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E36 With a Blown Head Gasket?

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  • E36 With a Blown Head Gasket?

    So I'm looking for my first car, and I have fallen in love with BMW's. I have found quite a few good quality E36's on Craigslist for decent money, but many of them say "all it needs is a head gasket". This worries me, because head gaskets are not expensive to replace, and they may be hiding something. I don't want to buy the car then have to do a complete engine swap, I'm 16 and I don't have that much money to work with. So is an E36 with a blown head gasket worth it? Or should I just keep looking?

  • #2
    Oh crap, this should have gone in Engine and Drivetrain....

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    • #3
      What's your price limit?

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      • #4
        Originally posted by cbeebz View Post
        So I'm looking for my first car, and I have fallen in love with BMW's. I have found quite a few good quality E36's on Craigslist for decent money, but many of them say "all it needs is a head gasket". This worries me, because head gaskets are not expensive to replace, and they may be hiding something. I don't want to buy the car then have to do a complete engine swap, I'm 16 and I don't have that much money to work with. So is an E36 with a blown head gasket worth it? Or should I just keep looking?
        its cheap to replace if you are doing all the work, but if a shop does it its pretty pricey...like over 1k sometimes. so if its truly the HG and you can do the work go for it.

        i dont usually trust anyone when it comes to purchasing cars so be thorough

        Email | Website | Facebook | Instagram @Broadway_Static

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        • #5
          Head gasket at a shop on my ex's x8 was like 1600, and that was with a decent hookup, so I'd imagine that's a rather low estimate Jaze.

          I'd imagine this dude would be better off holding out for a clean car. E36's aren't that expensive, especially non m's.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by SeanDub View Post
            Head gasket at a shop on my ex's x8 was like 1600, and that was with a decent hookup, so I'd imagine that's a rather low estimate Jaze.

            I'd imagine this dude would be better off holding out for a clean car. E36's aren't that expensive, especially non m's.
            very true, its alot of labor so if the rate is 95/hr like in some places it will maybe even get closer to 2k.

            you can get a decent non m e36 for 2500

            Email | Website | Facebook | Instagram @Broadway_Static

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            • #7
              $95?! Damn we're over $100 here lol

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              • #8
                Depends on the shop, I know Lots of shops here range from 70-100/hr. Dealerships 110+/hr. So glad I have buddies that hook it up If i need mechanical work I dont feel like doing
                Originally posted by Jesus Christ
                he mustve enjoyed that bj.

                i know for a fact you chubby bitches could suck the air bubbles out of a brake line

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                • #9
                  Dealers here are $140 I think

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by SeanDub View Post
                    What's your price limit?
                    I definitely want to try and keep it under $2k total. The guy wants $1k firm, and I don't have the time/space/possibly funds to do an entire engine swap. Should I just move on?

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Jesus Christ View Post
                      very true, its alot of labor so if the rate is 95/hr like in some places it will maybe even get closer to 2k.

                      you can get a decent non m e36 for 2500
                      Damn only 95? Where are these shops that do good work at that price? Around me its like 110/hr.
                      Originally posted by SeanDub View Post
                      Dealers here are $140 I think
                      That's about right for a BMW dealer around my area.
                      Originally posted by cbeebz View Post
                      I definitely want to try and keep it under $2k total. The guy wants $1k firm, and I don't have the time/space/possibly funds to do an entire engine swap. Should I just move on?
                      Move on, get a Honda or a 240 is you really want RWD.
                      - Kielan (Key-lin)

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by cbeebz View Post
                        I definitely want to try and keep it under $2k total. The guy wants $1k firm, and I don't have the time/space/possibly funds to do an entire engine swap. Should I just move on?
                        Move on, you're not gonna get that running for under 2k if you don't do everything yourself.

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                        • #13
                          BMW dealers here are 150/hr but 95/hr was assuming he took it to a random general mechanic.

                          Email | Website | Facebook | Instagram @Broadway_Static

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                          • #14
                            Wouldnt do it quite honestly had an E36 M3 myself at first thought it was the head gasket turned out to not only be that but a cracked head and had to replace both not to mention the cooling system..... although i did do a money shot -_-

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                            • #15
                              Just a small piece of advise. Most of the E36's I have taken down with a quote "blown headgasket" have had a crack in the cylinder head. In my 11 years as a tech at a BMW dealer I have only seen one without a cracked head, and it was leaking in the back corner on the exhaust side. It ran fine and was in for an oil change when we found it.

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