problems to look for, pre-purchase '97 328

[Rldsl]

A friend of mines son is bringing a used '97 328 manual trans with 114,000 miles on it by tommorrow that he wants to buy, to check over for problems.
What specific problem areas are ther on this car to look out for?
I don't have a great deal of experience with BMW's but am very familiar with other German ( and Swedish) cars and Bosch fuel and ignition systems
Can codes be retrieved onboard on this car, or is a reader required?

Thanks---------Robert

[94is]

A friend of mines son is bringing a used '97 328 manual trans with 114,000 miles on it by tommorrow that he wants to buy, to check over for problems.
What specific problem areas are ther on this car to look out for?
I don't have a great deal of experience with BMW's but am very familiar with other German ( and Swedish) cars and Bosch fuel and ignition systems
Can codes be retrieved onboard on this car, or is a reader required?

Thanks---------Robert

Since it is OBDII, you can't use the gas pedal trick to pull up codes. You're going to need a reader for that one. I'd have the thermostat housing checked out along with the water pump. I would assume that with 114k that it has already been replaced, but you'd be looking for the water pump with the metal impellar, not the crappy plastic one.
There are several bushings on the E36 that go. Have them check control arms, rtabs and rsm's. Those tend to need to be replaced after 80k. I'm sure there are some other little things I may be forgetting. I love my E36 tho and wouldn't trade it for anything short of a p-car. :p

[Geoff Hoad]

To be really honest the only way you are going to really tell the condition is to have a BMW qualified technician with the right computer (such as a BMW MODIC or similar) check it out. Otherwise you could stand theer and kick the tyres all you want and be no wiser. Its cheap insurance for what is a really high performance car.

Good Luck.