Argghhhh, please help this is really getting on my nerves (electrical)

["Dustin" <250r@xxxxxxx>]

Ok guys yesterday I took my 1986 325e for a spin and about 15 mins into the
drive I noticed the car started acting funny, first the radio started
turning itself on and off like it was shorting out and then before I knew it
all of my guages started freaking out and moving back and forth. I said to
myself I better get home :) but on my way the car started missing and then
before I knew it the car died. I pulled it off to the side of the road and
tried to restart it but, it wouldn't even crank ! So checked the fuses and
checked the battery cables and everything was fine but it still wouldn't
crank so I called and got someone to come give me a boost (thinking that my
alternator had quit and the battery went dead) well I got the boost and the
car started and ran for about 3 mins then it died again ! We boosted it
again and it done the same thing after 3 mins it died (the guages done the
same thing both times right before it dided to) so since I wasn't but about
10 mins from home. We boosted the car and I headed down the road but it done
the same thing every 2-3 mins so we kept boosting it and then drove it over
and over after we done this 4 times the car finally just gave out. The
battery would not accept any charge and the car wouldn't crank. SO I had to
get my friends TOYOTA (How embarrising) to pull me home. I got the car home
and it was still dead, wouldn't crak at all so I took my battery to ADVANCED
AUTO PARTS and they checked it and said that it was only doing 11.2 volts
and it had a bad cell so they game me a brand new one free and I brought it
home and put it in and the car now cranks like crazy but it won't start. I
took the coil wire off and had my friend hold it against 4 diffrent bolts
and metal and stuff while I cranked the car and it wasn't even firing, it's
not the coil wire itself because I had new wires put on a couple months ago.
The coil looks to be the orginal one. It's black with a redish orange top
and it looks old. I also checked all the fuses again (doubled checked #19
which is the coil fuse) and they all look fine. Now my questions are could
the coil have burnt up from where we boosted the car so many times plus
where it was old anyways. Or is there somthing else that plays a role in
this ? Is there a relay that would have anything to do with the coil ? I
really need your guy's help because this car is my daily driver and my LOVE
:) and I got to get her back on the road. So please help me anyway you can.
Also ic aleld to check on the price of a new coil and it's $72 ! How come a
normal ACCEL or Mallory coil won't work ? Just curious. Thanks PLEASE HELP !

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