Bmw Guy Swapping Sides, Looking At A 350Gt/370Gt Sedan

[rawzz_v35]

^^ Yeah it looks like an awesome car.. seen few around and looks pretty good...

Edited December 7, 2014 by rawzz_v35

[colin.ssc]

Just to chime in, the Bose system is pretty crap IMO. The speakers are pretty shit, amp is disappointing and the head unit sends pretty bad signals out as well. But like I said, it's my opinion...I know there are people on here who thinks the Bose system is nice.

[AsM]

^^probably cant compare the factory Bose to aftermarket systems you can get installed professionally but it is definitely a few notches up from the stock non-Bose cars imo

[BASHO]

I'd been 90% committed to buying an 83/84 350GT in Jan until I spoke to someone today who has a large and detailed knowledge of these cars , I'm now looking at going back to the future and getting into another R34GT-t , on one hand of things I'm somewhat relieved to perhaps have avoided a potential financial tsunami on the other a tad disappointed to miss driving/owning such a nice looking vehicle.

I'm just not in the financial position to take a consecutive succession of between $1 and $3K+ hits which I have been advised can occur with some of these vehicles.

I too was puzzled over the large price variation in seemingly extremely similar models , and outside of obvious reasons I am , well , still puzzled .

[rambocarebear]

I'd been 90% committed to buying an 83/84 350GT in Jan until I spoke to someone today who has a large and detailed knowledge of these cars , I'm now looking at going back to the future and getting into another R34GT-t , on one hand of things I'm somewhat relieved to perhaps have avoided a potential financial tsunami on the other a tad disappointed to miss driving/owning such a nice looking vehicle.

I'm just not in the financial position to take a consecutive succession of between $1 and $3K+ hits which I have been advised can occur with some of these vehicles.

I too was puzzled over the large price variation in seemingly extremely similar models , and outside of obvious reasons I am , well , still puzzled .

huh ? im a little confused. ...

[sonicii]

83/84 350GT

consecutive succession of between $1 and $3K+ hits which I have been advised can occur with some of these vehicles.

???? x 2

[Nightcrawler]

I think he may be getting confused with the CVT gearboxes in the early V35 sedans? But if you are talking V36s, then there are no random $1-$3k expenses. They are beautiful cars.

[Guest]

Just to chime in, the Bose system is pretty crap IMO. The speakers are pretty shit, amp is disappointing and the head unit sends pretty bad signals out as well. But like I said, it's my opinion...I know there are people on here who thinks the Bose system is nice.

I highly rate the BOSE system in my 350GT and I've had a few aftermarket systems in my previous cars before... In fact, it's one of the best OEM systems I've heard!

[Guest]

I think he may be getting confused with the CVT gearboxes in the early V35 sedans? But if you are talking V36s, then there are no random $1-$3k expenses. They are beautiful cars.

Could not agree more... What random expenses...?

[Neil]

Hi Mark,,,glad to have you aboard. Just as a heads up,,,you have been spoilt with BMW's parts ETK cataloging and chassis lookup.

Nissan's fast system or parts cataloging is absolutely rubbish and looks like a child thought it up and drew the pictures. There is no real chassis lookup so to speak only whats on the fast system.

That said,,,Nissan's would have to be the real quiet achiever and getting a good example will put a smile on your face.

You could also stay in the BMW family and buy the all new Mini,,, very cool car.

Cheers

Neil.

[BASHO]

I can't get the "Quote" do da to work guys so anyhoo---Random expenses' just to clarify , I was looking at purchasing an 03/04 350GT model and the random expenses/part failures I was advised of were high risk but not limited to are , door locks , door window motors/regulators/ air conditioning / gearbox 's (auto) , some suspension bushes , wheel bearings .

further I would also need to factor in some cost for the Jap to English information panel thingo conversion , likely a new head unit and satnav (if the satnav can actually be changed--I'm not sure) and the conversion of the control button set to English ones.

Anyhoo, lets get real , the model I was thinking of purchasing would after all be over 10 years old and probably a largely unknown service history and things like suspension bushes and time sensitive components have to really be considered service items so just do em' , but the rest put the car into a , reluctantly , not for me zone , and I doubt I can afford one of the later models , which although I told are not without sin I am also told are much less misbehaviour prone.

I should note perhaps also that I currently live in Hervey Bay and have extremely strong misgivings about being able to get anything more complicated than a puncture fixed locally

[Ben C34]

So buy an older more thrashed import?

[sonicii]

I think your 'someone who has a large and detailed knowledge of these cars', doesn't really..

Door locks and window motors can go on the early models.. nowhere near '$1k-3k' to fix unless you want to replace all of them at once.

Never heard of common AC problems..

auto is only an issue if you pick the CVT on the early model sedans.

compression rod bushes and lower control arm bushes can go, again nowhere near $1-3k to fix.. unless you want to replace every suspension bush at once.. then maybe around the $1k figure.

Wheel bearings? I guess once they get old, but they are very easy to replace (The fronts you can do yourself in about 15 minutes), and nothing like $1k.

language change on the navi system is 'nice to have' but hardly required.. and common for any import.

Aftermarket head unit again is a 'nice to have'.. you can buy 2nd hand factory units fairly cheap.

Buttons are stickers.. they should cost you about $2 on ebay!

out of all those items you listed.. on my car, which I have owned for 3 years, I have done - compression rod bushes. that's it!

Edited December 8, 2014 by sonicii

[BASHO]

OK ,Believe me the person giving me the advice in this matter has an intimate knowledge of them , I on the other hand know nothing about them ,so I'm not even going near discussing the tech side of things and I am grateful for any input regarding the marque , I am sure there are a good number out there that are paragons of automotive excellence , I don't purchase until late Jan so maybe when I garner more information I'll re-assess.

As for "So buy an older more thrashed import" (Ben 34) --don't be silly , it's just annoying.

[Ben C34]

Don't tell me what to do!

Good luck finding what you are looking for.

[sonicii]

Pick any 10+ year old car and you will have stories of people who have never had a problem, and stories from people who keep sinking money into fixing things.. sounds like your friend is a member of the latter group.

Most owners fall somewhere in between, fixing minor things from time to time when needed, but generally not spending the large figures you mentioned each time.

[BASHO]

Had the person who gave me the advice been a 'money sinker' I would likely have been less receptive to the advice however he actually has fixed and continues to fix the things professionally.

Ongoing maintenance and minor replacement stuff isn't a worry to me it's the tech and silly stuff like door regulators that should be a couple of hundred bucks that cost $800.00 (recent replacement in a Mitsubishi CZC Turbo I had.) and Euro manufactured operational parts--like door regulators that are.

I'll lurk some more and garner more knowledge final decision end Dec.

[Nightcrawler]

I bought the door mechs for under $250 each delievered and they took less than an hour to install each. Did the windows regs while I was there and they were cheap too off Amayama. Well under $1k and a few hours of my time for all new. Hardly a major issue.

[BASHO]

Excellent news that new Nissan parts can be had so cheaply , last time I bought a new Nissan part it was a plastic sunroof liner for a 180SX-X from Nissan on the GC about 3 years ago, it cost me $380.00 and took 12 weeks to lob .

[kniggit]

Hi Mark,,,glad to have you aboard. Just as a heads up,,,you have been spoilt with BMW's parts ETK cataloging and chassis lookup.

Nissan's fast system or parts cataloging is absolutely rubbish and looks like a child thought it up and drew the pictures. There is no real chassis lookup so to speak only whats on the fast system.

That said,,,Nissan's would have to be the real quiet achiever and getting a good example will put a smile on your face.

You could also stay in the BMW family and buy the all new Mini,,, very cool car.

Cheers

Neil.

Thanks Neil,

Yes, BMWs online support is fantastic, saved my self a fortune buying parts from overseas, I purchased a lot of my big ticket items when the $AU was $1.10US so even better.

Agreed the Nissan is a really nice ride, 230KW is nothing to sneeze at at I love the fact they are RWD.

And that's a big Negative to a Mini, perhaps for my GF!

Just to chime in, the Bose system is pretty crap IMO. The speakers are pretty shit, amp is disappointing and the head unit sends pretty bad signals out as well. But like I said, it's my opinion...I know there are people on here who thinks the Bose system is nice.

Over on Whirlpool in the HomeTheatre thread we have deduced that Bose stands for B(uy) O(ther) S(ound) E(quipment)!

Excellent news that new Nissan parts can be had so cheaply , last time I bought a new Nissan part it was a plastic sunroof liner for a 180SX-X from Nissan on the GC about 3 years ago, it cost me $380.00 and took 12 weeks to lob .

I'll pay whatever ransom you want for thread hijacking just please dont hurt it!