the car started after it sat for a couple of days.

So, find out what other cars are selling for, determine the average, then make your offer. Deduct for issues that you can identify, such as the headliner and battery. If the seller replaced the battery, then the prior issues might be solved.