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Thread: FS: 1978 BMW 320 - Knoxville, TN - $1,500

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Knoxville, TN
    Posts
    3,089
    My Cars
    95 318is, 78 320

    FS: 1978 BMW 320 - Knoxville, TN - $1,500


    Hello, old friends. Been a long time since I've been around these parts.

    It's time to sell my Black 78 320. Many of the folks on here way back in the day helped me get the car home after winning it on an eBay Motors auction in 2007. I have moved it from an apartment in Birmingham, to a house, to storage in east Tennessee, and finally to my home in Knoxville. I had intended to learn how to work on cars, get it going, but... it just isn't on my priority list. I've got 2 kids now age 4 and under.

    I miss parking in the garage in winter.

    Buying the car from the 2nd owner, who owned it for... 28?... years, was like an adoption. I feel like I've done her and the car wrong, and it is time for someone else to take the reins and make it right. In 10 years... it's not done much. Sad, I know.

    The car won't start. I used to start it every 3-6 months or so, drive it around our cul-de-sac. I had one of my closest friends (an ASE Certified Mechanic) come up from Georgia to buy it from me last year, but suddenly it wouldn't start. He worked on it for 3 hours, trying a few little things here and there and couldn't get it to start.

    I don't know what the problem is. Could be a sudden vacuum leak. Could be a dead fuel pump. Not sure. The car (at last check) would try to start, just not turn over. In other words, the starter was working... but the engine just wouldn't fire.

    In short, if you buy this, you will need to trailer or tow it home. And get it out of my garage without the engine helping you out. (And I have a driveway with a decent, two-car length incline at maybe... 20-25 degrees? So you have enough room to roll it out of the garage onto a car's length of flat space before it tapers off towards the cul-de-sac. Push any further and you've got an exciting game of "catch the runaway vehicle!". I can take a picture of driveway if needed.)

    The car has 152,029 miles. It has minimal (somewhat repaired) rust on the rear of the car. (Repair done by previous owner many years ago.) None on the shock towers.

    Below I have listed out all of the known issues to be as transparent as humanly possible.

    Known issues:
    • Won't start - tries to, but won't roar to life. Could be vacuum leak, could be fuel pump, I have no idea. Has been sitting for several years.
    • Very minimal rust. No rust on the rear shock towers. Has a very small amount of bubbling rust on the rear of the car below the taillights (in photos)
    • has some sort of electrical issue due to previous owner installing a keyless entry system. They put together a pretty nice rig where you can easily unscrew the negative cable to avoid draining the battery. (In photos)
    • (Guessing) due to the electrical issue there is an issue with the headlights. The standard headlights will only come on with the brights, so I disconnected the brights just to be able to drive at night.
    • Slave cylinder needs to be replaced (I have the part)
    • Sound system was upgraded and takes up a large portion of the trunk. Ripped all of it out because it was large and heavy. Sound does not work.
    • Rear of car and kicker panels in the front footwells need to be recarpeted. The new owner tracked down original carpet straight from Germany. I've got the whole roll ready to go. (In photos)
    • Gas tank gauge bounces around -- either a loose wire, or the sensor needs to be replaced.
    • Previous owner had a BBS front valence installed. She moved the fog lights up above the bumper and cut through the grill to fit them. Looks horrible, just haven't had time to pull them off due to all of the wiring. I have replacement grills ready to go.
    • Has the shakes at around 55mph.
    • Speedometer wire probably needs to be replaced -- bounces around a bit (if you're doing 70mph it will bounce from 68 to 72).
    • Door panels are in good shape for the most part, might be a little loose. The speaker grills pop off when driving, so I took them off.


    Has an upgraded Momo steering wheel, plus the 15" Rota RB wheels from the groupbuy a several years back. Will have flat spots.

    Parts and other bobs and bits included:
    • new grill
    • new carpet for rear interior
    • interior and exterior car covers
    • new thermostat
    • new slave cylinder... I believe for an E28? It was recommended on here back in the day
    • a healthy assortment of spider webs beneath the car



    Photos here: https://imgur.com/a/N3h1e

    Here's the deal.

    Price: $1,500
    Location: (west) Knoxville, TN

    I just want the car gone. I honestly don't have the time for tire-kickers or people that want to haggle. I'm looking for someone to roll up with a truck and/or trailer, hand me a cashier's check or cash, take the keys, and roll the car away in less than 30 minutes.

    I think $1,500 is a pretty fair price for a car that (likely) has a simple mechanical issue you can figure out considering it did used to run and just stopped during a long spell of sitting dormant. Any less than that and we're reaching "might as well donate it" territory for me. I'd hate for that to happen, the car has potential, but I guess I'm just trying to say I want serious buyers and a fast transaction. If I'm way off on the pricing, just let me know and I'll have one of the non-profits come get it this week. I'm laying all my cards on the table to be as open about this as possible.
    Kevin
    2000 Toyota Land Cruiser [2020-Present]
    2013 Honda Pilot EX [2018-2020]
    2003 Audi A4 Avant [2012-2018]
    2004 Accord: [2006-2012]
    1978 Black 320i [2007-2017]
    1995 Boston Green 318is: [2001-2006]
    Knoxville, TN

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Seattle, WA USA
    Posts
    1,495
    My Cars
    '83 323i, '82 320i, '06 mazda5
    great price for a beginners project. good luck with the sale. wish you were closer. it would be a fun project for my up and coming driver (son).

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Knoxville, TN
    Posts
    3,089
    My Cars
    95 318is, 78 320
    Quote Originally Posted by sbcrockett View Post
    great price for a beginners project. good luck with the sale. wish you were closer. it would be a fun project for my up and coming driver (son).
    I'd be willing to ship

    I really do want someone to revive it... just... one of those things, you know? Life, kids, career, so on...
    Kevin
    2000 Toyota Land Cruiser [2020-Present]
    2013 Honda Pilot EX [2018-2020]
    2003 Audi A4 Avant [2012-2018]
    2004 Accord: [2006-2012]
    1978 Black 320i [2007-2017]
    1995 Boston Green 318is: [2001-2006]
    Knoxville, TN

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Posts
    1,077
    My Cars
    1979 E21 320i
    Holy quality sound system batman! I wouldn't have used the door panels like that, but that's cool. Are all the speakers and stuff still there? It looks like it was upgraded in the mid nineties.
    -John

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Savannah, GA
    Posts
    240
    My Cars
    83 320i 00 540i6 85 535i
    Pm’ed


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Long Island, NY
    Posts
    183
    My Cars
    1980 320i 5 speed
    Great looking project and if your assessment of the body is accurate the price is fair. If I hadn't just acquired my '80 I would go for it.
    Good luck.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Savannah, GA
    Posts
    240
    My Cars
    83 320i 00 540i6 85 535i
    I am very interested in the car. I am planning on being in the area on Sunday (12/10).
    Still available?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Knoxville, TN
    Posts
    3,089
    My Cars
    95 318is, 78 320
    Quote Originally Posted by Bonsaibacker View Post
    I am very interested in the car. I am planning on being in the area on Sunday (12/10).
    Still available?
    Confirmed, pending sale to Bonsaibacker assuming he shows up on the 10th
    Kevin
    2000 Toyota Land Cruiser [2020-Present]
    2013 Honda Pilot EX [2018-2020]
    2003 Audi A4 Avant [2012-2018]
    2004 Accord: [2006-2012]
    1978 Black 320i [2007-2017]
    1995 Boston Green 318is: [2001-2006]
    Knoxville, TN

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Knoxville, TN
    Posts
    3,089
    My Cars
    95 318is, 78 320
    Update: Bonsaibacker is about 5 minutes from my house. Will edit when transaction complete so thread can be locked.

    Edit: Transaction complete
    Last edited by TheBestCow; 12-10-2017 at 11:14 AM.
    Kevin
    2000 Toyota Land Cruiser [2020-Present]
    2013 Honda Pilot EX [2018-2020]
    2003 Audi A4 Avant [2012-2018]
    2004 Accord: [2006-2012]
    1978 Black 320i [2007-2017]
    1995 Boston Green 318is: [2001-2006]
    Knoxville, TN

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Savannah, GA
    Posts
    240
    My Cars
    83 320i 00 540i6 85 535i
    Hell yeah!
    Thanks Kevin!

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