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I have dreamed about building a 330Ti for years as a more daily alternative to my E46 M3. Ever since I bought my first E46 I have always loved the compact and have quietly planned a project like this but most NZ compacts are shopping trolly spec and aren't worth building into something special. I have almost bought a few different compacts over the past year or two with this project in mind but the timing was never right and I really wanted a unique spec... When this 318Ti came up for sale in this spec I bought it within hours of it being listed and picked it up the next day, perfect base to become my dream 330Ti. No, the front end is not going to get changed, I love the bug eyes. Rare in alpine white, alcantara laser cloth interior, black m cube trim, no sunroof, factory xenons (rare on NZ compacts), all the msport kit, I put the style 216Ms on it but they'll get new tyres. It will get all of the 330 bits, brakes, diff, axles, along with the engine and a ZF 5 speed gearbox. Not sure how much of the process I will document since I'm looking forward to enjoying the build and having something to tinker on in the evenings again but I'll try take some photos along the way and post them up. The day after I bought the compact I got a fortune cookie with some dumplings and this was the note inside. Seems to be a good omen from the universe.

Wonder if they actually have the code for the stereo?

Got a board assembled and tested ok, hopefully the switches stay put !! Yet to actually validate the buttons are functional for ECU map changes, will do that tonight. Then i have to try and capture the Nissan CAN (?) signals for cruise control light illumination. LED illumination looks good compared to the radio button side :)

1989 E30 325i MTech 2 Super fun car to drive always turns heads Wof and Rego. The coupe features the following: - M20b28 stoker built by Ray at HellBM -Genuine Mtech2 body kit - Getrag 260 gearbox - Racing exhaust headers - New shifter linkage bushings (Garagistic delrin) - 17’ Alpina style wheels - Smiley headlights - Bilstein suspension - LSD - New Cambelt & Water pump - New ancillary belts - Bluetooth and handsfree head deck - Premium rear speakers (rare) - Sports seats - Map light - Shadow line - Alarm and Immobiliser (few spare keys) - Oem front tweater pods - Slick top roof (no common rusty sunroof issues) - Personalized Euro plate - Electric front windows, rear pop-out windows (functioning) Please note that this car has been re shelled into a rust free body (prior to my ownership) Priced accordingly. As expected with a car this age it does have a few minor imperfections (cometic) few tears on front seats, paint fade on the roof, clear coat peal on the spoiler, would not require too much to get it to show car standard. This coupe has been an absolute joy to own and has severed as a reliable daily, always ran on 98 octane. Hoping someone will continue to appreciate and enjoy this great classic! $30,000 Proof of funds required prior to test drives. Located in Pukekohe

The seals on top of the bumper are the “normal” M3 3-piece seals not Evo3, and there aren’t any bonnet to guard seals fitted in those photos? Plenty wrong to make it perfect - the non-dogleg box (Jap Spec), aftermarket wheels and non-black rocker cover are the big ones for me. But overall presents pretty well for a lightly refreshed M3, how much M3 do you get for $125k these days? Market has definitely slowed recently, not a lot of spare change in the economy for playthings like week-end classics right now so could take a while to find a new home.

Thanks for all the replies! Thanks to @The Bimmer, I tried his blower motor resistor and the blower worked fine. The second hand unit I got must've been faulty as well.

Evo 3 front splitter, not an Evo 2 front spoiler, the side skirts aren't Evo 3 (no such thing) and have been repainted gloss; not the factory satin, the premium audio speaker enclosures on the rear parcel tray are on the wrong sides, and if that's the park setting for the wiper arms, they've not been put back correctly after removal. At $125K, details matter. Evo 3 rubber seals between the front bumper /wings / headlight grilles though, so there's promise of potentially more choice goodies.

Nice, ive never seen one in white. Its too bad the N42 was such a rubbish engine compared to the M44\M42. Im converting my Ti to manual in the weekend but i like the M44 too much to put a M5X in it.

Looking forward to seeing the progress 👍

Same wheelbase. Suspension pickup points are all the same except for the rear subframe which is different, but the medium case diff still fits in the compact subframe. More or less everything should bolt up like factory, they did make a 325ti after all. The exhaust and a couple bits in the EVAP and fuel system are 325ti specific but I've already sourced those and I think most people just splice and join the lines and make something work anyway, custom exhaust etc. Few differences going 4cyl to 6cyl obviously but should be easy enough with a donor car... I hope

I love the fugly If only, I'd already have a perfect donor car. Far more involved swap I'd imagine. From what I can tell N42>M54 should be reasonably straight forward. Ironically I'm selling the 130i to make space for the closest thing there would be to it's predecessor.

(Another) Diamant-Schwarz.

Before I saw this one for sale I don't think I've ever even seen another white one on the road. I'm definitely in the minority but I actually think they look cool once they have the msport bumpers and skirts on them, but the colour is what really makes it. From what I can gather from the NZTA fleet info there are 10 white compacts in NZ, all 318 autos.

Those 216s suit it really well. Certainly a great spec. In white, with those wheels, dare I say I think it’s quite an attractive car?! Build sounds awesome, will be a great daily.

I know this car! GLWS man. Looks tidier than it did last time I saw it a few years ago

You'll need at least 18's if running the M-sport blue brakes, F3x looks bad on 17's anyway though.

That’s my e30, price was hard to indicate. But I think I will stick to 57 and see what happens. info on the car, I will update the listing at some point. Suggestions would be lovely and I do not disagree about the wheels

Very pretty. Very high price. (And - for me! - the rims are too big, for this money I'd definitely be looking for the real thing and not replicas, and the stretched tyres... 🤢 )

Applies to any used vehicle really. Euros may cost more in general but it's vehicle specific. IMO the E36 318ti is the cheapest BMW to buy and keep on the road.

Some small bits, but will take some effort getting in Big end bearing widths are freaky narrow If I'm removing the front subframe to remove oil pan, timing chain etc to weld in the sump baffle and change the pan gaskets n bolts, I may as well do big ends, erm, then ARP rod bolts too. Invested in a half decent angle torque wrench too, time to get plastigauge kit too then Im into it