The $300 328is

**spyderg0d** · 08-13-2017, 08:31 PM

I picked this up from a customer. He had picked this up about 2 years ago from NJ for $3800. With 180k and 2nd owner. At that time it was all original and mint interior. Since then it had a cheap catback installed, a couple front bumpers, a fabricated battery compartment, a clutch and pressure plate, and for some reason a black rear seat that is now melted and destroyed. And an odd set of mismatched wheels.

And a ridiculously bad cheap rattle can paint job.

Right now as it stands the only thing keeping it from the road is a throw out bearing and the new slave cylinder installed. Maybe a new battery.

I spent the last 8 hours scrubbing the gunk out of the interior to get it almost back to mint and scrapping paint from the glass and window seals. Pics coming tm.

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**spyderg0d** · 08-13-2017, 08:32 PM

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**ZEKTI** · 08-13-2017, 08:46 PM

Nice score. Plans?

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**tmswell** · 08-14-2017, 01:36 AM

What're the next steps for referb?

**MisterM52** · 08-14-2017, 05:16 AM

Is it the same one that you said you bought 1.5 years ago? The same guy who sold it and then went to prison and what not? Lol. Good buy though if you can do your own paint. or least chuck the engine and drive train onto your 325i and that into this, lol.

**spyderg0d** · 08-14-2017, 09:01 AM

Na. The one your referring to was a 4 Dr in green. It turned out to be needing too much to be worth anything. I can't Chuck an obdl system into an obdll car and have it legal. I hate paint, but I find myself unwillingly good at it.

I plan on Dakar yellow. Throwing my set of HR drop springs on it I have stashed from before I think Il end up with an ac snitzer wing. Find some solid performance wheels. Il be sticking with the stock lights but maybe hid. This will be the non family family car. I get too much attention and trouble with the pandemic vert for it to be a summer dd. This 328is should be perfect for the wife to get to work or for me when the wife is off with the kids in the 03 325i and I don't feel like getting revved at every 10 seconds in the pandemic. I need a break from either race car or family car.lol.

**spyderg0d** · 08-14-2017, 09:10 AM

But the next step in refurbish is steaming the carpet, getting the original back seat from the po. By the time the paint comes around I should have a good set of dove seats. And then the interior should be done.
But today the children decided to stay home from the babysitter so I won't be getting under the car. Il be melting the front bumper back together to 1 piece and hammering out the front grille. I have a set of facelift grilles I've had for no reason for years to throw in. I will also be installing the HR drop springs today I think. If I end up with enough time. But who knows. Maybe Il end up pulling the carpet and it will take all day. Lol. Either way. That's all the current list.

**spyderg0d** · 08-14-2017, 10:15 PM

I didnt get very far. I managed to get the dents out of the front grille and fenders to a really good degree. Should need less than a thumb of bondo for the whole front end! Getting it all aligned took about 4 hours with the kids. I had to swap the pass headlight and i found missing light bulb and connector. The rad coolant temp sensor connector wire was broke. (Maybe why the po put in the electric fan?) but all in all after i melt the front bumper back together and get the trim it should look like a normal crappy car with horrible wheels. Ha

**Thatoneguy2787** · 08-14-2017, 11:01 PM

Nice score man. I recently picked up a 96 328i for $400.

**samy01** · 08-15-2017, 12:52 PM

you sometimes speak of customers, or things you repaired/modified on e36, do you work with e36 for a living and do you have your own shop?

**spyderg0d** · 08-15-2017, 04:48 PM

Classic BMW is a large part of my life. I have done a lot of modifications and repairs on a lot of vehicles. E36 is the most prevalent of BMW I run into or I enjoy to work on. That's all I want to say before the "screw this guy" train comes along to pick me to pieces for the sake of trolldom.

**XnWarden** · 08-16-2017, 02:51 PM

Too late. Spydey probably works at an auto store and solicits customers to work on their vehicles

**spyderg0d** · 08-16-2017, 03:45 PM

Figured out how to weld Pp today. Keep the puddle small. First mix the plastic whle it's held together. Then remelt and press the puddle with force until cool. Strength of the material only happens while close to room temp after solidification.

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**328iFun** · 08-16-2017, 05:21 PM

Id get a new bumper...

**spyderg0d** · 08-16-2017, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by 328iFun

Id get a new bumper...

No way! It's like $120 for one of these. Lol. Cost me about an hour to melt it together. Maybe $5 on bondo. Then the paint would still cost for a new one. Saved da da duh. $100 atleast.

But I just went through the box of hid lights that was in the trunk. i made out with 2 matching 100watt a 55watt and a 35 watt. All the other (5) inverter are bad. And the stock style light bulbs came in as a 35 watt low beam and a 100watt high beam.

**spyderg0d** · 08-16-2017, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by XnWarden

Too late. Spydey probably works at an auto store and solicits customers to work on their vehicles

I wish I was capable of the cashier job. I don't have to solicit for jobs. I don't look for jobs. Past customers refer there friends or whatever to me. Usually when a person shows up in a BMW it's hard for me to say I won't work on it or give them a deal. Usually they End up being a friends to some extent. Which is how I end up with ALOT of good deals on good used or new parts.

**328iFun** · 08-16-2017, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by spyderg0d

No way! It's like $120 for one of these. Lol. Cost me about an hour to melt it together. Maybe $5 on bondo. Then the paint would still cost for a new one. Saved da da duh. $100 atleast.

But I just went through the box of hid lights that was in the trunk. i made out with 2 matching 100watt a 55watt and a 35 watt. All the other (5) inverter are bad. And the stock style light bulbs came in as a 35 watt low beam and a 100watt high beam.

EBay has e36 non m for a good price

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**spyderg0d** · 08-16-2017, 07:07 PM

TBH. Never looked up non m bumpers pricing. But why spend and wait when I can just Fix what I have for next to nothing. It's not a big deal to me.

**328iFun** · 08-16-2017, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by spyderg0d

TBH. Never looked up non m bumpers pricing. But why spend and wait when I can just Fix what I have for next to nothing. It's not a big deal to me.

I'll give you a non m bumper. You pay for shipping

They are everywhere

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**jmo69** · 08-16-2017, 07:52 PM

A friend might have a comparable find. A former coworker's e39 (525i) had something in the cooling 'pop'. He has enough sense to shut it off immediately and have it towed. My friend just has to go get it and it's his, we're figuring <$400 to get it back on the road.

**samy01** · 08-17-2017, 07:18 AM

actually i really was just curious, didn't want to troll or something but okay

**spyderg0d** · 08-17-2017, 08:15 AM

Did not mean that you did. I just expect it from a group of member. Usually there's a sponge remark when anything out said about my personal life involved with BMW or cars in general.

**spyderg0d** · 08-19-2017, 01:49 PM

Today I found the courage to get deeper into the car. Managed to pull the transmission by hand in under an hour. I love it when bolts aren't over torqued or rusted and seized. Although I did put a clutch in this car over a year ago, I'm amazed at how clean the underside of the car is not only for 220 thousand but knowing the po drove it in winter regularly.

I found the top of the muffler box to be smashed. It's metal but looks like broken plastic. Which I found odd. And the exploded throw out bearing with slave rod in the bellhousing. IMG_20170819_115843.jpg IMG_20170819_132345.jpg

**spyderg0d** · 08-21-2017, 03:19 PM

While I wait for the throw out bearing, which isn't in till Friday, I welded up ye ole cheap cutback. I was surprised that it was quality metal used in the exhaust. I just hope that it's not still ridiculously droning like it was before. If it is I have a pair of oem resonators I can add later on after the existing ones. The ones on look more like glass packs, but I haven't the expertise in aftermarket resonators to know. IMG_20170821_150850.jpg

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The mismatched hid that came with the car. 2 100watt. 1 55 watt. And 1 35 watt. I don't know why hid when Walmart has up to 100 watt bulbs for the car I believe. What would 35watt hid have over a regular 35watt bulb? IMG_20170816_145647.jpg

**E36328Coupe** · 08-21-2017, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by spyderg0d

TBH. Never looked up non m bumpers pricing. But why spend and wait when I can just Fix what I have for next to nothing. It's not a big deal to me.

If you didn't turn down paying work to do this your time was free. People say there free time was money when it isn't worth anything in reality.

Also think how much you have to earn before tax to be left with the $120 after tax..........

A good economical fix