[E91 Hoarder]

Bought 2007 328i E91 with a bit of damage. RWD, premium, sport and cold package. Damage is to front bumper, passenger side fender, and passenger front door. 220K miles.

Should I rebuild it or part out?

(already have 2006 330i MT and 2010 328xi E91).

[TyroneShoelaces]

Looks like a copart car, would likely part that. Not really valuable from what I can tell. Pre lci, worn seats, auto trans, plain wood trim and people who put stickers on the interior make me suspect of actually doing any other maintenance.

With that said I could use the clock spring assembly if you part it. I need a heated wheel one.

If you do rebuild it I have a very nice set of pre lci xenons to get sold that are collecting dust here.

[lordnikon]

Part out

[E91 Hoarder]

Originally Posted by TyroneShoelaces

Looks like a copart car, would likely part that. Not really valuable from what I can tell. Pre lci, worn seats, auto trans, plain wood trim and people who put stickers on the interior make me suspect of actually doing any other maintenance.

With that said I could use the clock spring assembly if you part it. I need a heated wheel one.

If you do rebuild it I have a very nice set of pre lci xenons to get sold that are collecting dust here.

Yes, Copart car. From economical POV, makes sense to part it. But it saddens me when a wagon dies... Maybe since it is E91, it is worth saving?

It is rarer RWD, and tinkerer inside me wants to swap in a manual transmission.
A quick search on a marketplace and I can get all the body parts of the same color for about $400.

[Brian86]

Racecar

[Hoody007]

I’d save it. E91 RWD is pretty rare. Should be able to find a color matched fender and bumper with little issue.

Black is a pretty easy interior to restore too. Looks like all it would really need is a new center armrest and a good cleaning.

[Efthreeoh]

Is the right front door frame straight?

[Serf27]

Crazy! I was going to get it, but it was too far and I wouldn’t have been able to pick it up for a few weeks!

It’s going to take a long time to part out.
Only advantage it has is the rear bumper and maybe the tail gate. Rest is plain e90 parts and those part outs are everywhere and cheap.

I was going to fix it, considering all mounting points were straight and the engine/trans were in ok shape. I think you should too and just drive it till it breaks.

[oVeRdOsE.]

depends where you live and what is your patience.

On paper is a good idea to part out, but on FB market can be a mess.

Here, people tend to have money, so not a lot of people run E90 anymore, and if they need parts is most-likely new or the shop will get it for them.

unless you put a fender in great shape for 15$, I found difficult to part out and not loosing money.

I would put it back inshape, and sell it. Faster, and probably a better return on ''investment''

[E91 Hoarder]

Originally Posted by Serf27

Crazy! I was going to get it, but it was too far and I wouldn’t have been able to pick it up for a few weeks!

It’s going to take a long time to part out.
Only advantage it has is the rear bumper and maybe the tail gate. Rest is plain e90 parts and those part outs are everywhere and cheap.

I was going to fix it, considering all mounting points were straight and the engine/trans were in ok shape. I think you should too and just drive it till it breaks.

Indeed! I knew I wouldn’t be only one looking at it, so I didnt wait for the live auction and did buy now option. I knew if it goes to auction it will get snatched right away!
Dont have it yet with me and trying to organize the logistics. Apparently it is very hard to find the transport from that location.
Similar e91 in Oregon went for almost $4k that day. And with the auction fees probably total at $5-5.5k.

I am leaning towards repairing it. The dilemma is that I already have e70, e90 and e91 in stable. Something needs to go…

[Serf27]

Yea, where it’s at is wayyyyy off into the distance. Someone will grab it, but it’s going to cost a bit. Main reason I didn’t get it. If it was local, I’d have it here. LOL.

If you part it out, it’s probably going to sit for a long time and you’ll sell random stuff here and there.
If you take it all apart, the parts will sit for a long time too. Body panels and drive train take up a lot of storage space, hard to sell and even harder to ship.
I don’t want to come across as negative but it’s the truth. Better off fixing it.

[krhodes1]

220K and an autotragic? Parts car all day long.

[jsunma]

Random comments...

1) Except for the fact that I just found the tailgate for my car (from a salvage yard that's a 10 hour drive from here...ROADTRIP!!! ), I'd make you an offer on the tailgate. That looks like my color. I paid about $300 for the tailgate. So maybe that indicates something about parting out prices.

2) Part out.

3) Sport package is probably more rare on these cars than anything else. Those seats look to be in good shape, so you can probably do well selling those too.

4) I have no idea where you're located (from your signature), and your ability to part this out is going to be determined by who's willing to do local pickup on larger parts that are desirable (e.g., tailgate, seats, cargo cover) from E91s in particular. Unless you are able to do local pickup, you'll never be able to either ship stuff economically or find people who are willing to pay shipping that covers your cost (vs. waiting to find something more local to them).

5) To that end (#4), you might otherwise be better off replacing the door, fender, headlight...cleaning the whole thing up well, and selling it. In presentable condition (which it's not now), this - even with the automatic and even being pre-LCI - could fetch around $7000. BUT, I d n k what you paid for it, and the door/fender/headlight is going to set you back at least $1500. So in the end, it may be a wash.

6) If you have a lot of parking space and a lot of patience, you can probably slowly part this out and come out a bit ahead. But bear in mind that this is the same "logic" employed by those folks who you drive by regularly (well, at least I do) with 5 old cars in their yard in various states of disrepair/disassembly. Nothing wrong with that if you're ok with that (and some of us in the old Volvo community aspire to that )...but be forewarned.

7) (I wanted to make this random point #1) I think that people who put stickers like that on their cars should a) be barred from ownership of any vehicle; b) have their fingers cut off.

Good luck with the car!

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by jsunma

Random comments...


7) (I wanted to make this random point #1) I think that people who put stickers like that on their cars should a) be barred from ownership of any vehicle; b) have their fingers cut off.

Good luck with the car!

Those are stickers? I figured they were some sort of junkyard ID markings as you see sometimes. If that is something put on by the PO, RUN, I very much doubt anyone who does that sort of thing will properly maintain an aged one of these cars.

BTW, I have had 13 RWD Volvos, and one FWD (never again), so I know exactly what you meant by your other comment.

[Serf27]

Originally Posted by jsunma

- even with the automatic and even being pre-LCI - could fetch around $7000.

This is a very far reach. Like trying to reach to the moon.

[jsunma]

Originally Posted by Serf27

This is a very far reach. Like trying to reach to the moon.

I totally agree in principle. But been to BaT recently?

https://bringatrailer.com/bmw/e91-3-...touring/?q=e91

Clean it up nice, and there's some sucker waiting every 7 days.

[E91 Hoarder]

Great points everyone. Right now trying to solve the logistics, might have to go get it myself… it is. 9 hours drive from Seattle for me.
Once I have it will provide an update about the condition.
At this point I am 50/50 either way.

[Bmw1939]

Get some bondo and fix it!

[StradaRedlands]

Fix it or walk... don't mess with parting it out. Presuming you get it and replacement parts for cheap. If you can source the exterior panels inexpensively, you shouldn't lose money, but probably won't make any either. More doing a good deed by keeping an E91 on the road! Interior will clean up real nice or better yet slap on some aluminum trim.
Does it have a clean title? If salvage, then you probably won't make your money back.

[HondaRC51]

Did some one say part out?

[oVeRdOsE.]

annnddddddddd, a project car.

[E91 Hoarder]

Had to have a look at the car today... and it is a project! Another E91 that will live.
It has baked under Californian sun and lost a lot of its clear coat and many window seals are disintegrating. But overall it starts and engine purrs like a cat. Will be posting pics a bit later after I wash it.