1994 BMW 530it, V8, Manual, $1100...

I think I'm going to regret posting this here, because I'm tempted to pick it up myself...

https://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/d/1994-bmw-530it-touring-wagon/6599240918.html

In reply to WillHoonForFood :

Awesome.  Exactly what I'm looking for.  Going to email the seller now.  Can you help facilitate my purchase?

If he can't, ill try. Im only a couple hours from durham.

In reply to Dusterbd13 :

Thanks for the offer. Ad only had email, so I'm at the mercy of the seller to respond to a guy several states away.....

Edit: showed this to my wife, her response: let's go right now. She's a keeper. This would be our sixth car. 

Just let me know. I even got a place for you to store it until you come east.

I'll even swap my 528 for it with 171k on the clock.

I'm also local.. Ad shows it actually closer to Durham, but I am usually out there once a week.

Good news, seller has responded.  Trying to coordinate for a bonzai run this weekend.

Had a conversation with the seller.  I'm meeting him tomorrow (Sunday) to pick up the Unicorn!

Posting the seller's text from ad:

"

First of all, I'd would drive this wagon today across the country and back without hesitation. It's got a 3.0 V8 M60 motor in it, paired with a manual transmission from a same-year sedan, and it purrs like a kitten, and has always had synthetic fluids in it. It's beautiful British racing green which almost looks black in the right lighting conditions. It's got 225k miles on it, but it accelerates, turns and brakes and handles very well, with no squeaks, squeals or groans. It is of course however nearly a 25-year old vehicle and shows it in more than a few places, but as I say, this pretty wagon has still got it where it counts and still turns heads.

I am the 4th owner of this car and have owned it since 2014. It was converted to a 5-speed and also had a partial engine-rebuild around the same time early in its life. The rebuild was due to a much-publicized-at-the-time factory recall, and you can read about it online by searching 'nikasil alusil' and the M60 engine and it'll fill you in. I am selling it because I have opted for a newer manual wagon, although I love this one dearly and has sentimental value, so I won't be swayed by lowballers.

Here's a list of what's new and new-ish in the vehicle:
* New V-rated tires with less than 10,000 miles on them
* New clutch put in about 20,000 miles ago
* Clutch pedal rebuilt, plus new master cylinder, slave cylinder and custom-machined shifter rod done about 3,000 miles ago
* New Front strut inserts done about 20,000 miles ago
* New refurbished A/C compressor which works fine, although blower motor isn't working
* Front brakes and rotors replaced under 10,000 miles ago
* Exhaust is quiet and has no holes in it that I know of

The car still gets about 22mpg on the highway with no A/C running, 20 with A/C, and it gets about 16mpg around town. The paint is in overall good condition for a 25yr old, but the Clearcoat is starting to wear out on both the hood and top of the vehicle. No body or major components' rust that I can see at all. So here is a list of mechanical things that may or may not need addressing, depending on your level of sensitivity: some of them have been here since I first acquired it, some of them have occurred on my watch.
* It leaks oil, coolant (NO probs with headgasket :) and steering fluid; the last item uses mineral oil instead of Dexron-type fluid: Pentosin CHF 11S--but all are slow leaks, and I always travel with extra fluids so I'm never caught unaware.
* The oil leak is near the exhaust manifold so it can smoke a bit after a drive and always has since I bought it.
* Though all 4 window motors work, only the driver's window raises and lowers without going off-track (3 of the 4 worked when first bought it.)
* About 20,000 miles ago, one of the spark plugs blew up, taking the threads out of the engine block with it; this was successfully repaired with a sleeve and as I say it now purrs. The blown plug slightly dented the hood and cracked the paint there; it is clearly shown in the photos and has never bothered me.
* The shifting is whisper-smooth through all gears except 3rd, whose syncro appears to be failing, but if you are sensitive to the engine's RPMs you can easily get to third without any grinding. I get it about 75% of the time doing nothing special, but double-clutching going into 3rd will improve odds.
* Though the transmission shifts smoothly going into reverse, the plastic cutout that the shifter fits into was custom-cut for the car before the new shifter rod was installed, and it will need to have another recut eventually, or you can just do what I do when reversing: lift the plastic insert easily out of the console which will allow you to shift into reverse, then replace the insert (this process takes about 3-4 seconds) and you can shift through all forward gears from there. The cruise control worked before the clutch rebuild (lone experience with shade-tree mechanic on this car--which is why clutch pedal assembly required rebuilding later) but hasn't worked since, and will probably just need to be hooked up again correctly.
* The weirdest thing on it has also been present since I've owned it yet has never presented any issue: when you first crank it you will hear something you'll think is engine noise, but I'm sure that it is the P/S pump building system pressure; this will last until you drive it (not just idle) for about 10 seconds then the noise will stop, accompanied by a warning light on the dash, and it the noise will never come back on again until the engine is stopped and started again, where you will clear it again with driving.
* There's a medium dent to rt. rear quarter panel (pictured) by light cluster that might even pop out with a plunger, but I've never tried it, and the plastic cover to the back bumper has been held on with huge industrial black Zip-ties for at least 20,000 miles.
* Lastly, though the A/C compressor works and 'blows' cold as I mentioned above, the blower motor lost it's last good setting a few months back.
I have to say though, all these items are eccentricities by-in-large, as it is a dependable car which eats up the road, idles rock-solid at 5,000 RPM and is an almost-2 tons of safe German steel to ride in.

The interior is fair and I can upload more photos if you need them: driver's seat's adjustment buttons need some playing with; passengers' seat buttons fine. The leather is worn and has one tear on bolster of driver's front side. The interior panels in the back doors have some of the glue-release-issues common with these E34 cars, but they're very fixable yourself: I just never cared to. It has a double sunroof I have never, ever opened or messed-with, and currently the control panel for it is removed (I still have it), showing the manual access to crank or adjust it. The car has 2 small cabin leaks that have always been in the car since I owned it and heavy storms will bring a drip. Neither has ever gotten any bigger or been anything but a small distraction to me, and I will happily show you them upon test-driving. There are scattered other small issues which are to be expected in a car of this age, and I'm sure I've forgotten a thing or two, but I'll happily answer all questions that you might have.

I typically work from home, and so with an email or two to start, I can arrange nearly any time to come see the vehicle, but after 5:30pm weekdays or any time during the weekends is preferable. CASH only. This car oozes personality, runs well and is fun to drive. Thanks for looking!

In reply to Indy-Barely Functional-Guy :

Jeeze you guys work fast. Keep us all posted on how things go!... Please let it be a Challenge car!

Hell yeah indy!

If you need something around here, call/text at 828-260-1254 and ill come running. 

In reply to Dusterbd13 :

You're AWESOME. Grandparents couldn't watch the kids, so we're taking a family road trip. Leaving Indianapolis now, driving through the night while they sleep.

Google maps says 9hours 40 minutes one way

WillHoonForFood said:

In reply to Indy-Barely Functional-Guy :

Jeeze you guys work fast. Keep us all posted on how things go!... Please let it be a Challenge car!

It is the year of the Wagon 

Giggity!

Stop in Ohio

This is far more awesome to watch than a normal fly and drive!

This is awesome.

And wow you have one of those home-schooler busses. My wife and I have been contemplating one of those.

Another stop

West Virginia....

Exciting. 2 year old threw up.....

3am potty break with most of the crew:

The E350 makes for a nice tow pig and has some sleeping space. Pulled over for an hour nap.

Time to hit it again....

Now with day light.

Tunnel

North Carolina....