I've owned my '86 for the last 20 years. In spite of personally doing very little maintainance myself, I don't regret what I've spent to keep it running, and....it will not be a candidate for the Junker Program even though it probably wouldn't bring $4,500 on the market.
Caveat: Be prepared to encounter any number of areas that could amount to expenditures approaching the purchase price.
1) Exhaust system
2) Suspension
3) A/C
4) Transmission
5) Valve train
They're great cars, and enjoyable to drive, but the words of Fred Hafkemeyer, the BMW dealer from whom I bought many 2002s, come to mind:
"If you want economy,
you have to be willing to pay for it!"
