/bmw/ - BMW General

B a y e r i s c h e
M o t o r e n
W e r k e

>post your Scheisseschachtel
>post what you've fixed on it recently
>post what you've upgraded
>post how much you love the damned thing
>post anything BMW

Previous thread:

Other urls found in this thread:

vancouver.craigslist.ca/nvn/cto/5636313712.html
vancouver.craigslist.ca/van/cto/5635593844.html
e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Rust
e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Buying_an_E30
vancouver.craigslist.ca/rds/cto/5555319675.html
autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/bmw/5-series/used-bmw-5-series-2-9-530d-se-4dr-leeds-fpa-201606215136968
anchorage.craigslist.org/ctd/5645076824.html
twitter.com/SFWRedditVideos

>wanted an e30 to drive/work on
>dad buys me an new e92

t-thanks papa

Thinking about buying this E30. below are the details. Let me know what you guys think and what I should offer him

>1989 BMW 325i
>$5k obo
>260k miles
>no cracks in dash
>Exterior: 8.5/10 (according to the seller)
>Interior: 9.5/10 (according to the seller)

"325i in great condition, meticulously maintained - timing belt done in last 6-7k miles! Oil change (Lubrimoly OEM synthetic) and accessory belts last 1k. I have most of the records for work on the car, but I am missing some of the receipts for work I've done. Roughly 260k, still driving, still runs great."

1/?

"I would drive it to Seattle tomorrow. Drove it from SC to CT and back last month with no issues. I'm only selling to trade over to a e30 325ix AWD for when I move to upstate ny from columbia this coming fall. The work I've done to this will be the to do list for the next car - I really hate to see it go!

There is one accident - a lady hit me pulling in parallel parking (insert Seinfeld joke here) and broke a sidemarker - skuffs buffed out."

"Below is a list of things that have been replaced in the last five years(75-80k miles) off the top of my head, I am certainly missing a few items.

-Ground Control Camber Plates
-Bilstein Shocks
-H&R lowering springs
-Replaced tie rods, sway bars, sway bar links and all bushings
-Z-3 Shifter Conversion
-Replaced Guibo
-Replaced Shift Joint
-Added Keyless Entry
-Scorpion Exhaust
-Catalytic Converter Replaced 2yrs ago
-Replaced all exhaust gaskets (including header)
-Replaced o2 sensor
-Matching Kenmore Head Unit
-M Steering Wheel
-K&N cone air filter
-Rebuilt, larger injectors
-HID headlights - have parts for fog lights I just haven't gotten around to it
-Smoked Tail lights
-Updated side markers
-Roof Rack with Thule fairing and bike attachment
-$2k+ Rust Repair, Body Work and Paint 5 years ago - still pretty good except hairline crack on hood
-All trim refreshed when body was painted
-Leather Bra
-Rear Lic. Plate Filler
-New Emblems all around
-New gas cap
-New Cap/Rotor/Plugs in last 10k
-2 yrs ago - new ignition coil and plugs
-Battery &< months old
-Valve Adjustment
-Replaced valve cover gasket"

"-Passed smoke test
-Replaced odometer gears (no lapse in mileage covered)
-Replaced new wiper motor
-Replaced Anti-lock brake relay
-Replaced Wiper relay
-Replaced throttle position sensor - stomp test works in this car
-Replaced throttle body gasket
-Replaced Fuel Filter
-Replaced Fuel pump
-Replaced Temperature Sensor
-Replaced Thermostat
-Replaced Vacuum hoses with silicon hoses
-Replaced Coolant and Washer fluid level checkers
-Replace timing belt, water pumps and all relevant gaskets - VERY dry up front
-Replaced belts with OEM 1-series all weather mats in front and plush bavauto in back
-Added keyless entry
-Tires < 1 yr old ~50k left on warranty (always aligned, rotate and balanced)
-Replaced subframe bushings, engine mounts, transmission mounts
-Replaced sunroof gasket
-Replaced clutch cylinders
-Replaced clutch stop
-Replaced back speakers
-Replaced Antenna grommet"

"All the cons I can think of:
--Mechanical--
-AC broken (parts are ~300 to revamp the whole system, labor is expensive)
-Engine temp gauge is 1/8th of an inch off you can see it when you start it up
-Check engine light pops on at stoplights sometimes at stop light - goes away as soon as you hit the gas

--Exterior--
-Hairline crack in paint on hood
-Some chips on hood from before I installed leather bra
-Very few minor imperfections - small spot I resprayed on lower valance, not too noticeable

--Interior--
-Half inch tear on the drivers sun mirror not visible when the sun visor is up and minimally noticeable even when it is down
-Hairline crack in drives side pocket in door
-One of the lights is out in one of the window switches - I think I might have an extra laying around"

So what do we think guise?

At 260k miles with some missing receipts, 5k feels like a bit too much. Offer something like 4k but do not accept it for anything close to 5k.

Do you think initially offering 3800 is too low?

You don't want to aim too low, maybe something like $4200 would be about right. That check engine light problem could be something easy to fix or a real problem so you need to have some money aside for the possibilities.

Otherwise it seems pretty solid and at least he's given just about every detail possible.

ok cool, Ill probably offer him 4000 but wont pay more than 4500 for it.

What are you waiting on, and what are your next purchases, /bmw/?

I'm waiting on a B800 tool from ebay to finally reset the airbag light i triggered myself by accident when i didn't lock the passenger seat harness wires and lowered it.

Next gonna start slowly buying parts to refresh my cooling system as i'm coming up at 80k miles.

>metal water pump
>upper and lower hoses
>thermostat housing
>expansion tank hose

and some cosmetic things i'm looking at on ecs and bimmerforums.

>previous owner was stingy as fuck
>put a nasty ass chinese stubby antenna on the car
>broke antenna base while doing so

Gonna buy an entirely new antenna assembly, antenna and grommet for like 150 $.
the fucking antenna base itself costs 100 alone

Also gonna get an oddments box lid, not sure if i should shell out the 200 $ on ECS or just pay 50 bucks in material and mold one myself out of fibreglass from the one i have, which is exactly the same but a little longer.

bump. wish i had the money for an M Coupe

I'm waiting to sell my 3 cars to buy a proper decent BMW
looking at a E65 facelift 730d
or an e60 535d
the 535d would be pushing 300+ hp with a remap but i prefer the looks of the e65 facelift..

me too friend

I'd be happy with a normal Coupe, even.
but they're just as rare here.

...

...

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>want to be sensible and have a miata as my #2 car
>falling for Z3s really hard
fuck fuck fuck
mind you I'd only spend like 7k on a 99 or 00 2.8l

do it friendddd

once i sell my 220 replicas i'll start hunting a set of LM reps down, pic related.

and then also finally swap my transmission

Why don't you just buy real ones..

>implying i can afford to own a BMW AND get nice wheels

Get the Z3, the Miata is such an over discussed car on Veeky Forums.

>Blew probably close to $7000 on all this, still have E30 that makes stock power

wew

Got some offers for my 750 by some random dudes. Most notable ones were a Cadillac SLS, which I replied to that I don't need an econobox grocery getter. Other offer was a 1985 V6 camaro which I just laughed at.

...

What ever happened to the other lads doing twotone interior conversions?

Just spend 600 euros on my e46, basically replacing all the brakes, brakelines and some other small shit. Sucks that Im completely retarded when it comes to wrenching and have to pay somebody to do all the stuff.

hey guys, I'm a long time lurker on Veeky Forums and have been reading the stickies and internet forums on bimmers.

I'm kind of having a problem right now choosing whether i want to buy an E30 or a E36. I was on craigslist in my area and found a japanese import E30 320i for ~$2300 with a 145,000kms, automatic. The owner says the car is mechanically fine and is without any real problems outside of getting it out of first gear on a cold day, which isn't a problem if you let the car stall for a couple moments. So far aside from a couple dents and a little rust it doesn't seem like its a big deal.

I also found a green E36 325i for $2700, 217,000km. It comes with the M3 rims. As great as it is, I have my doubts on any craigslist poster who keeps using the word "RARE"

I'm having trouble choosing the cars. My first car was a toyota matrix i bought from a friend who moved away for school, so i kinda trusted him. I had it until it got totaled recently. So i'm hoping to switch and buy a bimmer, but I have no idea what to do on the used car department.

I heard E30s were built like thanks, and aesthetically i find them very pleasing, and their also supposedly really good on mileage.

Bu the E30 looks so new...and supposedly had work done.

Any advice?

>that one guy that keeps making "BMWs are shit" threads every day for a year now

I've owned both and the e36 was probably my favorite. I just love that 90's interior especially in alcantra. The e30 felt a little "too outdated" for my taste. Then again this is just a personal experience

what cars do you own right now?

should i worry about mileage?

What's the reliability like for both cars? I plan on using it as a daily driver in the city. How did you feel about the maintenance about both cars?

Is the e36 cheaper to maintain? I'm going to be up front and say I'm not much of a DIY guy.

Different user, owning a 323ti for 5 years now, it's currently on 450K euromiles.
>I'm not much of a DIY guy
Follow the owner's manual on everything that seems like not important and it will last you forever.

Most common issue for the E36 that could be considered major is head gasket leaks, which atleast in my country is a 150-200$ job at some garage and 400 if you want a certified german to have a look at it and ask if you've considered a Skoda. It's a dependable and rugged car. Might want to check for rust when you buy it though, the anti-corrosion protection of yesteryear is really some ancient technology.

what happened to you blacking out your window chrome trim

:^)

fucking do it god damn it

I live in canada, and I'm absolutely sure we don't have skodas. Part of the reason i want a bimmer is because I've always wanted one as a kid, and the fact that i now have the perfect excuse for a new car I would really like one.

I bought my first car just when i recieved my license, and my friend was leaving the country. I knew he had all his work done on his car, and it was also a rather new car (2007 model), so I never really needed to inspect it.

But with this being the first time purchasing a german car, and I have very little knowledge of how to inspect the engine and the body outside of the internet, I'm just rather skittish.

I've also heard horror stories about maintaining bmws because of all the electrical issues, and how expensive parts can be for the car in general. Since most of my friends own japanese or korean cars as daily drivers I really don't know who to consult.

Where are some typical spots I should be checking for rust? How do I identify for gasket leaks?

Also are E30s as reliable as people say? I've read that some people beat those cars for years without maintainance and they still work fine. Is that true? Do E36s or even E46s have the same kind of notoriety?

sorry for reposting.

The guy just messaged me and said the car lacked receipts and papers because he uses a mechanic who prefers him to be paid in cash.

Should I be worried?

"Brake Light Circuit" has been flashing on my E36's OBC. Any suggestions on how to fix this? I replaced the bulbs recently

I'm looking for a first car. It would be a daily driver to also hoon on the weekends.
I'm towrn between an
E30 325i Convertible
E36 325is coupe
E39 540i 6 Speed

The E39 would be more expensive, but also newer and more practical.

What do you think, Veeky Forums? I've driven my uncle's E30 325is coupe and it was really nice, but I'm not sure how the vert would compare to that.

It is not the bulbs, it is the switch behind the pedal that depresses when you brake. To fix it just push a little bit on it towards the pedal.

The CEL in my uncle's E30 comes on until you press the brakes. Is this why?

Maybe on the e30 but not as far as I know on the e36, just the OBC.

There is a sordid longing inside of me to go back to chrome kidneys, although I can't discount the vivacity the black ones give to the yellow lamps.

I've always considered the blacked out grills to be fuck ugly, which I still stand by.

92 e36

those wheels are horrible.
go back to 17's with less offset.

do you mean the orange CHECK light flashing on the middle of dash, or the actual red cel?

on my e30 the check flashes every time you start for brake lights until you tap brakes or hit the obc check button above the rear view mirror.

if it's the latter then it might be a wiring issue.

i'd say 540i because dat power
but it's unlikely you'll find one with a manual trans so the 325is could be nice as well

Post links.

Nice Rain it looks comfy.

I think it isn't black and white as that, it really depends on the model and the paint and other modifications. On an e36 it generally works better than others with the black trim all around and the only other chrome being the keyholes.

e65, e46 325i, e36 318i+lpg, mercedes w211 e270cdi
not selling the e65 yet though

Buying a car just like that one for 500 usd. Will post pics when do.

no you arent.

this is my 2000 e38 740iL.
will post what i did upon request.
i love it and hate it. i love how the car looks with only 5cm of ground clearance, but i hate how the long wheel base makes me feel likes theres no ground clearance whatsoever. scrapes everything and rear bumper always scrapes the floor if im going up a plaza entrance, or anything raised.
i love how comfortable this car is to drive even after a impractical amount of ride height drop.
fellow e38 owners, i would love to exchange info and share info!

Interior pics?

i usually hate on stanceshit cars but I fancy yours lad.

man, i love it

is it bagged or on coils?

specs on wheels?

and
>stances X car
>bitches about it scraping

you got what you asked for user

not much of a stancefag but that looks very nice, any more negative camber and it'd be disgusting vip garbage

vancouver.craigslist.ca/nvn/cto/5636313712.html

vancouver.craigslist.ca/van/cto/5635593844.html

Black is the only color of E36 that can pull of OEM chrome kidneys.

What BMW has the most BMW face?

My vote, E32 is the peak. Looks ultra BMW, very conservative, very clean. I wish the E34 and E36 had it.

I always liked the E34 more. It was also the last BMW to have the classic exposed headlights.

I like the corner markers on the E34 more, but I don't like the smaller kidneys or the painted bit around them.

>It was also the last BMW to have the classic exposed headlights.

Also the last BMW to have the shark nose undercut where the front of the car slopes back from the nose of the hood.

I wonder what an E36 would look like with an E34 or E32 front on it.

Thanks to the google machine we have an answer

They moved up to wide grills around 92 or 93 I think. I like the E34 for its overall smoother and modern shape, I always thought the rear of the E32 was a real eye sore.

I'm sure a little photoshop can help us find out what a E36 would look like with a classic front end. I did see one IRL once where he'd removed the plastic in front of the headlights so they were exposed but it was very VERY ugly.

and the answers just keep coming.

sorry no pics but it is black on black leather. next thing i want to do is m3 suede steering wheel.

thank you sir!
nowadays, i am indifferent with all the crazy/creative things they do. some work, some dont. i first fell in love with the "low" look is when i lived in san diego in middle school. went to my best friend's house for the first time and met his family. being the mexican he is, i wasnt surprised i met all of his relatives and they all lived in the same house? how the fuck does 13 people live in a 3 bedroom house? anyways, i digress.
his uncle had a monte carlo lowrider and it fascinated me on how good it looked and how a person even drives this thing.
it is sad to me that this new "stance fad" has given car enthusiasts sort of a bad name.
nonetheless, given how much of a headache this car is to drive in certain areas, i still will not raise the ride height to compromise the aesthetics i made the car to be.
every now and then, people assume this is my dad's car handed down to me and i took it to "stance the shit out of it".

im happy to hear that!
FK coils
cosmo racing camberplates
e39 m5 sway bar swap(thicker and stronger than e38)
powerflex sway bar bushing
sway bar endlinks from a PT Cruiser(much thicker and shorter for the amount of height drop)
rebuilt front suspension( was in bad shape when bought)
-ESM002R staggered 18x9.5R 18x8.5F
215/40/18REAR 235/40/18FRONT

most e38 owners get 19' and 20'. i got 18 with more tire meat for ride comfort.
yes i know i complain, but its only because i love the car and it aches my heart to know everytime it scrapes, a part of my car is missing );

Actually I think I like the small kidneys better, this pic made up my mind. Also totally agree with you on the back of the E32.

Yeah, the classic front end would have be done very carefully. The car has the basic lines for it though, same as the other E3x cars.

That actually looks pretty sharp! Perhaps the corners need to be reshaped though.

The e36 definitely looks to be in better condition. I like the e30's colour. What are your plans for the car? Just keep it as it is? Restore? Mod? I'm sure there are many more choices in your area.

What do you think about the center of the hood being wide and the kidneys being narrow?

BMW never did that on a factory car. This thing looks like ass with wide kidneys that match the hood though.

I'm considering buying a last gen (V10) M5/6. Is there anything I should watch out for when I am going to look? Are there any common issues with these cars that I should be aware of ahead of time?

imo its the e28

the e32 isnt as shark like

it's going to be a daily driver more or less, and I want an upgrade from a boring toyota.

I've always wanted an E30 as a kid, and in a weird way i feel like i'm looking for an excuse for one. I'm attracted to it for the mileage it has, the cheap insurance since it's such an old car, and its the car i've always loved as a kid. I also heard stories of how E30s were just built to be tanks and could take immense abuse with little maintenance. I also did some research and read that it's good on gas compared to the E36.

I want to beat the E30 to death, park it in the back and buy a new car. Then keep the E30 as an excuse to restore it for the future. However, I just got out of school and not made of money.

I'm attracted to the E36 because it seems to be in good condition for a good price, and i feel like i can just use it as a reliable daily driver. I'm just not as attached to it I guess, but it almost seems to be the most rational choice.

The owner of the e30 doesn't even have service records, as he apparently had a mechanic work on it for him for cash. The e36 however has all its service records, but have not provided me with his VIN yet.

I also worry about E36s because i heard of the engine overheating and it just breaking down in general. I've never owned a BMW so I'm just scared of buying a huge money trap.

It's one thing if it take a couple hundred bucks to a thousand a year to repair and change the oil or whatever. But i worry about dumping thousands of dollars repeatedly to keep them running in general.

I just want to make the better choice here I guess.

I like the E23 best of that era. I love the shark look on the whole though, don't get me wrong about that.

>e65
Damn, I so want one of those.

All this 7 series love makes me happy.
I should go take that shower and clean up my 7. Maybe then have some breakfast.

I have a manual 320 and it has ample power to move around but I wouldn't call it a missile. Also have a 323 and the difference is noticeable.
Are you an American?

This. The later E34/32 and even series 2 E30s just became that little bit more vanilla.

I used to have a boner for those till one came into work for an alignment. The rear (at least camber) cannot be adjusted without swapping out parts.

It had -3.5 degrees camber and the complaint was that it was eating through rear tires. It was over $1000 to change this (dealer price) but the guy said fuck it and decided to keep his rasekor alignment.

check the floor (drivers/passenger front side are most common) for rust, since from looking at a lot of e30 forums about buying old ones, those seem to be places they rust a lot. if it has sunroof then check the roof, since like most they leak and bring in water then rust. the cowl area/inside engine bay can be common too. near the battery tray and fuse box area are where it can happen. if it has got rust there then it can be bitch to replace that

look on this e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Rust to see what i mean.

the floor area/jack point rust spots are common, but if it hasn't spread too much (like up the firewall/on frame rails) it's not too bad to replace. basically floor and sunroof/roof areas are worst places for it

it says he's fixed previous rust before, but you should still check over and see.

if he won't atleast let you check under front carpet (which isn't hard to take off/get back on to be able to see those areas) then he might be trying to hide it.. if he is, after you check over the front cowl (infront of windscreen), inside engine bay, boot (this has carpet too, but i'm pretty sure the 'carpet' comes out easily), and under the car. if all that looks good and you think you want to buy it, say you will once you get a look under the carpet in the front areas. there's usually insulation but it shouldn't have any glued or anything. if it is, when i took out stock insulation it lifted off easily (it might be removed too if he's done any fixes to that area previously).

can also go over this e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Buying_an_E30
it's similar to buying any car though. but i'd go buy actually checking under carpet then 'damp' test like they say if the guy won't let you check. if he's worked on it before he probably would be able to get the carpet off/on pretty easily enough just to see under those areas. only under transmission tunnel/dash you have to remove things

Yeah thats what happens, the yellow light.

hey friends

since every other large brand general has its own poster with pictures of everone's cars, i've been thinking of a couple posters

one separating cars between series, another one specifically for cars prior to bmw turning into shit (e46 and below) by chassis code and the third one just for M cars.

Wondering about picture angles though, what do you guys think is best? since the honda fags did the side view specifically i wanted to try something a little more complicated as a metaphor for m-muh german overengineering

What's better, position 1 or position 2?

I'll post some templates for the posters later.

hey guys I found a e46 330xi for $3500 with 297,xxx kms on the odometer. The interior looks great, and it's not a rebuilt car.

According to the owner the battery, alternator and the front axels have been replaced recently. I just contacted him to see the car and asked if he could provide the VIN#.

What throws me off is the fact that the car ad has been around for 2 months now. The nly problems the owner has mentioned is that one of the keys battery died, the volume knob doesn't quite work and a small crack on the windscreen.

Anything I should check out for or worry about?

Here's the listing:

vancouver.craigslist.ca/rds/cto/5555319675.html


Thanks a lot guys.

It's an automatic, the reason it's still up is because anybody with any sense knows to stay away from a BMW auto with that much on the clock.
If you're specifically looking for an automatic because you're a puss, buy a different brand of car.

Should I buy this? The alloys look like replicas to me.

autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/bmw/5-series/used-bmw-5-series-2-9-530d-se-4dr-leeds-fpa-201606215136968

>black paint
>chrome trim/kidneys
MUH FUCKING DICK
This is hands down the most beautiful midsize sedan of all time.

>salty e36 318i MANUAL owner

i drive a manual E39 530i.

750's never came with manuals and 7 series in general are quite rare in manual.

Would you buy this?

1990 325i 33,522 miles Auto

anchorage.craigslist.org/ctd/5645076824.html

>low milage e30 in great condition
>but it's an automatic
piss
I guess it's not a bad deal.

How well does the rubber on these hold up?

She's low miles but still an old girl.

3500 thats really high mileage especially for the chassis

head on at eye level with the headlights
rike dish

Old BMW rubber holds up about as well as yer mum's cunt mate
Bonus is that as old as it is it's likely to have all completely disintegrated by now and been replaced
otherwise replacing all the vacuum lines isn't particularly hard

>e34 as def pic thread starter

arguably the best cars yes? Currently 162k mi on a i6 m50

Runs like a dream.

Thanks

>most beautiful
>most reliable
>most fun engine configurations (M30 and M50)
>modern but classic shape

Oh yes. It should honestly start every thread.

I see ABS sensors for E46 on Amazon for as low as $8.

Is that a good deal, should I go for something more expensive or should I buy it from a BMW dealership since it's a sensor.

Remember someone in this thread saying that you can buy aftermarket parts for everything unless if it has sensors.

Go to a dealership or buy from one of the big names like Siemens or Bosch.
Sensors are very particular, though a wheel speed sensor isn't going to be as vital as your mass airflow sensor, for example.

Yea, but my ABS light came on and stayed on.

While that isn't all bad, what is bad is that my ABS activated twice on normal roads conditions and I want to get it fixed before some bad happens, like activating in heavy traffic or not activating when I need them.

My shitbox had half a million on the clock, absolutely nothing wrong with the engine itself. Heard some horror stories that the M50 likes to develop a tick over time, but mine was golden.
Traded it for a motorcycle and now I kinda regret it. Would have made a great winter drifter and with those 2 15" subwoofers in the trunk, it would have been an excellent party mobile.

...