New to '02's - is this '75 worth considering?

[rstl99]

Hi all, first post.

I have owned a pristine 1982 Benz diesel sedan for 10 years. Love it and don't want to get rid of it, but it's a bit of a slug so I'd like to get another specialty car with a bit of HP and fun-driving factor.

Also, I plan on retiring next year so am also looking for another car that can become a bit of a hobby (though not, hopefully, a money pit!) as I like to tinker on cars. I gather a 2002 is nice to work on (assuming no terminal rot!) and parts are not impossible to get.

A 1975 2002 has come up locally (came from west coast). Seller info:

- Less than 50,000 miles (apparently).

- Requires body work at the bottom of the rocker panels and quarter panels.

- There is a hole approximately 3 inch on the driver side floor.

- Apparently no mechanical issues

- Driver seat torn

I attach a couple of pictures.

I've read the buying guides and would heed warnings about rust spots etc. if/when I go look at it.

Seller says he'd be willing to sell it for $3000. Does this sound fair? If not what would be a fairer price, for the buyer?

Thanks.

[Tommy]

Welcome! By the pictures it looks like that one will need whole lot of bodywork. There's always more rust than it first looks like. Rear shock towers look very suspicious as do the rockers. If you do your own welding you might consider but otherwise it looks like a money pit.

Regarding fair price I can't say because I don't know your markets. I'm in Finland, Europe myself.

Tommy

[jerry]

$900-$1200 if sold in the bay area....

[bluedevils]

Don't buy it. For $3000 you can get a much better car with no or only minor rust. That car has issues, needs new rockers, shock towers and I guarantee, needs new passenger side floor, to say the least. It will cost 20K to fix it right if you are not doing it yourself. Even if you get it under 1000 bucks, it is still not a good buy.

[chipperwerks]

+1 on the post above. As an intro into old bmws, that one looks like you might hate it before you love it... Look around for something with less rust, and search the forum for tips on where it hides. Good luck and beware, even a really decent car will have you throwing money at it!

[rstl99]

Thanks for the quick replies folks!

I'll pass on it then, indeed I thought the pictures indicated more than "minor bodywork" as the seller indicated!

One thing about owning my rust-free Benz (came from Arizona, never winter-driven) is that it's made me very intolerant of rust in a car. Although I am quite handy at fixing mechanical issues, I hate working on rust, I don't weld, and I am not good at body work.

I gather that insofar as 2002's go (especially up here in the Northeast), rust is a significant and perennial issue, unfortunately.

Anyway, this 2002 community seems a very thriving and supporting one, congratulations!

Cheers,

--Robert

[Mike Self]

that's an interesting way to feed cool air to a K&N style air filter. Homemade but nice and functional...

mike

[napa02]

Hell no, run away very fast from the overpriced rust bucket...

[eurotrash]

+1 for "run away!"

[ought2]

Looks like a whole lot of bodywork needed - and that's just what is showing. By "minor", perhaps he was referring to who did the previous bodywork?

[Harv]

No.

Looks like a great parts car or one to drive for a few months and then retire it to parts car duty.

There is this much work in that car.

John

[otisdog]

doesn't look like a west coast car...

[TTyMiller]

No way is that a west coast car!

[Gordon]

Run far away from that rust bucket unless you have deep pockets and lots of spare time with a welder. That 02 is also a color change, look at the engine bay, the original color looks to be mint green. That 02 would be a parts car in California, $500 max.

Trust me, you want to find an 02 with no or minimum rust as possible. Mechanical work is childs play compared to rust and body repair.

G-Man

[rstl99]

Thanks again to everyone for chiming in with words of warning and advice. Indeed, everything about how this car was described to me sounds "off", and I'm glad I didn't waste time and gas driving out to go see it. I suppose there's a sucker born every minute, but wannabee suckers would do well to check with the sharp-eyed and experienced folks on this list before forking out precious cash!

Kudos to the one who spotted the green paint in the engine bay, so possibly the whole car was painted at one time (after the shoddy body work)...

Again, mucho thanks. I'll wait until something better crosses my path! Mechanical repairs can be fun, but rust repair for me is major headache and no fun at all. "A man's got to know his limitations", as dirty Harry once said...