Well, this was always on the cards....

[Scania]

Took my beautiful e38 for its MOT yesterday, unbeknownst to me I’ve hit a pothole and smashed its rear suspension, 2x self levelling shock absorbers @ £750 each, plus springs and labour along with some front suspension issues leaves me looking at the thick end of £2.5k to get it back to roadworthy, that’s before the advisory’s of front tyres (which I knew about) plus front discs and pads, plus numerous little spots of rust on the chassis that are just starting, but need serious attention, leaves me with a dilemma....

Do I throw a good few £k at it to get things right - and that’s before I address the little issues of small rust bubbles on n the bodywork that are starting to appear in places - given it’s age and the fact it’s not garaged and a daily driver, or do I call time and move on to something far more sensible and economical...

I’m thinking the latter, I’ve had 20 months of my dream car and loved it, I do regret with hindsight not accepting a few of the more absurd offers I’ve had for it, but, as it stands, it needs a lot spending on it to get it back to a £5k car (and that’s a best case scenario)

So, it’s looking like adios e38, it’s going on SORN this week, I’ll get what I can for it, I’m probably going to buy a diesel Fiesta or similar and just run a hack again.

Do I regret buying the e38? No.

Should I have bought it in the first place? Probably not.

Am I regretful that I scratched the itch of running a beauty for 20 months, no, not at all.

For the first time in a long time, I’m making a head rule heart decision here, yes it’s soul destroying in many respects, but, I always knew this was likely....

Regrets, a few perhaps, would I do it again? - yes but may as well have gone for a V12....

Well, that’s an itch scratched, bar a lottery win I won’t go back to one, I’ll miss it for sure and nothing in my budget will fill it’s boots, here’s to the next car of which it’s loan repayments will be more than covered by the reduction in monthly fuel & tax bills alone.

Laugh all you may (or may not) but I’m happy to put it out here as you’ve all followed my e38 hankering for way too long.


Guts me to look at it at the moment, but, still, a fantastic car that I’ll remember fondly.

 

[chroniclard]

BMW's used to look so good. RIP e38

 

[Firestar_3x]

Why are you fitting new parts why not find used items?

 

[Scania]

Why are you fitting new parts why not find used items?

A used Self levelling shock absorber for this car is rarer than rocking horse **** (new ones are scarce enough) not to mention I’ve no guarantee it’ll last any length of time alas, I’ve considered it don’t get me wrong, as I say, I’m letting head rule heart here, as much as it pains me to do so...

 

[Firestar_3x]

Covert it to standard suspension?

 

[MissChief]

Covert it to standard suspension?

Wouldn’t the OBC go completely mental?

 

[geekman]

Seems crazy to get rid considering you love it so much. Can’t you just convert it to standard suspension? The standard shocks seem to be about £60 each and none of the other suspension parts I briefly looked at seemed expensive at all. Shouldn’t be too hard to rub the chassis down where the rust is starting and as for the bodywork, assuming it’s tiny bubbles here and there, it doesn’t sound like the end of the world.

All seems a bit weird too considering it was such a great example when you got it and it’s not like you’ve had it that long. Even if it’s as bad as you think, £2.5k to keep your dream car doesn’t seem like the end of the world to me: in terms of running a car it’s not a vast sum of money.

 

[Firestar_3x]

Wouldn’t the OBC go completely mental?

Odds are you can either program it out or buy units which fool the computer that the dampers are still fitted.

 

[Firestar_3x]

All seems a bit weird too considering it was such a great example when you got it and it’s not like you’ve had it that long. Even if it’s as bad as you think, £2.5k to keep your dream car doesn’t seem like the end of the world to me: in terms of running a car it’s not a vast sum of money.

Agree, most of the items like brakes and tyres are wear and tear items anyway, you could probably sort the suspension issues for less than £500 at a garage and that includes new front control arms etc.

 

[Clarkey]

Didn't you pay big money for this car? Seems like a waste to give up on it now.

 

[Scania]

I dunno tbh, yes there’s options such as changing back to standard suspension, but add to that the outlay needed to get on top of the slowly starting rust then it’s a considerable outlay.

I think the main thing is my priorities have changed markedly, I’ve (unexpectedly) become a grandfather since I bought it, and throwing money towards the car as opposed to a (growing) family trip to visit extended family in Cyprus makes me wonder if the expenditure on a car is really worth it?
Frankly, my thinking these days is not, it’s a car, a beautiful one undoubtably but a car none the less....

As for sorting the suspension for £500, trust me, you can’t, not with what’s fitted to it , a rare option where replacements seem to only be available from Germany at considerable expense, do I want to convert it back to standard, perhaps, need to explore options.

Ultimately it’s going to sit SORN for a while whilst I gather my thoughts and options.

 

[Roland Butter]

Well, you have got the option to re-test it, another tester might not be so, how you say , persnickety ?

 

[NickXX]

Surely it’s worth absolutely nothing in its current state. I would park it up (somewhere dry ideally) and come back to it when you have a bit of spare cash for it.

 

[hyperseven]

I'm sure I have seen a wheeler dealers where Ed had to replace self levelling with normal.

 

[geekman]

I dunno tbh, yes there’s options such as changing back to standard suspension, but add to that the outlay needed to get on top of the slowly starting rust then it’s a considerable outlay.

I think the main thing is my priorities have changed markedly, I’ve (unexpectedly) become a grandfather since I bought it, and throwing money towards the car as opposed to a (growing) family trip to visit extended family in Cyprus makes me wonder if the expenditure on a car is really worth it?
Frankly, my thinking these days is not, it’s a car, a beautiful one undoubtably but a car none the less....

As for sorting the suspension for £500, trust me, you can’t, not with what’s fitted to it , a rare option where replacements seem to only be available from Germany at considerable expense, do I want to convert it back to standard, perhaps, need to explore options.

Ultimately it’s going to sit SORN for a while whilst I gather my thoughts and options.

Judging by the amount of them you still see flying around Eastern Europe, I can’t believe that anything on them short of complete engine / gearbox failure isn’t fixable for a relatively low outlay. Every car I’ve owned with a fancy suspension setup (which is a fair few!) has either cheaper aftermarket parts available, or more basic non levelling / non air type parts plus a resistor kit to fool the OBC.

When I bought my Range Rover it needed 2 front shocks, wouldn’t get much change out of £2k to fit them at the dealer, I got aftermarket ones for £300 and fitted them for £60. Likewise with my XJR. This is the thing with older premium cars: you have to research all the options available to fix them and it’s hassle, but to me and to many others it’s ultimately worth it for what you save. For many others, it isn’t, in which case you either need to buy a Yaris or something, or buy something premium brand new / with warranty.

As for the rust, let’s see some pictures? I’d be surprised if it’s as bad as you think.

As for changing priorities, fair enough, but as others have said, you paid top money and it’s woerhless as it is, so may as well get it back to good condition and then decide what to do later on.

 

[Peerzy]

SORN and selling it is surely the wrong option?

Old e38 with a failed MOT due to suspension = worth it's weight only and you'll get offers of sub £1k.

Fix it up on the cheap to get it through an MOT and sell it to someone who might appreciate all the money you've spent on it previously with expensive services.

My only real worry (and one I voiced when you purchased it) is that it's hardly a desirable colour or engine choice so plenty may overlook it which will drive the price down.

Time with your family is more important than a car though so just do whatever you can to get out whilst losing as little as possible.

 

[Scania]

Thanks for the input guys, sincerely appreciated,to be honest I’m really not sure what to do at the moment ,it’s all come more than a little unexpectedly and I think I need to sit back and take stock on things, head says one thing, heart very much another....

I’m loathe to throw a few £k at it to return say £5k afterwards, if I got £2k for it now frankly I’d be happy to walk away to a degree.

But, it’s so much better than average (still) I’m thinking wait and see....

The rust situation is thus....









Nothing major you may argue, but it’s starting in each corner of the car and in places such as jacking points underneath and on the subframe, maybe I’m being far too critical, but, to address it all properly which is how I’d like it done, won’t be cheap....

Perhaps I’m reading far too much into what people will expect of an 18+ year old e38, I know I was ultra critical in looking for this...

I’ve already been told I can get it looking great for sub £400, but it won’t last, I’m not the type to pass it off as excellent knowing it isn’t though (more fool me arguably) buts that’s how I am...

Decisions decisions....

 

[Firestar_3x]

Sort the suspension on the cheap (cheap used normal damper conversion), put used tyres on it, get an MOT, forget about the rust, sell it.

 

[Scania]

Well, you have got the option to re-test it, another tester might not be so, how you say , persnickety ?

Another tester isn't going to miss the broken spring & leaking shock absorber any more than the split dust cover on the lower front arm, tbh I wouldn't want him too!

 

[geekman]

Do you know if the car was totally original paint-wise when you bought it? Seems odd that it’s gone from being perfect to rust breaking out on virtually every panel in such a short time.

Regardless, it isn’t that bad, and as others have said, get it mechanically sorted and MOTd and then decide what you’re going to do with it.