Posted By: OnlyItalian
Just Bought a Coupe & Joined Forum - 15/12/2014 14:50
Hi All,
Just a quick hello from me. Purchased a 1999 broom yellow 20V VIS NA at the end of November for £850 (but with half a tank of fuel) and thought I'd share with you what I've found so far. Only two previous owners, the last one owning it for 12 years. Stacks of docs and services history, 119k on the clock.
Bodywork looks pretty perfect apart from a small dent in the nose (bonnet). Tiny bit of flaking beneath one of the rear lights. Interior good too with only a tiny bit of wear on the driver side seat bolster (leather). Tiny bit of bubbling on the back of the arches front and rear and on the bonnet slam panel. Will deal with that myself.
Popped it up on a ramp yesterday to search for more rot. Apart from some quite deep rust on the legs that support the rear bumper (not structural) it looks pretty good. A bit more rust at the end of the sills just in front of the rear arches.
Also found a couple of oil leaks - worst one must be gearbox oil because it's in that area and when topping up the gearbox oil it took about half a litre. I suspect inner cv joint oil seal.
Also a bit of engine oil but not very much at all and since it's only used 200mls since I got it and I've done about 500 miles I'm not too worried. Probably cam cover from what I've read on here.
Also could do with a new set of discs/pads all round and a couple of tyres. I reckon it needs a new pollen filter too. A little bit misty on a cold wet day if it's not been used for a few days.
Will have the boot floor/sidepanels off to check in there, hopefully next week. Had a peer through and looked OK but couldn't really see the area I know can be trouble. Will also have the wheel arch liners and rear side cards off to check around the area where the pininfarina badges are. From the outside it's solid but there may be some surface rust in there that can easily be treated.
My mate who was inspecting with me has a 2002 E46 3 series and said his had more rust on it. BMW rust buckets
So all in all I think I've netted myself a bargain. I know a lot of people want the turbo but for me, I prefer the way NA engines rev and produce power at the top, you get better induction noise and you can rev them through without doing a million miles per hour and losing your licence (been there before - actually managed to gather 15 points!). Plus cheaper exhaust manifolds (same as on marea and bravo), which is bound the crack at some point. I think I may even have heard it on a very cold start one time.
James
Just a quick hello from me. Purchased a 1999 broom yellow 20V VIS NA at the end of November for £850 (but with half a tank of fuel) and thought I'd share with you what I've found so far. Only two previous owners, the last one owning it for 12 years. Stacks of docs and services history, 119k on the clock.
Bodywork looks pretty perfect apart from a small dent in the nose (bonnet). Tiny bit of flaking beneath one of the rear lights. Interior good too with only a tiny bit of wear on the driver side seat bolster (leather). Tiny bit of bubbling on the back of the arches front and rear and on the bonnet slam panel. Will deal with that myself.
Popped it up on a ramp yesterday to search for more rot. Apart from some quite deep rust on the legs that support the rear bumper (not structural) it looks pretty good. A bit more rust at the end of the sills just in front of the rear arches.
Also found a couple of oil leaks - worst one must be gearbox oil because it's in that area and when topping up the gearbox oil it took about half a litre. I suspect inner cv joint oil seal.
Also a bit of engine oil but not very much at all and since it's only used 200mls since I got it and I've done about 500 miles I'm not too worried. Probably cam cover from what I've read on here.
Also could do with a new set of discs/pads all round and a couple of tyres. I reckon it needs a new pollen filter too. A little bit misty on a cold wet day if it's not been used for a few days.
Will have the boot floor/sidepanels off to check in there, hopefully next week. Had a peer through and looked OK but couldn't really see the area I know can be trouble. Will also have the wheel arch liners and rear side cards off to check around the area where the pininfarina badges are. From the outside it's solid but there may be some surface rust in there that can easily be treated.
My mate who was inspecting with me has a 2002 E46 3 series and said his had more rust on it. BMW rust buckets
So all in all I think I've netted myself a bargain. I know a lot of people want the turbo but for me, I prefer the way NA engines rev and produce power at the top, you get better induction noise and you can rev them through without doing a million miles per hour and losing your licence (been there before - actually managed to gather 15 points!). Plus cheaper exhaust manifolds (same as on marea and bravo), which is bound the crack at some point. I think I may even have heard it on a very cold start one time.
James
I knew this would happen! 
