BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

roadburner · December 2008

Congrats on baby #1 as well as getting your E30 running! I probably won't be able to really tear into the '02 until early spring. I bought a MOMO steering wheel adapter so my Alpina wheel is being used again after 16 years of hanging on the garage wall, and I cleaned a few fuse contacts which restored my turn signals and high beams. Right now the plan is to get it ready to drive to the 2009 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, where BMW will be the featured marque. If everything works out we'll join a caravan of other '02s and have a blast.

My To-Do List includes:
1. R&R the heater blower motor and rennovate the heater box while I have it out
2. Replace passenger floor board- a friend will do the welding, I'll do everything else.
3. Replace headliner as well as the windshield/rear window gaskets- I'll definitely farm those jobs out!
4. Replace carpet
5. Fit dash cap over cracked dash(or-if I hit Powerball-get a recovered dash)
6. Recover front seats or replace with 320iS Recaros
7. Recover rear seat and parcel tray and fit new speakers out of sight
8. Replace interior door panels- cleaning and adjusting the window and lock mechanisms while I'm in there.
9. Replace the '80s vintage radio with a period correct Becker or Blaupunkt AM/FM stereo radio- with a hidden iPod input
10. Rebuild pedal box
11. Replace radiator with a more efficient unit and fit the "tropical" fan
12. (If I have any money left)Replace all the chrome upper body trim using stainless fasteners.

My fall-back position will be to take my 318ti, which is kind of a spiritual heir of the 2002, what with it's spunky(especially since I've fitted a TMS/Conforti chip) four cylinder and semi-trailing arm rear suspension.

miket5 · December 2008

I'm looking at 318ti's--'95-99. Heard about one having the odometer turned back. Anyone know if this is even possible or probable? I thought since the computer age odometers were digital and beyond manipulating.

roadburner · December 2008

I thought since the computer age odometers were digital and beyond manipulating.

It can be done. It's also possible that a cluster from a car with lower mileage was swapped in. A red dot in the mileage display indicates that the odo has been tampered with.

akv25 · December 2008

Guys:

Since last night, my oil temperature gauge has trouble getting to the normal operating temperature (center of the gauge) and moves slightly to the left at times. Is it the thermostat or could something else be happening too?

Thanks in advance!

roadburner · December 2008

Sounds like the thermostat to me.

nyccarguy · December 2008

Tomorrow my '01 Honda Prelude Type SH (105K+ miles) is getting the day off. We're expecting low 50 degree weather here in New York & I'm going to take my E30 325iA (82,700 miles) to work tomorrow. Hopefully I'll be able to cut out for a few minutes (one of many advantages to being the boss' son) to take it to have its new shoes (14s) put on. I'm really excited!

erickpl · December 2008

Okay, I've had and E46 and and E64. Now I'd like to go a bit more basic and find an older 3 series for my son. I'm not too interested in an E46, but perhaps an E30 or E36 sedan for him. I'd like to be able to do the majority of the work on it myself with him. We're not looking to spend too much as historically speaking, first cars don't fare so well with newer drivers.

What kind of price can I reasonably expect to pay for one ready to drive in decent shape?

Anybody got some leads on nice ones?

-Paul

roadburner · December 2008

I'd look for a 1991 318i/318is. E30 platform, terrific M42 four cylinder. Only downside may be the fact that an AT is not available. You should be able to find a nice one for under $5000. I almost nabbed a nice 318is for $2600 this fall, but it sold before I could check it out... :mad:

kyfdx · December 2008

The other downside is they only made that model for one year... Really hard to find a good one..

What about the 318ti (and, why didn't you think of it!

)?

roadburner · December 2008

The ti wouldn't be a bad choice either, I just like the E30.

nyccarguy · December 2008

So this morning my E30 fired right up. I passed my Prelude on the way out of the parking lot and almost felt guilty, like I was cheating on it.

I put some heat on and opened the manual sunroof. I got an early start to give myself some extra time. Mostly I was going along at about 60 - 65 mph. The car felt a little nervous to me. I dropped it off at my trusted mechanic (as opposed to the Dominicans who own the fix a flat shop down the street from my store) to have the new BF Goodrich tires mounted and balanced.

After work I got a ride to the mechanic, he told me the rims weren't in the best shape (I should look for new ones) but he was able to balance the tires very well. I thought the suspension was shot, but he told me everything was tight. The new tires completely transformed my car. I drove home and felt completely comfortable at speeds between 75 & 80. The car tracks straight as an arrow. It is hard to believe the car is 18 years old! It is remarkable.

I'm getting a few goodies for hanukkah for my BMW (everyone is happy as my usual answer is I don't need or want anything short of a new 911): New glove box lock & latch, new Roundels for the front and back, new Roundels for the bottlecap wheels, and I want to learn how to use a claybar.

I'm going to start driving it a few days a week now.

What did I miss about my Prelude? My slick shifting 5 speed manual transmission, my SIRIUS radio (I can't stand radio commercials & there is no substitute for HOWARD), and my Prelude's passing power.

nyccarguy · December 2008

so my mechanic says there is plenty of life left on the brake pads, but they still squeal before I come to a complete stop...any suggestions?

fedlawman · December 2008

Clay is easy. Here's what I use...

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+care/car+polishing/paint+cleaning+clay/p- aint+clay+%26+speed+shine+kit.do?search=basic&keyword=clay&sortby=newArrivals&pa- ge=1

There's even a video there to show you how.

My brakes squeal too. Personally, I like to think my Porterfields are talking to me - squealing with delight and egging me to brake a little later next time.

erickpl · December 2008

I HAD thought about it. But we're wanting a sedan for lower insurance vs a coupe or hatch. May do some digging though.

-Paul

roadburner · December 2008

When conditions permit, brake HARD from @ 60mph down to 20 mph four or five times. Allow the brakes to cool a bit-say one to two miles-between applications.

kyfdx · December 2008

In my experience, BMWs are pretty cheap to insure, overall...

I think if you get a 4-cylinder, none of those cars will be more expensive to insure than the other, regardless of configuration.

One example: Our convertible was only $72/yr more to insure than our sedan.. (of course, we aren't 16 yrs old).

fedlawman · December 2008

My M3 costs less to insure than our Volvo.

erickpl · December 2008

Okay, so find me some good examples of a 318ti or other 4cyl BMW.

'Tis a challenge!!!!!!

-Paul

roadburner · December 2008

Here's a 1998 318i

There are a bunch of good candidates on Auto Trader, many under $5K; an Acura dealer in IL has a Bright Red 1991 318is. I'd buy it but my wife has limited the Roaburner fleet to five cars and one motorcycle...

nyccarguy · December 2008

Our insurance went down when we sold my wife's 2000 Mazda Protege and replaced it with her '07 X3.

erickpl · December 2008

Saw some pics of the 318. VERY nice.

Anybody have any input on performance of these 4cyls? I have experience with BMW's I-6 and V8, but not their 4 cylinder. How is acceleration? Longevity? That 318 has about 138k on it, so I have a concern for reliability.

-Paul

roadburner · December 2008

Anybody have any input on performance of these 4cyls? I have experience with BMW's I-6 and V8, but not their 4 cylinder. How is acceleration? Longevity? That 318 has about 138k on it, so I have a concern for reliability.

The M42/M44 engines produce @140 bhp stock. They develop most of their usable power above 3500 rpm so you have to shift accordingly. An E30 318is will knock out a 0-60 in the mid-nine second range. The E36 sedan and coupe will need a bit less than that. A ti will hit 60 in the low eights. A Conforti chip can be fitted to the 1991-1995 cars and it cuts almost 1/2 second off those times. As for longevity, a well-maintained engine should make 200K with no problem. My ti has almost 115,000 miles and all the engine has needed is a new thermostat, although I did replace the timing chain tensioner as a precaution(an easy and cheap DIY).

nyccarguy · December 2008

This morning we had some snow on the ground, so I opted to take my Snow Tire Clad Prelude to work over my RWD, open differential, Soild rear Axle E30. When I was cleaning the cars off today, I noticed the wipers didn't wipe especially strong. With just a little ice on the windshield, the wipers got stuck half way (whereas my Prelude & wifey's X3 just wiped the ice off). Is there a fix for this besides a new wiper motor?

Tomorrow calls for clear skies, so I'm going to use the E30 tomorrow

roadburner · December 2008

With just a little ice on the windshield, the wipers got stuck half way (whereas my Prelude & wifey's X3 just wiped the ice off). Is there a fix for this besides a new wiper motor?

Could be just a loose bolt in the linkage. Have you bought the E30 Bentley manual yet? It's a tremendous help...

roadburner · December 2008

Investing in BMW

It's a clever ad, but most think it is a proposal from an ad agency that was never actually aired...

nyccarguy · December 2008

One of the first things I bought was the Bentley Manual. I just figured I'd pose the question here as I leave it in my car. I'll check it out over the weekend.

roadburner · December 2008

I checked the ETK and looking at this diagram it appears that perhaps nut #8 may be loose. If that's not it then it's likely the gearbox in the motor assembly is worn out. That's what happened to my Bavaria back in 1983...

takafoomi1 · December 2008

Guys, I have an opportunity to buy a rare 2004 330cic with less than 2,000 miles on it from a local dealership. Unfortunately, due to its age/production date, it cannot be CPO'd and it's factory warranty coverage is expired although it's nearly new. My dealership offered to sell me a bumper to bumper warranty for $3100.. I've looked on line for warranties.. one's for about $1600. I'm just wondering if anyone knows/can recommend the best place to buy a warranty from. I don't know/think I need every little thing covered, but powertrain, major electrical would be nice - oh and since its a convertible it would be great to have the mechanism for that covered as well.

Thanks!

kyfdx · December 2008

What's rare about it, other than the low miles?

Not knowing the price, I'd rather buy an '06 CPO convertible.. They are the exact same car, and even if it has 30K miles, you can get a BMW-backed warranty that will last you 3-3.5 years, depending on the in-service date..

regards,
kyfdx
visiting host

roadburner · December 2008

E46 drop tops aren't exactly a dime a dozen, but they are nowhere near rare...

takafoomi1 · December 2008

not rare per se I know they ae out there.. but the mileage is unique you are right kyfdx.. Price is motivating me, its $21k.. so it's inexpensive and has lower miles... which is why I'm researching warranties.. I am hesitant to buy it given the low mileage, I'm worried about gremlins that haven't surface yet.. but would have if the car had say 30k miles. .

cbp1 · January 2009

I received an iPod for Christmas and am wondering how or if it can be used in my 2001 330ci. I haven't found an auxiliary power supply to plug it into. Are there adapters and how do they work?
Thanks for any help you can provide.

hoodoomusic · January 2009

I'm planning on doing the same thing with my iPod. I bought one of the FM mods that work thru the FM stations, but the sound quality is not where it should be for my taste (too much static).

Try this link (you may have to copy & paste in your browser):

http://www.icarkits.com/product_info.php?products_id=96

It's suppose to plug in where a cd changer would go, yielding superior sound quality. I hope this helps!

backy · January 2009

When I bought a 2000 328Ci recently, the sales rep told me there was a way to connect an iPod to the audio system, and I could ask the service dept for help with that. Since I've sold the car, it's not something I would pursue but it might be worth a call to your local BMW dealer's service dept. to see what they say about it.

roadburner · January 2009

This is the route that I would take.

akv25 · January 2009

Guys:

Two questions:

1. Has anyone heard of Wahler thermostats? A local shop I called says that it is OEM but doesn't come with a logo - they buy it direct and save some money.

2. When the water pump fails, do the idiot lights come on and flash? I am getting to the 75K mark and since water pump failure is a common issue, I would like to be aware of any signs besides the temperature gauge (it is a reliable indicator but I doubt if my wife will notice this while driving if the engine overheats).

Thanks in advance..

Mr_Shiftright · January 2009

A temperature gauge is a bad early warning system unless you are paying very close attention to it. If a pump fails and the needle goes into the red zone and stays there a bit before you notice it, your engine may be severely damaged. Modern alloy engines do not have the "slack" for this level of punishment like old iron V8 truck engines from 30 years ago. Cylinder heads like to bend under severe overheats.

If you are really nervous and if wifey is really oblivious to temperature gauges (as are many people these days male or female) then you might just want to swap it out as a preventative measure. I know others will disagree with this strategy and I understand their objections ("if it ain't broke, don't etc etc")

Here's a quote from Edge Motorworks, a well-known SF Bay Area BMW shop:

"Water Pump Failure

Water pump failure is without a doubt the easiest way to cause extensive and expensive damage to your BMW. The main symptom will be a rapidly overheating motor. What occurs is that the bearing or impeller on the stock pump, breaks, completely disabling the cooling system. If you ever see the temperature gauge on your BMW climb above the 3/4 mark,

TURN THE CAR OFF IMMEDIATELY AND CALL A TOW

TRUCK!!

We can't stress this enough. Failure to catch the overheating motor in time can result in a warped head or even more severe engine damage. We recommend changing out the waterpump in six cylinder cars every 60-80k.

roadburner · January 2009

I'd just add that the E46-like virtually all BMWs since 1992-has a buffered temperature gauge, so it doesn't start to move off center until the motor is getting very hot. Once that gauge moves off center-never mind 3/4-switch off immediately.

Mr_Shiftright · January 2009

People think they have "slack" but they don't. Unless your traffic situation is utterly dangerous (left lane, Santa Monica Freeway), you have to shut that engine off at the first sign of unusual gauge movement. Some people have driven 5-6 miles while in the "red zone" thinking they can limp home but they regretted that decision in most cases.

akv25 · February 2009

Thanks for the responses gentlemen. Any benefit of the EMP pump over the OEM in terms of performance or reliability?

richardga73 · February 2009

Guys, I read an interesting article about the 2009 in particular and the E90 platform in general in "Bimmer" that said the E90 is "strangely anesthetized and almost souless" compared to the last platform which had "delicately nuanced feedback and crisp turn-in". I am thinking about buying the 2009 E90 335i or I might go back to the 2005 to get those qualities he was talking about. Any comments?

logic2 · February 2009

I just purchased a 1997 BMW 328 IC that is supposed to be a special limited edition. It has a M badge with blue and red stripes along the body side molding on the front fenders, It has some extra body kit parts and is painted a Alegian Blue Metallic. It also has a special leather interior. I am trying to find out more about this limited edition but my search on the internet has not come up with anything. Does anyone know about this limited edition and the added value to the car?

fedlawman · February 2009

Everyone's different. Only a test drive will tell.

Mr_Shiftright · February 2009

You can use this VIN decoder to tell you some things about your car.

http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi

ddkk10 · February 2009

wow. this is awesome! and here i thought the DICE ipod kit was the only option I had. I've been putting off buying it because I was a bit wary of having to install the kit myself. i'm glad i waited and found your post. Now I can get best buy to do it. and the fact that they are willing to route it through the center dash instead of the glove box is icing on the cake!

loebywon · February 2009

I purchased an immaculate 1998 328i(great car) 5 years ago. Have had "normal" repairs over the years(brakes, radiator, etc.) Over the last year or so, I have a recurring code of "overall efficiency of catalytic converter" happening. The car runs great and this happens while driving at sustained highway speeds. My question is are these available at a more reasonable price other than the $2300 I'm being quoted? I searched online and found one for $1200 but my trusted mechanic tells me that they have trouble with them. That($2000+$300 install) sounds crazy. I'd hate to spend that kind of money only to find that it's a sensor or something like that. Any comments? Thanks in advance!

pylt1 · February 2009

Just FYI, but many dealership service personnel are reporting massive problems with the rear light clusters as these cars age. There is a TEN year requirement to address safety-related design defects yet BMW has been sticking its customers with $800 bills to do THEIR service bulletin which fixes THEIR design defect!

Looks like there's news coming in a few weeks; just FYI from other sources (and "post update" means 3 Series sedans from '02 through the end of the '05 model year):

For many of you on the board with a long history of tail light problems, be sure to save your receipts.

You will be able to get your money back once a recall starts. Better is the fact that BMW might actually stop having us fix our own cars with parts from Radio Shack . . . . Geesh, have they no shame?

It's time to stop with the "homemade" fixes. This is a serious safety defect and BMW knows it. The post below is a cross post--read and heed:

Just a quick update on this problem. Among my circle of friends we have five post-update E46 sedans. Four of them have had tail light, turn signal, brake light failures all caused by BMW's screw up when they updated the tail lights: not enough grounding wire(s). See the BMW service bulletin SI B 63 03 06 on this at the link below:

http://www.bmwtis.com/tsb/bulletins/...p/B630306g.htm

Since the ne'er-do-wells at "Screw The Damn Customer" BMW HQ Customer Service (what an oxymoron) have never heard of Ralph Nader, we're giving 'em a little help. The nice folks over in Washington D.C. have these things called Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and EVERYONE selling cars here has to meet them for ten years after a car or truck is built. That means if our lights have design defects (they do), BMW is under potentially criminal liability to fix the things with a safety recall at NO cost.

BMW's service bulletins basically say, "Only fix the cars under warranty; screw everyone else for whatever you can get away with so you can buy a bigger boat." WRONG ANSWER BMW!

The ball is in motion on this; more later. For now, BE SURE TO SAVE ALL YOUR RECEIPTS IF YOU HAD YOUR STEALER RAPE YOU FOR $400 (per side) TO FIX BMW'S LIGHTING SCREW UP.

I expect to see something in a few weeks so hang in there.

jimbres · February 2009

Just FYI, but many dealership service personnel are reporting massive problems with the rear light clusters as these cars age.

Just FYI, but my E46 is almost 8 years old, & I've had no problems with my brake / tail / turn signal lights. Moreover, I've been hanging out at Edmunds since the fall of '98 - more than 10 years ago - & until now, I've heard nothing about "massive problems with the rear light clusters".

Am I unlucky? How do you explain that?

fedlawman · February 2009

I had the passenger side brake light go out on my 1988 M3 and went to my local BMW dealer parts desk to buy a replacement. The parts guy got a new bulb, then walked to my car with me and replaced it - for free. I get the same service with my 5 year-old, 80,000 mile Volvo.

BTW, Volvo's and VW's are well known for short bulb life too (probably poor grounding). Think about it - have you ever seen a VW that had both headlights working at the same time? :P

srs_49 · February 2009

Did you replace the rear O2 sensor - the one in back of the catalytic converter? Sometimes if they get "tired" they can cause the OBD system to think the cat is not working properly and throw the code you're referring to.

BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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