330ci conversion

[Nzrooney 5]

I've recently sold my e30s for silly prices and decided to pick up a very tidy e46 330ci. Only downside of the car is the gearbox. My questions are, how much am I expected to pay to have it converted to manual? ( My skill set probably won't meet the criteria and I have zero spare time for this type of project) second question would be, who in the wellington region would you recommend for this conversion? 

Appreciate any help. Very curious at this stage.

[Sammo 2476]

Funny, I have a manual 330ci and am looking to get an E30 325i 2 door sometime.

Finding a complete manual conversion is the hard part these days - I would expect to pay $2,000+ easy for a ZF Conversion - add a new clutch and flywheel and bits for another $1,000. Cert add $750.

Workshop labour and coding, no idea - but I would factor on $5K plus to do it right.

Make sure you also use an unmodified factory manual driveshaft too or you could need to add driveshaft hoops (like me 😭)

[balancerider 701]

@Nzrooney Jon @Auto38 in Newtown should be able to advise you

[Nzrooney 5]

Thank you fellas, appreciate it. I'll give Jon a call when I get a chance.

[Eagle 1514]

ZF boxes go for $2000 just by themselves these days so a properly done conversion with new components would be easy 5k just in parts

Cert is technically required by if using all OE drive line parts its not likely to be picked up or non issue 

[E28E30 334]

29 minutes ago, Eagle said:

ZF boxes go for $2000 just by themselves these days so a properly done conversion with new components would be easy 5k just in parts

Cert is technically required by if using all OE drive line parts its not likely to be picked up or non issue 

I asked Jon about the same thing for an E30 325i and he reckoned the gearbox for that is $2800 if the price the last one sold for was a guide, plus all the rest.  Without fully pricing up it was feeling like a 6-7k job

[Nzrooney 5]

Wow at those sort of prices I may have to give it a miss. Might be time to just enjoy it for what it is.

[E28E30 334]

1 hour ago, Nzrooney said:

Wow at those sort of prices I may have to give it a miss. Might be time to just enjoy it for what it is.

It is worth finding out for sure though

[Contrails 316]

On 7/16/2021 at 7:58 PM, Nzrooney said:

I've recently sold my e30s for silly prices and decided to pick up a very tidy e46 330ci. Only downside of the car is the gearbox. My questions are, how much am I expected to pay to have it converted to manual? ( My skill set probably won't meet the criteria and I have zero spare time for this type of project) second question would be, who in the wellington region would you recommend for this conversion? 

Appreciate any help. Very curious at this stage.

I think it would be worth it. It’s a brilliant car. The gearbox prices will slowly keep increasing so might as get it done now than say in 4-5 years when the parts will be more difficult to find and labour costs will go up. 

[Blackie 510]

Maybe haggle down something reasonably undesirable like this - 

https://www.trademe.co.nz/3180144031

The clutch might even be ok, otherwise another 1200 for something HD you will stall all the time. Sell off what you don't need. I could help you through the labour side of things.

[smiddy 76]

Can't get a grip on the value, either in money or drivability terms, of such an expensive manual conversion of a 240 ish crank HP car.

Poor dollars spent in my view and I have owned two of them.

Good luck with your mod, great car.

 

[Eagle 1514]

23 hours ago, E28E30 said:

I asked Jon about the same thing for an E30 325i and he reckoned the gearbox for that is $2800 if the price the last one sold for was a guide, plus all the rest.  Without fully pricing up it was feeling like a 6-7k job

Just about everything on this planet has gone up considerably in these last few years. 

23 hours ago, Nzrooney said:

Wow at those sort of prices I may have to give it a miss. Might be time to just enjoy it for what it is.

Probably cheaper to just buy a manual E46 manual given you have to pay some one to convert. They are still semi affordable atm.  

[viskop 99]

On 7/17/2021 at 7:29 PM, Nzrooney said:

Wow at those sort of prices I may have to give it a miss. Might be time to just enjoy it for what it is.

Jon is a great guy, he did the manual conversion on my BMW E36 about 5 years ago, and back then all in all cost me more than $7k! Never again 😟

[Blackie 510]

On 7/18/2021 at 6:34 PM, Eagle said:

Probably cheaper to just buy a manual E46 manual given you have to pay some one to convert. They are still semi affordable atm.  

This is usually my advice to people too. The 'premium' to get a manual car isn't 4-5k. I guess it just depends on how attached you are to what you currently have.

[Sammo 2476]

26 minutes ago, Blackie said:

This is usually my advice to people too. The 'premium' to get a manual car isn't 4-5k. I guess it just depends on how attached you are to what you currently have.

It probably is a $5k premium these days TBH (Coupe's any way) I track any *decent* manual 330ci's listed in case I have an insurance issue and they try to tell me my car is worth $7k...

In last 6 months or so (yes, these are just asking prices but so is any price):

• $16,500 (dreamer but it appeared to sell)
• $13,500 (Beautiful car I've driven)
• $11,500 (High km average non Msport)
• $13,000 
• $15,000 (Imola 6 speed with heaps of work done)
• $13,000 (Nothing special car that sat on TM for a month)
• $13,000 (sold in a day or two)
• Most decent Msport autos list for $6-8k.

But I agree, spending $7K plus on a manual swap isn't value for money, unless its a special example.

[Nzrooney 5]

I appreciate everyone's input. I love the car but I don't think I love it enough to spend that sort of money on a manual conversion. Who knows one day the prices might go stupid like the E30 market but I feel it may be a little while away. I'll stick with the auto coupe ( until something better comes along anyway)