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Hi guys, I've always kind of lurked this thread but now I am actually looking at getting a car so...here goes. I've been looking around for a car to learn how to wrench on, and several people here on AI and in person have included e30's in their short lists. I've found this one that I'm going to look at next weekend. The stuff (s)he lists are pretty common problems, and I feel like I have some idea of what to look for as far as bushings/rust/etc. I guess I kind of want to know if you guys think I should go for it, or maybe look for a bit newer one for a bit more money. I plan on offering $500 and seeing what they come back with. I really don't want to spend more that $1500 all told if I look for a newer one. edit: the car is a 5-speed.
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Aug 2, 2009 03:40
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Thanks for the replies. I have actually been looking at San Antonio, Austin and even Dallas. I actually did get to look at the car today, and there was a lot of rust on it that I didn't see in the pictures. I'm no Sockington, so I took a pass on the car. As far as $1500, that's what I've got budgeted for the purchase price of the car. I have plenty squared away to fix what needs fixing, and another reliable (Toyota) daily driver so I shouldn't have to worry about garaging anything while I learn how to fix poo poo. All said, I'll probably narrow my search to one of the late 80's models with the inline 6, 5 speed and 2 doors.
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Aug 2, 2009 20:34
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I'm having a hell of a time replacing an HID headlight in my '04 330Ci. I've got the old parts out. I can get the bulb in and the retaining ring in, no problem there. The trouble I'm having is getting the igniter installed. When I line up the tabs with the slots its like I cannot get it pressed in enough to turn the igniter to lock it into place. I took everything apart and put it together out of the car and what I found is that the bulb seats very firmly inside the igniter. I'm guessing the problem is I can't press it in hard enough to get it to seat completely when its in the housing...there's not a lot of room to work with in there. Are there any tips or tricks to this? I can't believe I've fought this fucker for 30 minutes and can't get the drat thing installed.
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Mar 18, 2011 01:05
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AlternateAccount posted:also: dear god, is Mobil 1 really $9/qt?! I was at Wal-Mart the other day and I happened to walk by the oils aisle, and saw the same Mobil 1 0w40 for like $6.80/qt. They also had a couple other weights of Mobil 1, two of them were available in gallons. Check out Wal-Mart if you want to save a few bucks, I wish I had.
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Sep 5, 2011 21:46
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I've got a 2004 330Ci that I purchased in December '10. Its coming up on 75,000 miles and I am going to go ahead and do a complete cooling system refresh on it, as I have no idea if it's been done before and I'd rather be safe than sorry. I've found a DIY guide here that I'm going to go by unless someone has one that they'd recommend. I also found a DIY to remove the fan and shroud on bimmerforums (my car is an automatic) so I'll be using that advice for that part of the procedure as well as getting the tools needed for removal. The parts kit I'm probably going to get is this one unless someone has a better suggestion. Pelican Parts has a kit available but it costs more and does not come with the expansion tank, however it does come with the fan removal tools. Is there an advantage in going with the metal water pump over the composite? The one from the link above is OEM so I'm guessing it's the composite variety. I'm not afraid of replacing it again in ~60k miles so if the only advantage of the metal one is longer life than that's not my greatest concern. Also, what other maintenance should I do while I'm there? I plan on doing the belts as well, should I be looking at pulley/tensioner replacement as well? Thanks in advance for any advice.
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Sep 20, 2011 20:38
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My car wouldn't start during my lunch break and I had it towed back to the (boat) shop I work at after we tried using a start assist and jumping it using another vehicle. We checked the fuses that would apply and checked the battery with a meter. Fuses were good and the battery is holding the correct voltage and amperage. When the key is turned, you can hear one click coming from the engine, it doesn't try to turn over or anything. I'm thinking we need to check the wiring to the starter first off, but is there anything else common that I can check as well? Car is an '04 330Ci.
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Nov 28, 2011 23:10
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Crustashio posted:Unless you plan on running it into the ground/using it as a total beater I'd never buy a car with body damage. That asking price is absolutely hilarious too. I've seen 330s in good shape listed for that.
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Mar 17, 2012 00:56
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Since we're talking about DICE and stuff, can anyone recommend the easiest to install adapter that will work on an e46 with Nav and a 6-disc trunk mounted changer? I don't care if I lose the cd player.
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Apr 20, 2012 21:02
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Do you live in Austin, TX? http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/2967081056.html I do not know the poster of this ad nor have I ever seen this car in person. Just thought someone might like to look at the ad.
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Apr 21, 2012 18:06
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Noise Complaint posted:http://www.rubmw.ru/vincode/eng/ Is there any way to tell whether a car has the Sport/Premium/Cold packages by stuff that's on the car? I'm just interested in knowing what packages are on my car. edit: Here's what the site actually spits out code:GentlemanofLeisure fucked around with this message at 18:39 on Jun 20, 2012 |
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Jun 20, 2012 18:31
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Guinness posted:I also have a 2004 330Ci, and here's a few tips for identifying packages:
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Jun 20, 2012 21:56
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I have a problem with my car and I am having trouble trying to find any info using google. The car is a 2004 330Ci with Auto transmission. The car starts up and idles ok. When driving, it seems like it has trouble shifting, and when I get to around 1800-2200 RPM it kind of acts like its losing power instead of shifting to the next gear. If I depress the throttle as if I was going to accelerate to make a pass, the engine seems to bog down. If I just ease the throttle, it will go up and I had no problem driving it on the highway home. Also, I don't know if this is me just noticing it or if this is a problem, but the MPG needle seems to peg out at the 12 or under side a lot now. The car has about 80k miles. I've owned it for about a year and a half. I had the inspection 2 done at 75k and aside from oil, I have not had any service done. I do not have service history before I bought the car. Any help? Planning on calling a shop a couple blocks from me tomorrow to see what they say, but if you guys have any info that'd be neat.
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Jul 9, 2012 03:34
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juche mane posted:Do you get any CEL?
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Jul 9, 2012 04:23
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Nitr0 posted:Well it's pretty ingenuine to say that $50 is all you're paying when the difference is $3k in your purchase price of a CPO vs non CPO. As far as the problem I posted a few posts above, I had to run the car this morning. When I first turned it on I let it idle for a couple minutes. Not long after it started, there was a bit of a shudder that caused vibration in the car. After that, it seemed to idle like it always has. On the short drive, I noticed no problems but only got up to about 50mph and not over 2500-2800rpm. On my way home, when I started the car, there was another, shorter, shudder at idle and again had no problems on the drive. I'm doubtful this is a problem that's just going to go away, but if I can troubleshoot and fix it myself I'd much rather do that than take it to a shop.
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Jul 9, 2012 16:50
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Binge posted:I have an 04 325xi, and have the same issue it appears. I have been lead to believe its the VANOS seals. I called my dealership today about it, and they want to check it out before they'll tell me if it's covered under warranty. You mention warranty...do you have an extended warranty? Or is this something that anyone can call a dealership about and they might cover it more like a service bulletin or a recall? I guess I'll call the closest dealership tomorrow and see what they have to say. Crustachio: That is an awesome looking car, shame about the wheels but I agree that color suits it quite nicely.
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Jul 10, 2012 01:37
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Binge posted:I have an 04 325xi, and have the same issue it appears. I have been lead to believe its the VANOS seals. I called my dealership today about it, and they want to check it out before they'll tell me if it's covered under warranty.
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Jul 12, 2012 20:16
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Binge posted:No I have not yet. It's hard for me to leave it for a day, and I'm going to tackle the whole thing by myself. I'm going to buy the DrVanos unit, and replace it myself. If the garage does it, they're just going to fix the seals, and I want an entire new unit. I'm just waiting for it not to be 90 degrees everyday before I begin, which will probably bring me into early fall, since I also need to buy lots of tools as well.
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Jul 13, 2012 19:51
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fack you posted:Talk me out of buying an E38.
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Sep 10, 2012 05:51
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An rear end in a top hat has decided to run into and proceed to break the driver's door mirror on my e46 330Ci. The stud broke from the inside, so the mirror is loose and pulled away from the door on the front side. Additionally, there is a small vertical blemish on each side of the door/fender. All in all, for getting hit, it's not that bad. But they didn't leave a note or anything. I've been looking at Pelican and a couple other sites, and it looks like I can get a mirror for a couple hundred bucks. The other option would be to go with something aftermarket. Does anyone have any recommendations? Also how do you guys feel about putting M3 mirrors on...rice?
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Sep 10, 2012 22:30
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Bank posted:If you're up for rattle canning the mirror, try RockAuto. Not sure what year your 330Ci is, but I see a driver's side mirror on there (unpainted) for $126.79. It's power/heated but no memory. Dantu posted:Hey, since you have to replace a mirror anyways, why not look at M3 mirrors? revmoo posted:M3 mirrors ok, everything else not ok.
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Sep 11, 2012 00:29
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Looks like the one on the left has an exposed turn signal bulb in a reflective bowl type housing. The one on the right appears to be a housing with a lens covering a bulb. The one on the right is most likely a cheap(er) knock off or aftermarket part, like has been suggested. I don't know what the laws in your state are, but I'm sure the insurance company wouldn't be happy they paid $1200 for that.
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Oct 10, 2012 22:26
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Shadowhand00 posted:I picked up Hankook Ventus V12s for my car. I'll be honest - I couldn't tell you the difference between tires because I never had absolutely new Pilot Sports or anything else. That being said, they got a pretty decent review from C&D: When I first got the V12's, the car felt sloppy. It's kind of hard to describe, but the tires just felt like they weren't as sure-footed as the DSW's were. Over time, their feel has gotten a bit better (do tires need a break-in period?). I chose the V12's because they were inexpensive and they had some good reviews online. Whether I'd do it again...I am not entirely sure. If the tires have a bit more break in left and they get a bit better, I'd do it again. If they have finally reached their plateau, I wouldn't say I would be 100% pleased. I got them at roughly $105 per tire. I'd probably move up to something a bit nicer.
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Oct 22, 2012 23:04
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Crustashio posted:Tires need a breakin, but only a few hundred miles. And yes, the V12s are sloppy (mine are 225/50/16). They got good reviews online in terms of raw time comparisons but the feedback is pretty terrible. Autocrossed quite a bit and did one trackday on my e36 328is. After having star specs on my ZHP, and the pilot sports on the M3 I'd never buy V12s again.
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Oct 23, 2012 00:20
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Alright, question. I've got a buddy with an e46 and since I also have one, and I "read about cars all the time on the Internet" he thinks I know everything. He has had the yellow oil light coming on that means you're supposed to top up your oil for a while and he finally decided to ask me what it means. I asked him how long it had been coming on and he said "I don't know, a month or two?" Really what my question is, is should I simply tell him to add some oil? Or if he's been running slightly low for a while, should he do a full change and look for metal? I don't want to suggest something that could overlook a larger problem. I have another question about my car ('04 330Ci). The rubber trim around the rear side windows is horribly weathered and I am either having trouble finding it online or it's priced incredibly high. The one I find on Pelican is like a couple hundred bucks. I'm thinking I am looking at the chrome trim, not the rubber part. Any help looking up this part? I can provide a picture if necessary.
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Nov 27, 2012 20:17
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So I've been having an intermittent no-start problem with my '04 330Ci automatic. I got in it the other day and when I turned the key, the starter didn't engage, didn't click or anything. No noise or action from the engine. All my electronics and lights and everything worked. I thought it may be a weak battery so I got that tested and they told me it was ok. Took the battery home, put it back into the car, boom, started right up with no hesitation. Since then, it's been on and off for the past week and I've been driving our shop's truck so I don't get stranded anywhere. Last night and this morning it's started a handful of times with no failures. The ONLY thing that has changed is we had our first cold snap of the year here, temps got into the mid to high 20's at night then back into the 50's during the day. I don't know if that would have anything to do with this, I doubt it. Do you guys know of anything I could check? I've looked around online and the most common things people seem to say are check the battery, and that this seems to be a known problem with this particular car and no one knows why, but it will come and go away at random.
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Dec 14, 2012 15:09
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Thanks for your advice. I will pick up a new battery on my way home tonight and check/clean/grease the cables on both ends.
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Dec 14, 2012 21:35
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Keyser, Motronic, Lowclock, thanks for your advice. I put a new battery in the car and checked the cables, etc. and haven't had any issues since. Really appreciate the help!
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Dec 16, 2012 03:23
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My car decided to give me a present for New Year's. This is the '04 330Ci that I was having a starting issue with and putting a new battery in it seemed to sort it out a few weeks ago. Anyway, I got in to drive to my parents house this evening and the car started up fine. It wasn't until driving a few minutes and getting on the highway that I noticed the speedo not working, it was just sitting at zero. A minute or two after that, the radio went off (Nav unit). The radio then came back on, but a few lights on my cluster came on too: The Traction Control light, the BRAKE light, and the little cog with exclamation point next to the gearshift indicator. The other two went away after a minute, but the cog next to the gearshift indicator stayed. I've done some reading and it seems the transmission went into limp mode, and that matches with what the car was doing. It didn't downshift, pulling away from stoplight was very slow. Once I got to my parents house (maybe 10 minute drive total from mine to theirs), I parked it and then tried to start it. It seemed like the starter was trying to turn over but didn't go all the way. I waited a while then tried it again, and the cog light had gone away but it still isn't fully turning over. I guess I just wanted to post and see how hosed you guys think I am. Car's going to the dealership tomorrow. My extended warranty either expired at the beginning of December or I have one more year on it, I have to check on that in the morning too. 
GentlemanofLeisure fucked around with this message at 02:21 on Jan 2, 2013 |
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Jan 2, 2013 02:18
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Motronic posted:You need an alternator. Possibly a battery also. As an aside, I asked for a Bentley manual for my car for Christmas and ended up receiving a Haynes Manual. What are the differences, and is the Haynes worth a drat? I checked out the Alternator Replacement and it seems to be the same as what I've managed to scour up online. All the alternator DIY's online are bad though, maybe I'll try to document mine fairly well and post it up.
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Jan 2, 2013 04:41
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Motronic posted:- Warranty status first. If in warranty, go to dealer and say "fix it". If out of warranty, continue on to.... Thanks for taking time to reply to me.
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Jan 2, 2013 23:16
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GentlemanofLeisure posted:Turns out my warranty is good until 12/2016 or 100,000 miles whichever comes first so the car's going to the dealership. They also replaced the thermostat housing and thermostat and the oil filter housing gasket - both under my extended warranty. Next up: New brake pads! Anyone got any recommendation? I don't track the car or auto-x or anything, and I'd like something that makes a bit less dust than the factory pads.
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Jan 8, 2013 18:21
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Deceptor101 posted:My apartment officially says no working on cars. That didn't stop me from having valve covers, intake manifold and the whole fuel injection system laying around. I cleaned up when I was done every day and wasn't loud and mostly people just told me "good luck fixing it"
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Jan 11, 2013 17:24
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After work on Saturday afternoon, I got in my car and when I put it in Drive, there was a bit of an odd clunk and nothing happened. I tried it in Reverse, same thing. I turned it off and got out to investigate. This is what I found:  Someone had jacked the car up and removed the lug studs, then set it down and left it like that. You can see the spot in the second picture where they cleared out the gravel and put a jack there, like they even knew where to put it. No idea why they left it like they did. My car was the only one parked in that area as I was one of three people at work at the time. The area behind our shop is a pretty bad area, the cops/EMS/fire trucks are usually out several times a month. I'm just glad they didn't take the lug studs, I would have been hitching a ride to the dealership if that were the case. Travolta's line from Pulp Fiction has been going through my head. You just don't gently caress with someone's car, man.
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Jan 14, 2013 22:42
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Crustashio posted:That is so loving wierd, because they would have had to know how to do the stupid balancing trick with the wheel while letting the car down. It even looks like they used the proper factory jack point too. Aborted wheel theft? Does anyone have any experience with any wheel locks like this? I know real car thiefs can get around them, but it'll keep away most people.
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Jan 14, 2013 23:44
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While I was leaving work tonight an e46 drove by and went to the apartments at the end of the street. The car looks like it was used in a car chase in a movie...taped plastic covered windows, dents ALL OVER every panel, and the same loving wheels as my car. Wouldn't be surprised in the least if it was those guys who were trying to take my wheel and probably got stopped for whatever reason. I would hazard to guess their car probably has at least one bent wheel judging the condition of it. Looks like my car's staying in an empty shop bay for a while.BraveUlysses posted:Are you sure it's not one of your friends loving around with you?
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Jan 15, 2013 01:26
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revmoo posted:Those are only for test drives.  But yeah, if you can't wrench on the car at all, buy an old Japanese Import or something with similar reliability. The car will have stuff go wrong, and like has been said before, the parts are comparatively cheap but paying shop labor will kill you in the end. But, if you have a friend who knows how to work on cars and he is able to be persuaded to work on stuff for beer and stuff, that might tip the scale into the "yeah, get the car" side of the equation.
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Jan 16, 2013 23:31
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That's the same cupholder we sell at work for boats. They are neat and work well, but be careful because those little arms will break eventually.
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Feb 2, 2013 20:11
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Jealous Cow posted:Even with zero out of pocket you can lease a base E92 M3 for less than $750 a month. He should net around $1800 after taxes per month. Doable. Dumb, but doable. Also, car washers/porters make $15/hr??? Man, I've got to move from the marine service industry into the automotive.
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Feb 13, 2013 15:03
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For a clean, one owner car with maintenance records and hooooooo, that seems like a really good price. As an aside, why do you all seem to prefer the cloth seats? I've seen a lot of posts about M3's with cloth sport seats and really the only other seats I hear talked about are the Vaders. What gives? As the Big Tymers once said, "No itch, strictly leather."
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Feb 22, 2013 14:57
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Zlatan Imhobitch posted:Isn't nav standard in M cars for like the past 10 years? Google Maps on my iPhone has everything though.
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Feb 27, 2013 17:08
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