Hi all,
I am looking at a 1992 740 turbo wagon at a small car lot. The guy bought it from an auction, so no maintenance records. I have checked the FAQ's and have test driven the car and checked it out except for a cooling system pressure test and a compression test. The issue I have is that there is some oil leaking at the front of the head, whether it is valve cover or oil filler cap I cannot tell. The dealer has done the "armor-all" cleanup of the engine compartment and after driving it there were small drops of oil around the front of the head from the fan I suppose. Might this be a big deal? The coolant and oil look good, not a new oil change and slightly discolored. There was some carmel color on the inside of the oil filler, but no more than my 205K mi 940. The car needs struts for the tailgate too. The car drove very well, shifted great, turbo pulled smooth and pretty strong. The engine did idle very high,2100rpm in park. The dealer said this didn't happen to him on a recent trip in the car. The car needs tires, but I have a set already to go. The car is clean and only 155k miles. Brakes are good, and he is asking $2200. I know it will need a timing belt and probably a radiator soon. What do you think? I have been going back and forth on this, I just got married and need more room for our 3 dog family.
Thanks for any help,
Palmer