viskop

Hi gents, I might be close to buying a ZF manual gearbox. Is there anyone who can do the full conversion for me? If yes, price (labour)? Also, should the conversion be certed? Thanks.

3 hours ago, Massnz said:

Nice.  Same as my 328 just with different wheels and the kit. 

Thanks! You're BMW looks nice with those wheels on. I'll try and dig out a photo (or video) of my 1998 E36 328i manual that I owned when I still lived in South Africa. That one had awesome mags on, and since we came to NZ in 2007, I have only seen the same mags once...but they were on a Toyota Camry.

Beautiful, that 530 of yours Chris!!

53 minutes ago, Lucan said:

If you keep an eye out you'll likely find a manual E36 fairly cheap. I got mine for a steal, although it needed work it hasn't cost me bugger all in total. 

Its all just a waiting game.

It's the waiting that annoys me. But you hit the nail on the head...I just have to wait and be very patient. The ZF manual gearboxes currently on TM are just too pricey for me. The other downside is that there are so many guys out there keeping an eye out for that bargain....

11 hours ago, My545 said:

Right it's clean (ish), now how do I get it sounding like a V8, just a nice rumble, nothing over the top.

And can anyone blue tooth their phone to these these days and is it worth getting the phone in the car up and running? I doubt it as it looks like the battery is bulging!!

 

I can't help you with your questions, Sam, but I can say this Beemer looks real nice, especially with those wheels on.

11 hours ago, My545 said:

Cheers Dave, my profile pic is it, stolen from TM add, unfortunately car turned up filthy as fark, big day cleaning tomorrow.

 

Congrats Sam. This shape of the 5-series is one of my favourite shapes. Enjoy the cleaning...:D

On 2/02/2017 at 8:33 AM, KwS said:

Recoding isnt "needed" as such, but when mine was converted it still had the Auto DME, and mine, like others, had a bad rev hang when changing gears. You get used to it, but i would recommend recoding.

I wouldnt guarantee it. Mine had the jatco jerk and within a couple of thousand KM, including a trip fully loaded from CHCH to WGTN, the trans decided to give up and slip really badly and the jerk got to a point where i couldnt trust it to change gear crossing an intersection.

Anyway, welcome to the club/forum, Charl. The E36 are great cars, and you will love it if/when you convert to manual, it completely transforms the car. Well worth the money.

Hi Kelvin. Thanks, appreciate your reply.

I should have shipped my manual E36 1998 328i over from South Africa to NZ when we migrated here nearly 10 years ago.

Just now, Rubix said:

Nick (W.industries) is excellent to deal with. He imports cars (M3's) from the UK and wrecks them, I've had one of his gearboxes in one of my cars and no issues.

Clutch kit can be had for roughly $1100 from NZAD (including pressure plate/flywheel I believe but I may be wrong).
Also recommend replacing gearbox oil (as if it's imported he has to drain them anyway) with Redline D4 ATF, shifts like butter.
 

Wow! Thank you, really appreciate your reply. That is way over my budget! Sigh...suppose I'll just have to live with the auto. Thanks again.

On 30/01/2017 at 5:42 PM, _ethrty-Andy_ said:

I agree

Hi Andy, I see w.industries on TM has listed a complete ZF manual gearbox starting/reserve at $1400, but suggests that one buys a "new clutch, throwout bearing and spigot bearing", and he mentions that "if you are after a ZF you will want a performance clutch so the factory Dual mass will be a waste of time, Speed factor & NZAD have a nice m3 size performance clutch for a good price."

I've been on both Speed Factor and NZAD's websites, but have no idea what to look for. Do you (or anyone else) perhaps have an idea of what those new items (new performance clutch, throwout bearing and spigot bearing) may price? If this is not too much, then I might be tempted to go ahead. But if too much, then I'll just live with it.

Cheers,

Charl

Thank you Barry. Small world, aye. We bought the house about 4 years ago. The chap with the E30 has it listed on TM and I think he originally wanted $6000+, but now wants $5000. Pity it's a 320...and pity it's not manual.

Cheers,

Charl

My 328i has nearly 158000km on the clock, so not sure when 2nd gear started jerking. As for the number plate, it was on this 328i when I bought it for my son (Bryan) 3 or 4 years ago. He then bought himself the 130i about a year ago and has taken the plates from, his then 328i, and put it on his 130i. I took the 328i over from Bryan and the 328i now has new plates. If you checkout Bryan's profile (LaBimmer I think is his profile name) then you'll see many pics of what he's done over the last year and a half with both BMWs. :-)

I would also prefer to have a ZF gearbox for the 328i...

Hi Andy, the chap I was in contact with on FB is a Nikolas Davies. As for the manual conversion, yes I am very eager. After nearly 10 years in NZ I still drive my auto with my left hand on the gears. Money is the only concern. Also, I will most likely have to do something with the auto gearbox as it jerks (not always, but most of the time) when it goes into 2nd. It has been doing it since I first bought the car for my son 3+ years ago. Thanks.

I had a 2005 330i and sold it about a year ago.......still very disappointed that I sold that car and I (and the wife) still want to kick myself. I had no issues with it, bought it at 80 000km, sold it at 111000 after owning it for nearly 4 years.

Thanks Peter, much appreciated. Looking forward to the next meeting. :-)

So just that everyone knows...I am Bryan's dad. (He's still sleeping and will most likely reply to everyone's comments later today.)

Hi Hayden, Thanks for your kind words. I'm not sure about the SA cars that are on trademe, as to how they got here, but you could be on the money. As for manual conversions, there a chap on trademe who is selling a full manual getrag gearbox for $1100 (and $1550+ for ZF). A chap on Facebook here in the Hutt has quoted around $800+ for doing the job (I don't have the knowledge). Then I am aware that one can't just go ahead and do the conversion as sometimes the computer does not "talk" to the gearbox, or vice versa.

We live in Grenada Village and I work in Wellington CBD in Willis Street.

Cheers.

Oh, the body makeover project started out with the 18" mags...:D

Hey gents (and ladies, if there are any), I actually signed up to bimmersport.co.nz in March 2016, but due to loooong working hours I really have not been on this site at all.

We're originally from South Africa (migrated here in 2007) and we love NZ. Yes, we miss our families every day and SA, but we love it here, with Wellington's wind and all. I do, as I believe all/most people on here, love my BMW cars. I also love almost everything motorcar-related.

When we lived in South Africa, my 1st BMW was a 1990 E30 325iS (South African 325iS comes with a 2.7L engine) which I sold for next to nothing, as I did not know that it was worth a lot more, hence the reason why the chap who bought it from me, grabbed it immediately without asking any questions. That's now water under the bridge. I then bought my 2nd BMW, a 1993 E36 325i auto. After it was stolen in Johannesburg, I bought a 1998 E36 328i manual, and I loved every second in that car. Sadly left it behind (sold it) when we moved here to NZ. Bought our 1st BMW here in early 2008, it was a 1995 E36 325i auto, then bought a 2005 E46 330i, then sold that and now I drive a 1995 E36 328i auto. I miss my 1990 E30, but my wife misses the E46 330. :-)

My dream BMW would be the E30 333i box shape. Google them here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_3_Series_(E30)#333i

My current BMW started out as a normal E36 328 (first 2 pics), but have since had a make over (body only - see last 2 pics) with a Motorsport body kit (and side skirts, but don't have a pic of the full completion yet).

Only wish I could afford to have it converted to manual...sigh...why are conversions and manual Beemers so expensive in NZ?

Just now, Olaf said:

The Japanese Market BMWs are not made in Japan, as is a common misconception down here.  They're made for the Japanese market, in the other manufacturing plants such as Munich, Regensburg, Dingolfing, etc. depending on model.  As an example, my '02 e46 Touring is Japanese market, and was made in Regensburg.

It's as much an issue with deferred maintenance (or in the case of e36's - the GM transmission rather than the ZF of other markets) that earns the used Japanese market imports a bad rep... and after 15 years here, they're either neglected (continuing the Kiwi tradition of deferred neglect/no maintenance) or resolved (through remedial maintenance) by careful owners.  

/rant

Thanks for clearing that for me, Olaf. I was told that Jap imports were assembled in Japan, hence the poor quality of especially the interiors, but thanks again for clarifying. As for the Beemers I have owned and do own, I service my BMW myself and do it at least every 6 months, or 5000km.

Hey Mark, we're also from South Africa (Cape Town). Been living in NZ (Wellington) nearly 10 years. Bought my 1st BMW, a 1990 E30 325iS, sold it for next to nothing (didn't realise its value) to buy a 1993 E36 325i, it was stolen in Joburg. In 2003 I bought a 1998 E36 328i and loved every second in it. Since moving to NZ in 2007 we have owned a 1995 E36 325i, then a 2005 E46 330i, now a 1995 E36 328i again. How I miss my 1990 E30 325iS!

I would suggest you bring with you whatever you can (I should have brought my '98 328i over which is German imported. In NZ most cars, BMWs included are "Jap crap" - as my Kiwi mates call it :D) as the prices here for parts are much higher than what it is in South Africa. And as I said, most cars here are Japanese imports, so not as high a quality as the German assembled/imports we/you get in South Africa.

I would love to have my current '95 E36 328i BMW converted from auto to manual, but quotes are crazy expensive!

Again, try to bring over as much as you can. In the long run it will save you money when you do start with your project in NZ. All the best.

Charl