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Thread: Purchase Input - 1997 M3 Sedan - Blown Head Gasket

  1. #1
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    Purchase Input - 1997 M3 Sedan - Blown Head Gasket

    Long time reader, first time poster.

    Found a 1997 M3 Sedan with a blown head gasket for sale for under $3,000. Guy recently did the clutch but like the title says, she's got a blown head gasket. Shop that handles the major stuff on my 325i estimated between $2,000 and $2,500. I'm looking for a fun car to take to autocross and maybe later drift. I'm mechanical enough to do the head gasket over a long sunny weekend in the driveway if I watch enough youtube videos/read the pelican DIY, but I'm on the fence and the required BMW special tools appear to be a buzz kill. It would be a five hour or so round trip to pick up the car/tow it back to the house.

    Thoughts?

    DT3

  2. #2
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    How much "under $3,000" is the car? What is the condition of the car otherwise? Mileage?

  3. #3
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    Well, just talked to the seller and I think I can get him down to $1,500. It’s got 147k miles on it, some light rust on a wheel well and the trunk rails. Was in a wreck on the front passenger side but she was fixed and everything was straightened out. Driver’s seat leather needs to be replaced but that isn’t a deal breaker.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by dt3 View Post
    Well, just talked to the seller and I think I can get him down to $1,500. It’s got 147k miles on it, some light rust on a wheel well and the trunk rails. Was in a wreck on the front passenger side but she was fixed and everything was straightened out. Driver’s seat leather needs to be replaced but that isn’t a deal breaker.
    Can you tell if the damage got into the wheel well / shock support area? I'd be very wary of that if so.

  5. #5
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    Aeko, from the pictures it looks as though the rust is only on the wheel well skirt and not up in the well itself.

  6. #6
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    You can do the head gasket anywhere from $500-$2000 on your own depends how aggressive you wanna be. Just did mine and I’d estimate I spent $1000-$1200, but I also had to get a used reman head because mine cracked when they tried to straighten it. I also did all the cooling lines and sensors under the manifold. Not a bad job I’d do it again if I got a good deal on an e36.

    Ps I have the specialty tools I could potentially loan out
    Last edited by ArcticM; 06-11-2018 at 03:17 PM.

  7. #7
    MauiM3Mania's Avatar
    MauiM3Mania is offline Observer/Master Skeptic Moderator
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    Quote Originally Posted by dt3 View Post
    Well, just talked to the seller and I think I can get him down to $1,500. It’s got 147k miles on it, some light rust on a wheel well and the trunk rails. Was in a wreck on the front passenger side but she was fixed and everything was straightened out. Driver’s seat leather needs to be replaced but that isn’t a deal breaker.
    Because a car has a low price does not make it a good deal.
    Last edited by MauiM3Mania; 06-11-2018 at 03:56 PM.
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  8. #8
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    MauiM3Mania, of course not. This could ultimately be a horrible deal, but I'm asking the forum, based upon the information provided, to weigh in on if this car sounds like a decent project car or not. Given the straight frame, relatively good shape of the body, newish tires, newish clutch, and stated head gasket issue, what is the consensus?

    DT3

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by dt3 View Post
    MauiM3Mania, of course not. This could ultimately be a horrible deal, but I'm asking the forum, based upon the information provided, to weigh in on if this car sounds like a decent project car or not. Given the straight frame, relatively good shape of the body, newish tires, newish clutch, and stated head gasket issue, what is the consensus?

    DT3
    I'd find out how / why the head gasket went and how long it was driven with trouble. That could compound issues (new head required, rod bearings required, etc).

    But if it's just the HG and everything else is OK, the body would become the decider for me.

    I can replace parts all day long, and nothing is TOO terribly expensive. Even interior parts - you can get new / upgraded seats for less than $1000, sometimes a whole set from guys building a track car, or just put on a seat cover and have it be your fun car.

    But paint / body is not something most people can do. I think most people could handle painting a replacement front fascia, and that's about it. At one point or another I've had almost everything except the bottom end out of my car, and nothing was stressful or too expensive.

    Also - is it a stick or an auto? As an investment, you could turn a profit (if needed) a lot easier on a manual than an auto.

    -Josh: 1998 S54 E36 M3/4/6 with most of the easy stuff and most of the hard stuff. At least twice. 271k miles. 1994 E32 740il with nothing but some MPars. 93k miles.

  10. #10
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    I agree with what blkstrm says in the extent of damage and why. If you can start the car and hear the engine run it’s a good deal. The car should still run with only a blown head gasket.

  11. #11
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    Thanks folks. Went ahead and picked her up for $2k will post pics after I pick her up this weekend.

  12. #12
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    For $2K I don't think you can lose even if it's dead. If the interior is in decent shape and it has enough other stuff in working order (diff, trans, cams, suspension, etc...) you can easily get that back by parting it out if you want to bail out.

    Best case, you can get it running by rebuilding/replacing the head and the gasket for $1-2K and the rest of the motor is fine. (I'm assuming there's damage to the head or other engine internals given the price.) If you can get it in good working order for a couple grand you got yourself a pretty good deal.

    Also, you can borrow or buy/resell the special valvetrain/cam tools. I'm also pretty sure you can do it without them or with improvised tools, as there are DIY videos online that show how.
    Last edited by TostitoBandito; 06-12-2018 at 08:18 PM.
    1999 M3/2/5 - Titanium Silver - Track/Weekend Toy


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