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Re: What do you think of 325iX (89)?

>> I would welcome some wisdom on this year and 4wd system.

The AWD system is very solid and reliable.  The only "they all do
that" problem is some leaking from the rear of the transfer case
(the box behind the tranny where the front and rear drive shafts
exit).  It should be fixed if the leak is bad, and it can be
expensive to fix (~$600 at a dealer).  Otherwise the system is very
reliable.  It doens't seem to eat CV joint boots the way some 4WD
trucks do.  It doesn't seem to go out of allignment easily (the way
my blazer does).
  You get a little more cabin noise than the rwd version of the same
car (from the AWD mechanicals) but it isn't obnoxious.  Kind of a
mechanical whirr.  Actually comforting once you get used to it.  The
steering is a little heavier than the rwd version, but the handling
is still crisp and precise.  Once in a while you will feel the front
wheels pull the steering wheel a little (e.g. driving fast over a
bumpy road or driving hard through sharp curves.  Generally when
one front wheel looses traction and the other doesn't) but it isn't
annoying, just different.  There is none of the classic torque steer
you feel with most front drive cars.  Expect about 22 mpg, vs about
26 for the rwd version.

>    The exterior is a bit weather "bitten"!
>    The car was driven in the northern states; some rust here and there;

I'd worry about that rust.  The rust proofing on that vintage car
was very good, and undamaged the car should not rust.  For example
my '87 'es (150k miles) and '90 'iX (70k miles) are driven all
winter in upstate NY and show no signs of rust.  I'd suspect
collision damage.  Check for signs of damage/repair in the frame
rails visible in the bottom of the engine compartement and under the
rug in the trunk.  Check for the original VIN stickers on the front
fenders (rather than the DOT replacement stickers).  Check for even
seams on the hood, doors and trunk.  Check the undercoating for a
factory finish.
If you find signs of damage, I'd seriously consider letting that car
go.  Good body work is the exception, not the rule, and if the car
is already rusting...

FWIW,
rick
'87 325es
'90 325iX