|
I'm getting most of my bills paid, and I'm looking at getting rid of my current "beater" and upgrading to something a little nicer. Is there anything I should know about 2000-2004 BMW 330's? From the looks of it, I can get into one from around $9k-$12k, which isn't too bad on my budget. All the ones I've seen have about 100k miles. I don't do a ton of driving, so I won't be piling mileage on, but are there things I'll have to do in the future of its maintenance life or any impending failures? Please give me a consensus yay or nay on this.
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2010 06:08
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 15, 2024 07:02 |
|
|
EvilBeard posted:Please give me a consensus yay or nay on this. Yea. Set aside an additional $2500 for post-purchase maintenance, like the cooling system (radiator, water pump, thermostat) and suspension (shocks and bushings) and you'll be fine.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2010 06:13
|
|
|
EvilBeard posted:Please give me a consensus yay or nay on this. Yay. I recently bought a 2003 with the performance package for just under $15k and I love it. I spent about $600 refreshing the cooling system, and that was just preventative because it was all original. That's it so far, the car has 70k miles. I spent a little under $1k/year on maintenance on my old 325i and I've planned for about the same with my new car. Just don't neglect them.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2010 20:28
|
|
|
Thanks to AI i've had myself a Z3 for a couple months, and I love it  The back plastic is annoying me though, it's pretty dirty and near impossible to clean normally - are there any products you guys would reccomend? I think BMW have stopped making theirs.
|
|
#
?
Mar 13, 2010 14:03
|
|
|
loving low hanging m42 oil pans. Second time I'll have to do this gently caress-off PITA job again. Worst part is that I have a drat skid plate waiting to be installed. gently caress.
|
|
#
?
Mar 13, 2010 20:07
|
|
|
91 318iS Hit a big rock the other night and it took out my oil pan, steering rack and front subframe. I've got the oil pan and steering rack covered, but have no idea how to replace the front subframe. Will I need to use an engine hoist to lift up the engine and R&R the subframe?
|
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2010 18:59
|
|
|
Anyone know where I can locate a coil cover for my '92 325i? I washed it the other night and a lot of the black came off.
|
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2010 19:28
|
|
|
BraveUlysses posted:91 318iS You'll need some sort of support for the engine- ideally something similar to this: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=96524. That will allow you to lift and support the motor while you drop the subframe, but won't be in your way like an engine hoist would be. You could also try to support it from underneath with a jack, but that will hinder maneuverability and you won't be able to change the height of the car as easily. And it's not as safe.
|
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2010 19:37
|
|
|
I found a 86 325es in great condition that I'm currently trying to sort out s few issues with. First, even after running for quite a while the engine temp doesn't seem to climb much past the blue portion on the gauge. The heat is working fine so I'm wondering if e30s just run that cool? Second, the 5spd is giving me some troubles wanting to go into gear. Occasionally, 1st will be really tough to push into. The clutch is fully disengaged from what I can tell. All the gears are a bit tougher to get into than I think they should be. I'm planning on replacing the fluid in it to see if that will help. Could it be anything else? I've been led to believe the 260 is nigh unbreakable so hopefully the trsnsmission is ok.
|
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2010 19:51
|
|
|
cubicle gangster posted:The back plastic is annoying me though, it's pretty dirty and near impossible to clean normally - are there any products you guys would reccomend? I could recommend several, but honestly you're best off buying a bottle of 303's Convertible cleaner and taking it to a good professional detailer and having it machine polished with some kind plastic cleaner/scratch remover: http://www.detailersdomain.com/303Products-tonneauandconvertibletopcleaner32oz.aspx If you're going to DIY, prepare to use a LOT of elbow grease using a kit like this: http://www.autogeek.net/3m-plastic-care.html
|
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2010 22:04
|
|
|
So for the second time in less than 6 months someone hit my car. The first was my E30 325i and it was totalled. Their insurance bought it out and I bought an E36 325i to replace it. Well, last night some sonofabitch backed into it when I was parked and caved in the kidney grills and messed up the hood release underneath, as well as the clips to a radiator hose. So now I've got to file a god drat hit and run claim on my insurance and hope they believe me. It looks like at least $1000 in damage. I could murder that rear end in a top hat.
|
|
#
?
Mar 15, 2010 07:58
|
|
|
BraveUlysses posted:91 318iS I'm not really sure about that engine, but what I read about the M30 and M50 engines: You unscrew the bolts on the engine mounts, carefully raise the engine a bit (beware of wires and coolant hoses), and then there's enough room to slide out the oil pan, without messing with the suspension components. Sounds like a bitch of a job. Glad I have an M60 where there's full access to the oil pan .
|
|
#
?
Mar 15, 2010 09:22
|
|
|
Pilsner posted:I'm not really sure about that engine, but what I read about the M30 and M50 engines: You unscrew the bolts on the engine mounts, carefully raise the engine a bit (beware of wires and coolant hoses), and then there's enough room to slide out the oil pan, without messing with the suspension components. He's got to drop his subframe out too.
|
|
#
?
Mar 15, 2010 10:22
|
|
|
revmoo posted:Anyone know where I can locate a coil cover for my '92 325i? I washed it the other night and a lot of the black came off. Back to Black & Sharpie metallic silver marker is all you need to restore coil/fuel injector covers, apparently. My covers are looking sharp again. I spent 9 hours today scrapping and sanding my valve cover. Why did BMW powdercoat these things and then put gold and silver paint on it? They should have just left it powdercoated. Got a poo poo ton of parts on the way including bavauto coils. Hopefully they'll fix my misfire situation. While I have it down I'm replacing plugs and gaskets and such. The head of my engine looks terrific, almost brand-new, but there's some troubling wear on the tips of the cam lobes. I'll get pictures of that, I need some advice. Since I have a '92 (non-vanos) I don't think I can do M3 cams, and even stock cams are super, super expensive, even used. I'll probably have to get new cams within two years, at least that's what my instincts are telling me.
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2010 01:24
|
|
|
This is the best thing I've seen all month. I'm so happy that iX's are finally getting some love-- definitely one of the most underrated BMWs. (58k miles) http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110504013269#ht_1043wt_1167 Time to print this out for insurance purposes
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2010 18:54
|
|
|
revmoo posted:Back to Black & Sharpie metallic silver marker is all you need to restore coil/fuel injector covers, apparently. My covers are looking sharp again. I missed your original question but if you decide you need to replace your engine covers anyway, $20-30 on Ebay gets you one in near-mint shape.
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2010 19:57
|
|
|
Could a failing clutch cause the car to hesitate and jerk when quickly going from no load to full throttle in 1st gear? Say the clutch has already been taken up, you're rolling along at 5mph then punch it? Because my '92 has been doing that for years now and I'm getting really loving tired of it. I'm at the point now where my car is about to get a poo poo ton of parts thrown at it in one day just to take the shotgun approach to fixing the problem. I figure some refurb injectors, new coils and a new ICV should hopefully fix it. If not then MAF? Cam/crank sensors? The only code the car has thrown is a faulty injector. I ordered a pair of refurb/flowed units a few weeks back but the idiot sent me the wrong ones (and I didn't know until I had ALREADY PUT THEM ON THE CAR). Thank god I'm picking up my new beater (1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S) tomorrow Real Life posted:This is the best thing I've seen all month. I'm so happy that iX's are finally getting some love-- definitely one of the most underrated BMWs. Not underrated, just extremely rare, even more due to how many have been lost in the 20+ winters since they've been built, and the greater cost of upkeep on the AWD system. Plus all the AWD does is add complexity and weight to a car whose sole purpose is to be somewhat spartan and sporty. 
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2010 20:34
|
|
|
Doctor Grape Ape posted:Could a failing clutch cause the car to hesitate and jerk when quickly going from no load to full throttle in 1st gear? Say the clutch has already been taken up, you're rolling along at 5mph then punch it? Because my '92 has been doing that for years now and I'm getting really loving tired of it. I'm at the point now where my car is about to get a poo poo ton of parts thrown at it in one day just to take the shotgun approach to fixing the problem. I figure some refurb injectors, new coils and a new ICV should hopefully fix it. If not then MAF? Cam/crank sensors? Motor mounts? Guibo?
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2010 20:53
|
|
|
McMadCow posted:I missed your original question but if you decide you need to replace your engine covers anyway, $20-30 on Ebay gets you one in near-mint shape. I may end up doing that anyway. I am more particular about the looks of my engine bay than the rest of the car I sprayed my valve cover today, grey primer on the whole thing and silver on the visible bits. With the bavauto coils it should look pretty neat with the black, red and grey look when the covers are off. Covers on it will look stock. Oh yeah, and my loving passenger side wiper is broken. It either sits too low and the hood clips it when opened, or too high. The splines are busted so it cannot sit where it's supposed to. Also the drat threads are hosed for the nut and it wouldn't even take full torque (25nm), just kept spinning. Looks like I'll have to replace the linkage and the arm, $2-400 new and not much cheaper used. I'm hoping I'll find the parts from a part-out. revmoo fucked around with this message at 22:31 on Mar 16, 2010 |
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2010 22:21
|
|
|
Sterndotstern posted:Motor mounts? Guibo? Both new within the last 10k miles. As well as tranny mounts (UUC Street Red) and support bearing. I've also replaced sparkplugs, cleaned the ICV, replaced the TPS, checked and replaced bad/corroded grounds. I'm down to injectors, coils, and possible voodoo. The most obvious first step would be to get a set of correct injectors and put them on since that was the fault the car logged. I just have to wait for the jerk to refund me. The car is supposed to have ~17lb injectors, and what he sent me injected so much fuel I could put my hand by the tailpipe and get a nice spray of unburnt gas on me and wouldn't rev past about 4000rpm. Have to love eBay sellers, lesson learned.
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2010 23:54
|
|
|
Doctor Grape Ape posted:Plus all the AWD does is add complexity and weight to a car whose sole purpose is to be somewhat spartan and sporty. That all fades away when you drive one after the first snowfall. It has a pretty drat good AWD system for not having any electronics. The only problems are that some bits aren't very robust and it was clearly not designed by someone who has ever had to work on a car. That said, I need to get mine running. drat thing has been sitting for almost 11 months now.
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2010 23:55
|
|
|
Raymn posted:I found a 86 325es in great condition that I'm currently trying to sort out s few issues with. First, even after running for quite a while the engine temp doesn't seem to climb much past the blue portion on the gauge. The heat is working fine so I'm wondering if e30s just run that cool? This is usually caused by a thermostat failing in the "open" position. Replacing the thermostat usually fixes this issue. It's not a very hard task but I've personally never done it on an e30.
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2010 02:34
|
|
|
Doctor Grape Ape posted:Could a failing clutch cause the car to hesitate and jerk when quickly going from no load to full throttle in 1st gear? Say the clutch has already been taken up, you're rolling along at 5mph then punch it? Because my '92 has been doing that for years now and I'm getting really loving tired of it. I'm at the point now where my car is about to get a poo poo ton of parts thrown at it in one day just to take the shotgun approach to fixing the problem. I figure some refurb injectors, new coils and a new ICV should hopefully fix it. If not then MAF? Cam/crank sensors? I'd look at the MAF more than injectors. Clean it up with 100% alcohol. ICV just needs a spray of carb cleaner (mind the motor) and it'll be good to go if it's sticking, but I don't think the ICV is causing this problem. This sounds more like a mixture/electronics problem.
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2010 08:34
|
|
|
I have developed a starting problem in my 91 318is. M42 engine. Cold starts, for example, its about 30F this morning, it started right up. However, yesterday, it was about 60F and it would just crank, but then I push the gas pedal down a bit and it fires right up. Then, if I kill the engine and start it again after waiting a few seconds, it fires right up. I do smell fuel when I have the starting issue. -I tested the resistance on both the cam and crank sensors and they were good. -My ICV appears to be fine, it hums and vibrates. Also, I have two of them and recently swapped them as a test with no change. Cleaned it up with carb cleaner when I swapped them. -Airflow sensor swings freely, and the sensor looks fine. I also have two of these, but have not tested the other one. -Before winter, I redid the mess of hose underneath the intake manifold. I also replaced the temp sensor. -I am still trying to replace my O2 sensor, but I do not believe that has anything to do with starting the car. -Fuel pump is only 3 years old, and turns on when cranking. -New spark plugs and ignition coils. I did not replace the wires, but they look to be in decent condition. Possible issues -I tried to perform diagnostics on my TPS, but was unable to get any good readings for any of the tests. I believe the TPS does help control the ICV. I wonder if a failing TPS could be why my car starts as soon as I give the car some throttle, if perhaps it is not reporting a closed throttle condition properly. -Fuel regulator. Could this be the cause? On a cold start, extra fuel is injected, on a start in warm weather, it is not. Then, when I start the car immediately afterward and it works fine, I still have fuel pressure. So my thought is that perhaps, after sitting a while, I am losing fuel pressure, but the cold start system takes kind of bypasses the issue. Battery is good, and once started, the car runs and idles great. Dyscrasia fucked around with this message at 14:08 on Mar 17, 2010 |
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2010 14:01
|
|
|
Does anyone know much about the bowl-darkening problem with the E46 bi-xenon headlights? I have an '03 330i with xenons and even though the lights seem to still be great, I'd like to avoid ever having to deal with the $2000+ bill that comes with replacing the lamps. Is it caused by turning the lights on and off too much, or by simply using them a lot, or is it just luck of the draw/gremlins/the car's secret hatred of you? I do a lot of night driving so I'm wondering if there's something I can do to help dodge that bullet down the line, though I've already started to leave the xenons off and just use the combination of parking lights + daytime running lamps when I don't need road illumination but still need lights on to make my car visible, such as early mornings and rain.
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2010 14:22
|
|
|
an oddly awful oud posted:Does anyone know much about the bowl-darkening problem with the E46 bi-xenon headlights? I have an '03 330i with xenons and even though the lights seem to still be great, I'd like to avoid ever having to deal with the $2000+ bill that comes with replacing the lamps. Is it caused by turning the lights on and off too much, or by simply using them a lot, or is it just luck of the draw/gremlins/the car's secret hatred of you? I do a lot of night driving so I'm wondering if there's something I can do to help dodge that bullet down the line, though I've already started to leave the xenons off and just use the combination of parking lights + daytime running lamps when I don't need road illumination but still need lights on to make my car visible, such as early mornings and rain. I've never heard of this issue, but am curious as well since I have xenons as well on my 01 330i.
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2010 15:53
|
|
|
 Valve cover job was a success. Also the Bavauto coils appear to have completely eliminated my misfire. I've only driven it about 20 miles right now but so far so good. I do think I'm going to go ahead and replace the coil cover, I'm just not 100% happy with it. 
|
|
#
?
Mar 18, 2010 15:03
|
|
|
an oddly awful oud posted:Does anyone know much about the bowl-darkening problem with the E46 bi-xenon headlights? I have an '03 330i with xenons and even though the lights seem to still be great, I'd like to avoid ever having to deal with the $2000+ bill that comes with replacing the lamps. Is it caused by turning the lights on and off too much, or by simply using them a lot, or is it just luck of the draw/gremlins/the car's secret hatred of you? I do a lot of night driving so I'm wondering if there's something I can do to help dodge that bullet down the line, though I've already started to leave the xenons off and just use the combination of parking lights + daytime running lamps when I don't need road illumination but still need lights on to make my car visible, such as early mornings and rain. This problem is caused by the reflector element inside the housing. ONLY on the facelift sedans did this issue occur. It comes from the element being made of plastic instead of metal like every other housing. I think you can get the element in metal from an aftermarket company, but even then I think it's still pricey. After looking, the housings are made by ZKW, and a DIY for replacing it is here: ZKW DIY More info about the cause: Burned bowls BloodBag fucked around with this message at 17:55 on Mar 18, 2010 |
|
#
?
Mar 18, 2010 17:47
|
|
|
PurpleFender posted:This problem is caused by the reflector element inside the housing. ONLY on the facelift sedans did this issue occur. It comes from the element being made of plastic instead of metal like every other housing. I think you can get the element in metal from an aftermarket company, but even then I think it's still pricey. Oh good, so my pre-facelift should be safe. Good info, and thanks.
|
|
#
?
Mar 18, 2010 18:01
|
|
|
PurpleFender posted:This problem is caused by the reflector element inside the housing. ONLY on the facelift sedans did this issue occur. It comes from the element being made of plastic instead of metal like every other housing. I think you can get the element in metal from an aftermarket company, but even then I think it's still pricey. So it sounds like it's inevitable with enough headlight use, as I feared. Guess I'll have to hope my job hours change to something more diurnal. Thanks for the info.
|
|
#
?
Mar 18, 2010 21:26
|
|
|
Hello my BMW friends. I'm considering picking up a used Bimmer and need some advice. Two options on the table: 1. E46 330i ZHP in the best condition, lowest miles I can find for a reasonable price - or - 2. 2006ish Z4 3.0i, similar to above. Obviously opposite ends of the spectrum here. I've driven nothing but FWD VWs since I started driving and I'm ready for a change. I'm in my late 20s and newly single. Before we split we bought a VW Passat 3.6 together. Love the car, but now that kids aren't in the picture immediately, I want my fun, manual transmission car back. I can't decide if I want to go all out fun with the Z4 and screw practicality, or still have a ton of fun, but have the car be a bit future proof should my life needs change. Whatever I buy, I'd like to keep it for at least 4 years, which for me equates to about 70-80k miles. Perhaps you goons could fill me in about the two cars to help make my decision easier. I'm clearly going to pay a premium for the coveted ZHP, but I'll spend around the same on a Z4 with the same or fewer miles. Most of the ZHP's are getting into the 60-70K+ mile range, some much higher. I'm not really familiar with what big ticket stuff starts to go on these guys. I remember hearing something about the rear axel mounts on the E46's twisting themselves. Was that just on the M3s? How about the Z4? Similar questions.. Would probably be in the 50-60k miles range. What can I expect to go bad? Maybe a third option.. would I be satisfied with a vanilla 330i? I'm mechanically inclined for sure. Brake jobs, oil changes, electrical, more major stuff such as clutches, all under my belt in the past. I'd just rather work on my car because I want to, not because I have to. I think you guys get the idea, thanks in advance. EDIT: At the top of this page.. of course someone asking the same thing about the 330. Still interested in more info, though. SynMoo fucked around with this message at 23:35 on Mar 18, 2010 |
|
#
?
Mar 18, 2010 23:22
|
|
|
SynMoo posted:Stuff Snag that 330i ZHP up and don't look back. If you wait too long somebody else will buy it. The Z4 is nice, but I don't think you'll want to DD it for 4 years straight, I made it 2 years in my Z3 before going back to Coupes. Top down driving is great and all, but having a roof is just much less of a headache in the end. A vanilla 330i would be my second choice, because a weekend and $2000 later you can have a car that is better than the ZHP in every area that counts.
|
|
#
?
Mar 18, 2010 23:36
|
|
|
I'm in the same boat as Doctor Grape Ape. I think the novelty of the Z4 would wear off. The ZHP should be nearly just as fun, and more practical in the long run. But this is all just based entirely on my own opinion and what I like... If you can live with a little coupe for four years, go for it!
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2010 00:05
|
|
|
Hello fellow bmw enthusiasts, I've got a hopefully quick coolant question for the thread. I have a 05 330xi and last week I noticed that my coolant light was coming on and off depending on going uphill or downhill, so rather than immediately contacting the dealership where I usually get serviced (~30 miles away), I went to another closer one and bought some BMW coolant since I thought that I could do it myself. Unfortunately, this was the first I have done this myself, and despite reading the instructions I failed to realize that I needed to do a 50/50 coolant and distilled water, so yesterday I simply filled the reservoir with coolant until the bob came up, and went about my merry way. Yes, I'm an idiot  Now, I only drove ~60 miles last night after this refilling and obviously the light came back on my way back home. After looking at the coolant reservoir this morning it was obvious that there had been some form of boil over, since there was residue and the cap was loose. The engine temp never went above the halfway point during my trip, which I hope indicates that I haven't damaged my engine (or at least hopefully not too much). I've made an appointment for next Wed at the dealership, and I don't plan on driving it until then, but I wanted to get a sense from any informed bmwgoons if I've hosed my engine. Also, given that there was this boil over, should I try again to fill 50/50 before I visit the dealership, which again is a 30 mile drive to avoid a possible overheat on the way there? thanks in advance for any insight
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2010 00:22
|
|
|
If the temp gauge didn't go up, you're fine.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2010 00:27
|
|
|
I just managed to replace my E36 microfilter without pulling the glovebox OR snapping the filter segments, pretty proud of that one.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2010 03:27
|
|
|
Doctor Grape Ape posted:Snag that 330i ZHP up and don't look back. If you wait too long somebody else will buy it. Could you elaborate on where that $2k would go? It's a lot easier to find a low miles vanilla 330 than a ZHP.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2010 04:33
|
|
|
SynMoo posted:Could you elaborate on where that $2k would go? It's a lot easier to find a low miles vanilla 330 than a ZHP. Suspension & wheels and ECU tune. ZHPs have an alcantara wheel and seat bolsters that are expensive to replicate, but if that's not a dealbreaker, you can save yourself $5-6k.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2010 04:48
|
|
|
I contacted someone today about an e36 M3 Sedan. I'm going to go check it out and drive it on Saturday. I've driven it once before last summer, the guy is active in our racing (he has a caged Neon that he annihilates with at our big race events), and I've gotten to drive it at an autocross once, and also went for a ride at the big autocross before too. Freaking awesome car. So now I'm probably going to pick it up. Has the preventative maintenance already done, but I'll double check everything and redo some of them just for piece of mind. It's definitely a drivers car, and has been driven. but by someone that has taken care of it. maintenance records back to 1998 (it's a `97). I'm pretty stoked. I've done lots of research on them. Thermostat, water pump, serpentine belt, they've all been replaced already. But I'll redo them cause that was about 2 years ago. Has some mods, conforti intake/shark injector, x-brace, springs, camber plates, swaybars. A winter and summer (kosei k-1 with star specs) set of wheels. thing is basically set up to be an autocross monster. the guy daily drives it, so I know it's in solid working condition and takes care of his cars. so i feel more comfortable buying from him, than I would a car with lesser miles that was babied by some nancy-boy (or girl).
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2010 04:50
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 15, 2024 07:02 |
|
|
Minimaul posted:M3 Sedan Dude, if the cooling system was already addressed, don't worry about it for another 3-5 years. Sounds like you're buying a fabulous, turn-key car. Congratulations!
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2010 05:01
|
|