E30 325i Rag-Top

Stop / start doesn’t make it any slower to get away, you lift off the brake and by the time your foot is on the gas the engine is running, it’s that quick (well it is in a new bimmer anyways). If it’s Auckland traffic, the car behind will be either texting, looking at Facebook, watching a movie, doing their make-up or eating breakfast anyway. Normally takes them ten seconds to realise the car in front has moved, it’s why the traffic is so sh*t.

I take it you are referring to the BMW having been built 3 decades ago..? The same is very much true of the Japanese cars as well. I would love to see some stats on vehicle reliability, not the JD Power rubbish which factors in customer expectation, but proper failure rates per 1000 vehicles for instance. Having worked with, and owned, brands from UK, Europe, Japan, US and Aussie there are horror stories and problems behind the scenes for all of them. There is a class suit against Toyota in Aussie at the moment due to vehicle issues. Worst two cars for problems I have owned were a Mitsi and Subbie - both Jappers! There is so much more equipment on modern cars, that has to be developed so quickly, that there are much higher chances of things going wrong. Doesn’t matter where in the world it’s made though, situation is the same.

Wow, I am very envious of the pace of progress on this car, not only are you doing things to a very high standard, you are doing it fast as well!!

@jon dee that looks like some 16 year old’s homework. I wrote longer, more detailed, reports when I was an under-grad on industrial placement. Mind you, that was when you had to do some work to get an academic qualification rather than open a box of corn flakes.

@kwhelan be careful, referencing scientific tests like that will get you banned from the internets!!

It’s not been too bad so far, between half hour and 45 mins each way. Plus it’s hybrid working now so only have to be in the office two days a week. Luckily we also have designated parking spaces provided both in the building and at the Wilson’s just up the street. Without that it would be a massive ball ache. Once I am more familiar with the route it will be back to making calls from the car as well which makes better use of the time - multi-tasking!!

Yeah true, race to the bottom these days very few people seem to want to pay for quality or service. If that’s all their worth then I’ll put them in the wife’s mighty 116d for shits and gigs. FWIW looks like gloss round the outside and the vertical slats are satin.

Genius Bimmersport thread, starts with a car, quickly turns to TradeMe and then ends up discussing which on-line sports service is best value.

Clean Car Scheme fees due to CO2 emission maybe..? Has to be paid before it can be registered.

What would a mint condition of LCI black grilles (genuine BMW) be worth..? Asking for a friend… 🤫

Ah, I see, that does make it a lot harder to assess the size of the problem. In all honesty there is not much wiring in an E30, so that helps (and very few modules). You could be right about the history, price your offer accordingly, could be a bargain if it’s a simple issue to fix.

I can understand your concerns with a number that high, however, I would look beyond that and focus on the condition of the car and give it a real thorough check on a hoist and test drive. If you’re new to E30s and / or not overly mechanically savvy find a mate to take or use an inspection place who knows E30s.

White is nice, but depending on your lifestyle and vehicle use can mark and stain VERY easily. Kids, dogs, DIYers and even new dark jeans wearers should probably avoid. Unless you have lots of detailing products and time to keep it clean.

@FritterMullins thanks for answering the questions and posting the photo, I’m looking to change the ratio of my 3.64:1 LSD in my race car to something higher. Just wondering if going from 3.64 to 3.73 will make much difference and whether it’s enough of a change to make it worth the hassle?

Yes, agree, that doesn’t sound right at all. Our 116d (pretty much same engine) is completely different when cranking. Yours doesn’t sound like it is turning fast enough to catch and fire. I would think that is your issue, and not the glow plugs.

Are you still in Hamilton? Is there any backlash between the crown and pinion..? Can you get a photo of the inside..?

Did the E70 come with a DPF..? It might have in some markets, EU maybe hence the AdBlue which wasn’t required for NZs lax emission rules. All the more reason why people should not be allowed to muck about with emission control systems on cars. Really pisses me off, glad to see they are starting to pick up on this kind of dumbf**kery at WoF time now.

Probably to find a way around CGA by selling “privately” through TradeMe rather than off the yard. Pretty sketchy, and I think that approach has been tested in the tribunal before.

I know plenty of i3 drivers that have only used the 3-pin plug charger to keep the car topped-up. Can easy cope with the daily commute, you probably could miss a day and still re-charge to full overnight. Obviously take a bit longer for the 180km trip but should still be ok. 15A circuit will be great, just make sure the charger is in plenty of air / not in direct sunlight when doing the bigger charge as it has a thermal overload trip in it.

That level of black soot is more likely to be poor running, worn turbo, clogged injectors, overdue oil changes, etc. Possibly jammed up EGR valve. My understanding is that the AdBlue system is to reduce levels of the NOx emissions, which are much smaller / finer particles than the soot, by a chemical reaction. So no AdBlue shouldn’t mean more soot, unless it’s not been done properly and now it’s not running right..

Unless it’s a race car with history, originality is key to the value of an E30 M3, and the RHD conversion is a big minus in terms of collectibility. The lack of originality with the conversion is compounded by the technical issues that balancerider mentioned above, with steering and engine performance plus weight balance all affected. As this was a USA spec car (no dogleg box another minus) the bumpers have been nodded or swapped plus lots of other changes. This guy has already pulled his ad from E30 Classifieds NZ because everyone was telling him he’s dreaming at $125k!

I always find the horsey types the worst on the road, either pulling a horse float or a horse truck. Never pull over, and often have a massive queue behind them. When there’s been a big horse event on they end up driving in convoys together oblivious to everyone else that wants to get home. I understand horses are not cheap, but if you’re worried about moving your fragile asset on the road then stay at home with it!

CAUTION: Next pic contains nudity!!

#lovethebiggrilles