Looking to buy a 2002 and have some ?s

[evbimmer]

Have had many newer BMW's in the past as well as many many 'classic' cars (all foreign). I'm having a hard time finding the right car right now but the search is half the fun!

My question is generally how hard is it to find parts? For instance if I don't find a car that nearly complete will it be hard/overly expensive to replace things?

I would like to do a full restoration and am looking for a roundie if that helps give some perspective.... Have recently completed a 63 VW Double Cab and a 60 AH Bugeye Sprite prior to that and am ready for my next project!

Thanks!

Ben

[Napes]

Most parts are readily available, thou a few may take some searching. Prices have been going up the last couple of years, but most things are still reasonably priced.

The Parts Wanted board on this site can be an excellent source for many items, and this forum can be a great help with any questions you may have. There are some 6,000 members here with a wealth of information and a willingness to help.

Bob Napier

[Mike Self]

several years ago BMW AG built an entirely brand new '73 tii from parts available through BMW Classic (formerly Mobile Tradition). All they had to outsource was a body shell, which they fortunately found brand new from a dealer in Germany. Bottom line: parts are easy, if not always cheap...

Over 100,000 2002s and 1600s were imported to the States, so patience will be rewarded by finding a nice one. And they're pretty easy to work on.

Best of all, there's a wealth of information available, especially here on the FAQ. The distilled wisdom of the ages for 2002s...

cheers, and welcome to the fraternity/sorority.

mike

[bluedevils]

As mentioned, make sure you have a clean shell to start with. Rust is very expensive!

[dbmw2002]

As mentioned, make sure you have a clean shell to start with. Rust is very expensive!

Patience is the keyword, lots of cars out there, an epidemic of tin worms, take your time and def look under any car you are considering, rockers under the doors were my deal breaker, took 4 years to find a pair that didnt need replacing

[evbimmer]

Thanks for all of the replies. I see the classifieds here, great resource! Are there any companies currently repopping parts for the 2002? Body panels, rust repair panels, interior/trim etc?

[esty]

list your location and email...you never know who may have a nice car for sale and will contact you

[bluedevils]

Yes, many vendors. To give you an example, Carpets: Esty; Seatbelts:Bluedevils; OE parts:Blunttech; tii parts: 2002Haus,; Five speed conversions: 2002Haus, Dave Varco, Ireland Engineering; Upgrade brakes/suspension:Massive; Body sheet metal: Blunttech, Walloth and Nesch, Jaymic; etc etc etc. List goes on. Even though many of us the FAQers here bitch about the prices being too high, compare to Alfas or Porsches or Ferraris, prices remain very reasonable even if you buy from a local BMW dealer. FAQ for sale/wtb section is an amazing market platform to get what you need at very good prices (most of the time). HTH.

[eurotrash]

Absolutely.

list your location and email...you never know who may have a nice car for sale and will contact you

[Hans]

If you have space, consider finding a parts car too. I'd be looking for a project that someone abandoned. And, pay attention to advice about rust: it is expensive and time consuming to fix.