Would you trade it? 2005 Saabaru vs 2004 325xi AWD with maintenance needed

I was looking to sell the Saabaru (Linear) to get a cheap truck, but someone offered me $1,500 (nah, not worth it) or a trade for a nice looking 2004 BMW 325xi AWD auto sedan with an undiagnosed occasional misfire and 200k miles that he was quoted $2,500 for a complete suspension refurb (he said it hits the bump stops) and four tires. It looks like the wheels are 18". The undone suspension is making me more suspicious that it could be a money pit since it's pretty bad to let the suspension get THAT bad.

The Saabaru is running and driving, doesn't really NEED anything right now but it's 267k miles, has a stopleak fixed HG leak, whines at speed (from up front), and overall feels creaky and clunky. I got it from JShaawbaru to use as a winter daily and rally/rallyX, which this would also be tasked to do, too.

It seems like a no-brainer to say NO to a trade for a project car with more work (or maybe I could get a few hundred from him, too-- but OTOH he hasn't actually SEEN the Saabaru yet) but I'd like to hear thoughts. It's a pretty car, but I already have an M54 (in the Z4 3.0) and maintenance is $$$

Thoughts??

Those are nice cars but some things on them can be shockingly expensive.  

I would NOT rallycross one.  It's been a while since I worked on an all wheel drive E46 but I vaguely remember that they don't have a "subframe" in the front like the rear drive cars, more like brackets on each side of the car that hold the control arms and then something to attach the rack to.  Seems like it would be a bendage nightmare.

The front struts are like 3-4" shorter than a rear driver.  The last time I worked on one, the only thing available in the aftermarket were Bilstein HDs.  They were very nice, don't get me wrong, but there's no cheap option for struts and no wide range of choices.

That screams a loud, hard berkeley NO!!! to me. You're trading a needy devil you know for one you don't. 

A 20-year old, 200k BMW that needs maintenance? 

Sir, put down the blunt and whiskey. This is beyond a hard no. 

But to be honest, they both sound like heartbreak waiting to happen. 

Nope. Stick with your plan. In fact I would give that a "Hell No" 

Fair enough, gents. Thanks for the sanity. 
 

I think it was mostly my wife wishing for a prettier winter beater. 

Misfire is likely a coil, which happens on all I6 BMW's.  Suspension rabbithole can be expensive both time and money-wise though, I'd want a look at that part a little more in-depth... but it's a cheap car, and bmw's  can be reasonably reliable.  For a cheap, 2 year winter beater... I'd probably roll the dice.  

you know what they say about pretty on the outside...

besides, if your winter beater is pretty, you're doing winter beaters wrong

Oh man I never updated this. The guy messaged me and waved me off: "this thing is an absolute POS, you don't want it. It hasn't been maintained for the past few owners and I'm no exception"

!

I commended him for his honesty and thanked him and haven't looked back.

SOOOOO

now i'm looking at a $1,500 2009 Q5 with 150k miles formerly owned by the elderly relative of a board member here. I don't want to pee all over his sales thread if it's not a good idea, but would like a dose of reality if I'm getting all stupid-eyed over having a nicer looking, nicer riding winter car. Like for real, this Saabaru has about had it in the NVH department. I took it in to a disreputable shop the other day and they didn't have anything to report re: the noisy suspension.

NOTE: rallyCross no longer in the equation

This reminds me of a quote from the movie SLC Punk.

 

• Mark: That's what's wrong with you Americans, you're always looking for pain.