E30 325i Rag-Top

A couple of photos to show the condition of the items might generate a bit more interest, a picture is a 1000 words and all that. Plus it would then meet the forum rules...

I thought it might be yours - from the number plate! Well done on the purchase, Carbon Schwartz is one of my favourites due to the way the metallic changes colour in the direct sun-light. I hope you enjoy it for many a long year.

The BMW Race Driver Series have a set of scales which are used at each race meeting, to check cars after each qually and race for the classes that run to minimum weight regulations. They consist of four individual load cells which then display a weight for each corner / wheel and overall weight for the car. As said above the top end suspension shop and wheel shops often have corner weighting equipment. And yes, most BMWs are set up for the driver to be in the LH front seat, not the right. Part of the reason why the engine slants and the battery is on the RHS either under the hood or in the boot.

It could be any old key of that style, they would all fit in the hole, would need a key-reader to see if it is the right key for the car as it is the first gen electronic type. If I had to guess I would say it is the right key, but that the system needs to be reset after all the air-bags and collision sensors have been triggered.

When you say it has given up the ghost, what has happened, pretty serious to need a whole new engine? Is the M20B20 in it at the moment an L-Jet (got a dizzy on the side) or the later motronic (Dizzy on the front of the engine up the top)? You can swap one into the other, but much easier if you swap like-for-like.

Yeah, loads of people running reds, especially trucks, completely f#$ks up the flow of the traffic as the other direction get about 5secs on green once they get through, which isn't long enough for the woman at the front to put her phone down and make the car go anywhere... Reverse tailgaiting? Is that the technique of driving in the boot of the car in front at 60km but then stopping 20 metres behind them at traffic lights? (Very common in East Aucks).

The Texaco RS500 definately is part of the Hoffman collection, I have seen it at Manfield a number of times over the years and also used to appear in Palmy Hoffman Ford showroom from time to time. I kind of get the feeling the E30 M3 Convertible is a sale on behalf rather than part of their collection - it's been up for sale and through quite a few sets of hands over the last couple of years. And I also think that this Grp A belongs to someone else, Conrod will know for sure, I have seen it mentioned / referenced before and I don't think it had Hoffman as the owner. Not sure in terms of the pricing, without a full list of the race history and spec of all the fancy bits it's hard to gauge. The fact that it has been through a re-build and repaint will account for the +$100k on the price, I can see a few M3Motorsport parts on there which are the real top of the range so not a quick Dulux refresh by any stretch. Although there are a hell of a lot of other glorious cars in that Hoffman collection, I have seen a few, and heard of many more. Must be some money in Fixing Or Repairing Daily...

Tbh I drive in a fairly "aggessive" manner, but then I am driving a new model Bimmer so I really don't want to ruin peoples pre-conceived ideas of BMW drivers. HOWEVER, I also read the traffic and predict what is going to happen, let people merge, pull out, etc. rather than completely ignore them so I can spend more time on my iPhone, doing make-up or eating my noodles.

"No thought past the end of their own bonnets" - very well put! It is these kinds of inconsiderate driving that annoy people, contribute to traffic jams and cause accidents. If drivers in NZ were more thoughtful (I mean how hard is it to not block a junction when the lights change??) traffic would be so much better. Peace man.

Hmm, ok I guess if all the quotes were around the same figure. Like a WoF that some places will do for $20 to try and find other work to do on the car. Agree totally that it is necessary, and I am more than happy it is tougher than a warrant and to the letter of the law. Seat belt is an odd one, might have just missed it. I had a similar warrant fail on a centre belt on a Scooby until I showed the guy where it was and how it worked??

Fark! I know what has gone straight to the top of my Christmas list... not sure I have been good enough this year to get that though. Wish I had known about this before I re-fixed my mortgage last week, the nice lady asked me if I wanted to borrow any more....Time for a lotto ticket this week I think.!

All the rego numbers in the series "BMW???" we're taken by BMW NZ when they were released by NZTA a few years back. These were allocated through the dealers onto cars and have all been used up long ago. Some pop up on TradeMe now and again. Euro sized plates, with the BMW logo on!as per the 6er in the photo, for other rego numbers are still available through dealers.

Not quite... the lights are full-adpative LEDs which work as "turning lights" as well, so they will come on & off when the car is turning. Plus lentils give me extra "boost" and seem to work well in the i8!

Needs a price please, as per the For Sale section rules. Thanks.

I have a small case 4.1 in mine that I want to swap for a 4.1 medium case... if that helps??

It should be a set cost for the compliance part - it's a standard NZTA check, the only variable should be in terms of the cost of the work that will need to be done to pass. Pads and rotors is a common item, if you look on a rotor it will have the words "Recommended Minimum Thickness" or similar stamped into it, and they measure against that thickness. Will still pass a MoT or WoF at well below that measurement but won't meet compliance which is annoying, but part of the game, if you're keeping the car for a long time, just hold on to the rotors. With pads they look for a quality standard "MEETS EC:XYZ" if there is nothing written on them, then again they get failed. Shouldn't be anything major for a car of this age, if it's been maintained properly. If you are getting the car cleaned in the UK, make sure you get a certificate that MAF accept, even if the car is spotless without the certificate they will still steam-clean the car here. There are places in most UK ports that can do it.

Black Car + Gold Wheels = JPS = WINNING!!!

Those rims... so right!

You will definately notice the difference, especially with a manual! Thing is you will then want one in the race car as well....

+1 Have you downloaded it or bought it on DVD? I am old-school and really want to get it in a hard format, Amazon maybe? Lots of E30 M3 goodness, and also Priaulx's WTCC in the "UK" livery looking great..

Genuine BMW - goes without saying Continental, INA, Elring, all well known (and trusted Manufacturers and brands). The O-ring and the drain plug you can't really go wrong with (famous last words...) The GEBA water pump and Vemo Thermostat would be the only ones I would do a bit of a google on first..

No reference to any make or brand of the parts on the ECS Tuning site, can see a name on the timing belt that's about it. Personally I would want to know a bit more about the parts (especially the belt, tensioner and water pump) before buying. There is lots of cheap crap in the market for the likes of E30s which may save a few dollars up front but can fail suddenly for big $$$s later on.

It's been on and off TradeMe for ages, just over two years ago it was up for $140k, it peaked at an asking price of $160k and it has now dropped back to the $150k. Although I notice there is now no mention of the spare Linder engine which was on the listing when it was at $160k, maybe that's why the price has dropped. I always mean to ask Gerry what he sold it to the current owner for.... The Labatt's car is a lot more expensive, but then it is an M3, and has a much more widely known race history and has been restored according to the listing. Very hard to put values on the "history" aspect of the cars really.

That is one amazing jigsaw puzzle for someone to put back together! Would be an off-the-scale project but finding the parts required to finish it would be a task in itself, let alone finding the $$$$s to buy them. The end product would be a great car, for those with the time, money, research abilities and tracking skills of a good blood-hound. Good Luck to whoever buys it.

The lending in the UK has been cut back drastically after the last crash, too much over lending. I was once asked three questions for a mortgage... 1) what's your house worth (a - lots) 2) how much have you got borrowed on it? (a - very little) 3) you can have any amount - how much do you want?? I lived in a South East commuter town, try owning a decent house on an Engineer's wage in that area. Was one of the main reasons we came to NZ - and now live in Akl!