Today’s Nice Price or No Dice 7 Series is a rare bird, featuring both a Dinan-massaged straight-six and, more amazingly, a manual gearbox. If that weren’t enough to pique our interest, it has new upholstery and carpets. Let’s see what we think this bundle of fun might be worth.
Have you ever had a friend ask to borrow money to pay for something at a time when they were particularly short? Of course you have. Now imagine that it was a total stranger asking for your hard-fought dollars. That’s a whole different kettle of worms.
Upon perusing the ad for the 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 that came our way yesterday, it became clear that the seller didn’t own the car outright but instead owed money on it, and that a lien exists on the title. That might scare off the less hardened, but, while acknowledged, it didn’t faze the majority of you. At $40,000, our car appears to be among the cheapest second-generation Vipers out there, a factor you all also acknowledged with a narrow but emphatic 55% ‘Nice Price’ win.
Six Seven
When you think about BMW today, it’s hard to nail down a single iconic image to represent the brand, as the company has its corporate fingers in many pies. That wasn’t always the case, as the Bavaria-based car builder originally made its name in this country (the U.S.) on the backs of four and, more importantly, six-cylinder inline engines. A fun fact: the first-ever engine BMW produced was the SOHC inline-six-cylinder IIIa, which the company built for the 1917 Fokker D.VII fighter biplane.
That makes the SOHC inline six-cylinder in this 1990 BMW 735i a direct descendant of the original aircraft motor. And like an engine intended for a fighter plane, this 3.5-liter 12-valve mill has been tuned for enhanced performance. That’s noted in both the ad and on the boot lid, as each claims some Dinan shenanigans are going on under the bonnet.
Not only does this E32 7 Series have Dinan tuning enhancing its engine and suspension, but it also sports a very rare for the model five-speed Getrag manual gearbox.
Lovingly maintained
The ad further notes that this is a one-owner car and that it has been “lovingly maintained.” There are several pictures in the listing, but most are from angles that imply the shooter is not particularly familiar with how a camera works. One is even a screenshot from a cell phone messaging app.
Despite the challenge, we can get a reasonably good idea of the car’s condition from the ad. The black paint appears to need a thorough detailing, though the bodywork beneath it seems solid and without significant issues. According to the seller, those are BBS wheels underpinning, and they appear to be in good condition as well. No word is given on the age or life left in the tires, though. The car rocks a meager 124,000 miles on the clock, and the seller says that the Dinan chip is CARB-compliant, so the car passes emissions testing without any problem.
Run forever?
Per the seller, that means the car will “run forever,” although we all know that’s hyperbole, since nothing will really run forever. Perpetual motion is a myth. Something that hasn’t even made it this far is the car’s upholstery and carpet. Fortunately, both have already been replaced by the owner at some point. Everything else in the cabin seems to have held up reasonably well, with only some wear on the steering wheel rim and odd color inconsistencies in certain components to belie the car’s age.
In a fun note, the seller points out that the original cell phone is still mounted to the console between the seats. That’s a big brick-style hand piece on a curly cord, like something Fred Flintstone might have used. Neither engine bay nor boot reveals any major malfeasance, with the latter housing the multi-disc CD changer for the aftermarket stereo, which also sports a cassette deck. The big Bimmer comes with a clean title and the seller’s assurance that it will appreciate steadily in value over time.
Dinan dollars
An increase in worth might be the cherry on top of this E32’s sundae, but the real point isn’t the future but experiencing a unique slice of the past in the present. This is, after all, an old-school big saloon with a few tricks up its sleeve. It’s unlikely that another car like this is currently for sale, making it a rare opportunity for anyone looking to enjoy that experience.
All it will take is coming up with the $12,500 the seller asks for and impressing them with the seriousness of intent, as they have requested that time-wasters need not apply.
What’s your take on this Dinan-massaged, stick-shifting 7 Series and that $12,500 price tag? Does that feel like a fair exchange—a modest amount of cash for a cool car? Or is that too much, even considering the car’s bona fides?
You decide!
Nice Price or No Dice:
San Francisco Bay Area, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
Help me out with Nice Price or No Dice. Contact me at [email protected] and send a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your commenter handle.
