Aged at the Bottom of the Barrel: 2003 BMW 525i Touring
The past few years had been tough on folks looking for a sub $1k car. First, the cash-for-clunkers debacle of 2009 took $3B worth of junky cars off the road and essentially chopped the knees off the cheap running car market. A decade later the COVID thing and related panic caused global supply chain issues that meant you couldn’t get a new car and used car values jumped up to the point that the average owner of a junky car on craigslist thought he was the next Wayne Carini. Spoiler alert; you aren’t, and your car is a piece of junk. Anyway, I had all but lost hope sometime late 2021…but recently I’ve witnessed a softening in the market. YES, new cars are still murderously expensive, and 10 year old daily drivers are stupid…but the bottom end of barely running junk has dropped noticeably. Perhaps the fuel prices and inflation pressures have risen to the point where the sellers ACTUALLY need the money and aren’t just hoping for a sucker with an uncashed stimulus check to show up and overpay. This next car is an example of a reasonable price for a cheap car. Find this 2003 BMW 525i Touring offered for $500 in Los Angeles, CA via craigslist. Tip from Hugh.
From the seller:
2003 BMW 525it
condition: fair
cylinders: 6 cylinders
drive: rwd
fuel: gas
odometer: 139000
paint color: red
size: full-size
title status: clean
transmission: automatic
Needs battery and cosmetics, ie: paint and front seat covers. New Radiator before parking it. Year old alternator.
Jump starts fine, runs fine. We are moving don’t have time to finish repairs. Need gone by this weekend or I am donating to Kars 4 Kids. Spare parts included.
See a better way to drive an old BMW? tips@dailyturismo.com
Thank god this isn’t reasonably close or I’d figure out a way to buy this. $500 isn’t bad for a good base to start an LS swap project.
I know what you mean. I’m stupid close to this thing and keep clicking the link hoping its gone.
Still there…
Ahh…the classic “you give me money for it, or I am giving it away for free! Take THAT
If this were closer I’d have already bought it.
And Kars4Kids?
https://www.charitywatch.org/charity-donating-articles/costly-and-continuous-kars4kids-ads-disguise-charity39s-real-purpose
You have a problem. And when I say you, I mean we.
Also, Kars4Kids…yowza. That is an odd one.
The pictures I’m seeing are an E34 5’er touring, circa 1993 not 2003.
The license plate returns a VIN of WBAHJ6319PGD23035 which is a 1993.
Duh. I should have noticed that!
In order of importance
$500
Wagon
BMW
Not silver white or black
Didn’t notice the year in the van listing but prefer pre turn of the century to tell the truth.
Just checked and it’s still there, and those stripes look like they would pressure wash right off.
Beater Motor Wagon?
Sorry lads, that’s not an 03.
I just listed what the seller put. “Garbage in garbage out” is the new DT motto.