The pre-89 "old style" fogs looked a little like a hack (at least compared to the 89-91 style), but they were an option and many have them. With parts you take off the car, rarely is throwing them away the only option. There is a VERY healthy used E30 parts market (in the US at least) for a seller. These cars don't last long in junk yards if they make it there at all. People cannibby Earendil - Community Forum
Thanks for the info guys. The full story is that the ix for sale has two sets of wheels 15" basketweaves, good wheels, bald all season tires. 14" gold basketweaves, two bent wheels, almost brand new studded winter tires. It being winter and all, it seems a shame to waist the studded tires. However there would be a need for freeway driving, so shaky bent wheels are no good. If it weby Earendil - Technical Forum
There is lots of talk on the Internet about putting ix 15" wheels on a "regular" E30, but what about "regular" E30 14" bottlecaps on an ix? Parents may buy an ix with bent wheels, and I have a set of bottle caps I'm not using...by Earendil - Technical Forum
Quotealanrw Wow, never heard of that setup. What years was that on? Was it for 4 or 6 cylinder models? alan It shows up on my 89 6 cylinder. However it should be noted that because these cars do not require it, the majority of people don't know what it does, and some replacement plug sets don't even have it, that many cars that originally came with it no longer have it under the hoby Earendil - Technical Forum
Quoterkj QuoteArcheo-peteriX Quoterkj Hi Guys On one of the plug wires there is a smaller wire that leads off in to the timing cover and hooks to a snap block on the left side of the motor by (over) the alternator. There are two plugs on the plate together and I think that wire (from one of the plug wire) goes on the inner block but I'm not sure. Anybody know? and what does that wirby Earendil - Technical Forum
Quoterkj total 900 bucks .......... peace of mind, priceless My point is, not too long ago you could buy this hot water heater for a few hundred dollars and put it in yourself in an afternoon! Sometimes I think I can't live in today's world... Of course, $900 in 2009 is equivalent to about $440 in 1984. Go back 50 years and it's worth about $125!! Gotta love inflationby Earendil - Community Forum
Welcome to the crew! And good to see some more NW BMW owners around. I live about 4 hours south and to the east of you. My E30 makes the drive to Seattle a 1-3 times a month (silly females and their influences), and it hasn't failed yet! Don't be afraid to ask the silliest of questions. Most of us don't bite, and we've all had out shots!by Earendil - Community Forum
Dangit... It started happening again. *sigh*. Maybe this will have to go down in the log of permanent quirks of my car, alongside having to pull the key 1/8 an inch out of the ignition in order to turn it to the run positionby Earendil - Technical Forum
Electrical Cons: May take some time, and will feel like you are making no progressive until 2 seconds before you fix it. Electrical Pros: Cheap as shiet to fix. Can be done on a road side in the middle of nowhere I had an issue for a while where at random times my car would shut off while driving for no apparent reason. It would usually start immediately afterwards with no problem. This meanby Earendil - Technical Forum
Or may appear. My parents are looking at a 91 ix that is for sale in the area. Looks like a fixer upper, but that means they are getting a good deal on it. Don't know much yet, but I'll keep you guys updated Now to go find out the differences on the ix so I can make a proper inspection for them...by Earendil - Community Forum
Thanks for dusting off the tech forum link As soon as I wake up and don't find new snow on my car and the ground, I find a good spot for a jack and see what I can see. Until then, my baby is handling better than she ever has on the snow and ice!by Earendil - Technical Forum
QuoteBob in Everett Might want to check for loose bolts on all the suspension that you have worked on. Sounds like the suspension moves to one position under acceleration and then the opposite torque applied by the brakes moves it the opposite position. Just put a wrench on all the bolts and check the torque. Bob in Everett I'll do that. To clarify, there is no sound under acceleratby Earendil - Technical Forum
Seems to be coming from the back rear wheel. I can't make the sound by lifting the wheel off the ground and yanking on it. Could pads without a raddle brace make a clunking sound? It's not metallic sounding. Nothing like a worn drive shaft I sense absolutely no performance difference, vibration, or know that there is a problem except by what my ears hear. I recently replaced diff,by Earendil - Technical Forum
QuoteBob in Everett Wishing I had an ix myself. Had to put the studded snow tires on the suburban so we could get around in Everett. Drove it to work yesterday. Positraction is nice to have too. Almost like having a Caterpillar. Since I had my E-30 cabrio repaired and looking nice again, I am reluctant to put it in harms way even though I have some really nice snow tires on it and it gets arby Earendil - Community Forum
Well, I believe I am just about set on it. I'll be sure to add pictures if I do. Don't fear! My E30 will stay with me, but since it doesn't need to be used as a daily driver or a date night car, it's few remaining comforts and practical features may be ripped out. I'd like to have a fun little track car, and this seems like a good direction for my E30 to go in. Andby Earendil - Community Forum
"Overdrive" is next? Are you sure it isn't something like "clutch slip" ?by Earendil - Community Forum
QuoteArcheo-peteriX You really want a Toyota Corolla or a Honda Civic then. ...snip... If you want to drive to the wet coast; I'm going to sell my iX... Peter, just don't go into sales I might seriously consider your iX if you weren't so far away. Unfortunately I may spend half again the cost of the car just getting me there, and the car back. It would fit my criteria of aby Earendil - Community Forum
And if I want to control my cRs schedule, and not have the car control my schedule, which do I go for? As I said, I'm going for a car I don't have to think about, but that will get me from point A to point B. If I want control I'll hop in my no ABS no power steering no AC no real sound insulation road hugger. If I want to take the girl out in a suit, and be on time, I'd liby Earendil - Community Forum
QuoteMichiel 318iS My car isn't young, it's even older than Cab's, but I haven't had it as long as he has his. Bought it at 120.000 km, now has 140.000. Have done oil change on it and got to have a closer look to the metal bits. Expect a lot more covers! At least on my diesel engine, there's a large cover, hiding all you would like to see when you open up the hood. Tby Earendil - Community Forum
QuoteCab Treadway That's contradictory. You want good, safe handling in adverse conditions, yet say you could live with dead shocks and/or worn bushings. It doesn't generally work that way. Not usually, but it does when I confusingly mangle two ideas into one paragraph. The first bit was about dry roads and sunny days, and how I wouldn't have a desire to drive the E46 like Iby Earendil - Community Forum
QuoteDave_G QuoteEarendil I'll keep browsing craigslist and other places, try and get a feel for what the going price for E46 cars are, including the iX. I wouldn't mind having a heavier car, as long as my E30 loses some more weight and stays nimble A couple grand more and I could end up with a manual 325iX... A minor point but a significant one: don't confuse the E46 Xi with theby Earendil - Community Forum
Michiel, Cab, thank you both for the information! It sounds like the E46 was not a consumer dud or nightmare, that's good. a 325XiT... If I buy the 328i manual, I'll trade you ;-) I've always tried to keep the E30 in a state that I can safely throw it around. If I got a second car, a daily driver, I would hold no such requirements for it. So I could live with dead shocks forby Earendil - Community Forum
Now I'll add my own personal reasons for purchasing it. I love my E30. I want to keep it until the day I die, or until the day it goes into a barricade at the end of the straight away at PIR. I also love tinkering and learning about cars through my E30. I hate spending an entire weekend in the rain working on it because it has to be fixed by Monday. I hate working 4 hours on Friday nighby Earendil - Community Forum
Don't have much time here, but wanted to add addition info. 105K miles, would sell to me for 6K. He also adds this for flaws. Minor issues? 1. brake fluid needs flushing. forgot to do it while changing the brakes. 2. one of the bushings on the (right?) control arm might be needing some work soon. it hasn't been complaining, but the mechanic mentioned it. apparently i've beeby Earendil - Community Forum
I know a few members here have E46 bodies sitting near their E30. Michiel 318iS for example, and it seems there is another one but I can't remember who. Anyway, a friend may be trying to unload a 2000 328i. I'll reserve miles and price until a time when I know both, but I'm not so much looking for a buy/nobuy as much as some very general info on the E46. I may ask for buying aby Earendil - Community Forum
QuoteBob in Everett Only after setting a while, it takes about 4-5 seconds for the light to go out. My other E-30 that has a lot less miles on it gets pressure within about 1 or 2 seconds. I solve this little problem by making sure my car is always in a state that requires aproximayely 3 seconds to start. Light is always off by the time the first cylinder fires! I should use this littleby Earendil - Technical Forum
QuoteFerdinand The fact that you haven't noticed it slipping in 5th, but only on fast shifts, suggests the clutch isn't engaging smoothly. It seems to be binding somehow and the pressure plate is sometimes not applying full pressure to clamp the clutch plate against the flywheel. When you say it "suggests", do you think there is a better than 50% chance it's not just aby Earendil - Technical Forum
QuoteFerdinand That's odd. That is exactly what it feels like when the clutch slips, but from your description it sounds more like something is sticking in the clutch action causing it to slip only sometimes. If it were simply a worn out clutch disk, then you'd first notice it slipping when the engine is working hard in the highest (5th) gear. The clutch sees the highest strain inby Earendil - Technical Forum
QuoteBob in Everett After two days under my beloved cabrio, I have declared victory on the oil puddles. My oil pan gasket was leaking massive quantities of oil everywhere I parked. The old gasket was damaged when I put it on a couple years ago and it got worse lately so had to do something. Went for a drive today and took advantage of the sunny weather with a top down trip of almost 200 milesby Earendil - Technical Forum
QuoteMichiel 318iS I am not surprised. 250.000 miles is quite a lot and if at least one of the previous owners wasn't to good with manual transmissions, or had to make a lot of uphill starts, or has towed a lot of stuff, the clutch would have been replaced at least once. And at that mileage, just the style of driving can wear a clutch as well (quick launches, a lot of shifts under load, upby Earendil - Technical Forum