engine and drivetrain What do you think is going on with this Ebay tii?

[Guest Anonymous]

URL: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2443012615&indexURL=11&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting

Claims to be accident free and rust free but if you look closely at

the engine compartment, the VIN plate is missing and there's a

snorkle. Looks like it was re-sprayed Malaga before that ugly blue.

Maybe serious body damage where the VIN plate area had to be

replaced.

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

that the two areas above the fenders arent even the same.

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

notice the horizontal metal under the heater box line : looks like topical rust to me. No big deal: but the car is represented as a completely rust free car. You pointed out this has a snorkel nose, and I agree on the fender assessment pointed out by another board member. Seller's description mentions a whole lot of stuff in the trunk for you to put on the car. Thus, this is not a turn key and go have fun car- you have a fair amount of work to do before you start driving around with fresh trim and seals and an empty trunk. If headliiner has to be replaced, the glass must come out, so consider that aspect and the new parts you will want to put in with it- maybe even new glass- (while you are there, why repeat the labor for a pitted window.) So that is another 200-250 bucks for front glass. I dont know whether he mentioned new window seals and retaining strips or not. They cost money too, and must be put in with glass replacment, They need to go in correctly ,or you will incur water collection underneath and inevitable rust( I speak from direct experience on this). So, here we go again (down the hard road of speculation from an ebay picture) and i will try not to hurt anyone's feelings,nor impune the character/veracity of the seller: this is my pure analysis from a tii owner and 2002 enthisiast based on 1 picture of the engine bay area of the car for sale, and on reading the "provenance" of the car in the advertisement. Most Critical Concern: The lack of the fender VIN metal tag and the presense of a snorkel MAY indicate that the car MAY have taken a big hit in the front and it MIGHT have had nose and fenders replaced. This history may be completely unknown to the current owner. Or, some overzealous painter MAY have taken off the VIN tag for the shoot, forgot to shoot the entire engine bay and sill areas,fender inners, and then forgot to put the original and correct metal, riveted, VIN# tag back on the car's fender. That is my most benign and my "best case scenerio". From the picture, I SPECULATE the nose has been replaced: my research indicates that USA delivered tiis came from the factory without a snorkel. The only way a snorkel ends up on a tii is through replacement of the area at some time in the car's life. This may be a clean, straight,and dry car- but it has a fair amount of work to be done before you can call it "complete" with all its new parts. Seller mentions the engine is running not so well. May just need a tune up, hopefully it is something simple. BUT, that is another amount of money the buyer will have to throw at a "new car to you". Major tune-up and complete liquid check/relacement costs big bucks( near $500 with new dizzy components , fluids, and maybe 1.5 days lost to owner: engine must be cold for valve adjustment- usually achieved by leaving car at the shop the night before the day of work.The cost is estimated if the work is done by a tii expert mechanic. They can trouble-shoot and tune much more quickly than a BMW Certified mechanic working from the manual. You also need to deduct either your time or a mechanic's time to install all the bits and pieces in the trunk.This is what I would do before purchase of this car: The correct VIN # can be found in several other locations on a 2002tii. I would find as many of them as possible, or ask the seller to find and to photograph them for you.I would find the block number too, just for reference. I did not see "matching number car" in the ad, but i would want to know anyway. Finally: this car looks like a perfect example of a candidate for a "prepurchase check by qualified tii mechanic" that should be shared by seller with a serious buyer. This usually costs around 100 bucks- maybe less. If the deal falls through, the seller has the report to give to other prospective purchasers to save time and to avoid debate about condition questions.Hope this is useful to you and to others buying tiis from pictures and words: it was written as an aid only. As always, consider the source when weighting value of opinions. Good luck to buyer and seller: all tiis are precious, IMHO and someone will have another one on the road which is the ultimate best outcome.

[Guest Anonymous]

just like my car! (fortunately, i know why mine is this way)

[Guest Anonymous]

The plate where the vin goes has indentations that run fore and aft, rather than side to side. Looks like it's been replaced (which would explain the lack of holes for the vin plate. Fender too, no sidemarker on that side.

[Guest Anonymous]

Would an aftermarket compant make a wing without holes for a

marker? New wings aren't that expensive.

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

and must have been a lousy paint job if they couldn't drill the hole

or put the VIN plate back on.

[Guest Anonymous]

...last summer. I just left off the markers, since I think the car looks better without 'em and I was replacing both anyway.

-Dave

Colorado '71

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

What Jay wrote is good. Looks like the kind of car that needs lot of corrections and little fix-up work in addition to the possible major body work. I'd guess that what body work, etc. has been done has been done poorly.

This is the kind of car that makes new buyers unhappy with their 2002, unless they're used to working on 2002s and have time and money.

vince