BMW E30 325i Touring

[billywhizzzzzz]

Ok, I've had this car a LONG time now. It's probably a bit much of a shed for this forum - but I'm fond of it!

It was my daily driver for a fair few years up to about 9 years ago. I then stuck it in a garage for about 5 years - I've always looked after it - obsessively waxoyled it (it's the only one I've seen with no rust). I then recommissioned it 5 years ago thinking i'd use it in the summer - new hoses, radiator, petrol tank etc - but only really did a few hundred miles a year... It's in really good condition, but somehow I'd always choose the newer touring for all the long journeys... Anyone who thinks it's easy to use a 24 year old car regularly in the muddy, mucky lanes of rural England clearly is made of sterner stuff than me - and I'd have though the old bus would die in about 6 months... Anyway, this year, i'm determined to drive it more, so have just sent it off to have another refresh.

It is still running the original M20 2.5 engine. It has already Bilsteins, Eibachs, 6 Branch manifold, custom SS system, and i'm getting the following done at the moment:

Rebush generally to sharpen up
Cam and inlet valve
Larger Air Flow Meter
Short shift kit

I'd welcome any other suggestions...

[url]
|http://thumbsnap.com/AvSkztGw[/url][url]
|http://thumbsnap.com/03pUuZwZ[/url]

[sprouting]

Well done on keeping it so long and in original looking condition. Looks spot on.

[billywhizzzzzz]

sprouting said:

Well done on keeping it so long and in original looking condition. Looks spot on.

Thanks! I'm not sure that e30 tourings respond well to the modded look (Alpina excepted)

[LanceRS]

Very nice, worked for a dealer when they were new and always liked them. Glad it still puts enough of a smile on your face to want to keep using it.

[0a]

What a lovely little BMW - great looks, straight 6, and rwd! Getting rare now.

[billywhizzzzzz]

0a said:

What a lovely little BMW - great looks, straight 6, and rwd! Getting rare now.

It is surprising how E30s have all but disappeared from the roads! They are absolutely in sub £500 shed territory at the moment... i suspect they will always be there - except for e30 M3s of course, Aloinas and 325i Sports. It is amazing how M3 prices have rocketed. I had an E30 M3 - sold it in great condition for about £8k about 13 years ago - same car now would be £20k ish

[0a]

billywhizzzzzz said:

It is surprising how E30s have all but disappeared from the roads! They are absolutely in sub £500 shed territory at the moment... i suspect they will always be there - except for e30 M3s of course, Aloinas and 325i Sports. It is amazing how M3 prices have rocketed. I had an E30 M3 - sold it in great condition for about £8k about 13 years ago - same car now would be £20k ish

I think honest 6 cylinder cars are on the up. In my view the 325 is a classic and brilliant combination, the lowish and declining number of estates mean honest examples are going up in value. Look at what has happened to e30 sports recently.

E30 m3 prices are mental, I have no interest in these cars at their current level unfortunately

[billywhizzzzzz]

0a said:

billywhizzzzzz said:

It is surprising how E30s have all but disappeared from the roads! They are absolutely in sub £500 shed territory at the moment... i suspect they will always be there - except for e30 M3s of course, Aloinas and 325i Sports. It is amazing how M3 prices have rocketed. I had an E30 M3 - sold it in great condition for about £8k about 13 years ago - same car now would be £20k ish

I think honest 6 cylinder cars are on the up. In my view the 325 is a classic and brilliant combination, the lowish and declining number of estates mean honest examples are going up in value. Look at what has happened to e30 sports recently.

E30 m3 prices are mental, I have no interest in these cars at their current level unfortunately

Me neither - I'd rather have a 325i, an M635 and an E28 M5 for the same £20k...

e30s are an absolute bargain at the moment - i'd probably get about £2k for mine, tops, which is why I've never sold it! I doubt they will ever be mega money though - by comparison, however nice they are, e21s are still rock bottom and e24 635s don't go for much...

Edited by billywhizzzzzz on Sunday 26th January 20:53

[sprouting]

If you don't already know about this forum http://www.e30zone.net/ There's more interest

in the E30 than you think.

[Leins]

Very nice OP, and I wouldn't underestimate the demand for a solid 325i in Touring form at all. I'd be looking at a cam-belt and water pump change if it hasn't been done for a few years as well, even if not too much mileage has been added since the last one

I agree with you on the daily driving too, as I tried it with a 1990 318iS for a while and just didn't feel comfortable with putting the car through it TBH. Much better for high days and holidays IMO

[B17NNS]

That is one handsome automobile

[aspirated]

Lovely! Although I'd stick a set of period MIMs on

[aspirated]

Lovely! Although I'd stick a set of period MIMs on

[FRA53R]

Nah M8 wat u kneed 2 due is stik a big fark aff wing onit an slammit for drift lyk.

Only joking, you have a magnificent example there just keep doing what your doing and we can be guaranteed that such a classic is kept for real petrolheads.

[fttm]

Fantastic old motors , miss mine almost everyday . Get some factory mudflaps to help with the "rural" part of ownership .

[Posk]

I'm a missus approval away from buying an e30 325i touring. Always loved this car. Anyhoo, found this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/classic-1988-BMW-325I-e3...


Thoughts?

[motorhole]

Leins said:

Very nice OP, and I wouldn't underestimate the demand for a solid 325i in Touring form at all. I'd be looking at a cam-belt and water pump change if it hasn't been done for a few years as well, even if not too much mileage has been added since the last one

I agree with you on the daily driving too, as I tried it with a 1990 318iS for a while and just didn't feel comfortable with putting the car through it TBH. Much better for high days and holidays IMO

+1 - I think there's in the region of 50,000 registered members, but the regulars are easily in the 100's. The wiki is an excellent technical handbook and is worth signing up got alone. www.e30tech.com is a good one too - more of a US member base, but lots of very useful information.

Definitely add an E46 'clubsport' steering rack to your shopping list - any E46 rack with a part number ending in '067 and with a purple part no. tag. Brings your arm twirling down significantly and has a nice weight to it - all the parts required to fit are available from members on the E30zone too In my opinion, this is perhaps the biggest single modification you can do to improve on the already excellent drive of an E30.

With regards to short-shift, a Z3 1.9 shift lever and a refresh of the plastic/rubber bushings and washers are all that is required.

Oops, almost forgot to say - lovely motor and congratulations on keeping it and caring for it!

[seismic22]

Really want your car!

Problem with threads like this is you make it even harder for me to buy one! Everyone who sees this is now going to want one, browse the classifieds and and subsequently I'll have more competition!

[Sf_Manta]

motorhole said:

Leins said:

Very nice OP, and I wouldn't underestimate the demand for a solid 325i in Touring form at all. I'd be looking at a cam-belt and water pump change if it hasn't been done for a few years as well, even if not too much mileage has been added since the last one

I agree with you on the daily driving too, as I tried it with a 1990 318iS for a while and just didn't feel comfortable with putting the car through it TBH. Much better for high days and holidays IMO

+1 - I think there's in the region of 50,000 registered members, but the regulars are easily in the 100's. The wiki is an excellent technical handbook and is worth signing up got alone. www.e30tech.com is a good one too - more of a US member base, but lots of very useful information.

Definitely add an E46 'clubsport' steering rack to your shopping list - any E46 rack with a part number ending in '067 and with a purple part no. tag. Brings your arm twirling down significantly and has a nice weight to it - all the parts required to fit are available from members on the E30zone too In my opinion, this is perhaps the biggest single modification you can do to improve on the already excellent drive of an E30.

With regards to short-shift, a Z3 1.9 shift lever and a refresh of the plastic/rubber bushings and washers are all that is required.

Oops, almost forgot to say - lovely motor and congratulations on keeping it and caring for it!

Definitely echo this having done it on mine.



Also consider getting a flywheel lightened to 6kg and a Speedtouch Wild Chip which will wake the lazy M20 engine.
With regards to the bushes, either go for Lemforder or Powerflex (poly) depending how stiff you're wanting. Go for the offset M3 spec front bushes on the front arms along with the steering rack to massively improve feedback on the steering.

Good to see another E30 Touring

[billywhizzzzzz]

Thanks for all nice comments! It's still being sorted - turns out that a poor quality head repair I had done 12 years ago had damaged the cam and exhaust valves - so I needed a new head casting, and it's now being completely rebuilt. The bottom end was fine - bore honings still visible - but the top end is being completely rebuilt. Really itching to get it back now and try it out with the new 272 cam, inlet valves etc. It already has a chip upgrade, and a custom 6 branch and stainless system. I'm having an 3.73 LSD fitted too, and a shifter from a Z3M (sorry may have said all that in my first post). Will report back when I get it back, but it the meantime, the roads are a little more suited to the 2003 2.7t (V6 twin turbo) Audi Allroad I picked up today for the other half. Here's a couple more old pics...