1995 Hellrot 328i

[cleanish_e46 207]

It's good to be back.

I recently picked up this E36 M Sport:

I had no intention of owning this, I saw it in a carpark and told the owner I liked their car. Next thing she's giving me the keys and said if you still like it at the end of the month, you can buy it. It definitely felt too good to be true, but here we are. 

The two owners in the last fifteen years are her and her company. 160,000km and New Zealand new, the '328 S' plate has been with the car since '95. 

It's an unfamiliar starting point for me since it works, and I don't want to break anything.

Suspect rear main seal is leaking, so there is that, and then I'll work through the typical E36 things, but to be honest I just want to give this thing a detail and drive it. 

I can't say I ever progressed from a bucket and sponge, but I recently started watching: AMMO NYC - YouTube and I'm keen to learn. Sing out if you're local (North Shore, Auckland) and have some wisdom to share, or just want to go for a drive (when I've fixed the oil leak).

 

[Vass 830]

1 hour ago, cleanish_e46 said:

Next thing she's giving me the keys and said if you still like it at the end of the month, you can buy it.

Wait... what!? 😯

[cleanish_e46 207]

14 minutes ago, Vass said:

Wait... what!? 😯

Straight up. She gave me a key and I drove it home. Test drove it until the end of August, took it to VTNZ for a WoF to see if that was going to be an issue or if they would dream some up. Nothing. Took it to my mechanic and the mechanic she uses, went through the service history and noted the oil leak. 

I can tell she really loved the car, so I'd swing by and grab a coffee with her and her husband. She'd always kept the E36 garaged and their reason for selling it was now parked in its spot, the new 4-Series at a glance.

It was a pretty awesome experience as far as buying a car goes. 

[Eagle 1662]

Looks like a great example to refresh. No doubt she regret the cheap running costs if she somehow keeps the 4 series for 15 years.

[Kees 594]

Nice buy! 
 

I’m based on the shore and have seen that car around a few times in various places. Definitely a well kept original example, plate is very distinctive. 
 

I have a big box of cleaning / polishing products + a Dewalt polisher you can borrow if you need to start your detailing journey on the car. 
 

If I were you I’d aim to polish the car (depending on how swirly / oxidised the paint is you may want to do a light cut too), then ceramic coat the car + do some protecting work to the soft top. 
 

Interior, if it’s leather I would recommend moisturising it. With the top down it would be way more exposed to UV so I’m guessing it could be dry/cracked in places.

 

Also get a wool wash mit, sponges are for wheels only!!
 

I did a detail on my 540i a couple years ago, it’s due a light buff and re-ceramic coat soon, but came out pretty well for original paint that had travelled ~370,000km… much easier to keep the car looking nice once the paint is properly protected. 
 

 

[cleanish_e46 207]

Thanks Kees!

I’d seen it around before buying it too, always caught my attention.

Appreciate the offer, I will get a wool wash mitt and move on from the sponge!

I’d be keen to show you the car and you can advise. Your 540i looks great, the paint on mine is reasonable so, as you say, it’d be good to protect that. 

[elias 253]

On 9/6/2023 at 5:07 PM, cleanish_e46 said:

It's good to be back.

I recently picked up this E36 M Sport:

I had no intention of owning this, I saw it in a carpark and told the owner I liked their car. Next thing she's giving me the keys and said if you still like it at the end of the month, you can buy it. It definitely felt too good to be true, but here we are. 

The two owners in the last fifteen years are her and her company. 160,000km and New Zealand new, the '328 S' plate has been with the car since '95. 

It's an unfamiliar starting point for me since it works, and I don't want to break anything.

Suspect rear main seal is leaking, so there is that, and then I'll work through the typical E36 things, but to be honest I just want to give this thing a detail and drive it. 

I can't say I ever progressed from a bucket and sponge, but I recently started watching: AMMO NYC - YouTube and I'm keen to learn. Sing out if you're local (North Shore, Auckland) and have some wisdom to share, or just want to go for a drive (when I've fixed the oil leak).

 

im on the shore too, car looks great, let me know once you fix the oil leak, id be keen to catch up for a drive 

[cleanish_e46 207]

Sounds good Elias. I'm going to the UK and maybe Sweden and Germany next month so not sure if I'll get to it before then but will flick you a message when I have!

[Kees 594]

20 hours ago, cleanish_e46 said:

Thanks Kees!

I’d seen it around before buying it too, always caught my attention.

Appreciate the offer, I will get a wool wash mitt and move on from the sponge!

I’d be keen to show you the car and you can advise. Your 540i looks great, the paint on mine is reasonable so, as you say, it’d be good to protect that. 

I’ll send you a direct message with my contact number. Would love to come check out the car sometime and let you know what I think. 

[Apex 693]

Good buying and just in time for spring. 

Love a good story too, you must have looked like the type of enthusiast that the car deserved, sometimes people don't care about the money they just want the car to go to a good home and to be appreciated. 

Paint looks good, red is easy to deal with if clear coat isn't pealing, may not even have a clear coat?. I don't think id hit it hard with a polisher, especially if its not clear coated, maybe just start with a good wash and clay bar if it needs it and then some good sealer/wax. Its not hard to get red shiny abd scratches and swirl's don't really show up. Maybe focus on the wheels and trims if they need it. An Old member used to swear by Bee's wax for BMW plastics. 

[cleanish_e46 207]

Thanks Graham. 

I love a good story too. I sat down with them and said I think they would get more for it on TradeMe, but as you say they didn't care about the money. I'm finding myself buying cars from people I like more and more, as opposed to just buying cars I like.

Clear coat isn't pealing, but yeah, maybe no clear coat to peel. I'll look into that, thanks for the advice mate. 

[cleanish_e46 207]

Musings from the first month, I like this car.

A lot of time for the wing mirrors! 

The E30 and E46 has always had my attention but the E36 is growing on me. Generally speaking, I’ve never owned a convertible or planned to own one but I think the E36 lends itself better to the body style imo.



Clocked someone in another E36 waving on the drive through Kumeū if you’re on here, car looked well.

Edited October 5, 2023 by cleanish_e46

[nath 134]

Looking great, I have a red e36 on the shore too, may see you on the road one sunny Sunday

[Eagle 1662]

I agree about the E36 vert. Chuck a purple tag rack in and its probably got the best steering feel too.

[cleanish_e46 207]

14 hours ago, nath said:

Looking great, I have a red e36 on the shore too, may see you on the road one sunny Sunday

Cheers! Hoping for more of the sunny soon brother! 

Edited October 5, 2023 by cleanish_e46

[cleanish_e46 207]

Speaking of projects, eighteen months on from this:

 

We have this: 

Admittedly spent more time on the hole in the side of our house than on cars, but we’re back.
 

Have more space and *slightly* more time. 
 

Sam at @HELLBM has taken care of the oil leak that came free with the car, great service. 
 

Up next, the cooling system, and then hopefully some fun stuff like suspension. 

[cleanish_e46 207]

Six months of trouble free daily driving. 

Grabbed a coffee with @nath and his B3 yesterday. Only Alpina I’ve seen in NZ since leaving the UK almost ten years ago, worth the wait. 

[Goose 41]

Reading this makes me kick myself for selling my e36 328 manual, such great cars! That was ten years ago, around the bottom of the market (around 5,5k🤬)

Great to see tidy and well loved examples getting used, and that B3🤤!

Super stoked with the current e39 540, but still have a major soft spot for an e36 coupe, one day…….

Edited February 25 by Goose

[cleanish_e46 207]

I know what you mean @Goose, I think we all have cars we regret selling. I would have kept most of the cars I've had if I had the space and didn't need to sell one to buy another.

They are great cars, and that's a nice looking E24.

[BMTHUG 1057]

What a beauty she is too! 

[cleanish_e46 207]

Successful trip to the WoF man. 

 

There was an E30 in for some / quite a lot of rust repairs, hard not to want them even when you can see all the issues isn’t it ha 

[cleanish_e46 207]

The one issue that came with this car is the drivers window does not work. It worked once during a WoF, but I have not been able to roll it up or down since. It hasn’t bothered me, but I have to go to North Shore Hospital regularly and it is a pain because I have to open my door and get out for a parking ticket each time I go. 

All I get when I press the button is a *click* noise. All the other windows work so I have swapped the switches to check it’s not just a bad switch, same result.

It doesn’t seem as though you can replace the motor without removing the regulator, which is riveted in. Is that correct? 

If I have to drill this out, what else should I be doing while I’m in there? 

There is something connected to the yellow socket (above), but nothing to the white, does anyone know what the white socket is for? 

Thank you in advance for any advice. 

I miss wind up windows!

 

[cleanish_e46 207]

Shout out to @BM WORLD for sourcing the correct window motor, easy to trade with and reasonable price!

[BM WORLD 1283]

On 2/25/2024 at 5:54 PM, Goose said:

Reading this makes me kick myself for selling my e36 328 manual, such great cars! That was ten years ago, around the bottom of the market (around 5,5k🤬)

Great to see tidy and well loved examples getting used, and that B3🤤!

Super stoked with the current e39 540, but still have a major soft spot for an e36 coupe, one day…….

such a nice car 

[cleanish_e46 207]

Let’s fix the window, it’ll only take a couple of hours…

 

Easy enough, let’s replace the door lock actuator while we’re at it… everything working on the test fit. Closed and locked my door, unlocked it and the mechanism jammed. Door wouldn’t unlatch. 

All of the above work is less fun to do crouched in the drivers footwell, but I did become somewhat of an expert on E36 door locks, sing out if you’re ever in the same situation! 

I ended up having to punch through the case and pick the lock.

Shout out to @HELLBM for sourcing a replacement door lock, great to deal with as always. 

Good to have everything working as it should again!