1987 BMW 3 Series 325 from North America - Comments

The master cylinder needed to be replaced ($240).

Some electrical problems surfaced but eventually went away with the addition of new fuses.

Didn't collapse when I was rear ended, I absorbed most of the shock and it hurt like hell.

Parts are expensive, a new clutch is almost $500.

This is a great car. Extremely reliable, fun to drive, and very fuel efficient. For it's high mileage of 183,000 (from the Earth to the Moon) the engine doesn't burn oil, nor back-fire, nor stall.

Very well built. Even at 100 miles per hour the car doesn't rattle nor swerve. At any speed it hugs the road and makes normal conversation possible without yelling.

The only problem is that this car doesn't collapse "easily" during a collision. I was rear ended a few days ago by a 2001 Lexus LS 300. It was a very hard hit. The Lexus did what it was designed to do; it absorbed the shock and crumbled to protect its driver (about $5000 damage). My car on the other hand directed the force of the collision on to me and IT HURT LIKE HELL! I suffered a neck injury and the Beemer only suffered a bent exhaust and a few scratches. Not even the lights were broken.

Yeah... I needed a new clutch on my 87 325i and it cost me almost $900... expensive, but I love the car.

The harshness of the impact wasn't because your Bimmer didn't "collapse." The real reason for the severe impact is that the other car necessarily "dove" down (like a duck into water) before rear-ending you, after he slammed on the brakes. This also explains why the taillights weren't damaged. In such an event, the car that does the rear-ending usually suffers the brunt of the damage, while the car that is hit (you) has little damage, but a huge force that travels through the frame and into your body. This is why neck injuries are common in these situations.

Trust me, I would know. I've rear-ended two people in the past couple years, and besides I'm also a claims adjuster. I analyzed this stuff for a living. LOL.