will

The wagon might not be common as a body, but it is an 1800 auto- hardly desirable IMO. As pointed out above, the rust shown in some of the pics is very much more than surface rust. In my experience, the AA couldn't get p*ssed if they fell in a vat of beer... if you are really interested in buying the car, get it checked by a BMW dealer/specialist or one of the manky members on here who knows what to look for. If you could get it at a reasonable price, it could be worth a punt, but the seller thinks he is in possession of a rare desirable car so he no doubt has excessive price expectations. Probably be cheaper to buy a good e36 wagon. The 4door looks to be a better option. It is probably a South African import judging by the visible spec, so rust could be an issue. Leather looks like it might need some repairs, but cant be sure from the iffy pics. Also, it will need a total respray to make it pretty, and those cost $$$$, so, if you cant do a respray yourself, it might end up costing more than getting one in decent up-front condition. Will pay to get some estimates for a respray and get the car looked at by someone who knows e30's down in CCC.

no such thing as a cheap rust-free reasonably straight facelift 325 mechanically sound manual (or auto) coupe. Even removing the word 'cheap', good luck finding anything matching the rest of your description...

Rego on hold? Does it not drive at all?

Ask him if he would consider swapping for a couple of low mileage virgin camels...

On any M20, if the distributor is down the side of the motor, it needs setting. If it is on the front of the head, timing is controlled by the ECU.

PFL e36 will have the larger e30 type side repeaters and the 'squarer' grills, the FL e36 will have the thin side repeaters and the more angular grills. I just look for what side repeaters the car has to tell me whether it is PFL or FL.

If you had the cam/crank timing marks properly lined up, there is no way the pistons would have hit the valves. You will have pistons 1 and 6 at TDC and either 1 or 6 firing i.e. 1/2 cycle The correct way of doing a belt change is, before installing the belt, you should have the rocker cover off and make sure that, when the cam pulley mark lines up with the mark on the head, no1 valves are closed/no6 are rocking. Also, as it is a 323i, there is a third timing mark that needs to be set to align the distributor so no1 is firing. Being 180 degrees out (1/2 cycle) only puts no6 on the firing stroke instead of no1. Who is your mechanic??????? I am worried......

I agree. Get a smoke test done or try target spraying brake cleaner/start ya bastard/similar gunk around the intake system and see if you get an increase in idle speed or change in exhaust emissions (need gas analyser for this).

Buy a set of e30 Lemforder ball joints and get them pressed into your suspension arms. They are a far better design than the e36 ones as they do not have the rubber dampening bit that collapses as yours have and allow play in the suspension. P/N is LEM-1051903. While you are about it, replace the 'lollipop' bushes with the offset e30 M3 ones, P/N LEM-1056001. These make a decent change to steering responsiveness. While you have the arms off, check the inner ball joints and replace them if they show any wear. part number LEM-1051802. Replace the front ARB drop links with the rear drop links from a 2000-2007 Ford Mondeo Estate. These units are rose-jointed, giving a firmer, stronger hold over your anti-roll bar. Much better than the BMW ones. They are available from Lemforder, part number is LMI 2581102.

Be useful if you told us where in NZ you are..

Bruce has a crack in his block now due to a couple of nuts falling off....

Alice has had a sex change since her original birth, she is now a man!!

When you say the ABS does not work with the 328 cluster, I take it you are referring to the warning light, not the actual ABS? If it is just the light, check the bulb is working as the ABS warning light wiring to the 328i and 318Ti clusters is the same i.e X17 pin 11.

Alice does NOT have to try too hard...

I fully agree with no kit and a mtec1 rear spoiler, much cleaner lines imo. This is my M52'd one..

There is a reason for requiring photos and prices of items for sale, it helps prevent scamming and giving the unpaid/unthanked moderators a hell of a time trying to sort out the issue despite the site not having any ability to pursue any offenders. It is not difficult to do. If you do not like the rules, go and advertise somewhere else like tardeme where there is every chance you will be ripped off/answer any amount of ridiculous questions/ not get any response from the auction winner etc etc etc. Your choice.

Pop them in the dishwasher on dirty pot load when the boss is out...

Still trying to get over the shock of seeing a rusty bit on the car that is supposed to be 'perfection'..... However, my faith will remain restored as long as it NEVER happens again!!

^^What he said !!

HAS ANYONE DONE THIS BEFORE? look below.. there must be somebody out there. Would like to pick your brain. removable front.jpg I did a bolt off front when doing my M60 conversion. Does not work quite like the one in your pic as the grilles and lights have to be out in order to get to some of the bolts mounting the slam panel to the body. I also kept the A/C and kept the standard bonnet mounting so have not modified the slam panel in any way. Makes getting the massive donk with tranny in and out a breeze.. Removed.. In place..

started my v8 e30 back in sept 2009, still beavering away at it... time flies when you are having fun.. must do skids with you sometime

e30 320/323 mostly came with the G240. The M10 4 cyl box can not be used directly behind the M20 as the bellhousing bolt pattern is different, but it will bolt up to any M30 motor. The G240 will bolt up to ANY M20 whether it be M20B20, M20B23, M20B25 or M20B27 eta motor. Likewise, the G260 will also bolt up to any of these M20 motors. Just to expand the topic a bit, the G240 and the G260 will also bolt up to the M40B18, M42B18, M44B19, M50B20/B25, M52B20/B25/B28, M54's, S50/S52 etc. They will sit at about 10degrees off vertical behind any of these motors due to these motors sitting slightly more vertical than the M20 motors. Likewise, any gearbox off any of the M42/44/50/52/54 will bolt up to an M20, but will be off vertical by the same 10degrees in the other direction. All can be made to work in an e30 by manufacturing a specific crossmember and modifying the linkages slightly. So, theoretically you have a huge pool of manual gearboxes which will bolt up directly to your M20B23 and also to any M20B25, and will work with the right tweaking/accessories.

You can fit any gearbox off a M20 motor onto another M20 motor, regardless of capacity. So your 323 auto will bolt up to a 325. However, you need to bear in mind that early 325 motors use sensors on the flywheel/bellhousing to run the early motronic system. If you do go for an early motor, it is preferable to use the later 1.3 motronic system as it is more advanced. This uses sensors on the crank pulley/spark plug lead so solves the issue of flywheel/bellhousing sensors. In your position, I would go manual first. Dont forget that you only need the clutch/brake pedals, not the whole cluster. You should put new clutch master/slave cylinders on when doing the swap, so dont need those either. There is also nothing wrong with a 240 box, so dont get fixated with a 260 box.

Box will bolt up, pedal cluster will not. The gear linkage might also not fit. Propshaft is also questionable. I would pass on it.