Opinions about this ZHP for sale - Surface rust?

[amrozhp]

I'm looking everywhere I can for a car to buy and this car popped up on the Los Angeles CL last night:
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/d/manhattan-beach-2003-bmw-330i-zhp-6/6814350936.html

After trading text messages and emails with the seller, he sent me a link of photos. In some of the photos, there's what appears to be surface rust:
34700

Has anyone dealt with rust like this? Or what's the best way to repair it?

The car in general seems good but I'm a little concerned about the price. Seems too high with the miles and paint repairs that will need to be done.

I appreciate your help!

[Reasoned1]

That spot looks like very light rust--more a case of the paint having flaked off and easily repaired permanently (not like the stuff that comes bubbling out of the crevices and tends to cover the entire undercarriage, which I would check). The biggest drawback I see, in my book, is the mileage.

[az3579]

Asking way too much for a car with that kind of mileage, not to mention the rust.

Thankfully the rust is on an easily replaceable panel. It can probably be grinded off.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[NYRhockey]

$10K with 155K and rust? I'd just stop texting.

[Newjack]

I wouldn't pay a dime over 7 for that car OP. The rust isn't too big a deal, you can have it ground off and respray the fender without it ever looking like it had been there. The problem is I wonder what else has rust.

[racer2086]

That car spent time in PA. There's more rust to be found on that.

[az3579]

That car spent time in PA. There's more rust to be found on that.That's an assumption. My car has lived in salty states almost all it's life and the underside and body of this car is unbelievably clean, driven on average of 22k per year (driven year round) since it was originally sold.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[Reasoned1]

That there's more rust to be found is a safe assumption.

[danewilson77]

I wouldn't pay a dime over 7 for that car OP. The rust isn't too big a deal, you can have it ground off and respray the fender without it ever looking like it had been there. The problem is I wonder what else has rust.
That there's more rust to be found is a safe assumption.This

Sent from my Note 9 using Tapatalk

[az3579]

That there's more rust to be found is a safe assumption.So you're saying don't even look at it?

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[Newjack]

So you're saying don't even look at it?

Sent from my Pixel 3 using TapatalkI don't think anyone means to say not to look at the car. We're just saying beware to spend even less money on it because when there's smoke there's usually fire.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

[Reasoned1]

Not at all... check thoroughly is all I’m saying. You might be pleasantly surprised, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

[racer2086]

That's an assumption. My car has lived in salty states almost all it's life and the underside and body of this car is unbelievably clean, driven on average of 22k per year (driven year round) since it was originally sold.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

I drove my E38 for 3 years in CT (bought new in FL and FL car it's whole life including now) and it has a rust bubble on the driver's door. All my brand new suspension components were corroded by the time I left. There wasn't a lick of rust before that, and all underbody bolts came off with normal hand tools and no PB blaster. After 1 winter no way. And my wife's 540i same deal. No chance a North East car doesn't have rust/corrosion. If you don't think so you haven't looked at a southern car ;)

Edit: I was in Newington, CT. And I would take both cars to the heated car wash weekly and blast the undersides off in a feudal attempt to preserve them until we finished school and moved back to FL. No use. Whatever salt compound they use up there is incredibly corrosive.

[KevinC]

$10K with 155K and rust? I'd just stop texting.

I sold my coupe last April, 99k miles, immaculate condition, for $11k. This car is hideously overpriced IMHO.

[amrozhp]

I appreciate everyone's input. Yes, I'm assuming the corrosion is probably worse than what I'm seeing in photos.

The seller did say he had it up on a rack and it was rust-free underneath. He even offered to do it again and take additional photos.

As some of you mentioned, the surface rust is easily corrected. But with the high miles also, the car is overpriced. It is confusing to me why sellers ask so much. I'm assuming they are trying to find a buyer who doesn't know any better.

I asked in another thread, "How do you tell a seller, in a nice way, that they are asking way too much for their car?"

Have a good night everyone!

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[KevinC]

I asked in another thread, "How do you tell a seller, in a nice way, that they are asking way too much for their car?"


Simple. Break off all contact.

BTW the $11k '05 I mentioned selling? Florida & Arizona car its entire life. ZERO rust of any kind as a result. Plenty of good cars out there for reasonable money with better pedigrees. You might have to be patient but the right one will turn up.

[Reasoned1]

Sellers obviously want to get whatever they can and almost always expect to accept less, and buyers are at liberty to offer whatever they want. It's called negotiation... no need to get panties in a bunch over it.

[Reasoned1]

I drove my E38 for 3 years in CT (bought new in FL and FL car it's whole life including now) and it has a rust bubble on the driver's door. All my brand new suspension components were corroded by the time I left. There wasn't a lick of rust before that, and all underbody bolts came off with normal hand tools and no PB blaster. After 1 winter no way. And my wife's 540i same deal. No chance a North East car doesn't have rust/corrosion. If you don't think so you haven't looked at a southern car ;)

Edit: I was in Newington, CT. And I would take both cars to the heated car wash weekly and blast the undersides off in a feudal attempt to preserve them until we finished school and moved back to FL. No use. Whatever salt compound they use up there is incredibly corrosive.

I live in Vermont where it only takes two years (if that)!

[danewilson77]

So you're saying don't even look at it?

Sent from my Pixel 3 using TapatalkI don't think he's saying that. Just that there may be more.

I don't let a little rust scare me on a ZHP. It's fairly prevalent and not too bad to sort.

Sent from my Note 9 using Tapatalk