First Car! BMW 318i (e30)

[Soundsession]

Hi friends.

Here's my first own car:

A '89 318i with 113 bhp for 1090 kg. It's fun to drive, also my first ever rwd car *yey*










Problem is, I made a stupid buy. I paid way too much for it (1500 euros).
drumbrakes on the rear and no ABS
As you can see from the pictures, it has some serious rust issues and nearly all components of the car are pretty worn. The muffler makes bad noises and the diff/gearbox whines,
it rattles like a diesel because the camshaft has faded and the hydraulic tappets are worn.

Worst thing is, the timing belt is overdue for change but I feel ripped off already. I don't wanna pay another 300 - 400 euros for that.
Sadly I dont know anyone, who could help me with repairing stuff, so I have to let a professional garage do it.

I guess that was the stupidest thing, I've ever done
I wonder, why I bought it. It's like I was hypnotized while negotiating the deal. I wanted to walk away from it after closer inspection but somehow I signed the buying contract...

Maybe you fellow people have something nice about it to say...

Well, for now everything works...

[Der Stig]

That's a shame to hear that you got ripped off, but it looks really nice from far away. At least it's a good color combo.

The interior looks to be in great shape though. Those repair jobs aren't too bad if you have access to some tools and a Hayne's or Chilton (not sure what the German equivalent is) shop manual for the E30.

Also, don't forget, these cars were and are popular, so junkyards should have lots of parts available. If the engine is shot, you could always go and collect a running M10, perform a basic service and be out maybe 400-800 euros. Same goes with the transmission and the diff. If you're worried about brakes, you can always get the parts from a 325i or a newer E36. You'd be surprised at the amount of parts and compatibility.


Z.b.
M10 E30 Motor

Good luck on the repairs!

[Posmo]

Don't send the car off to a "professional garage", all they will do is rip you off. On a car of that age, the labour costs will far exceed the price of the parts needed for fixing. You can do 90% of all the work you need to do on the car yourself. Cam belt change is not that bad of a job if you know your way around the engine, and those wheelarches might still be salvageable. (might, you'd need to grind them down and see how much healthy steel is left..) I know you might not feel like spending more money on the car, but I suggest you buy a parts car that has a healthy engine & drivetrain, but a lot of rust (so you can get it cheap). take then engine out of it and swap it out. A whining diff is not a bad issue, since you could most likely get a working one for like 20€.

First step: Download this:
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4524...air_manual.pdf

And read through it.

Second step: Find a place to work on the car. Im sure you have a relative, a friend, or someone who has a garage where you can store it and work on it. Basic tools shouldn't be too hard to come by either.

Third step: Fix it. (Yes, it's that simple when you are well prepared and know what you're doing).

Fourth step: Enjoy it.


Good luck.

[killpanda]

Some rust but it looks quite good. And while 1500€ may seem like a lot of money for an E30, the cheapest E30 318i here is more than 4000$!

[Smurfen]

old bmw are made DIY stuff... so DIY.. actually looks pretty decent from the pics... especially the interior O.O and RWD is a must... there is just no other way .

edit: also www.bimmerforums.com is a great source... also a lot of helpful souls there

[thevictor390]

I almost-kind-of-not-really wish that my first car was a bit more of a junkheap so I could have actually learned something about how it works. Seize the opportunity! If you can get it fixed up they you will have quite a nice little car.

[maxtortheone]

Also consider that you saved a car from being crushed in you Cash for Clunkers program, and by fixing it you can give it a new life and get to have some fun with it

And getting something like this will help you fix it yourself http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book...-Repair-Manual

[Polly]

Originally Posted by Soundsession

Maybe you fellow people have something nice about it to say...

I did the same thing. Only it was a 320i..

[Soundsession]

Thx for your nice comments so far.
Yes, the interior is absolutely mint!

Problem is, that I never repaired anything on cars. I would like to know my way around them, but until now, I can't even perform an oil change.

Maybe you're right. It's a good opportunity to learn some basics about cars.
I just wish, I would know someone who has a garage and some tools for me

[Steve Levin]

The decision you have to make, I think, is this:

Do you do nothing to it and drive it until it gives up in a cloud of smoke, or,

Do you start pouring money and time into it to bring it into shape?

My gut tells me that you should consider just driving it. It sounds like it needs a lot of work, and that in the end you would be better off saving that money and looking for the next, better car, rather than starting with a very rough "foundation" as you have now.

Steve

[Polly]

Originally Posted by Soundsession

I just wish, I would know someone who has a garage and some tools for me

I'd send you a screwdriver to check for rust..

[killpanda]

I would say, do the most urgent stuff like the timing belt, stuff that are really important for the car to keep running. The bodywork and other stuffs are secondary, I see a lot of cars in worse state than this every day still on the roads

[frankiess]

So you got ripped off a bit. It happens when you don't know what you're doing. (I didn't exactly land on a gold mine with the 200SX either )

Sounds like a simple oil change or miniservice won't suffice in this case. If you wanna drive it, forget about fixing it. It'll break down eventually, but hey, you can take a cab home with the money you saved on restoration.

If you DO decide you want to fix it, I say forget about taking it to a professional. Too costly. You do it yourself or not at all. A basic toolkit will set you back 100-200€. Mine cost me 170€ and I've dismantled an engine with it. A professional 3 hours of work alone will set you back about 170€. Old Beamers are very grateful restoration subjects. Simple machines built to last, and there's heaps of spares lying about. Some backyard mechanic will take care of your rust problem (unless the whole bottom of the car is more rust than metal) for a modest fee.

But to be perfectly frank (which I am), without seeing detailed pictures of the bodywork, I'd say drive it until the engine busts and sell it for scrap bit by bit. The interior alone will get you 200-300€. Bodywork probably 500€ more. Lights, fixtures etc all cashworthy stuff. So if it does break down, don't pour huge amounts of coin into it just out of spite or guilt because you made a bad deal. Just cash out what you can.

Oh and always a good rule of thumb when buying cars: never EVER NEVER buy the first one you try (unless you're a seasoned expert). The second one is always, for some reason, cheaper and better.

[Beni]

Congratulations and my condolences

I'd like to help you, I suppose you're not anywhere near the rhein-main area though. but I'm sure you could do the same as I did, look for some helpful car-guys in your area and learn as you go along.

it might not have been the smartest buy, but at least you didn't end up with a golf

[Soundsession]

Hey Beni, I'm not too far from Frankfurt (Wuerzburg actually).
If you really would like to help me, I could visit you
You can always pm me...

[tigger]

Originally Posted by Soundsession

Problem is, that I never repaired anything on cars. I would like to know my way around them, but until now, I can't even perform an oil change.

Good time to learn. First vehicle I owned needed a thorough tune-up, clutch, brakes, etc etc and I didn't have much more than basic hand tools.

Originally Posted by Steve Levin

The decision you have to make, I think, is this:

Do you do nothing to it and drive it until it gives up in a cloud of smoke, or,

Do you start pouring money and time into it to bring it into shape?

Personally, I'd run the crap out of it until that M10 dies and then do an engine swap. The interior looks great (way, way better than mine ) and fixing those paint bubbles would be a great way to learn a little simple bodywork. Once the engine dies you can decide whether or not you want to hang onto it. But for now just enjoy it. E30s are a lot of fun to drive.

[Wyvern]

At least you have a running car and you can enjoy it while it lasts. It looks like you might have some volunteers to help you improve it if you decide to go that way. I know how frustrating it is - my car broke down when my friend was driving it home for me (I don't take my test until next month, so I haven't even had a chance to drive the sodding thing yet) and a few miles from home the engine died in a big way. I didn't know the car well enough to do anything about it, and it will have been in the shop for almost a month by the time I get it back (next week, fingers crossed). So I feel your pain.

On the plus side, the interior looks fantastic! This is not only good for if/when the car dies completely, because they should be easy enough to sell on, but also because it makes it a nice place to be while you have it. Turn the stereo up and you can drown out the disturbing whines and rattles It's a shame about the rust; it doesn't look knocked about, just that time and the elements have taken their toll.

Don't beat yourself up over a bad decision - forgive yourself, promise not to make the same mistakes in future, and make the most of it while it's still running