BMW 330 Clubsport
Discussion
rich85uk said:
Reading this makes me miss my old 330ci, glad to hear you take it to DM Worx knowing Tim personally they are all passionate about cars
Sorry if i missed it but does your exhaust valve still work? mine was stuck open and after removing some sound deadening the exhaust was very boomy around 2k rpm
Seems to still work, has a nice low burble on tick over, not to loud even when making progress. Being a Clubsport it already has some of the sound deadening missing, it spends most of it's time on the M40 and it's perfectly reasonable.Sorry if i missed it but does your exhaust valve still work? mine was stuck open and after removing some sound deadening the exhaust was very boomy around 2k rpm
It is indeed Estoril Blue, the photos don't really do it justice. When it's clean and the sun is out, it looks amazing. They also came in Silver, Black and a dark blue that I cannot remember the name of, black being the rarest.
I'm not sure how many they made but it cannot be many, certainly not in relation to the mainstream model. There never seem to be more than about five for sale at any one time and it is very rare to seem another on the road (although someone working in a garage down the road did have one for a while which confused a number of people).
I'm not sure how many they made but it cannot be many, certainly not in relation to the mainstream model. There never seem to be more than about five for sale at any one time and it is very rare to seem another on the road (although someone working in a garage down the road did have one for a while which confused a number of people).
A small update, my nice teenager bought me what I had asked for as a Christmas present. So after some fiddling and swearing I have finally fitted the centre arm rest.
Not the greatest achievement in the world but a small improvement. A small matter of note for anyone else ordering one of these second hand, make sure that the seller sends the mounting bolts. They are longer than the originals and according to the man in Sytners parts dept, only come as part of the arm rest. Fortunately a friend happened to have some the right length.
Other than that it's been situation normal, with not much to report other than a nice trip to Goodwood for the Sunday Service.
Not the greatest achievement in the world but a small improvement. A small matter of note for anyone else ordering one of these second hand, make sure that the seller sends the mounting bolts. They are longer than the originals and according to the man in Sytners parts dept, only come as part of the arm rest. Fortunately a friend happened to have some the right length.
Other than that it's been situation normal, with not much to report other than a nice trip to Goodwood for the Sunday Service.
A little bit to report.
A nice new pair of Pilot sport 4s for the front has made it much nicer to drive.
It's also just had a the driver's airbag recall done. Unfortunately this happened when it was cleaned.
On a positive note, I did not have the conversation that I expected to have. In fact it wasn't much of a conversation at all "I'm very sorry sir, we'll get it in and repainted ".
So for the last few days I have been using this courtesy car.
Excellent customer service, especially for my old car that they must know is unlikely to ever go in for something that I have to pay for.
Driving around in a new car, nice as it is, reminds me how much I like the simplicity of the old E46. Fortunately I pick it up on Monday, I will miss the Bluetooth phone thing though.
A nice new pair of Pilot sport 4s for the front has made it much nicer to drive.
It's also just had a the driver's airbag recall done. Unfortunately this happened when it was cleaned.
On a positive note, I did not have the conversation that I expected to have. In fact it wasn't much of a conversation at all "I'm very sorry sir, we'll get it in and repainted ".
So for the last few days I have been using this courtesy car.
Excellent customer service, especially for my old car that they must know is unlikely to ever go in for something that I have to pay for.
Driving around in a new car, nice as it is, reminds me how much I like the simplicity of the old E46. Fortunately I pick it up on Monday, I will miss the Bluetooth phone thing though.
Well, I got the car back all painted from BMW. Then today, got back to it after work and found
It doesn't show too well it the picture. Someone has managed to catch the corner of the bumper and front wheel.
The corner of the bumper is split and out of shape, it's broken the tab for the indicator and popped the fog light surround out. Amazingly it's also knocked the tracking out too!
They unsurprisingly left no note. Some nice person did with the number plate of the car in question but none of their details.
Not one of my better days.
It doesn't show too well it the picture. Someone has managed to catch the corner of the bumper and front wheel.
The corner of the bumper is split and out of shape, it's broken the tab for the indicator and popped the fog light surround out. Amazingly it's also knocked the tracking out too!
They unsurprisingly left no note. Some nice person did with the number plate of the car in question but none of their details.
Not one of my better days.
And my recent luck continues.
My attempts at Google would suggest that I am the only person in the world that this has happened to. It's very odd, there is no rust, it looks like the spot welds have failed and this has then caused stress tears. I only discovered it when I closed the boot and got in he car. I started it up and saw the unmistakable red image on the dash telling me that the boot was still open.
As is the way of these things, it took me about 10 minutes standing in the pouring rain, getting later and later for work to find the problem.
My attempts at Google would suggest that I am the only person in the world that this has happened to. It's very odd, there is no rust, it looks like the spot welds have failed and this has then caused stress tears. I only discovered it when I closed the boot and got in he car. I started it up and saw the unmistakable red image on the dash telling me that the boot was still open.
As is the way of these things, it took me about 10 minutes standing in the pouring rain, getting later and later for work to find the problem.
Ouch. It's always other people that you have to watch for.
I wouldn't have thought that the spoiler weighs enough to make much difference to be honest. It's quite a flimsy thing really.
On a positive note, the passenger door central locking decided to start working again. I wonder how long for this time?
I wouldn't have thought that the spoiler weighs enough to make much difference to be honest. It's quite a flimsy thing really.
On a positive note, the passenger door central locking decided to start working again. I wonder how long for this time?
Well it’s been a while but I finally have something to report. My luck with this car continues. 
Long story short, heavy traffic, merging in turn, momentarily distracted by sound of sirens but unable to see any lights, car in front emergency stops for the police car which appeared towards us on our side of the road. I brake hard, Audi’s brakes are better. Bugger.
To quote a phrase, ‘i’m Bloody annoyed ‘. The insurance company have sent it to a BMW approved body shop, who have quoted over £6k!!!
The Audi involved has a dented bumper.
Even more cross because I had just treated myself to this, which is amazing and made it feel like a new car.
Now begins the arguing with the insurance company about what they think it’s worth
Fortunately I have a very compassionate and supportive wife, who has at no point told me how it’s all my own fault or complained about the prospect of having to fund repairs or a replacement.
This car had really gotten under my skin, far more than I expected it to. Having just looked on Autotrader, there is only one listed for sale.
I am not looking forward to the immediate future.
Long story short, heavy traffic, merging in turn, momentarily distracted by sound of sirens but unable to see any lights, car in front emergency stops for the police car which appeared towards us on our side of the road. I brake hard, Audi’s brakes are better. Bugger.
To quote a phrase, ‘i’m Bloody annoyed ‘. The insurance company have sent it to a BMW approved body shop, who have quoted over £6k!!!
The Audi involved has a dented bumper.
Even more cross because I had just treated myself to this, which is amazing and made it feel like a new car.
Now begins the arguing with the insurance company about what they think it’s worth
Fortunately I have a very compassionate and supportive wife, who has at no point told me how it’s all my own fault or complained about the prospect of having to fund repairs or a replacement.
This car had really gotten under my skin, far more than I expected it to. Having just looked on Autotrader, there is only one listed for sale.
I am not looking forward to the immediate future.
Thanks everyone. The current plan is to get it back and repair. The radiator had started to bow in the way that they do so would have needed doing eventually anyway. The aircon rad is a bit more annoying but not the end of the world.
As noted, the bumper appears to need little more than repainting and a very small hole filling. If I’m honest, I wanted to get it sprayed because the stone chips anyway.
Thanks for recommending Nick, I shall look into it. The body shop quote was using all brand new BMW parts and I’m sure replacing things that would be reusable, if slightly scuffed.
Regarding replacing the car with a normal 330, a couple of things. I know that when all is said and done the car is basically an old 3 series with some bits and paint, but it’s a bit unusual and I like that. Before I bought it I spent months searching, looking at 330s generally and many miles were covered. I must have looked at 25+ cars, all were in worse condition than this one. I don’t think that I can bring myself to do it all over again.
A couple of friends have suggested going for something completely different, but honestly cannot think of anything more suited to my needs and wants for a sensible budget (if my numbers come up in the meantime, the maybe).
I have been lucky enough to have never had to buy a car just because I needed transport and as such, I have always had cars I wanted and I keep them a long time (the previous one last 9 years and the ‘hibernating’ Cosworth, I’ve had for 20), without wanting to sound ridiculously sentimental, I don’t feel that my time with it is done yet, I’m still enjoying it.
As noted, the bumper appears to need little more than repainting and a very small hole filling. If I’m honest, I wanted to get it sprayed because the stone chips anyway.
Thanks for recommending Nick, I shall look into it. The body shop quote was using all brand new BMW parts and I’m sure replacing things that would be reusable, if slightly scuffed.
Regarding replacing the car with a normal 330, a couple of things. I know that when all is said and done the car is basically an old 3 series with some bits and paint, but it’s a bit unusual and I like that. Before I bought it I spent months searching, looking at 330s generally and many miles were covered. I must have looked at 25+ cars, all were in worse condition than this one. I don’t think that I can bring myself to do it all over again.
A couple of friends have suggested going for something completely different, but honestly cannot think of anything more suited to my needs and wants for a sensible budget (if my numbers come up in the meantime, the maybe).
I have been lucky enough to have never had to buy a car just because I needed transport and as such, I have always had cars I wanted and I keep them a long time (the previous one last 9 years and the ‘hibernating’ Cosworth, I’ve had for 20), without wanting to sound ridiculously sentimental, I don’t feel that my time with it is done yet, I’m still enjoying it.
Thanks, unfortunately the insurance engineer doesn’t seem to agree.
I’ve just had the first of the phone calls I was expecting although not quite as I expected. He has valued it a £2k, I told him that he’s miles off. I looked on Autotrader a few weeks ago and similar cars with similar mileage were anywhere between £3500 and £4500. He said they go on book prices but he’ll see what he can do.
I then asked about getting it back so that I can sort it out, he said no.
What followed was a slightly surreal conversation where he tried to explain to me that because in their eyes the repair costs exceeded the value, nobody could put it back on the road in a satisfactory condition.
We agreed that the car was not dangerous and that there was no structural damage but he stood his ground.
To be fair to him, he was polite and at least listened to what I had to say, even enquiring as to the differences between the Clubsport and the standard car.
I explained that it’s almost irreplaceable like for like.
He said that he will go and research it and get back to me, which although I am not optimistic it will make any difference, at least is better than the last time where I got a simple ‘ it’s worth this much in our book, not interested in what you think it’s worth’.
I am at the moment finding very difficult you find a sensible answer when my son keeps asking ‘ why do you have to pay for insurance ‘?
I’ve just had the first of the phone calls I was expecting although not quite as I expected. He has valued it a £2k, I told him that he’s miles off. I looked on Autotrader a few weeks ago and similar cars with similar mileage were anywhere between £3500 and £4500. He said they go on book prices but he’ll see what he can do.
I then asked about getting it back so that I can sort it out, he said no.
What followed was a slightly surreal conversation where he tried to explain to me that because in their eyes the repair costs exceeded the value, nobody could put it back on the road in a satisfactory condition.
We agreed that the car was not dangerous and that there was no structural damage but he stood his ground.
To be fair to him, he was polite and at least listened to what I had to say, even enquiring as to the differences between the Clubsport and the standard car.
I explained that it’s almost irreplaceable like for like.
He said that he will go and research it and get back to me, which although I am not optimistic it will make any difference, at least is better than the last time where I got a simple ‘ it’s worth this much in our book, not interested in what you think it’s worth’.
I am at the moment finding very difficult you find a sensible answer when my son keeps asking ‘ why do you have to pay for insurance ‘?
I will fight to get the car back. I don’t understand his reluctance with this nor how he can realistically stop me. It’s my car, I own it. If had not been taken of my drive for them to see it, it would still be outside my house with nothing to stop me cracking on with repairs. Had there not been another car involved I may well have done that anyway.
I am expecting a call from him tomorrow so we’ll see how that goes.
I am expecting a call from him tomorrow so we’ll see how that goes.
Thanks everyone.
I tried chasing up the insurance company this morning. They had not heard from the engineer a didn’t know what I was talking about!
They made some calls and he called me back.
Basically the same conversation was had again. He did say that he doesn’t see why the guide book should be so far away value wise but at the moment his top offer is still £2000.
We then moved back to the subject of my getting the car back so that I could get on with repairing it.
There is a well worn phrase here involving brick walls and foreheads that springs to mind
I thought that possibly he was confused and thought that I was expecting the insurance company the full BMW approved bill so I explained that this was not the case.
He kept repeating that due to their assessed value of the repair cost against their idea of the car’s value, I would remain a Cat B and be a spares car only. I responded appropriately.
The call was ended with him telling me that my many comments would be passed on to the insurance company.
Strangely, when I visited the bodyshop to retrieve something from the boot the other day, the first thing they asked was “are you taking the car back to repair it”? In a tone of voice which suggested that was exactly what they expected me to do.
Anyway in summation, I’m no further forward than a week ago.
Fortunately I have very understanding family and friends, I am currently custodian of my mother’s Ford Puma and one of my best friends has offered me the used of one of his fleet once it’s up and running
I tried chasing up the insurance company this morning. They had not heard from the engineer a didn’t know what I was talking about!
They made some calls and he called me back.
Basically the same conversation was had again. He did say that he doesn’t see why the guide book should be so far away value wise but at the moment his top offer is still £2000.
We then moved back to the subject of my getting the car back so that I could get on with repairing it.
There is a well worn phrase here involving brick walls and foreheads that springs to mind
I thought that possibly he was confused and thought that I was expecting the insurance company the full BMW approved bill so I explained that this was not the case.
He kept repeating that due to their assessed value of the repair cost against their idea of the car’s value, I would remain a Cat B and be a spares car only. I responded appropriately.
The call was ended with him telling me that my many comments would be passed on to the insurance company.
Strangely, when I visited the bodyshop to retrieve something from the boot the other day, the first thing they asked was “are you taking the car back to repair it”? In a tone of voice which suggested that was exactly what they expected me to do.
Anyway in summation, I’m no further forward than a week ago.
Fortunately I have very understanding family and friends, I am currently custodian of my mother’s Ford Puma and one of my best friends has offered me the used of one of his fleet once it’s up and running
The insurers will only go by their book prices and having spoken to the Insurance Ombudsman that’s all they are obliged to do, wrong as that is.
My e36 was written off by another driver a couple of years ago and I went through all this then. They refused to pay out more than £1250 despite my sending them the adds for all similar cars showing a value of approximately £3000.
They argued that cars don’t sell for what they are advertised for and as such the adds were irrelevant!
At the moment I am giving serious consideration to just retrieving the car and telling them to shove their value.
I could probably fix the car for about the same as the shortfall anyway. In any event I will be left seriously out of pocket.
I did try to get some sort of agreed value policy, but couldn’t find one that covered an every day driver doing 15k a year. They don’t seen to accept that once the value has bottomed out, it won’t drop any further, continuing to use whatever formula it is to calculate depreciation.
My e36 was written off by another driver a couple of years ago and I went through all this then. They refused to pay out more than £1250 despite my sending them the adds for all similar cars showing a value of approximately £3000.
They argued that cars don’t sell for what they are advertised for and as such the adds were irrelevant!
At the moment I am giving serious consideration to just retrieving the car and telling them to shove their value.
I could probably fix the car for about the same as the shortfall anyway. In any event I will be left seriously out of pocket.
I did try to get some sort of agreed value policy, but couldn’t find one that covered an every day driver doing 15k a year. They don’t seen to accept that once the value has bottomed out, it won’t drop any further, continuing to use whatever formula it is to calculate depreciation.
A quick update.
I had a call from nice lady from RSA. She said that the original offer was too low and having looked into it and believes that the car is worth £3250, which is far more reasonable.
They will also let me keep the car for £500 but says it would be a cat S write off because of the structural damage! I enquirer what the structural damage was as it had not been mentioned before. All she could tell me was that a second engineer had looked at photos and classed it so.
Late yesterday afternoon I paid a visit to a bodyshop owned by the father of someone at work, of whom I have heard good things. He told me that he would be able to sort it all out as a ‘contract repair’ and if he does it shouldn’t be listed as a write off.
So that’s the latest plan. I shall ring the insurance company on Monday and fingers crossed it all gets sorted.
I had a call from nice lady from RSA. She said that the original offer was too low and having looked into it and believes that the car is worth £3250, which is far more reasonable.
They will also let me keep the car for £500 but says it would be a cat S write off because of the structural damage! I enquirer what the structural damage was as it had not been mentioned before. All she could tell me was that a second engineer had looked at photos and classed it so.
Late yesterday afternoon I paid a visit to a bodyshop owned by the father of someone at work, of whom I have heard good things. He told me that he would be able to sort it all out as a ‘contract repair’ and if he does it shouldn’t be listed as a write off.
So that’s the latest plan. I shall ring the insurance company on Monday and fingers crossed it all gets sorted.
And the fight continues.
Today I have had a couple of very odd conversations with the insurance, at one point being told that it is industry practice now to make sure that older cars are written off for the purposes of just reducing their numbers on the road!
I was denied a copy of their engineers report and then had a fruitless argument as to whether the bolted in front panel constituted a structural part of the car.
Having only had 5 hours sleep as I’m working nights at the moment, I suggested that I would continue the conversation with the helpful lady when she was back in rather than frustrate myself further.
I spoke to the bodyshop who are going to try as well.
Having checked the Code of Practice for the Categorisation of Motor Vehicle Salvage from September 2017 as helpfully suggested, it states that bolt on parts are not structural (which we all knew anyway).
Why can’t life ever be simple?
Today I have had a couple of very odd conversations with the insurance, at one point being told that it is industry practice now to make sure that older cars are written off for the purposes of just reducing their numbers on the road!
I was denied a copy of their engineers report and then had a fruitless argument as to whether the bolted in front panel constituted a structural part of the car.
Having only had 5 hours sleep as I’m working nights at the moment, I suggested that I would continue the conversation with the helpful lady when she was back in rather than frustrate myself further.
I spoke to the bodyshop who are going to try as well.
Having checked the Code of Practice for the Categorisation of Motor Vehicle Salvage from September 2017 as helpfully suggested, it states that bolt on parts are not structural (which we all knew anyway).
Why can’t life ever be simple?
Popped up to have another look under the bonnet this afternoon. It looked less bad than i remembered. Everything is still in situ, but I could see no damage to the rail, inner wings or anything that wasn’t detachable.
I ended up speaking to a member of staff while there who said that he couldn’t understand what the problem was. In his opinion the damage wasn’t that bad. He then uttered the sentence, “ it’s almost as if someone there wants it themselves”.
This was a thought that occurred to me but I ignored it assuming that I was being paranoid and reading too much into things.
Anyway, I’ve got a couple of days off now so more work to be done.
I ended up speaking to a member of staff while there who said that he couldn’t understand what the problem was. In his opinion the damage wasn’t that bad. He then uttered the sentence, “ it’s almost as if someone there wants it themselves”.
This was a thought that occurred to me but I ignored it assuming that I was being paranoid and reading too much into things.
Anyway, I’ve got a couple of days off now so more work to be done.
For anyone still here, we have progress.
Having left this in the hands of my friendly bodyshop, the insurance have changed it to a Cat N, meaning that it has no structural damage.
They are paying out £2286, the car is being taken to the bodyshop tomorrow and hopefully soon I’ll have it back all repaired and life can move on.
Having left this in the hands of my friendly bodyshop, the insurance have changed it to a Cat N, meaning that it has no structural damage.
They are paying out £2286, the car is being taken to the bodyshop tomorrow and hopefully soon I’ll have it back all repaired and life can move on.
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