sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

[bayerische]

my colleage is thinking of getting a spare car for his wife/son to use and is wondering about buying and old e34 520i 91-93 model.

he has seen a few for sale and would like to know what the market price for the body value of such cars is cos the coe is only $3162 and therefore the scrap value of the car cannot just be $3162 and like $3000 for the body right?

whats a fair value to assign? my own 2cents is that 20+k for such cars would be a tad high cos that would assign a body value of 20over k to the~20 year old mass produced car (albeit wonderful quality and brand)

thanks for reading and for all constructive discussions/inputs

 

[rttex]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

For the E34, it is not just about COE + body cost to ascertain the price of the car. One can argue that it should be SGD6k or SGD25k. To me, the condition plays be big part and it is just too hard to ascertain a market price because there isn't. Dealers are pricing it at SGD2k to SGD2.5k pa for depreciation. is that a fair value? If you take utility as a sole consideration, it appears fair but unfortunately, it is but 1 aspect of pricing an E34 and to a large extend the E30 and E36.

As I have said in another thread, how an example looks is the least of my concern. I am more interested in the real state of the car so nicely painted and newly upholstered examples do not interest me. History is important especially if you are buying one to keep.

Right now, mine is at the painter and the paint job alone will be more than the 'body value'

Happy hunting.

 

[bayerische]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

wow what colour u painting it? btw which shop is good for BMW paint ah (oem colour schemes)

dealers asking around 1.8 to 2k depreciation from those i gather. what should concern viewers looking for an old car? usually the interior all quite worn. engine all seem to be strong. the question is what is fair value to assign to the body of such a car since the coe is so low even factoring in a bonus for the COE. cos there are a few selling for 8k-9k coe left till 2011 then can renew after that

seems the merc 200e cheaper but 4 cylinder engine.

 

[diablo_728]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

get the merc, bc there is a better reasle bc of demand. the E34 body value will be negligible.

 

[rttex]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

As cheap transportation, I agree with diablo_728 that the W124 is better. It has a tougher wearing interior and because there are more of these still around, it is easy to source for parts. Go to any cushion shop and they can sew and stitch the MB tex seats with ease. However, as a driver's car, the W124, even in 6 cylinder form (260E onwards) falls short of the E34. The W124 was over-designed and very well built. It feels more soild than any BMW but it is my personal opinion that that is about it.

If you are interested, I can share with you road test and comparison test between the W124, E34 and the Audi 100CD from the late 80s and early 90s. All point to a better driving experience in the Bimmer.

So why the E34? The E34 was launched shortly after the E32 which was the start of BMW's revival after the E28 etc. Designed by Claus Luthe who was also responsible for the NSU Ro80. The E34 has perfect weight distribution, shares suspension and floorpan components with the E32, has ahead of its time triple window seals and of course, that 6 potter. With regard to the body, there is very little rust if well taken care of. Mine had spots of it at the windscreen surround and that is about it. Let's just say the promised 45% zinc -plated corrosion resistance has weather the last 20 years well. After the painter stripped the car, it is amazing the trouble they went through for the sound insulation. Becuase of this, it is regrettably that the E34 also at least 200kg heavier than any equivalent W124 of similar vintage.

Bayeriche, door cards are very difficult to course even from the factory. The only colour that comes in a complete set is the unloved grey. Blue and popular black cannot be had as a complete set. Brand new price is SGD1k a piece. Dash, seats and all can still be sourced from Propel. Window surround, rubber trimmings, bumpers, windscreen and all are still available brand new.

So at the end of the day, what do you want? If I find another example of a nice E34, I will be at it again. Familiarity in this case is not breeding contempt.

 

[sszone]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

scrapyard body value is max 1 to 1.5k for old car like that.
but if he's buying from dealers of even owners, they will want more than that.
can't expect ppl to sell u at body+coe.

 

[sportster]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

$3K for body for a 20yrs old E34? My friend 5 yrs old Volvo S60, dealers now only offered him $3K body price. Few years ago, I scrapped my 8.5yrs old Merc W124 200E 16V only got $4K body. Today, a 20 yrs old E34 body price is almost zero, unless someone wants to salvage parts, scrapyard takes in at

 

[bayerische]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

ok ill get him to go expand his search to include his w124 as well..

whoa door cards so expensive ah? how about 320 e36? this being a get around he wants old one and pay cash so refuses to consider something too costly.

 

[sszone]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

he have to factor in the wear and tear costs bro, especially for old cars

 

[rttex]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

$3K for body for a 20yrs old E34? My friend 5 yrs old Volvo S60, dealers now only offered him $3K body price. Few years ago, I scrapped my 8.5yrs old Merc W124 200E 16V only got $4K body. Today, a 20 yrs old E34 body price is almost zero, unless someone wants to salvage parts, scrapyard takes in at

 

[sportster]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

ok ill get him to go expand his search to include his w124 as well..

whoa door cards so expensive ah? how about 320 e36? this being a get around he wants old one and pay cash so refuses to consider something too costly.

Is there any reason that it must be a COE bimmer or Merc? Conti, Safely? My family had another car lying around at home. Paid $19K cash for a 7yrs 3 mths old Nissan Sunny with $101 COE. PARF value $13K at the 10 years mark. It beats getting a 20yrs old bimmer. Saw a few 4 yrs old Sunny only $20K+. Otherwise, taking Taxi will be better alternative since this is a 2nd car, which I suggest him to consider if he is on budget. Do not just look at the low upfront cost, reliability and repair bill will make one sweat. I spend a total of $5K over 6 months repairing my 11yrs old E34 then and sell the car at $25K depreciation loss after only driving for 6 months equate to a total of $30K loss in 6 months driving a junk COE car

 

[sportster]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

ha, you obviously bought a badly cared for example. If you hear of one scrapping, do send the word out. I will gladly offer more than 'almost zero'.

The car that I had was taken care by 6 previous owners. The engine was overhaul with Racing Dynamic light forged piston at the 10th yrs mark, with full Racing Dynamic conversion in the tune of $20K. It's the wear and tear, interior parts dropping, gear box "!" lighted up. It's the fear of what's next going to spoilt when you drove that makes me gave up. Subsequently I went for a 6 yrs old E36 316i Manual then and everything works perfect till I scrap it at the 8th year mark for my E36. Afterwhich got a 2yrs old E46 during the 911 crisis at paper+body value, drove for a good 3 yrs and export it at the 5th year mark in 2004 with no issue and with minimum loss. Newer bimmer less problem

 

[bayerische]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

sorry for newbie qn but whats a full racing dynamics conversion

 

[discolite]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

Part of the consideration for pricing is, for $20k nowadays, what car could you get with a 9-10 year COE? The COE alone costs that much.

So sure, you can say it's way above paper value, but it's rock-solid depreciation, and less than you'd pay for most other cars.

I suspect Sportster's specimen was in such poor shape precisely because it was owned by an enthusiast. Forged pistons etc likely equates to a car that was very hard-driven by previous owner. I doubt that's the typical profile of most E34 owners, though.

 

[rttex]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

The car that I had was taken care by 6 previous owners. The engine was overhaul with Racing Dynamic light forged piston at the 10th yrs mark, with full Racing Dynamic conversion in the tune of $20K. It's the wear and tear, interior parts dropping, gear box "!" lighted up. It's the fear of what's next going to spoilt when you drove that makes me gave up. Subsequently I went for a 6 yrs old E36 316i Manual then and everything works perfect till I scrap it at the 8th year mark for my E36. Afterwhich got a 2yrs old E46 during the 911 crisis at paper+body value, drove for a good 3 yrs and export it at the 5th year mark in 2004 with no issue and with minimum loss. Newer bimmer less problem

Your E34 was obviously done up in terms of performance mods. I will steer clear of such conversions unless you are well versed in what has exactly been done. I would hazard a guess that the highly tuned state of engine was what resulted in a failed gearbox. Newer Bimmers are more complicated but being newer cars, should give you less problem than the older models.

 

[bayerische]

Re: sifus please help on ~20 yr old 520ia body value for coe 03 2019 renewals

its too dangerous to buy something like that which prices the body at like 20k. imagine if u have to scrap the car all u get back is the coe residual value