E30 325i Rag-Top

I have all sorts of belts and tensioners from E30s, mostly PFL, but I'm not sure what the sensitive part means? Or what you need as the alternative.. If you narrow it down a bit, I can probably help you out.

+1 for Z3 shifter. Check what version of Motronic the FL is, might need the position sensor and speed sensor in the bell housing.

19. Refers to "my mate says" or "my mechanic says" repeatedly, as if these people know more about your car than you do...

It's not so much honesty, the figures are produced and verified by testing houses, but the test it's self. It is a defined run of engine speed and load over a "simulated" journey which is measured for both the emissions and consumption. As the test is a controlled set of engine conditions most manufacturers specifically tune their engine maps in those conditions to save fuel and reduce emissions, the rest of the map is a lot more open. This is why some cars seem to have "flat spots" in odd places, and why chipping your ECU can change the performance of the car dramatically. Also why silly things like swirl-flaps get introduced to engines, as a proportion of the test involves the engine being at idle. In real-world driving the conditions are very different, you don't have that same controlled drive every time, hence the results are different. Some cars are better than others in getting to the results as the posts above have said, but it almost impossible (without driving so slowly as to hold up traffic) to beat the combined figures.

M-Tech1 or E30 M3 with a bit of work. Apparently you can get Tech-II to fit with a bit of work also..

Bugger - had my eye on that 330ci for the Mrs!!I reached an important turning point, stopped taking sh*t apart to clean it and started putting bits back together again. whoop!

I'm going to see it tonight, please don't be a spoiler and tell me the ending!

Was the number plate 286 M3? Sounds like FRT in his Open B Class / daily driver Went on a road trip to Tokoroa yesterday to drop the kids off and saw quite a few nice Bimmers on the way, in no particular order.. Silver E30 M-Tech II kit and ACS alloys in Meadowlands Black E30 4-door Tech II kit, plate MY E30 on the motorway south with a rear seat full of rims! Blue E60 M5 with private plates Silver E65 6-Series Coupe with private plate And lots of rangi-as E36!!

How early is your car? The front valance changed around 86 as well - early was a two piece valance, later was single piece.

I'm not sure I am following your argument here Dan. Used diesels are more expensive, as there is more demand, and less supply so therefore higher used car prices. The price when you sell a diesel will also be higher for the same reason above. Depreciation should be less as well, as the perceived life-span of a diesel is higher than a petrol and higer km's is not seen as such an issue. Towing is where a diesel really comes into it's own, not only from the much better economy whilst towing, but also the driveability. Horses for courses though, but it is funny there are diesel and petrol fan-boys. It's almost as bad as iPhone v Galaxy!!

Hmm, those would be the EU Test figures, try getting close to those in real-world driving.

I haven't driven one, but all the reviews of this new little Merc say it is very impressive perfomance wise - not just the power, but the handling as well. The styling on the other hand is a matter of taste - personally both the exterior and interior are far too busy and fussy. Looks like a riced-up Boy Racers hot hatchback to me. I would like something a bit more "classy" for 96k.

Bumpity bump.. No one got a battery to boot cable they don't want? Or the position sensor and speed sensor from a manual gearbox?? Anybody, anybody...

Is it aligned properly on the hinges? There is a bit of play in there which can effect where it sits, also the strut on the 'vert tends to push the left side up a bit which is a pain you don't get on the sedan's with the torsion rods.

Spent half an hour in the garage comparing the 'vert bootlid and the one on the coupe, and a spare one. Buggered if I can see a difference... I always thought they were the same? The rest of the time I was cleaning 20 year old oil/dirt mixture from a gearbox, they obviously never fix oil leaks in Greece... and how MAF let it in the country I'll never know, makes me wonder what they actually do in these inspections you pay so much for??

From what I hear of the owner this may well be the case, he has also imported other rare Bimmers such as security vehicles, but can't get them complied??

Looking for a battery in boot cable - the one that goes from the rear up into the engine bay, anyone got a spare? If so, how much to part with it? Also, the two sensors and leads from the gearbox for a Motronic 1.3 (I think) set up.. again WHY and how much? Ta.

What tyres are on them? Any idea what they weigh?

Bugger, that looked like a good one! I would strongly recommend the 325i over the 320i, the 'vert is a bit heavier due to all the chassis strengthening, and needs the extra horses to pull it along, but I guess it depends on how much of a hoon or cruiser you are?? I will keep an eye out and let you know if I see any.

Which version - L-Jet or motronic??

There's quite a few muppets in Aucks that need to be schooled on this...

AFAIK there has never been a BMW assembly plant in Japan, and there certainly isnt one now. SA was a special case to get around the apartheid restrictions and they made some very cool local editions. All that gets built there now (or when they are not on strike anyways) is the F30 3-Series sedan, including the majority of those that come to NZ.

True... 1200+ hp qualifying spec.. I think they were nicknamed "grenade" engines for some reason?? Won the F1 Championship though. Do it!!

Dustbin sized truck turbo on it, best bang for buck!! (Literally )

It could easily give that gain in horsepower - but only from the increased RPM limit. 325is pull hard right up to the rev limiter, so haven't reached the drop off point for torque. What would be of more interest would be the torque figures, really would be looking for more mid-range pull rather than top-end Hp for more useable performance increase. If they can give you a dyno sheet showing the results and changes to torque curve then it might be worth investing in.