Good morning

[Anonymer User]

Good morning to all,

I am not very sure if this is the right place to post, i unfortunatly don't speak german and couldn't make it to register myself.

As this is the Baur Club forum i am sure you can help me all.

My name is Arnaud, i am French and i live in Madrid Spain.

I am about to by an E30 Baur from 1991. It's a 318i, dark blue, 163.000 Km, with power steering and little more options.

I already have a 320i E30 Automatic from 1985, so as you can see i'm quite fund of E30's.

The fact is i don't know that much about Baurs.

What should i look first in order to determine if the car is in good shape?
What about the 318i engine, is it reliable (163.000km).

The price asked is 1.800 euros, i think it is quite a good price.

How can i check the serial numbers to check the model and the year of construction?

I hope that with your advises i will be able to determine if the car is OK.


Thank you in advance for your support.

Best regards,

Arnaud.

[Robert]

Hello Arnaud,

I think 1800 Euro is a good price for well conditioned BMW BAUR, which was made in 1991.

You have to look if all BAUR specific-parts existent on the car and in good condition.
Nothing is more expensive and arduous to search for BAUR-specific replacement parts.
It is also necessary to check if the roof structure and all parts, which belongs to the BAUR roof are complete and well-conditioned.

The milage is okay, but check also if the car has a full service history or was conditioned well.

What is about rust? Did you've seen any rust?
Could you arrange a test-drive? What is about the engine? Is she still running?

You can check the serial number and the year of construction in two ways.
At first you can have a look to vehicle identification number, which you'll find in the engine compartment.
BAUR has given their cars also own vehicle identfication numbers, which you'll find somewhere near the doors. I don't exactly where at the moment.

In fact, you have to check BAUR parts/roff construction, the engine, the chassis (if there any rust) and the condition of care. Maybe you can send us some pictures, if is possible?

Regards,
Robert


Some more informations about BAUR you'll find on this site, but it is written in German.
http://www.e30gronau.de/faq/kaufberatung...g.htm#baur

And if you like to check the serial number of the car with the engine and production date, you can use the VIN Decoder.
http://www.bmwarchiv.de/vin/bmw-vin-decoder-set.html

It isn't anything special, but maybe useful.

[Anonymer User]

Hello Robert,

In fact i have only seen pictures of it, i will see it and test drive it next Tuesday. Any tips?

Where does the rust usually appear on the Baur structure? How can i check for rust under the cover?

Here are the only pics i've seen.

[URL=http://img292.imageshack.us/my.php?image=baur1jc0.jpg]

[URL=http://img292.imageshack.us/my.php?image=baur2ov6.jpg]

[URL=http://img228.imageshack.us/my.php?image=baur3ej1.jpg]

Thank you very much for your support.

Arnaud

[Robert]

Hello,

The pictures are a little bit too small to say anything about the general condition.
The BAUR structure is completelly zincked. You have to check the general E30 rust possibilities.

• the wheel arches
  the door sills
  under the car
  and the rest of the chassis

It isn't so easy to define where you have to look. In general it's advisable to have a look about the whole car. And a critical view of damages, missing parts or rust.

Which cover you mean?

[Baur]

Hello Arnaud,

I wonder if it has rust; it's a very "young" car and in Spain.

The Baur-frame itself won't rust, but where it is attached to the body. This is also under the softtop behind the rear windows. Unscrew the softtop and look under it.

About the Baur-number; this will be 49xxx-13 or probably 50xxx-13. The 13 stands for a black Sonnenlandroof. It looks like the rear window is a bit yellow; not a direct problem.

And as Robert also told you; try to find out how/when it was serviced. And if it has had damage.

Gr Jeroen

@Robert: cover ist denke ich denn Softtop.

[Ralf]

Maybe you shold take somebody with you who is E30 experienced when you hava a look at the car ...

Maybe you should try your luck here: http://www.serie3.net, hava a look to the contacts, Karl comes from Madrid ... you'll find him in this forum under his nick "Klobuznik".

[Anonymer User]

Well,

Thank you to all for the help you are giving me.

I allready have a E30 so i think i can manage to take a look at the Baur.

What was important for me was to take knowledge regarding special points of rust wich could appear on Baur's.

As you mentioned, under the soft top (cover i called) is a place i will definitly look at.

I will check the Vin number for the production year and the Baur nº.

I hope the car will be in good shape, i've always liked a lot the Baur design.

I'll come back soon with pictures and my final decision.

Once again, thank you very much.

Arnaud.

[KOLOS]

Salut Arnaud !

I have seen your message on another (french) forum.

I suggest you to check all the Baur specific parts. If any are broken or missing.

For the rest, it's like any other E30. The "rust friendly" spots are the same.

For the Baur-number (in French) Il y a une plaquette sur le montant de la porte conducteur, au niveau du mécanisme d'arrêt de porte.

Do not hesitate to ask if you need additional information.

++

KOLOS

[Edelfisch]

Hallo KOLOS et Arnaud,
jái aussi compris ce que tu as ecrit concernant la plaquette baur.
On trouve aussi souvent la rouille sous la pare-brise;faites attention aux petites bulles.+
Salut Thomas

[EE Targa]

Hello -

some small hints for you:

1) regarding the engine you have to check if the cramshaft is not worn out, in this case the engine is not reaching top speed. This is not linked to any service history. There are some cases where even well maintainenced engines where showing this problem. Best is to disambled the cylinder head cover to be shure.

2) the value is depending from the gearbox type. With an automatic gearbox the value drops in general in combination with 4 cyld. engines.

3) check - if you open the doors - that the draining from the first roof element (the hardtop) is functioning - so that water will be drained out of this area. You will find the channels if you pay a little bit attention to the upper inside construction of the baur support construction between A and B body/roof support

4) don´t be afraid that there are any difficult Baur parts. You will be able to get everything - either in second hand or new.

As far as I know there are only 2 parts with are really difficult to get. This are the female elements from the rear roof tension fixators. They are made from plastic and like to wear out. If the are really gone - or already very uggly - this is a reason to lower the price.

A very good rear roof cost only around 350,- Euro including german vat. - and the fixing is very simple if you compare it with the E 30 cabrio.

There is a flexible hood/cover which is covering the folded roof - pay attention that this part is handed over together with the car. Also the Baur instruction booklet should be present.

Finaly the bolts which are fixing the rear roof should be in a good shape. There is nearly no way in repairing them correctly if somebody was using to much forced in tensioning them.

Rust situation is very similar to the conventional E 30 - there should not be any problems at all.

The estimated price - if the car is in a good shape - is o.k. - I sold one of my Baur cars - a 316 from 1991 with a similar milage for roughly 2000 Euro.

Best regards from Estonia

[Anonymer User]

Well,

I couldn t ask that much.

You are all very kind, and i really apreciate all the help given to me.

I am glad to see here some of my French mates also, this definitly is Europe!

After all the reponses i am receiving, i feel i have to corespond to do guys by buying the car and giving all the love it deserves.

I will therefore pay attention to all has been told to me in your posts and check everything.

I know that if i buy it i will be able to find all the help here, and be able to find any parts i need through your experience and good contacts.

Merci aussi aux Francophones qui comme moi se baladent sur le net de tous les pays.

I will let you know next tuesday how is the car.

I already know the first two steps i will make if i buy the car ...1st Complete engine service 2nd buy BBS wheels

I am thrilled by the support you guys are giving, thank you very very much.

Soon, maybe i will be the owner of 2 e30s...

My very best regards

Arnaud

[Robert]

Merci aussi aux Francophones qui comme moi se baladent sur le net de tous les pays.

Pas de problème. je t'aurais écrire aussi en francais, mais j'ai pensé, qu' écriver quelque chose technique est meilleure en englais, parce que j'apprends francais seulement depuis 2 années.

Je me réjouis que, j'ai t'aidé. Bonne chance pour la deuxième BMW.

Robert

[Gunna]

[Lutz]

@ Gunna : Don' t worry, be happy. You' re talking in switzerdütch and I also understand only a liitle bit . . .

[Anonymer User]

Well,

Unfortunatly, the car has been sold And not to me!

It's a pitty (for me of course) i couldn't make it.

Thank you anyway for all the tips you gave me.

By the way, the car was indeed in very good shape, only minor things to change.

Lucky i still have my Automatic 320i from 1985

Maybe in a future i'll be able to find a Baur (i'm not fund of normal cabrio's)

I'll drop here sometimes to see what's new.

Best regards and happy new year.

Arnaud

[Baur]

Hello Arnaud,

That is really sorry. But maybe 2007 is the year you also drive a Baur!

Happy new year!

Greetings Jeroen

[Robert]

Salut Arnaud,

C'est dommage naturellement, mais je pense que tu vas trouver ton BAUR dans la prochaine année. C'est sûr. Bonne chance et bonne continuation pour 2007.

A bientôt,
Robert

[Anonymer User]

Merci pour l'encouragement.

I would be nice indeed to find a Baur this year!

By the way, the day after i was told the car was sold, i saw a 320i Baur tc2 from 1986 in the street near i live...

Just to remind me i should have been quicker to decide myself!

I found yestreday a 325 i cabrio from 1990 for 2500 euros but with a broken timing belt ... it is in a garage, the timing belt hasn't been changed still.

Dangerous? Worth it?

Happy new year

[Anonymer User]

Well,

Her i am again And this time to present you my new car!

I couldn't made it for the Baur as i took to long to decide myself. But now this time, i ran as fast as i could to catch this:

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/7517/bmwhs0.jpg

It's a 320i Automatic convertible from June 1990, Calypsorot colour, with electric hood (by the way i need information on this, cause mine is disengaged!)

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/7789/p1194414hw4.jpg

I'll come back later.

Best regards

Arnaud[/url]

[Robert]

Salut Arnaud,

Toutes mes félicitations. Elle est une beauté classique. Calypsorot-Metallic, des cuir noir et beaucoup du chrome!

Est-ce que tu peux nous donner plus d'informations de ton cabriolét?

J'aime cette coleur et le chrome ...





Bien des choses de ma part à France,
Robert