How Much?

[isse]

Will it cost to fix this? Looks like I can get it really cheap. Always wanted a bmw too!



Car is 1999 323i. Has some melted wires under there.

160km and Manual

Cost will be 1500-2000 to buy.

[witeshark]

From a first look, we can only guess.

[isse]

I would have about 2500$ to repair.

[marti5]

You have to work out what the re-sale value will be once fixed, then minus your buying costs/materials and labour. If the figure you come to is more than your spending including time etc. then its a good deal, if it comes to close to the re-sale value then dont bother.....

[drz]

At first glance, it doesn't look like it would be worth the trouble of DIY. It is absolutely not worth it if you're going to pay someone to do the work.

[Torque]

I don't think it's necessarily going to cost a lot (wires are fairly cheap and the dash stuff can be bought from a wrecked car for not too much), but honestly it's gonna be so much work rewiring everything, I think I'd give up long before I got it sorted.

If you have the patience and the time to work on it, by all means, go for it; I don't think it can cost too much as far as money goes.

[isse]

how much time are we talking about? Currently a student and not working atm. Will not need a car ready till Jan.. so I have a few months.

Also is there a manual with the wiring. Will be new to this.. have dreamed of owning a bmw since I was 12

[Torque]

I can try and dig up a e46 wiring manual or two over the weekend; I've seen them floating around the net before.

It all depends on how far it all melted. If it's all right there and easy to see, no time at all ... if stuff melted going under the firewall and what not, yeah you might be in for a long project.

[drz]

Keep in mind that even if you pay $2000 for this car (and eventually get it running), it will still be a $30,000 car, and you'll need t be ready to keep up with the maintenance costs. I don't want to be a buzzkill -- I just bring it up because you mention you aren't working at the time.

[coolvegase34]

for the 4,000 that it will cost you, there are much better cars out there. Looks like a money pit on 4 wheels. I wouldn't waste your time.

[carguy13]

really, you would buy that for $1500?

i don't even think i would buy that for $500

they could be a lot of fitment issues for a DIY, holy shit i wouldn't even try it.

[harryinsaudi]

buy the thing, strip it for parts and get something decent with the cash you get from craigslist?

Ask yourself why it's in the state it's in at the moment... if it was an easy fix it would have been done already.

[jcharles07]

Looks like this is something you are going to think about and nobody else can answer for you, regular BMW that works could be costly in repairs, imagine that project with no cash? it is a bad combination, don't fall for Junk yard parts,please wait and save the money and I know for sure there is a BMW out here for you,again if you have the knowledge, the time and the parts including tools? Just Frankenstein it and at the end scream as loud as you can say "Master the BMW is alive"

[r1bby]

Buy it, strip it, sell the parts on eBay, auction sites, web, etc,
save the money for a working car my friend
there are working bargins out there that require no attention
with the recession it is a buyers market , not a sellers market
so if you do decide to buy it, screw him down to less than 1k
you're doing him a favour by taking it off his hands.
Don't get robbed, especially as it will take plenty of time to strip & sell

[Numark318i]

that makes me cringe.

ever tried taking the dashboard out a car? Its a PITA. Cant imagine putting it back in, especially in an E46. Was thinking about it for 5 seconds because my E30 has a cracked Dashboard. Then i realized the amount of bolts, time and shit that could go wrong.