Where do I start?

[MILTRSN]

Super low miles, runs great, don’t know where to start. My first BMW, 1989 sedan, only 75K miles.

[ELVA164]

Start at the FAQ/DIY section of this forum:

https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=107

[MILTRSN]

Ok thanks

[jclausen]

Timing belt is the most important thing about this car

[323i E30]

Timing belt is the most important thing about this car

+1
Check when it has been replaced for the last time. That thing needs refreshed every 5 years (or 60k miles).
Maintenance records, or otherwise often a sticker on the fuse box or strut tower should tell.
If it's worn and it snaps, your engine will suffer serious damage.

[MILTRSN]

Timing belt is the most important thing about this car

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks

[tomstin]

Get the Bentley manual. https://www.amazon.com/BMW-E30-Servi...mw+e30+bentley

As mentioned, timing belt is critical. While you're there, water pump, flush the block and radiator, replace the hoses, I prefer BMW coolant.

Next, check the fuel in the gas tank, depending on how long it was sitting and the type of gas, you may have a lot of junk in the tank. Replace the fuel filter.

Vacuum leaks while running will probably be your next challenge. The intake boot and vacuum hoses need to be inspected and replaced as necessary. Inconsistent idle is a know challenge...search. A lot of good information out there. No silver bullet, every instance is a bit different.

Assume after this you have it running. Not make sure it can stop. Check the brakes, flush the fluid.

Inspect the suspension. Make sure nothing is falling apart. Shocks, struts, ball joints, and all the rubber bushings related to the suspension need to be evaluate.

I hope you can do a lot of this yourself or have some knowledgeable help. These car can be very expensive to maintain if you can't do it yourself.

Every piece of rubber on these cars is roughly 30 years old so you can expect to need to replace a lot of it over the next several months.

A few sources of parts that have been very good to me:
https://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/index-SC.htm
https://www.getbmwparts.com/
Of course there are others, and you will find what works for you.