1976 BMW 2002, California Car, Sunroof, 4 spd

Description for BMW 2002 1976

Everything is tan in California! Okay, maybe not everything, but this '76 BMW 2002 is! Sahara over tan with a touch of tan carpeting. I've had the car all summer and managed to get it to pass smog, which is not always easy in CA, and is pretty fun to cruise in. I've owned a lot of these cars and this one is a very solid driver. It has an older paint job that's still decent and will last for years to come, no rust that would be of concern, just a few tiny spots of surface rust here and there, a true CA car. The car runs good and drives nicely with the exception of a soft suspension, which some new shocks would help. I don't mind it the way it is but it makes you want to just cruise and enjoy the soft ride.

All that said, here's my opinion about how this car should be considered as a potential buyer... It's a '76 in CA, which means its the only year that has to pass an emissions test. Emission systems in the 70's were horrible and choked engines of performance pretty badly. If you're a CA buyer I would recommend passing on this car and finding anything '75 or earlier, which you can take the emission equipment off and the engines free up and run much better. If you're NOT a CA buyer you can probably take the smog equipment off and enjoy the car that much more since its a solid good looking car otherwise.
The car is currently smog legal in CA and I can provide a smog certifcate for any CA buyers.
Exterior:
Solid and straight with a few dings and scratches here and there. Don't forget that its a 40 year old car. Paint is good, repainted a while ago and is not quite an exact match of the original Sahara. Again, I consider this car a good driver and shows well at Cars and Coffee gatherings. Stock steel wheels with beauty rings. Wheels are changed on these cars so much that the original wheels with rings are actually unique now.
Interior:
Seats are in very good condition with very minor cracking in some seams (most people don't notice them in person). New carpet kit. Dash is original and cracked in the normal places. Some owners put covers over them or just leave it as-is. All the glass is good, no cracks in the windshield. Standard console with no stereo. Sunroof works fine and I used it more than I expected. My other car doesn't have one.
Mechanical:
Runs and drives good. Doesn't have much power but unfortunately that's normal. 4-speed manual transmission shifts smoothly with no grinding. Clutch engages fine with no chatter. There's a small oil leak or two on the engine that forms some oil on the bottom but I've never had any oil drops on the ground. New flex disc and center bearing on the driveshaft. Rear end is quiet. Engine is completely stock and original with all the original equipment, including emissions. Unknown mileage. I could give you the number on the speedometer but that doesn't mean anything at this point.
Things that need attention:
-- The passenger vent window doesn't work and probably needs to be replaced.
-- The windshield gaskets are old and maybe original. They typically leak when they get this old and should be replaced. I haven't driven this car in the rain so I'm not sure.
-- A trim piece here and there need replacing
-- Just realized I never tried the heater! LOL I'll check that out.
That's about it. As always, I'd suggest a Pre Purchase Inspection (PPI) and there's a few shops in my area that could do one. I don't have any suggestions because I haven't used any shops in quite some time.
Just to add... The BMW 2002 market is very strong right now and will probably stay strong since they've been undervalued for years. If you buy a 2002 now you can probably enjoy it for several years and sell it for a profit.
Thanks for checking out the auction!