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1985 BMW 3 Series 325e 2D 4D Sedan Base
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February 10, 2009, 6:29 pm
March 15, 2009, 4:25 am
March 15, 2009, 12:13 pm
April 6, 2010, 11:05 pm
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February 10, 2009, 6:29 pm
Lydia M
Question: what do you think about the 85 bmw 325e
I'm considering buying this car for my kid for a starter car from a mechanic for $1,200.00 it runs good and seem like a good car what do you think?
March 15, 2009, 4:25 am
Arya A
I have the same car, it's been a hand me down from two of my cousins to my older sister to me. It's a good car, has many problems, but fun to work on. Some specific problems mine has: electrical (maybe alternator?), transmission makes a loud howling noise, over heating (I replaced the thermostat and it sometimes overheats as of now), water pump bearing wore out (I replaced it myself and it doesn't leak anymore), brakes rumble all the time, dashboard lights cut out randomly.
It's reliable to me, but my parents don't like me driving it. I consider it a great first car, but only if your kid wants to work on it himself.
It's reliable to me, but my parents don't like me driving it. I consider it a great first car, but only if your kid wants to work on it himself.
0/0 users found this helpful.
March 15, 2009, 12:13 pm
Tony
I've had a couple of the 325s of this series and if you find the right one, it should be very reliable and durable to 250k miles at least. The 2.5l eta engines (the difference in the 325e vs. the 325i) is a very low-stress motor, and one of the most durable BMW ever made. The experience aryahmmr above describes is certainly an avoidable one.
Have it inspected by someone who knows BMWs of this vintage. You'll want to look for replacement of the water pump with the later metal impeller type, and the thermostat should be done at the same time. At this age you're likely to have some oil leaks in various places, so see whether the ones this car has are serious.
The ABS and air con are both >$1200 items to fix, so make sure they work.
These cars mostly don't rust, so if you see any rust think twice. That's likely to be the result of body work done in the past. That rule might not apply in places like New Jersey, Chicago, and Detroit, where the roads get heavily salted...even an all-galvanized car will get some rocker panel rust after 24 years on the road. But here in California ... a rusty BMW is an adulterated BMW.
Also, make sure the seats recline and lock at a proper angle. Many times the teeth shear on the gear and the seat become unstable, which is not safe.
The electrical systems are pretty good - much better than later BMWs - so if you've got electrical gremlins check the ground strap. If it's not the ground strap, then everything else is a pain in the butt and you should keep looking for a better 325.
Some other things to watch out for are failure of the rear shock tower mounts and suspension bushings. Look for clunks, particularly on acceleration. <$500 to fix the whole shebang, and the tower mounts are an easy Sunday project for DIYers.
You don't specify whether you're looking for automatic or stick. Stick is a better idea, both because it's a great drivers' cars with one and because there's less to go wrong. The manual transmissions are essentially bulletproof unless truly abused. The mechanisms tend to get floppy as the nylon bushings inside wear out. This is relatively cheap to fix.
Automatic transmissions seem to have a service life of 80-100k for some, 150k for others - have them check the fluid color and pay special attention to the way it shifts. If there's anything wrong here, walk away, as tranny replacements are in the $1k range and you can find lots of better examples.
Hope this helps.
Have it inspected by someone who knows BMWs of this vintage. You'll want to look for replacement of the water pump with the later metal impeller type, and the thermostat should be done at the same time. At this age you're likely to have some oil leaks in various places, so see whether the ones this car has are serious.
The ABS and air con are both >$1200 items to fix, so make sure they work.
These cars mostly don't rust, so if you see any rust think twice. That's likely to be the result of body work done in the past. That rule might not apply in places like New Jersey, Chicago, and Detroit, where the roads get heavily salted...even an all-galvanized car will get some rocker panel rust after 24 years on the road. But here in California ... a rusty BMW is an adulterated BMW.
Also, make sure the seats recline and lock at a proper angle. Many times the teeth shear on the gear and the seat become unstable, which is not safe.
The electrical systems are pretty good - much better than later BMWs - so if you've got electrical gremlins check the ground strap. If it's not the ground strap, then everything else is a pain in the butt and you should keep looking for a better 325.
Some other things to watch out for are failure of the rear shock tower mounts and suspension bushings. Look for clunks, particularly on acceleration. <$500 to fix the whole shebang, and the tower mounts are an easy Sunday project for DIYers.
You don't specify whether you're looking for automatic or stick. Stick is a better idea, both because it's a great drivers' cars with one and because there's less to go wrong. The manual transmissions are essentially bulletproof unless truly abused. The mechanisms tend to get floppy as the nylon bushings inside wear out. This is relatively cheap to fix.
Automatic transmissions seem to have a service life of 80-100k for some, 150k for others - have them check the fluid color and pay special attention to the way it shifts. If there's anything wrong here, walk away, as tranny replacements are in the $1k range and you can find lots of better examples.
Hope this helps.
1/1 users found this helpful.
April 6, 2010, 11:05 pm
Arya A
What is the ground strap you mentioned? I still have problems with the electrical stuff in the car.
0/0 users found this helpful.
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