gjm

It's the only downside to a series like the 2k cup - it can tend to become dominated by specific models. Regardless, it is 'budget' racing, as far as the word 'budget' can be applied!

There was a problem with one of the seatbelt securing bolts. It'll never bother anyone again.

OK - stripping out. It's sitting quite a bit higher, now! Much removal of underseal also underway. It'll be bagged and weighed. Just for fun.

We (briefly) had a Golf VR6 when in the UK. Mrs M's reaction to the heated seats - "I thought I'd pee'd myself!" I didn't ask how she knew how that felt...

This one is a March/April 1995 car, so shouldn't be affected by the profile gasket - I think that applied to cars with M42 engines made before 11/93 (E30s and E36s). Of course, they may have had an engine sitting in a crate for 18 months...

If we were to get this one, I'll probably be driving it for the next few months. Better it breaks with me behind the wheel. Of course, Miss isn't allowed to drive yet.

Umm... Found a very nice 318iS. Huuuge spec. How good is the M42?

We may be looking at an E36 318i manual coupe... Miss M much prefers the E30, or even an E28. More hipster. Much harder to find a decent one at the right price.

The red one in the TradeMe link looks nice too. I'm only $26k short of buying it, but Miss M has since expressed interest in an E36 coupe so perhaps car no.1 for her may come from that direction.

This build of E30s (and other German cars of that age) is a factor. Many cars from Japan of that era feel like they're made of tin foil and tissue paper.

That's really quite nice.

Stripping underseal off the black Ti racecar this weekend. It's an opportunity to learn about the E36 - that's a car I've never worked on in the past.

I suspect I'd be paying for everything, although if she has a car she has no excuses for needing a lift to work! Manual is definitely first choice. The Merc is an auto, the 320d has selectable auto. She'll get experience of all three.

Oh, there's no insistence on a BMW! Thought this might be the right place to ask about them though... ;-) Lots of other things being considered. Japanese cars I'm less happy with (although I appreciate there are plenty of people feel the same about European ones) as I just don't know anything about them. I'm going to be the one who gets the call: "Da-ad....? The car is running funny..." And I'm the one who will have to fix it. My only real experience of Japanese cars was when a heater stopped working in my sister's car. Take chassis number, pay a fortune for a replacement, get home again, pull entire dash to pieces to get to the motor and find... It doesn't fit. Turns out there were 7 slightly different motors fitted, with slightly different fittings, and the only way to be sure was to 'bring your old one in mate'. Just how do you do that when half the inside of the car is missing? OK - that's perhaps an unusual situation, I don't know. But you can imagine it leaves a pretty bad impression. And I know the same can be true of European cars - Fiats, anyone?

If an E30... Then the M10 or the M40? (Of course, there's always the E28 518 option with an M10, too.)

That's what her boyfriend is getting - Mk2 2-door, 1600...

I saw that. More than Dad can afford to spend at the moment, but it is a cool little car. I'm keen to stay on a 4-pot for her first car if possible. I know where there is a SA 325i manual going cheap, but... I entirely understand, and it is something I am bearing in mind.

I'm on the look out for a first car for Miss M. She really (really, really) likes the E30, and a perfect world would see a cheap poverty-spec 316 or 318 manual pop up for sale at just the right time. Mechanical stuff I'll sort - bodywork I'm more wary of. Early 4-pots were the M10 and I confess to leaning towards one of those. As far as I can tell, it's robust and simple. The M40 is a later engine and I've heard some bad stories about them, enough to again have me favour the M10. Early days. And I appreciate the E30 is very popular among those who drive as quickly as possible in circles at the weekend. Of course, the E36s are becoming cheaper. Not quite so simple as far as I can tell, but not necessarily too complex either. I'm not as keen and feel the build quality isn't as good, especially the interior. Lots of tales of door cards falling off, saggy roof lining, dodgy plastics, and more. An E46 is (again) more complex, and I suspect likely to be out of budget. That said, I've seen a couple needing some work sell for around $500 recently. If I had my way, I'd probably opt for the E28 for her, but Mrs M feels that is too big, and the engine too powerful. <rolls eyes>

That didn't take long! A forum populated by scavengers and vultures... Yeah - I'm just disappointed I was on my way to work and not online! Andrew - thanks for your generosity.

Will do.

I'd be a lot more tempted if I could afford it!

Another Compact destined for the track. This one is a strictly unofficial, grass roots, low budget, collaborative project and will be featured on the Race Cars In Sheds (RCIS) Facebook page. It's planned to run in the BMW Open 2 litre class. Currently a road car (albeit one with some issues) details will be shared on Facebook and I'm happy to update here too, if that appeals. The car: Nothing much to get excited about, but the aim is to keep it cheap, and have fun.

Slightly used. Here

It's on TM. You can find it. I bid $1, but someone has outbid me!

Even my 190E has covered 230000+++