Olaf

I've just caught up with your project @Vass, very impressed.  I like that you're going M54B30, and 5 speed.  The extra torque of the 3.0L really makes a difference over the M54B25.  I plan on refreshing the suspension on my e46 touring (last done about 8 years ago with Sachs OE and ///Msport ARBs) with Konis and Msport springs, and in future a 5 speed conversion.

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if you can build an immaculate 4 dr 325i for under $30k, do it!

what sort of price were the S1 Evo2's per corner, Nick @m325i?  I reckon the F25 isn't worth running without RFT's - no space for a spare and jack, and the load space isn't huge to start with!

50 minutes ago, gjm said:

I think we're through the FOMO stage of E30 price rises, meaning that while some prices remain high, only those items which are genuinely excellent will realise $BIG. This means that sale prices of items (as opposed to listing prices) will start to vary more.

Really good stuff has always, and will always, realise high prices, but we may be entering more of a buyer's market instead of the seller's free-for-all that we have seen.

YMMV, opinions differ, etc.  

Given a red coupe with no wof or rego, rust, blown M10, auto, went for $8500 in the last couple of weeks, I think you're wrong.  Basically a tidy rolling coupe is now worth $8-10k.  A tidy four cylinder coupe is asking around $15-25k.  You've been claiming the e30 market is over-valued for years; can't understand why yours is not offered at a price that supports your argument!?

On 2/8/2022 at 4:51 PM, Vass said:

Annoyingly, whilst I was at it, I discovered a patch of rust peeking out from beneath the rear right door sill. Not really sure how to deal with it as I'm always hesitant to mess with paintwork but probably worth cleaning up and addressing somehow. Just don't trust myself to do a tidy enough job with it. Product recommendations very welcome.

Mine had one in *exactly* the same place!  it developed very slowly over about 7 years to about half of what yours is.  I got it attended to by the panel beater while it was in for minor damage repair (a small dent and broken tail light).  Had ours 10 years now, not parting with it any time soon!

On 7/5/2022 at 10:46 PM, nath said:

A few years ago I bought this E30 318 from a young chap in Pakuranga with new wof for $5.5k and 5 months later sold it for about $800 after my wof guy nearly died at the covered-up rust all along both sill seams. At $15k now, I wonder has all the rust been repaired?

I was ripped off to the point of criminal at the time, hopefully the price now reflects a thorough repair of an attractive car.

 

One to steer clear of I reckon.  Just doesn't look right, panels not lining up well, adequate but not great paint.  Either it's had a huge hit or scrape all down the passenger side, or they've simply forgotten to reverse it out of the driveway and photograph it.    Another one for "how not to sell your car". 

On 7/7/2022 at 11:06 AM, Blackie said:

While you're not wrong, I think its becoming a BMW thing?

I'm on the gold dust trail for manual conversion. 

no, it's an 80's/90's car thing.  Check out Toyota Supras, Mitsubishi Starions, RX7s and see how many moonbeams you need for that kit.

Well spotted!  It's wearing a PFL door trim painted black, it was on it when I bought it.  I have new clips and a good trim, waiting to go on. 🙂

Thanks team!  @E28E30, @freaknout, @balancerider.  Plenty more work to do on it.  Tacho was misbehaving on startup yesterday, working like a switch (1500 --- 2000 ----1400...) until the car had warmed up.  Time to get the cluser out, go through and re-flow all the joints, replace the cluster batteries.

Next month it's time to go through my parts inventory, and get through some M42 planning.  The things rattling around in my head (in no particular order):

• Order new exhaust in preparation.  
• I have 3M caulk for replacing internal plastic weathershielding behind the door panels, and get the plastic.  
• Still need to make my mind up about the M42-purple tag conversion hose/pipe setup from UK.  
• Maybe paint the 4.10 diff and get new seals for it.  
• Get the exhaust manifold blasted and coated, clean up and paint a valve cover - Silver or black?  And get a bit more prep for Coil-On-Plug setup.  I rather like the idea of a valance and extended bolts to retain the BMW valley cover with Coil-On-Plug, so there's a bit of research to do there.  
• And I still need to get a Barina/Corsa linkage, and get a local driveshaft shop sorted for doing the work to make the purple-tag to Corsa linkage.
• I also have sound deadening to do in the rear, and install the late-model parcel shelf & hi-stop brake light, and the premium rear speakers.
• Put the FL RF door trim on, in place of the PFL one that's there at the moment.
• Source fabric for upholstery refresh - it'd be good to get rid of the ugly seat covers.
• Finally put a BMW Car Club sticker or two on it.
• Figure out when the right time to put the iS sticker on.

PS:  driving a 32 year old car with a silky-light clutch, very good brakes and handling, zero rattles or clunks, is very satisfying.

The steady supply of these onto the market continues, just keep watching TradeMe.  There's a non-Msport one advertised in Welly recently for under $12k (!), in good condition, well maintained and under 160k kms.  Bargain.

Mine's on the Dunlop BMW-part number runflats, I think they're pretty good, nice match to the suspension and not harsh.   A little noisy on coarse chip.  Aparrently Pirelli's  (BMW part number) are great but chop out quickly in NZ road conditions, according to the dealer I bought it from.  He's owned a few F25s and prefers the Dunlops.

I agree with @qube, the LCI's look nicer, though not worth the premium, despite a few improvements.

It's been a pretty quiet time lately.  Winter, and recently Covid, have slowed me down.

A sunny day yesterday in Welly, I thought I'd take Grey Thunder to run a couple of errands (recovering from Covid is taking some time), and I'm glad I did.  I grabbed a phone shot of it parked in the sun, sporting the recently-acquired 15's.  I think it's looking pretty spiffy!

The extra half-inch of track is useful too, my initial impression is that the 15J7 setup better suits/matches the 14.5mm rear bar.

Happy days.  Now, to keep on with Covid recovery.  Nasty business.

Yep, I've got a F25 X3 30D Msport.  Very impressed with it.   Easy to drive, handles pretty well - not at e60 545i levels, but grippy and far less roll and compromised handling than you'd expect. The torque is addictive.  My first Diesel, I'm really enjoying it.  I aim for a good run every month to keep the DPF clear.  

You can find them for around $25-35k for pre-LCI versions.  The Msport is better-spec'd; most NZ new don't appear to have had the msport springs and dampers, which is apparently a good thing as it's well-balanced without.  The suspension works well with RFTs.  The X-drive gives it a certain advantage in the tight and twisty stuff, I'm surprised at how much I like it.

Put a search out on the Tard, there's usually one coming to market every week.  I think the 35i would be fun too.

EDIT:  Oh, you become surprised to learn it's two tonnes... it doesn't feel like it, though if you do short running up and down hills it does slurp a bit more than you'd expect.  Factor in the weight, and it all makes sense.  Put it on a trip and it's pretty parsimonious.  

I do!  Thanks for the shout @Young Thrash Driver, I'll catch up on the thread now 😊

On 5/17/2022 at 7:27 AM, gjm said:

Kinda what I expected. Lots of interest, (surprisingly) no criticism of the car, but only contacts re price are the usual "what's your lowest cash price?" after which there is silence.

Ha ha.  Big shots in their own minds.  Only, they haven't made an offer.  

You've listed a price; it's up to them to make an offer.  These doofuses are not getting laid.  They've no technique for foreplay, and they don't have the chatup techniques.  They're rushing to close where there's no opening.  Yes I know what I did there.

On 5/17/2022 at 7:27 AM, gjm said:

Kinda what I expected. Lots of interest, (surprisingly) no criticism of the car, but only contacts re price are the usual "what's your lowest cash price?" after which there is silence.

Ha ha.  Big shots in their own minds.  Only, they haven't made an offer.  

You've listed a price; it's up to them to make an offer.  These doofuses are not getting laid.  They've no technique for foreplay, and they don't have the chatup techniques.  They're rushing to close where there's no opening.  Yes I know what I did there.

2 hours ago, Contrails said:

Calling someone an idiot regardless of how silly their question is just speaks volumes of the character of the seller. 
 

Point of fact:  it wasn't a question, it was a statement!  🤗

I'm not excusing the vendor!  Actually I think he has read my publication "How not to list your car for sale", and really took to heart the photography section.   Also, if you're looking at buying a modified vehicle and enquiry on mod and cert status is answered the same way this guy has, it's very difficult to proceed.  You'll be wondering what else has been hidden, or what cowboy repairs have been effected.

Can't believe I sold my genuine, alpinweiss, well-maintained (and improving) 1989 e30 325i Manual Touring for two thousand four hundred quid.

Squirrel! ----> zoom.

it also spent it's first 20 years and nearly 100k miles in UK, so best you get a look under it's skirts with the shrowds off, if it was from where the southern softies are, or only driven sparingly in Summer, you should be okay.  Salt kills.  Yes it would have had a stringent inspection in 2018 on entry, but tread carefully.  Stuff that never rusts in NZ can be incredibly crusty.

It's a Z3M, a real go-kart.  Be prepared for ///M maintenance costs though.  

agree re the e46 M3 rims - just not right for it.

On 3/11/2022 at 1:22 PM, Olaf said:

 

 

 

Update.  I've driven it a few times since installing the new gear knob, a little over 100kms.  It occurred to me today how much nicer the tactile experience is.  It's better matched with the steering wheel.  

Let's face it, with just over one hundred neddies beneath the hood, one changes gear often!  This is a much more pleasant place to be.

I also installed - at last - the CTEK quick connect/battery monitor adaptor. Should have done it 16 months ago!

I bought 15,000 last time.   I'll be buying that again.   Let them tell me I don't have a govt approved ute, or need to buy RUCs like a peasant on the bones of my arse 1000kms at a time.  They're trying to put up the admin cost of the transaction to boot.

On 4/25/2022 at 10:06 AM, gjm said:

Beautiful car, lovely engine, drives so well.

When it's working.  

Perhaps I'll stick to pre-2002 E46s. 

you should buy my particularly well-maintained e60 545i.  50:50 weight distro, valve-stem seals already replaced, what a drive.

I am untroubled by it.

I couldn't find any pics of mine before I mounted it.

Where's the commitment?! 😊  I go there from Wellington, such is the quality of work.