engine and drivetrain Greetings and 2002a Questions

[teenchy]

Hello all,

I just joined the board this morning. After a couple of years out of the old car hobby I'm thinking hard about jumping back in and an '02 is on my short list of cars with which to jump. I've never owned one though I've driven many over the years.

Three caveats I need to apply to the next hobby car, however:

1. It must have an automatic or clutchless manual transmission (so my wife can drive, plus I have arthritis in both knees and my left ankle).

2. It must be capable of occasional daily driver/commuter duty in Northeast Corridor traffic during spring/summer/fall.

3. It can't be a project car; while I can and will do maintenance, repair and upgrades I'm not at a place where I can take on a full restoration.

What little research I've done lead me to conclude that a 1971-73, 1974, or 1976 model would be my best bet. How hard is it to come by a good solid driver 2002a of these vintages? Do they tend to get snapped up as quickly as tii's or manual '02s generally, or converted to manuals?

Thanks in advance for any and all info you can offer!

[guibop]

Physical limitations prevent me from driving a stick safely but I've enjoyed owning 2002 autos since the 70s. Properly maintained it's a very reliable ride. I used several '02s for cross-country travel and commuting to work 100s of miles/wk.

Shop wisely.

[aspire2002]

Here you go!

1) http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/car/677151590.html

2) http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bar/669342819.html

3) http://santafe.craigslist.org/car/658691222.html

4) There are a few automatics for sale at 2002AD and bimmerbrothers, but they are usually more expensive

http://www.2002ad.com/pages/carsforsale.cfm

http://www.bimmerbrothers.net/

Finally, here are some good places to search for cars.

http://jaxed.com/cgi-bin/ms.cgi?veh=bmw%202002

http://www.bimmers.com/02/

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewforum/f,5/

Good luck with your search and welcome!

[Jim_75Sahara]

I don't want to be a grouch, but there's nothing wrong with a '75. They did have the awful smog equipment (thermal reactor) , but all the ones I've seen have had that removed long ago. Mine runs like a champ and it did not break the bank either. It's going to haul me and my son to Vintage at the Vineyard at the end of this month.

[Mike Self]

automatic until a couple of years ago. They're not the fastest thing when you let 'em shift themselves, but if you hold the tranny in second, let the engine wind up a bit and manually shift to third, they're quite spritely. I just found myself groping around for the clutch pedal with my left foot--force of habit.

While there are those who'll disagree, it's generally conceded that the late 72s and the 73s are the best '02s...if you replace the original Solex carb with a Weber (most have that already). They have the original round taillight styling, have less emissions stuff (those cars have no air pump) and are several hundred lbs lighter (and 9 inches shorter) than 74-76 cars. The later cars do have sturdier bumpers, all the better if you have braille parkers around.

BTW, if you have arthritis in your shoulders/elbows, leave the original "bus" steering wheel on the car; don't use a smaller aftermarket wheel. With no power steering, it's gonna hurt.

welcome to the 02 fraternity/sorority

mike

[c.d.iesel]

your WANT is going to be very hard to impossible to find East of the Mississippi - or anywhere in New England.

Fewer Automatics produced, even fewer survive,

and more than fewer are in the condition that your seeking.

Automatics tend to be severly neglected in the trans oil

service department, and add 30 years worth of slippage, sever

cold winter wear, sever hot climate wear, careless use and

abusive driveing habits - your in for a huge outlay to join

the club.

Major time, money, labor will be required to make the car RELIABLE

AND NEAR MAINTANENCE free

sorry for the reality check

[ClayW]

I recall someone on this board that installed an automatic transmission from an `84-85 (I think) 318i. It was a more modern trans that handled highway speeds a little better.

[BarryA]

want to consider looking for a California '76. Since '76's are the only year 2002s that are still required to pass the draconian emissions testing regimen here, it's not unusual for them to turn up at far lower prices than '75 and earlier models.

For the most part, cars from inland areas are pretty solid - ones that lived close to the coast tend to rust from the inside out due to salt air exposure.......

As far as retrofitting an automatic to a standard trans car goes, it's worth bearing in mind that transmission tunnels are larger in cars originally equipped with automatics, so putting an auto in a manual car might be a real pain the wallet.

[aspire2002]

Not mine...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-2002-1976-BMW2002A_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQitemZ160240713487QQsspagenameZRSSQ3aBQ3aSRCHQ3aUSQ3a101

[teenchy]

I like what I see there. Ironically I lived not far from Stone Mountain (Decatur) in the mid-late 1980s. I will watch this auction and - who knows? - maybe place a bid.

I guess I should ask the stupidly obvious question of what cars like this one have been selling for these days? I read the Hemmings piece on '02s a while back but I honestly haven't been following this market as closely as I have the early Porsche 911/356 market.

Thanks for the lead.

[ClayW]

I'd guess that you should feel good paying anything less than $10K for that car. It looks to be in great shape and well maintained. I've never been a fan of that color, but it's nice!

To cue ot you the market price of 2002 cars, here's the long and the short of it:

Free-$1500: Junk/Parts Car. Rarely will you find a car in this price range that isn't more trouble than it's worth to fix.

$1500-$3000: Beater. Usually running but with no really nice features. Be prepared to do a major repair or two; usually body/paint or motor/transmission.

$3000-$5000: Driver. Good condition with no major problems, but expect a few smaller repairs like radiator replacement, tune-ups or brake-work. Usually a good value.

$5000-$10000: Nice Car, Man! You might be lucky enough to get working A/C (don't be fooled by "just needs a recharge!"). Should have little to no rust or paint issues. Might need a tune-up or tires, but nothing more than routine auto maintenance.

$10000 And Up: Awesome Condition and/or Rare. You should be able to immediately take one of these on a cross-country roadtrip. Unless it's an ultra-rare (Alpina, Voll Cabriolet or Turbo), mortal 2002 cars should be in fantastic shape and of the color that you want to pay this much. The air conditioning should work. Many have topped $20K, but they tend to be prictine cars of considerable value. If you want a worry-free car in next-to-perfect condition, plan on $15K.

Overall, the question comes to, "What can you handle?" A $5000-6000 car would suit most of us VERY well. Hell, I bought my `76 last year for $1200 because it had a blown head gasket. But then, I didn't mind swapping out my spare motor, either!

Happy Hunting!

[teenchy]

Thanks, ClayW! I figured no more than $6K US would put me in a very good driver 2002a and any more than that would be a car that needs nothing. I can't see going into five figures (left of the decimal point) for the type of '02 I'd be looking for - nothing rare or, for many people, that desirable.

Color is of course a matter of personal preference; for me it's secondary to condition. On older cars I prefer nonmetallic shades as they're easier to match if they need touching up.

[ClayW]

I forgot to mention a basic list of options that make the price of a sub-five-figure car go up.

1. Sunroof: Not a huge upgrade, but it's worth a few hundred buck more for the car that has a working, non-leaking one.

2. Working A/C: Again, don't be fooled by "just needs a recharge." There's a HUGE gap between almost non-working and working A/C. MANY cars have the parts and consoles for A/C, but few work. Since BMW didn't design or install these units (dealer installed kits), there's no "official" BMW way to air condition these cars. Behr and Frigiking seem to be the most common, but they all pretty much require newer style compressors. Since refurbishing an existing system starts at around $1200 (new compressor and drier) and the price goes up from there, finding a car with a solid, working A/C can be worth an extra $500 to 1500.

3. Pre-1974 cars: Those of us with `74-76, square-taillight cars don't mind the square taillights as much as we hate the US-only 5-MPH, "diving board" bumpers (though, they do make nice benches). Anyway, a 1968-73 car with smaller bumpers or a nice conversion back to Euro-bumpers on a square-taillight car is a plus. It's not so much an option as it is an area of taste. The 1974-76 cars are valued a tiny bit less because of those bumpers, however.

4. Recaros: Nice seats from E21 (3-series 1977-83) "s" cars are the standard upgrade seat. They look period correct and are getting harder and harder to find. If you find a car that already has them installed and in good shape (and matching the interior color), they will up the car's value at least $500. Since they go for $500-$2000 a pair, it's nice to find a car that already has them.

There are other upgrades that are commonly done such as an E21 overdrive five-speed, limited slip differentials and upgraded brakes. These are all of value to whoever cares. Some like things completely stock, others will upgrade if possible. It's all up to how much you want and how much you want to pay for it.

Good luck!