Bork factor 9. Possibly. 330ci content

[Matt97]

Fair play mate looks good I agree about those grills though, the old st served you well didn't it! One of the best 6 cylinder engines they've made in my opinion. Atleast the arches have already been done so no worries there. ABS/DSC light could be a pick up ring/speed sensor or one of the pressure sensors on the DSC unit which you can get separately. Was thinking of getting one myself until the insurance was twice the price of the car so ended up getting a girl's car . Has it had the airbag recalls done? Also remember if you ever wanted any genuine parts let me know, I should be able to get a good discount for you

I got this E39 for my parents last year, 530i sport manual with 103k. Has a good spec for its age as well.



Will have to try and meet up at some point soon?

P.s. did he give you the trainer's as part of the sale

Edited by Matt97 on Sunday 21st January 17:06

[AdamIndy]

Matt97 said:

Fair play mate looks good I agree about those grills though, the old st served you well didn't it! One of the best 6 cylinder engines they've made in my opinion. Atleast the arches have already been done so no worries there. ABS/DSC light could be a pick up ring/speed sensor or one of the pressure sensors on the DSC unit which you can get separately. Was thinking of getting one myself until the insurance was twice the price of the car so ended up getting a girl's car . Has it had the airbag recalls done? Also remember if you ever wanted any genuine parts let me know, I should be able to get a good discount for you

I got this E39 for my parents last year, 530i sport manual with 103k. Has a good spec for its age as well.



Will have to try and meet up at some point soon?

P.s. did he give you the trainer's as part of the sale

Edited by Matt97 on Sunday 21st January 17:06

Yeah that car has been fantastic. I will seriously miss it!

Thanks for the info, I forgot you worked for BMW! I will get it plugged in this week and see what it says, I'll get on clean up the sensors too just to rule that out. I'm sure it won't be anything massive so I'm not overly worried about it.

Yeah all the recalls have been done on it. The stack of paperwork and receipts for this car is impressive!lol cheers for that buddy, I may very well be in touch!

What car did you get mate? Somebody got a bloody good car with your fez!

The E39 looks awesome! Fine taste sir! They are built like tanks too!

nope he didn't give me the trainers, I'll find some on ebay! Yeah will have to meet up this year, we'll have to get to race meeting or something!

[Matt97]

AdamIndy said:

Yeah that car has been fantastic. I will seriously miss it!

Thanks for the info, I forgot you worked for BMW! I will get it plugged in this week and see what it says, I'll get on clean up the sensors too just to rule that out. I'm sure it won't be anything massive so I'm not overly worried about it.

Yeah all the recalls have been done on it. The stack of paperwork and receipts for this car is impressive!lol cheers for that buddy, I may very well be in touch!

What car did you get mate? Somebody got a bloody good car with your fez!

The E39 looks awesome! Fine taste sir! They are built like tanks too!

nope he didn't give me the trainers, I'll find some on ebay! Yeah will have to meet up this year, we'll have to get to race meeting or something!

No worries. I'm sure you're going to enjoy the car, a lot of car for the money! I ended up getting an R56 Cooper S, everyone hates them but they're actually a nice car to drive even if they throw up expensive bills! Sad to see the fiesta go but wanted a change especially as I'm driving to LeMans this year! The e39 was a great buy, especially when I got it for a rediculous price as well!

Shame about the trainer's then . Still enjoying the biker life as well?

[to3m]

AdamIndy said:

to3m said:

Is it black or is it green?

It is sapphire black I think. I'm not too clued up with the names of the colours.

When I was looking for another BMW 3 series to replace my 330d, I saw one that was Monaco Blue, a rather attractive blue that's nearly black-looking at times: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244

There's also Ruby Black, along the same lines, but (guess what) red: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=13... - didn't see any like that, I don't think, though. Maybe it's only an option on the better models.

So I wondered if this was some kind of a green equivalent. But maybe it's just my monitor

(Funnily enough I never used to think about car colours. But after buying a silver car, I realised after a while that I hated that stupid colour. That got me paying a bit more attention to this stuff...)

[wjb]

Very nice op.

In the real world, you don't need a car that goes quicker than a 330ci, plenty of power for the road imo.

They still look great too.

[bungz]

Lovely.

[Mr.Jimbo]

Nice, my Dad had a new 330Ci Auto back in the day, was an awesome car but I remember the gearbox being a bit slushy.

Know exactly what you mean about miles though, my E46 M3 is on 126k and is still just awesome, cruises like a champ too. I live in Southern Germany now and keep the car in the UK over winter, no qualms about the drive whenever I have to do it.

[Triumph Man]

I'm sure I heard somewhere that one potential cause of the ABS and TCS lights being on is the steering angle sensor. Where you've had an alignment done and the steering wheel is on the cock when going straight, this apparently confuses the steering angle sensor (as it's wondering why the wheel is at an angle and the car is going straight on) and it pings those warning lights (certainly the TCS one).

I'm sure somebody will correct me if I'm wrong!

[AdamIndy]

Sorry about the lack of any update, been a busy boy.

Long post alert!

I did find the time to do an excavation though and see what goodies had been stashed/left in the car.

The toolkit unsurprisingly isn't complete. Doesn't bother me in the slightest but where does it all end up?



Many old badges in the spare wheel well. Other "stuff" as well.





Genuine BMW first aid kit in the boot. The lid has broken off under the passenger seat. Again, I'm not worried at all. I have never used a first aid kit while in the car anyway.



As bmw's are st in the snow/ice these may come in handy. Though I may get bored one day and do a burnout with them on!



A pocket knife and some mayo, Heinz of course in the glovebox.





The previous owner did love an ///M badge. He found a theme and ran with it.











Little BMW spanner key ring in the armrest.



And finally the thing that matters most. The famous M54. An engineering masterpiece.
Amazingly leak free with no signs of any fluid loss. It's recently had the rocker cover gasket replaced so it seems it has had any issues sorted quickly.



Scene arty shot.



Having used it for the past couple of days, now the battery is properly charged it now starts on the button which is a bonus. Hopefully saved £100 there.

Wet roundabouts, no TC and a torquey engine make for a bit of fun! As mentioned above, the gearbox is a bit, well, st to be honest but it works without issue. Sport mode is ok at best and the manual change works fine but I got bored after using it once. It does exactly what it was designed to do so I won't complain.

It's not great on fuel to be honest, not that I ever thought it would be. For the miles I do it doesn't really matter though.

Next on the list is a good clean and get some diagnostics on the car to find out why the warning lights are on. I'm looking forward to getting involved with it to be honest!

[AdamIndy]

Thanks everyone for the advice re: the steering angle sensor. It had crossed my mind as they did say it came on after it had the alignment done(badly). This will be my first port of call.

As for BMW diagnostics, what is recommended? I see BC cables do a kit that looks good, is it any good? Anything you can recommend? As I do all the work myself, I'd really prefer my own kit rather than pay someone else.

[AdamIndy]

Matt97 said:

No worries. I'm sure you're going to enjoy the car, a lot of car for the money! I ended up getting an R56 Cooper S, everyone hates them but they're actually a nice car to drive even if they throw up expensive bills! Sad to see the fiesta go but wanted a change especially as I'm driving to LeMans this year! The e39 was a great buy, especially when I got it for a rediculous price as well!

Shame about the trainer's then . Still enjoying the biker life as well?

It really is unbelievable to be honest. The most staggering thing is some of the kit the car has considering it's age!

The mini is a good choice mate, although I wouldn't own one I have driven loads of them and they are a hoot to drive. The scream of the charger is quite addictive! Good luck with it buddy! I'd rather drive the mini to Le Mans rather than the fez if I'm honest!

Yeah the bike is great cheers. Donington was awesome. Hopefully the beemer has enough power to pull it to trackdays!

[AdamIndy]

bungz said:

Lovely.

I'm going set up a gofundme page for a pair of these. Who's in?

Apologies for all the posts, I still haven't got the hang of quoting multiple posts.

[AdamIndy]

[redacted]

[Mr Tidy]

AdamIndy said:

the majority of them will go eventually. Funnily enough, most people have been saying how much they like the grille and the badges, maybe were the ones with no taste.

I do have a receipt from BMW for some badges but I assume they are the ones currently on the car. They're useful for me to keep in case some tramp wants to nick one off of the car.

As for the gearbox, you are right. It's not great but does the job perfectly well. To me it's a good looking cruiser. I could probably count on one hand how many times it's been over 3k revs. It's comfortable, quiet and semi practical. I absolutely love the thing!

I'd never add an M badge, but I did like those grilles - they just seemed subtle to me, but whatever works for the owner of the car is fine by me!

My 325ti is a Sport model, but BMW put an M on each wheel, road and steering, as well as the gear-knob.

The M54 is definitely a great engine - I love mine!

In case it helps, the manual gearbox is supposed to be sealed for life (but does have a drain plug)! Anyway when I had mine serviced last November (just over 100K miles) I had the gearbox oil changed and a new bush kit fitted because the change was getting sloppy, and it has been much better since.

[to3m]

AdamIndy said:

The toolkit unsurprisingly isn't complete. Doesn't bother me in the slightest but where does it all end up?

Neither of my E46s had the missing long thing at the top... whatever it is.

Looks like you're only missing the screwdriver and locking wheel nut otherwise: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BD52-...

I did use the screwdriver in mine... once... when removing the headlights. My usual screwdriver didn't fit, though it's one of those slightly bulky ones with a bendy bit and a 1/4" hex fitment at the end. If you're not a completist then you can probably find some random alternative that will fit.

[C70R]

I've had two of these, and currently run one as a London 'beater'. I can't think of a better all-rounder for less than £2k (mine's got fewer miles and more options - yours is still a bargain). I've taken mine on a driving trip around the North Coast and it acquitted itself well in esteemed company, yet it still happily sucked up 2000 miles in a week on the autoroutes around France, and can swallow 4 adults and luggage easily.

Few things I've dealt with that might be of interest...
- Rocker gasket. Slight smell of hot oil when the car gets up to temperature.
- Intake trunk. Hesitation on idle and a CEL.
- ABS sensor. The three orange lights of death on the dash.
- Rear subframe. Was inspected before I bought.
- Cooling system. Replace the waterpump etc. as matter of course.

Other than that, drive and enjoy.

[MJ85]

One of the items that is usually is missing is to open a sunroof. You only get the tool if your car has the sunroof fitted.

[AdamIndy]

Mr Tidy said:

I'd never add an M badge, but I did like those grilles - they just seemed subtle to me, but whatever works for the owner of the car is fine by me!

My 325ti is a Sport model, but BMW put an M on each wheel, road and steering, as well as the gear-knob.

The M54 is definitely a great engine - I love mine!

In case it helps, the manual gearbox is supposed to be sealed for life (but does have a drain plug)! Anyway when I had mine serviced last November (just over 100K miles) I had the gearbox oil changed and a new bush kit fitted because the change was getting sloppy, and it has been much better since.

Funnily enough, now I've been living with the car for a bit, the grille is growing on me. As it's black everywhere, the little bit of colour breaks it up a bit. I never thought that day would come. I am still going to set fire to the M badge though!

The M54 is a stonking lump. It's not unbearable on fuel, plenty of torque and really pick up its heels if needed. I never really got the BMW thing before but now I own one, they really are fantastic cars.

Mines an auto and it's had the the oil changed in the box. £140 which I though was quite reasonable really.

Before I bought this, I did look at a few 325ti sports, but I wanted the facelift with the 6 speed box and couldn't find a decent one at sensible money so I went the complete opposite with the biggest engine in a coupe and an auto box!

to3m said:

Neither of my E46s had the missing long thing at the top... whatever it is.

Looks like you're only missing the screwdriver and locking wheel nut otherwise: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BD52-...

I did use the screwdriver in mine... once... when removing the headlights. My usual screwdriver didn't fit, though it's one of those slightly bulky ones with a bendy bit and a 1/4" hex fitment at the end. If you're not a completist then you can probably find some random alternative that will fit.

MJ85 said:

One of the items that is usually is missing is to open a sunroof. You only get the tool if your car has the sunroof fitted.

I had read that the long thing at the top was for a spark plug socket/spanner. Maybe that was just the older cars though. I couldn't care less that it's not complete, my garage is full of tools so I think I'll manage without them.

C70R said:

I've had two of these, and currently run one as a London 'beater'. I can't think of a better all-rounder for less than £2k (mine's got fewer miles and more options - yours is still a bargain). I've taken mine on a driving trip around the North Coast and it acquitted itself well in esteemed company, yet it still happily sucked up 2000 miles in a week on the autoroutes around France, and can swallow 4 adults and luggage easily.

Few things I've dealt with that might be of interest...
- Rocker gasket. Slight smell of hot oil when the car gets up to temperature.
- Intake trunk. Hesitation on idle and a CEL.
- ABS sensor. The three orange lights of death on the dash.
- Rear subframe. Was inspected before I bought.
- Cooling system. Replace the waterpump etc. as matter of course.

Other than that, drive and enjoy.

The value for money is incredible to be fair. A £32k car(when new) for £1750. Madness!

The rocker cover gasket has been done recently on mine. The cooling system will get an overhaul once my other car has gone. I still need to diagnose the reason for the 3 lights of death but whatever it needs, it will get. Worst case scenario it will be the abs pump, if it is then it's either £50 for a used one or £200 for mine to be rebuilt. Either way, it's not the end of the world.

Cheers.

A few days ago I pulled the car into the wash bay at work for a clean and just check how good the paintwork is. There is barely a mark on the car! It recently had some work done at autowerx in Milton Keynes. They have done a fantastic job. Excuse the crappy phone pics.





I have ordered some plates so the pressed plates will be binned. I've also ordered an idler pulley for the aux belt as it a bit noisy when it's cold. I'll sort them both at the weekend.

[JakeT]

I also agree with you RE. The M54. Between me and my parents we've done over 400,000 miles with M54s. The only issues that left us stranded was alternator failure on two of them. Otherwise excellent engines. No wonder BMW used them from the 3 series compact all the way up to the 7 series and X5.

[cerb4.5lee]

I've always liked these and love the shape, I had an E90 330i Auto for 4 years and it was a lovely cruiser and a great all round car. I never got used to the Auto gearbox though...it spoilt what was a lovely engine, but it did make it a relaxing drive though.