325_driver 422 Report post Posted June 27, 2020 (edited) I picked up something that needed alot of work, to chip away at in my spare time. Miss the coupes so picked up a 2002 325ci. How to put it bluntly, she needs some work, o boy. But that's kind of what I was looking for because I want to unleash on the sanders and paint gun. Service history, or lack there of, o God. But not to worry only 350,000kms on the clock ? Found a receipt from 2004, some decent receipt's round 2014/2015. But other than that a void of nothing-ness. It recently was took in for a service, they paid $169 essentially to top up oil, and no one mentioned to the guy the fan needing replacing because it's missing a blade, and leaking expansion tank. Brake pad wear sensors are squeeling all round, yet odly it got a wof in jan 2020 which I find strange for vtnz standards. It's getting a full respray, so body work is going to commence soon, and I'll probably tear into engine servicing on it. Someone glued the expansion tank, which is leaking slowly. So hopefully I make it home to Tauranga from Auckland tomorrow ???? Edited June 27, 2020 by 325_driver 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KwS 2425 Report post Posted June 27, 2020 OMG that cracking bog in the rear guard. You sure have a lot of work ahead of you! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacko 2156 Report post Posted June 27, 2020 Front indicators look nice! 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted June 28, 2020 how much would sth like this cost? $500? lol 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
balancerider 758 Report post Posted June 28, 2020 10 owners / 6 different license plates is a good effort... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
325_driver 422 Report post Posted June 28, 2020 ...... started having power hesitation on the way home, maybe fuel pump, dunno haha. Temperature is fine. Coolant level sensor kept coming on, scaring the crap out of me because I know the overflow tank is about to bust. The brake noise is nearly gone. I guess the wear sensors must be gone now ??? And Omg just saw the rotational tyres on the wrong way. In paeroa now at the inlaws hopefully I make it home, 70km to go. Living life on the edge boys! 3 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
325_driver 422 Report post Posted June 28, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, qube said: how much would sth like this cost? $500? lol ... Wasn't over 2k I'll say that. But in saying that I definitely overpaid, I was feeling generous, the guy was young and I was looking for a challenge. This fits the very definition of it lol Provided it doesn't detonate on me on the way home, and providing I dont have to weld cut section on that rust area I'm happy. She's definitely in bad Nick, but some silver lining, it you look real closely? Going to be a great thread anyway. Edited June 28, 2020 by 325_driver 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted June 28, 2020 its certainly a big project, not for the feint hearted... hopefully you can get it right without too much trouble, it will be funny to see a mint looking e46 coupe running 350kms engine but all good haha Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
325_driver 422 Report post Posted June 28, 2020 @qube after the restore I'll probably look into a swap later on down the track. Want a e46 coupe for the long term, provided the engine is sweet for another year I'll be happy. Apparently it has another motor put in @240,000km but no receipts to prove it. The motor doesn't look 350,000km to be honest. No major oil leaks, no smoke or lifter tick. So might redo the coolant hoses water pump thermostat, drive belts etc to get some more life out of it. And look at something real ambitious in the long run 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
325_driver 422 Report post Posted June 28, 2020 Made it home. Definitely something maybe like a fuel pump on the way out. Was holding speed and every now and then felt like car was out of gas then power would come back again. Really nerving because it was doing it just when I got on the Auckland motorway all the way to Hamilton. Some silver lining, $40 from Bombay to Hamilton to paeroa to Tauranga. Not bad at all. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zero 1162 Report post Posted June 28, 2020 This should be a good project. If the rear arch is really bad and needs replacing, you could always graft some m3 ones on in preparation for bigger tyres to handle the future power increase. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
325_driver 422 Report post Posted June 28, 2020 @zero hopefully I caught it just in time. I've tapped it with metal and it feels pretty robust. Won't know until I unleash the 40grit on it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sammo 2544 Report post Posted June 28, 2020 Very brave! You going to respray same colour? Its a pretty cool green I think Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
325_driver 422 Report post Posted June 28, 2020 @Sammo not same colour, I've got a colour lined up but will keep it a surprise, the suspense haha. Quite a bit a filler layer on this!! Ive seen worse to be honest haha, good news is the panel has integrity. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
325_driver 422 Report post Posted June 29, 2020 (edited) Not perfect just wanted to get that big rust patch back to bare metal and slap some etch primer over it. While I clean / diseasemble. Will be doing proper panel work on it at a later date as it's not perfect straight, looked to me like a patch repair was done maybe in the past. let the waterblaster loose oh it. Actually cleaned up quite nice, panel not as bad as expecting. Edited June 29, 2020 by 325_driver 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
325_driver 422 Report post Posted June 29, 2020 o another surprise! Not only is it chur bro level, it's not even insulated! 3 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
325_driver 422 Report post Posted June 29, 2020 Finished tidying up, the wiring on the driver seat. Hopefully that stops the strange rail twist going on. Stabbed my self many times trying to de pin the connector with a small screw driver. Also an added benefit of not worrying about the car not sparking a fire under my ? 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zero 1162 Report post Posted June 29, 2020 That quarter is definitely not as bad as it looked before. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
325_driver 422 Report post Posted June 29, 2020 @zero thought my number one priority was to get it back to bare metal and primered before that rust did any more damage. Looked like it was probably from a repair job done wrong years ago. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
325_driver 422 Report post Posted June 30, 2020 Gave the interior a good clean, tbh the carpet cleaning was in pretty good condition. And just realised the spare wheel is an OEM style 68 with an eagle f1 245/40/17 on it. Battery is new too. Those two things are probably half the value of the car is when I bought it ? 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacko 2156 Report post Posted June 30, 2020 Those little bissells are awesome, Ive made a few cups of coffee out of various cars 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted June 30, 2020 check the date on the tyre of the spare wheel. could be 2004 production or something which renders it useless as anything other than a spare and even then I wouldnt trust it for anything other than rolling on haha 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
325_driver 422 Report post Posted June 30, 2020 @Jacko I broke the plastic cover on the head of mine, the only place you can get a replacement is from Australia and half the cost is shipping lol. @qube I was thinking the same thing, tyre does look old, but I was more getting at that I'm stoked the rim is an OEM style 68 not a space saver. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
325_driver 422 Report post Posted June 30, 2020 After spending a few hours on wiring and fixings connections, I have rear lights. It sounds trivial, but on the way back I only had a right indicator and a right hand brake light, and trunk lid wasnt opening, so wanted to get to the bottom of it before I begun body work. Left hand bulb holder had a prong half snapped and lodged into the plug, so got innovate for the time being (yes I will be replacing it later) but it did the trick. Made female number 3 connector into a quazi male prong to extend into the broken off one in the bulb holder ??? works fine I've unplugged / replugged several times and it just like factory, but not.... Both reverse lights were ancient and decayed, replaced. Both license plate bulbs weren't going because of corrosion on the terminals either side. Some one had a 12v10w bulb in the left holder of right tail light ??? And also had fitted duct tape to the base of the bulb holder ! A few broken wires in the boot I'm assuming all of this happened after it's last wof in January ? or this vehicle has been getting some chur bro warrants by the bros in Massey Auckland. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted June 30, 2020 Ran the plates on carjam and its a NZ new, explains the full size spare instead of a space saver. Same with the wider plate holder on the front instead of the short and tall version found on imports. I also noticed that the rego says "exemption" - is it on hold? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
