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'84 E28 528e --- To Buy Or Not To Buy?

Why can't I just drive by a BMW for sale on the street like most folks?

Yesterday I spotted an automatic '84 E28 528e in my neighborhood with a For
Sale sign, so of course I stopped to take a look.  I'm not really in the
market for one, but my mother could use a replacement for her Volvotank, and
it seemed to be a fine rendition, so tonight I met the owner and looked at it
a little more thoroughly and took it for a spin.

It's a two owner southern California car with 144K miles that appears to have
been well maintained (3K mile oil changes, inspections I & II carried out at
the same independent shop for the last 8 of 10 years that the current owner
has owned it) and the original black paint and tan cloth interior are both in
very good to excellent condition.  Apparently it had the classic fried-auto
trans-during-the-smog-test experience, and had a rebuilt trans installed in
1990.  All seemed in order during the usual in-depth test drive.

The owner's asking $4k; I tried to steal it for $3k (as I'm not overly
enthused about a 528e --- then again, it is for my 'little old lady' mom who
drives 2000 miles in an active year), but no go.  My guess is it could be had
for $3750, perhaps $3500.  

Anyone care to convince me one way or the other? 

Gerry O'Connor (obviously having an indecisive day)
Manhattan Beach, CA
'83 633 CSi
'72 2002 tii
BMWCCA / NMA / SAE