<E30> Won't Start

[VeeDubJeff@xxxxxxx]

My friend (non digest subscriber) has been having problems with his car.  He 
is lazy and not smart when it comes to cars.  He doesn't drive the car yet 
(waiting to get his license... see above on "laziness").  
It is a 86 325e and it just doesn't like to start.
It was this way when he bought it... it would start most of the time.  
His dad got stuck an hour away from his house so he took it to a shop.  It 
took them about a month to diagnose it as the computer.
2 Months later he get's it back with a bill for $600.  $300 for the computer, 
$300 for labor (or was it $300 for all the RR's they pounded while laughing 
over a game of poker when they should have been working on the car?)
Few weeks later.. it's not starting again.  It won't even crank (not sure if 
it did before).

Take it back to the shop (I'm not sure if it is the same one).
This time, they say it's the "speed sensor".
I'm not even sure what the speed sensor is, let alone why it would have an 
effect on the car starting.  But hey, they're the pro's right?
Well they get it back.
Again, the same thing.. it's not starting.
At least now it is cranking.  But VERY VERY SLOWLY.  And when it rarely 
starts, he claims the windows take very long to roll up & down.. like they 
are moving in slow motion.

One last thing, his battery drains stuff out the bottom.  There is a nice big 
rust looking stain running down his driveway.  Would this have anything to do 
with it?

This is about all the info I can get out of him... for some reason it doesn't 
seem like he cares about it very much and will never ask his dad anything for 
me so I can help him get it fixed.

I was thinking possibly the battery is over charged, causing the draining, 
but what would that have to do with the starting problem?
Could it be the alternator?

I wan't to thank ANYBODY who helps us on this in advance.
I've been subscribing since the start of the UUC, and since late last year of 
Welty's digest and really appreciate the help everybody gives me.

TIA!
Jeff Patch
'86 Alpine White 325es - Dinan, K&N, 17" Giovanna Wheels, Dunlop W10 215/40 - 
Starts Fine =)
http://jamspot.simplenet.com   <---- My Bimmer Site

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End of bmw-digest V9 #1081
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