Compact 325ti

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Over the years I've been lucky enough to own some nice BMW's and enjoyed taking them on track, as well as on the shopping run. The past few years though, have been blighted by poor health and the M3 had to be sold. I realised a 911 shaped dream for a short while and recently I almost managed to get back into an E30. Unfortunately bereavement had other plans and the E30 fund went on funeral costs instead. Fortunately though, the desire to have something fun and RWD remained and last weekend saw me get the train up country to buy this...



I've owned a couple of Compact in the past but the 325ti version is far more fun than you might imagine. I think the clumsy looking shape has aged well and they actually look pretty good. Especially lowered slightly and on some better wheels. They feel pretty M3 like on the road, albeit with a third less power. They're still plenty quick enough to be fun though and they sound great.

Anyway, a week in and I've sorted the wheel / tyre combination and swapped the ditchseekers for Michelin. I still want to fit some spacers before I sort the geo but it drives way better than it did. I'm looking at alternatives for the driver seat at the moment, as I'm 6' 2'' and hate that I'm sat on rather than in, if that makes sense? Thankfully no sunroof and a black headlining, along with full black leather, mean it's quite a nice place to be sat.

Given how little this owes me, at well under £2K so far, I'm pretty happy. I have a few dash lights to sort next, one of which is the traction control light. Any ideas? Next job is to replace the back brake pads and discs. They came in the boot though, so a nice cheap fix.

Anyway, this is how it sits today...

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Mr Tidy said:

A great choice.
Hopefully your T/C problem will be something simple like a dodgy wheel speed sensor.

Well that was my first thought but I'm now thinking it might be down to the steering wheel not being straight? Previous owner said he never noticed! Am I right in thinking that the steering angle sensor will need calibrating? I don't have the BMW scanning tool but I'm sure that I read that going from lock to lock twice will reset the sensor. Has to be worth a go right?

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Thanks for the positive comments guys.

I have a cheap scanner but the only codes coming up relate to lean running caused by the small split I found in the MAF boot I imagine?
Despite the trifecta of dash lights there are no sensor codes flagging.
Weird?

Didge3 said:

Highly recommend doing this little mod too, the coolant gauge reads at the 12 o'clock position up to 115ºC which gives you very little notice in the event you do overheat (which isn't all that unlikely given the naff cooling system, I know this all too well from my own 325ti)

Its a super simple modification and makes your coolant temp gauge actually read what is going on
https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/diy-changing-t...

Thanks for this.

I was thinking about buying a cheap laptop purely for running diagnostic software. Any suggestions?

s m said:

Nice to see you back in a 325ti again Mark. Haven’t seen you out in it yet this week although I’ve seen the Mk2 MR2 a few times and parked by the old Meadery. Always come down in mine most years

I'm no longer in Aggie. Moved out into the sticks near Playing Place.

Stud kit and spacers arrived today so hopefully I'll find some time to fit over the weekend. Anyone know if it's possible to lower the stock sport seats? If not, I think I'm going to have to go aftermarket.

[Mark-insert old BMW]

pmorg4 said:

BMW standard tools is the most powerful yet very cheap but the learning curve is quite steep.

Probably a bit beyond my computer skill set then to be honest. I need an idiot guide type scanner.

ETA - After a bit of research I took a punt on an OBD Bluetooth adaptor and downloaded the Car Scanner App. It appears to allow access to all sensors and codes and at just a fiver I figured it was worth a punt. A few people over on Cutters use it with good reports.

I've also been looking at these...

https://racingdiffs.com/collections/lsd-conversion...

They're on offer at 231 Euros which is way cheaper than fitting an M3 rear axle and LSD. A couple pf people I know are running them and are very happy with the results.

Edited by Mark-insert old BMW on Saturday 30th September 16:37

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Cambs_Stuart said:

I really like these small BMWs. They look like good value fun! What are they like for rust?

Rear arches, front wings & jacking points seem to be the weak points but there are rust free examples out there. Mine was probably one of the cheapest 325ti but it's got very little in the way of corrosion. I've just bought a kit from Lanoguard and it looks way easier to apply that the likes of Waxoil which was bloody awful.

Personally I think Compact are great fun and a few well chosen mods make them a hoot on the back lanes.

[Mark-insert old BMW]

MightyBadger said:

Lovely car, I have been looking for a decent one of these to come up locally (also in Cornwall) but they seem few and far between. Ended up getting a 2000 reg 530i manual, would still love a 325ti though.

I wish this had been available when I got mine.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/386151315946?hash=item5...

Bit of a hike but well worth it.

[Mark-insert old BMW]

CoolHands said:

’m amazed how many of these bmw seem to have sold. And they all look battered! Esp that red one

Seems pretty honest though. I just think Imola looks great. Mind you, a Laguna Seca blue one would be better still, especially with an M3 front end.

If anyone is interested in the black car in Penryn, I'd be happy to take a look on your behalf and possibly help with transportation if you're out of county.

[Mark-insert old BMW]

s m said:

MightyBadger said:

Does anyone know if the 3ltr m54 would fit into the e36/e46ti?

Certainly fits in the E46 - there’s lots of converted ones around

Fun too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUxnq4Ygo2c

[Mark-insert old BMW]

This is the ultimate Compact for me.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Well according to the BBC we have a few decent days weather from tomorrow, so I'm hoping to get a few more jobs done on the Compact. I had been thinking of getting some coilovers but as I've already got near new Bilsteins fitted, I'm just going to try and source some springs that are an inch lower than those currently fitted. I've also just ordered some adjustable rear camber arms but I'm really tempted by one of these Racing Diffs conversions. Has anyone here fitted one of these? Maybe I should start a thread of their own? It just seems like a bit of a bargain if they work as their website and YT videos suggest.

Anyone here have any thoughts?

https://racingdiffs.com/products/bmw-e46-e90-e92-e...

Edited by Mark-insert old BMW on Monday 2nd October 17:19

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Some interesting info relating to gearing etc in this thread...

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Managed to do the back brakes today!

Am really tempted to change the driver seat for something I can mount a few inches lower. I like my OE seats but I hate feeling as if I'm sat ON the car as opposed to IN it and there's no way that I can see to lower the stock seats mounting unfortunately.

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Well I made the most of the good weather and took the Compact for a run along the Atlantic Highway up towards Bude today.



When I did the stud conversion I also added 20mm rear and 12mm front hubcentric spacers. It surprised me just what a difference it made to how the Compact feels. It certainly feels sharper on turn in. I like that the rims sit flush now also.





I'd like the ride height to be about 30mm lower but I need to find some decent springs that have a bit more drop than those that are available. I could go with coilovers but I can't afford any decent ones so better to stick with decent springs to complement the Bilstein already fitted.



I want to go get the tracking done tomorrow and had planned on fitting my MoMo steering wheel, although I may wait till after the next MOT in a few weeks. These are such great value for money and they sound lovely. I'm going back up to Barnstaple on Sunday and am really looking forward to it.

[Mark-insert old BMW]

LactoseJoe said:

I also went down that rabbit hole a while ago for my E90, turns out the racing diff conversions are junk and let go when put under moderate strain. The cheapest good option I found was a Chinese helical/torsen for around £500 on eBay. But also, a torsen wasn’t really what I wanted either, so it’s £1k+ on a clutch pack one for me.

Does an E46 M3 LSD fit in the 325ti casing?

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Did a quick oil change today and fitted a magnetic sump plug.

I've still got the traction control light showing and was going to remove and clean the wheel speed sensors, in the hope it might just be down to one or more of those. I don't fancy trying to replace the steering angle sensor myself. Does the DSC button not doing anything suggest it's at fault? I hate bloody electronics.

I had a wheel alignment done locally and it seems the near side track rod arm is seized so ordered new for both sides, including lower arms, drop links and lollipops. Wondering if M3 items might have been a decent upgrade?

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Went for a Sunday morning blast up the A39 to Bude for breakfast this morning. I've been doing odd jobs on it over this past week and also fitted a stainless gear knob and suede 330mm steering wheel. Apart from making it much easier for me to get in/out due to the extra leg room, they've made a considerable difference to how the Compact feels. I really didn't like the OE wheel the cabin just feels like a more special place to be. The faux carbon fibre trim has to go though. I've also managed to source a set of ox blood red Sport seats to replace my black ones. I've always liked red leather in silver cars.



When I got the Compact it came with a cracked screen. I will replace it eventually but meanwhile, thanks to a sunstrip, it has disappeared.



So today I did about 150 miles and the Compact was faultless. It can be a little thirsty when stretching its legs but it sounded lovely. In fact, both times I stopped for fuel people remarked how good it sounded. In fact it sounds much like my old 325 track car.

My old E30 325 at Brands Hatch. https://youtu.be/htPsqnYgTrs?si=hok0959rTZgcFyCA

So this week I need to fit new wheel speed sensors x4. I'm also on the hunt for some used coilovers.

Edited by Mark-insert old BMW on Sunday 15th October 18:03

[Mark-insert old BMW]

The Rotrex Kid said:

Looks great mark, it’s interesting how these have aged, I remember thinking they looked a bit naff but they actually look really good now. That black one in penryn has got me doing man maths!!

I really like them. Especially lowered a bit on some wider rims. The only negative are those Rover headlights but there are wings available now that will work with coupe bumper, slam panel etc.

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Ordered a few parts today. New wheel speed sensors, AC Schnitzer lowering springs, adjustable drop links, lower wishbones and track rod ends. I'm also considering M3 lollipops and strut top mounts but wanted to make sure that they'll fit? I read that you need to swap sides and rotate them one bolt hole but as I've never done it myself I figured it's best to check first. I was also wondering if I should fit a pair of rear camber arms? Mind you, having checked the weather forecast it might be a while till I'm able to fit them!

If anyone has any advice re basic steering / suspension upgrades using the BMW parts bin please chime in.

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Well the rain has stopped so I'm going to see if I can change the springs before it starts again.

Have been looking at rear spoilers for the E46 Compact but there's never been much available. I do like this from Lumma but with fitting and painting it'll be around £400!

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Didge3 said:

It does look good though....

It has this sort of vibe...

[Mark-insert old BMW]

A busy day but very happy with the results. The ride height is perfect and the ride is firm but compliant. The new sensors cured my dash light and ABS issues too!