My '83 BMW 320i is a two wheel drive manual, has over 150k miles on it, and has started acting sluggish, wanting to backfire when in gear.
The idle is semi-okay. When I let it sit for a couple of days, I can get it in gear without too much trouble initally, but it's slow to accelerate, wanting to backfire and die. I can get it to keep going, as long as I barely tap on the gas, any more than that it sputters and slows down. If I try to start it more than once in a two to three day span, it will start, and idle without dying, but as soon as it gets put in gear, it dies.
This problem started slowly, so that when it first happened, the car sat for almost three days and seemed just fine when it was driven again. However, when it stopped and the engine turned off, then restarted, it had the issue of being sluggish. The issue got worse over the last couple weeks, not wanting to run properly at all now.
The fuel filter has been changed, and there are three other things we are looking at, replacing the fuel pumps, nearly $350 for both parts, replacing the fuel distributor, over $1,200 for the part, and possibly the compression of the engine.
I hope to find out exactly what needs replacing/fixing so I am not on this wild goose chase of not knowing what to do next and if I just need to invest in a new car. The general condition of the car does not make it worth the cost of replacing the distributor, and certainly not worth it if it's the compression (so I've been told).
I would greatly appreciate it if I could be pointed in the right direction.

start by checking the basics.is the timing correct.is the fuel pressure correct.is the compression normal.repost and keep in touch