E30 325i Rag-Top

Apparently they think that the E30 M3 is in "showroom condition", and "collector quality", hmm. My definitions of both are a bit different on both counts. And that's just from the photos, not even looking at it in person.

Is that Josh’s old car?

You can get M3s for much better value overseas, even adding in flights to view and shipping plus tax. The one at Dutton’s looks well over priced $140k with awful rims and boy racer steering wheel. Odd that the expansion tank looks brand new but the paint on the rocker cover (such an obvious point) has not been fixed..? Weird.

There’s a couple of black E30 Coupes and one white one on there at the moment, all reasonably priced at $110k+ ? They are M3s though (but still over priced).

Salt roads... love the internet wisdom and myths.

I can pull the info from NZTA when I get a few minutes. Flat tack at the moment, just having a quick squizz on here during lunch.

Given the circumstances, and the fact it’s free stuff from an all round genuine Bimmersporter, pics are not required for this post. Thanks, Admin.

Don't under-estimate the towing capacity of the E46, I have towed a tandem-axle + E30 race car @1100kg+ + spare wheels and tools up and down the country many times with mine, without any issues. At a fair lick as well. If you dig very deeply into the NZ rules around towing the "tow rating" on any vehicle is only a recommendation, NOT a legal limit. The only requirement is to be able to stop safely within a certain distance from 50km/h. Which my 330d would do well within the required distance, even loaded up with all the gubbins mentioned above.

You probably just need to re-size the photos to make them small enough to be uploaded.

I know the guy you mean Dan, and I’m pretty sure he has had to sell some of his collection.

You need to post pictures of all the parts listed please, as per the For Sale forum rules.

It's not just the replacement costs, they are not very nice to drive on the road from my experience (may have improved over time, but..) they are noisy, and usually cold with poor brake feel. But then, none of that is important, as it's all about the wank factor, and standing at Kyu's once a month and saying "yeah, but then I've got the ceramic brake option..."

Ideal sleeper - something potent under the bonnet, S52 or S54 maybe plus an LSD? Then stock on the outside, keep 320i badge.

From the screen in the photo I take it the car came out of Japan? The bump looks like it’s been added, as it’s not part of the dash moulding, so I would say it’s probably a Toll Road reader or similar.

That is correct many models do not have a manual transmission available to order, for example the only model of the new 3 Series offered in NZ that can be a manual are the 320i and 320d. The 330i, 330e and M340i are all auto only from factory.

Manuals are only really on the older models now, most of the new stuff comes as auto only from factory, either steptronic, or sports steptronic, with a few varieties thrown in for good measure. It is only really the smaller base models (which there is no point to import) or the hi-performance M stuff that can be made as manuals. Always worth using a broker unless you have someone on the ground at the other end to check the car out for you. That way there is someone to come back to if things don't work out as planned, there are quire a few people in NZ that have imported cars (from UK and Japan) personally, and it has gone horribly wrong for them. From cars that can't be complied, through to my current favourite - the "new" car that turned up with a different passenger seat to the rest of the interior.

It will run Ok, because the octane rating is comparable with a pure petroleum 98 fuel, even if it is a little bit off the M3 would have knock sensors to adjust the advance mapping to suit the fuel. The thing I understand with Ethanol fuels is that it acts as quite an agressive cleaner, so if there is any dirt or contamination in the fuel lines, it gets removed by the ethanol. If it gradually dissolves, fine, all good no problems, the issues come when chunks start to come away as they are being dissolved, which can then block injectors, etc. So if you've always used it, then no worries, will be clean as a whistle. Its more of an issue if you switched to it after using other stuff. Or was that bio-diesel? Or both... long time ago now.

Interesting, what is the source of that quote?

Just a quick starting point, even if it is low kid it is not brand new, the car will have been registered in U.K. and will be classed as a used import. The 2 year factory warranty starts at date of first registration, so clock will have been ticking from the U.K. reg date, probably quite a few months by the time you get it here and on the road. FWIW a NZ new BMW model comes with a five year warranty, plus three years servicing inclusive. Lots of things to consider, what often seems like a considerable saving is not always the case. Which particular model are you looking at getting, are you buying it or getting it through a broker?

And make Hamilton pay for it? Keep all of them out..

If it’s pure 98 then it will be fine, it’s the Gull stuff that has the ethanol blend in it which can cause issues - Force 10 I think it’s called?

NZ New E90 / E91 did not come with factory bar, they are all local fit bars made in NZ using the Westfalia hardware and electronics. Pretty sure they were 50mm ball in NZ as well, although the very final ones would be removeable tongues where you can get both options (which is quite handy). If you do get a UK one it won't have the chain bracket which you will need for NZ WoF, which you will have to get locally.

Put the VIN number into RealOEM and look at the parts required for the iDrive / Navigation systems. Probably going to need conversion from Jap to NZ, so maybe talk to one of the conversion specialists who can tell you the pro's and con's of the different system and costs to convert.

If the paint looks that bad in the photos, what will it be like in real life? It's a real flat peak special that one, poor car.

Everybody has there own personal tastes and opinions, so a lot of it comes down to what you particularly want from the car. What sort of driving do you do? How many kms per week? Are you all about fuel costs, driving style, engine noise, etc? I have done considerable kms in both models as both F30 and F31 wagons. As I tow a fair bit, the diesel was a better proposition for me, the low down torque and better fuel consumption (especially comes to the fore when towing). As others have said, and you have noticed, the diesel has great low down pickup, whereas the 328i you have to rev more to get the best out of it (which doesn't help achieve the book fuel consumption). Anything to look for, hmm, would be the same between both, no real differences by model. Look for the bells and whistles - professional navigation, head up display, etc. Might not find a Jap import with all the options, and you will find more 328i Jappers than the 320d I would suggest. For me Motorsport versions look a lot better than the other "lines" but Sport line is still quite good. Whereabouts in the engine bay is the yellow sticky stuff? Without a photo my first quesss would be the spray wax that is used to seal and lubrucate certain areas, compare it with the stuff on the door hinges - if it's wax it will look the same. Drive both, there is not a lot between them, and Qube says it might be a case of finding the right colour combo and spec and going with that rather than the engine.