Today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe BMW is a partial countdown of a car. That’s because it’s a Seven with a six and a five, meaning six cylinders and five speeds. Let’s see if its price makes it ready to launch.
Oh what a sad sad day yesterday proved to be. Our custom V8-powered 1972 Datsun 240Z fell in a massive 83-percent Crack Pipe loss at its $19,500 asking. Why is that such a bitter derogation? Because I have a Z that I’m thinking of selling and I want prices jacked up to Fred Mertz waistband levels before I do. Come on people, work with me here.
Okay, enough about my financial tribulations. Let’s instead discuss those of the dealership selling this 1988 BMW 735i. Well, not exactly the dealer’s books overall, but more specifically their pricing acumen in trying to sell this big Bimmer.
I’ve always liked the joke about the company that’s losing money on each and every product they sell, but still reassures investors that they’ll make it all up in volume. Here, we’ve got a car that was not a volume seller. In fact, with its stick shift this E32 is one rare bird.
The seller says that the car is a ‘Euro import’ and while it’s true that it did make the trek across the pond, the bumpers, lights, and dash all indicate that this is most likely to have been a U.S.-spec’d model from the start.
There’s an amazing 299,975 miles on the clock, a fact omitted in the ad but obvious in the instrument panel pic. If that number gives you pause then keep in mind that the trip odo reads zero in the same pic, so there’s likely plenty left in this old girl.
Helping that life is a rebuilt top and bottom end on the 208-horsepower M30 as well as a new clutch and flywheel between the mill and its factory-fitted Getrag five-speed. Validation of the quality of the work comes in the form of the seller’s declaration that the car ‘drive’s amazingly smooth.’
The interior seems to have held up remarkably well for its years and mileage. The dash doesn’t look to have suffered too many major cracks and the leather on the seats, while dirty, seems intact. The driver’s throne does however not appear to be original to the car. A big-ass stereo with one of those retractable screens takes center stage but that could easily be dustbinned if you find it annoying.
The exterior exhibits numerous dings and ripples in the curbside flank as well as in the boot lid. Also, who dents the gas door outward? None of it’s egregious, but I’d recommend always approaching the car from the driver’s side.
A set of 18-inch M Parallels underpins and while decent, they do appear to need a fresh coat of invisible paint to spruce up the quartet. The ad says the tires are in decent shape so you might want to hold off on that for a couple of months.
Up top someone has gone nutty with the red paint, violating both the badge in back and the grille up front. A rag and some turpentine will fix that right up. Also, get rid of all the yahoo stickers on the glass while you’re at it.
Other notable factors here include a clean title and California registration. Add to that this being one of the better-looking big Bimmers—and one that let’s you row-yer-own—and it’s got a lot going for it. At $2,495, its price may be another feather in its cap. Or, this being an old BMW it may just be the first in a long line of fruitless and demoralizing outlays.
What do you think, is this amazingly high mileage but siren song-like BMW worth dumping $2,495 on? Or, is it too used up to ask even that much?
You decide!
San Diego, CA Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to songsinthemalarkeyoflife for the hookup!
Help me out with NPOCP. Click here to send a me a fixed-price tip, and remember to include your Kinja handle.