M Buyers Guide
Inspection checklist
M3 E30, 1988 to 1991
Before you go
- Open recalls. Run the VIN through NHTSA or a BMW dealer and ask for proof every recall was done.
- History report. Check the title, accidents, owners and mileage record.
- Service records. Ask for them in advance, ideally from a BMW dealer or specialist.
- Independent inspection. Book a pre-purchase inspection with a shop that knows this engine.
Known problems on this car
- Rust in the floors, rails and shock towers
Put the car on a lift and check the floors, rails, jacking points, shock towers and battery tray, then look under the trunk mat and around the windshield and rear window for bubbling paint.
- Timing chain tensioner about $400 to fix
Start the engine cold and listen at the front for a rattle that fades as it warms up, and look for tensioner work in the records.
- Cooling system aging about $1,000 to fix
Ask for a cooling system pressure test, watch the temperature gauge on a long drive, and look for coolant residue, a sweet smell or white exhaust smoke.
- Oil leaks and exhaust manifold studs about $600 to fix
Look for oil on the engine, the oil pan and the transmission bellhousing, and listen for an exhaust tick at the manifold on a cold start.
- Worn rear shock mounts and engine mounts about $500 to fix
Listen for clunks from the rear over bumps, and feel for heavy vibration through the cabin at idle and under load.
At the viewing
- A rust inspection on a lift (floors, rails, shock towers, the trunk and the edges of the bonded windshield).
- Records of valve adjustments and timing chain tensioner work.
- A compression and leak-down test.
- A cold start with no chain rattle.
- A cooling system pressure test.
- Original M3-only parts (15in wheels, sport seats, trim).
- A clear accident, track and mileage history.
Notes
From the M3 E30 guide at M Buyers Guide. Repair costs are the guide's estimates, not quotes; the guide says where each comes from. Problems and costs as of the date printed.