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Thread: New e30 owner

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    02 530i

    New e30 owner

    So I made what will probably end up being a huge mistake and picked up an 86 325es last week. I've been looking for a cheap project/weekend car for a while. Really wanted an e30 but running e30's and cheap are 2 things that don't go together very often. So I got this for cheap, $1k. its rough, real rough, paint issues, passenger side fender,door and rear quarter panel are dented, front valance, rear bumper, muffler and lower half of dash are all gone.

    But, it runs well, transmission shifts well, it has the LSD, all the windows and sunroof and lights work. Heck, even the cruise control works, when the speedometer is working... speedo goes in and out. Tach, odometer and fuel mileage gauge never works. Carfax shows the car had 169,4xx just before the kid that I bought it from bought it. Odo shows 169,700 now, but kid claims he almost never drive it because of the wreck, which shows up on the car fax just a few months after he bought it. So mileage is probably pretty close.

    No known maintenance, so I am currently replacing the cooling system, timing belt, fluids, and adjusting the valves. I'll post some pics when I get home from work later, but like I said it's rough.

  2. #2
    Pelican Parts's Avatar
    Pelican Parts is offline Senior Member Supporting Vendor
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    Congrats on the new ride! Take a look at the link below to our site's DIY tech articles on the E30 platform. There are some really helpful guides to issues that you're likely going to tackle. Please let us know if you have any questions or if we can assist with any part needs.

    https://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tec...h_main_e30.htm
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Anderson SC
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    My Cars
    2000 BMW 528i
    I have an 86 BMW 325e, have fun with it. I've already done mor W than I thought I would have to whem I bought it, not too much more so far though. I've found alot of dry rotted wiring in the engine bay, mainly grounds and a few brittle plugs that crumbled whwn I unplugged them. Mine is currently sitting in the garage with the new timing belt on it. I have the rear suspension done as well. I took my whole subframe out and painted it and all. The diff too. Check those bushings, I'm sure they are bad. Check all the bushings. I would flush the brake system as well. I'm about to have to do that, it had some nasty looking fluid in it.
    This site will give you all the info you need but you will have to search a little for it. There are some very knowledgeable people on here to help too.
    Good luck and have fun with it.

    Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    United States
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    02 530i
    This board is great, its been a lot of help when I first got my e39 (which was also probably a bad idea because it had a lot of issues, but nearly 6 years and 70k (239k+ now) miles later it is still going strong.

    Here are some pics of the e30. It's a hot mess, but like I said, it just something for me to have fun with, so I'm fine with it.

    IMG_20180415_113834.jpg
    IMG_20180415_161933.jpg
    IMG_20180415_161950.jpg
    IMG_20180415_162017.jpg
    2002 530i sport package, manual (daily driver)
    1986 325es 5 speed (toy, well garage ornament for now)
    2013 Ford Flex Ecoboost (wifes/roadtrip)

  5. #5
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    02 530i
    I should have paid more attention to the seats when I was haggling with the guy. They are actually much worse off then I realized. I thought I was going to be able to just re-cover them and be good, but nearly all the foam on the drivers seat is shot,a nd the passenger isn't much better. Rear seat foam is missing chunks too.

    I also was pretty happy that there was no major rust, except for the rear driver side floor pan, has a pretty bad spot, pinhole all the way through. I assume it got a leak at some point and water just pooled there for who knows how long. Passenger side looks nearly new, and I couldn't find any issues in the trunk or anything. But then when I jacked it up to start the work on it the other day I realized there is a bad rust spot right behind the front passenger wheel on the bottom of the car, in what I think is supposed to be the jack point. So that's not good.

    All in all, I know to get this car to any kind of decent driver state is going to cost more than if I just bought a decent driver. But I didn't have the extra money for a decent driver, and I do have time and wanted a project, so man have I got one.
    2002 530i sport package, manual (daily driver)
    1986 325es 5 speed (toy, well garage ornament for now)
    2013 Ford Flex Ecoboost (wifes/roadtrip)

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Grandview, MO
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    493
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    1989 Bmw325IC
    You can probably fix up the bad seat foam. Get some foam, old seat cushion, foam pad, etc. Cut chunk off to fill hole. Use spray glue to stick both together. Does not have to be exact, just make sure you have some sticking out. When you recover, the new seat upholstery will smooth all out.

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    1997 BMW Z3 2.8
    As long as you enjoy re-furbishing old cars, you'll pick up lots of new skills doing this one. Strictly from a financial perspective, however, keep in mind the oft quoted adage, "Always buy the best example of the car you want, that you can afford."

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    United States
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    02 530i
    I never thought of that. I will probably give it a try, unless I can find some cheap seats or foam parts.
    2002 530i sport package, manual (daily driver)
    1986 325es 5 speed (toy, well garage ornament for now)
    2013 Ford Flex Ecoboost (wifes/roadtrip)

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    United States
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    My Cars
    02 530i
    I enjoy working on cars that don't need to be driven to work the next day. I would say this is my first attempt at truly restoring an older car. I've done lots of wrenching, but this one is a bit beyond just needing some wrenching. The nice part is I know enough to keep it running, and I can use it as a learning ground for things I've never tried before, IE paint, body and upholstery type work. Its already all so bad, I don't really care if I totally mess it up. I might even finally buy a welder and try patching the rust in the rear floor myself, why the heck not.

    But yeah, if I wanted a nice car to take to cars and coffee and things like that, I should have spent a lot more.
    2002 530i sport package, manual (daily driver)
    1986 325es 5 speed (toy, well garage ornament for now)
    2013 Ford Flex Ecoboost (wifes/roadtrip)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Anderson SC
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    2000 BMW 528i
    Quote Originally Posted by shawmcbigdis View Post
    I enjoy working on cars that don't need to be driven to work the next day. I would say this is my first attempt at truly restoring an older car. I've done lots of wrenching, but this one is a bit beyond just needing some wrenching. The nice part is I know enough to keep it running, and I can use it as a learning ground for things I've never tried before, IE paint, body and upholstery type work. Its already all so bad, I don't really care if I totally mess it up. I might even finally buy a welder and try patching the rust in the rear floor myself, why the heck not.

    But yeah, if I wanted a nice car to take to cars and coffee and things like that, I should have spent a lot more.
    I'm with you there. I've done alot with cars in general. I wanted in e30 that I could put some love into. I knew I wanted a couple with a sunroof and it had to be mostly rust free with a decent interior but my budget for the start was low. I wanted to make it how I wanted it to be with new suspension and all new parts underneath. I'm slowly building and learning more and more aboht bmw in general. I have no regrets, it's just costly with the small things that you don't expect to break like my "elephant trunk" ( drain hose) crumbled when I went to clean it out because it was clogged but it's part of the process. I also have a bad alternator adjustment bracket, someone stripped it so I need a new one.
    Keep on wrenching and in the end, you know what you have and you will be to where you wouldn't hesitate to drive it across the country if need be.

    Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    corpus christi, texas
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    My Cars
    No e30s, again :(
    I try to buy the 150 dollar cars. I would rather buy it cheap and drive for a year or two than make car payments but i ride my bicycle alot so if my car breaks, its not a super killer deal. E30s are good cars though so it doesn't take much to get them going and keep them going
    No e30s again.

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