chit chat thread

ChrisO

Rekpoint said:

I think @Jdesign was interested. I think it had a blown motor.

Thats alright, it's somewhere in a dark garage weeping for a cast iron 5.3

jk

Pretty sure a s38 rebuild costs like $8000, but every other e30 m3 I see has a s50/52 in it. I'd enjoy something like that instead of it rotting in a garage.

The blown motor and trans is probably worth a few grand aswell

Earl

HipMF said:

Drivers side external door handle just broke. I don't know why e36s even came with door cards. At a minimum they should have come with some kind of quick-release fasteners... Maybe I'll get some hood pins to put it back on with this time.

Luckily they're super easy to change in compacts/sedans versus coupes/verts. You have to remove the window and rear window guide and you'll have all the room you could need. Removing and reattaching the linkage to the door latch is worst part about it. If you pull the handle and it either gets hung up or doesn't pop the door at all, your handle snapped and needs to be fully replaced. The other thing that sucks is that they did not use the same style for handles throughout e36 production. I've encountered three different ones so you will want to remove yours to at least see exactly what you have before going and searching for a replacement. There are plenty of part outs for a used one to be had=)

Jdesign

ChrisO said:

I have no idea what thread or what member this was in but like 6 months ago someone posted that they found a non-running e34 m5 in Minneapolis. It was in a garage and looked like it had body damage.

Any info on that or why nobody here bought it?

That was me. I never went to go look at it. It did have body damage and rust, I got additional photos as requested, and the motor was not blown, but I was told it just didnt run. The owner had no time or idea on what it would take to fix it and unfortunately he responded late to me and I bought something else. A lack of details made me skeptical about a 6 hour drive one way. It did have the rare M-Technic mirrors and some interesting parts that would make it worth buying for just those, but I passed up on the deal. I have his email still if you want to contact him, PM me.

jc43089

Earl said:

Luckily they're super easy to change in compacts/sedans versus coupes/verts. You have to remove the window and rear window guide and you'll have all the room you could need. Removing and reattaching the linkage to the door latch is worst part about it. If you pull the handle and it either gets hung up or doesn't pop the door at all, your handle snapped and needs to be fully replaced. The other thing that sucks is that they did not use the same style for handles throughout e36 production. I've encountered three different ones so you will want to remove yours to at least see exactly what you have before going and searching for a replacement. There are plenty of part outs for a used one to be had=)

Good to know, I replaced mine on my coupe. There are some key tricks to avoid breaking parts. Like removing the plug on the back edge of the door and reaching in with a screwdriver to push the outside trim retaining plate forward and it just comes off. Some youtube DIY videos just pull on it until it breaks... Mark where the bolts are for the window track before loosening. It was tricky to get it aligned properly. Although I was trying to get it adjust so that I can close the door without the window hitting the top because my window drop doesn't work.

Earl

That might be a coupe thing too. Since the compact has framed windows I've never had an issue removing the guide and reinstalling without marking anything.

That is one big thing people do not seem to know when they do the handles. That's soley what that hole in the door is for haha

HipMF

I managed to get mine out yesterday. I didn't have to remove the window track because there wasn't one, so I've got that going for me.

The handle assembly was broken in multiple places. Started half-assing it back together. Hopefully it will last long enough for me to find a replacement. Current door opening procedure is:

Forget that it's broken
Try to open door
Get pissed. Give door handle the bird as I walk around car.
Open passenger door and reach across the car to grab the inside handle.
Walk back around car, grab handle, and realize door is only half open.
Repeat steps 3 and 4.
Walk back around car and get in.

Earl

#12 was not inside of your door blocking the way?

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=CG53-USA-06-1995-E36-BMW-318ti&diagId=51_2055

If not I'm thoroughly surprised your window doesn't rattle around in your door when down and that it goes up and down straight. I've had the rubber "guide" fall out of mine before and it caused my clips to snap and the window to fall

jc43089

HipMF said:

I managed to get mine out yesterday. I didn't have to remove the window track because there wasn't one, so I've got that going for me.

The handle assembly was broken in multiple places. Started half-assing it back together. Hopefully it will last long enough for me to find a replacement. Current door opening procedure is:

Forget that it's broken

Try to open door

Get pissed. Give door handle the bird as I walk around car.

Open passenger door and reach across the car to grab the inside handle.

Walk back around car, grab handle, and realize door is only half open.

Repeat steps 3 and 4.

Walk back around car and get in.

Don't worry, you get used to it. Mine was broken for over 6 months. I almost forgot to use the working handle after it was fixed.

HipMF

Earl said:

#12 was not inside of your door blocking the way?

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=CG53-USA-06-1995-E36-BMW-318ti&diagId=51_2055

If not I'm thoroughly surprised your window doesn't rattle around in your door when down and that it goes up and down straight. I've had the rubber "guide" fall out of mine before and it caused my clips to snap and the window to fall

Correct, it's missing. The window does rattle when down, I just never realized what the issue was. Currently don't even have the ambition to work on my project car, so working on the daily is a real chore. I will get it all fixed up properly at some point though...

Rekpoint

So I've been shopping for a new car. I plan on buying it in the spring/summer.

I've really been looking for a 335i with an n54 or im starting to look at the possibility of an E46 m3

What would you guys rather own? I think a 335i is more affordable and in my price range unless I get a deal like @i_love_cars got on his E46 m3.

If I got the m3 I'd feel obligated to buy a winter beater. E46 wagon or something.

Let me know some opinions.

patsbimmer1

I'd buy an e46 M3 every time but if you're looking to daily a car the 335i is more reasonable. The 335i is a maintenance pig and it will make you pay to drive it regularly. You may want a second car just to drive WHEN the 335i starts misfiring or becomes undrivable in some other way and if thats the case you might as well own an e46 m3. You can put an e46 m3 and a 335i in the same price range but there's gonna be a huge difference between a $12k 335i and a $12k m3. I say that not knowing what your price range is but realistically unless you're looking at m3's north of $18k the condition won't be the same as a 335i sub $15k. Buy a 335i because that's what you want to do. Mod it, break it, regret it and repeat.

Rekpoint

patsbimmer1 said:

I'd buy an e46 M3 every time but if you're looking to daily a car the 335i is more reasonable. The 335i is a maintenance pig and it will make you pay to drive it regularly. You may want a second car just to drive WHEN the 335i starts misfiring or becomes undrivable in some other way and if thats the case you might as well own an e46 m3. You can put an e46 m3 and a 335i in the same price range but there's gonna be a huge difference between a $12k 335i and a $12k m3. I say that not knowing what your price range is but realistically unless you're looking at m3's north of $18k the condition won't be the same as a 335i sub $15k. Buy a 335i because that's what you want to do. Mod it, break it, regret it and repeat.

Good points. I feel like I can score a nicer 335i for cheaper then an e46 m3. I wouldn't buy a BMW if I had to pay a shop for maintenance LOL.

For the 335i im only looking for 3 main features. 1 E92 2 Comfort Access and 3 6 speed.

So if anyone sees anything Send it my way.

GB-335xiCoupe

I've had very few problems with my two 2011 Model Year e92 335xi's. My black one just turned 200,000 miles. Runs like the day I bought it with 53k miles on it. As long as they are driven regularly and you follow normal maintenance, and DIY, they are no more expensive than any other car.

Rekpoint

GB-335xiCoupe said:

I've had very few problems with my two 2011 Model Year e92 335xi's. My black one just turned 200,000 miles. Runs like the day I bought it with 53k miles on it. As long as they are driven regularly and you follow normal maintenance, and DIY, they are no more expensive than any other car.

Are they tuned? I would plan on doing FBO with an MHD tune. Possibly a WOTbox when I feel confident enough I want to replace my turbos.

Nick_F

Well the 2011 e92 is a N55 unless it's a 335is? might be a contributing factor to the reliability

patsbimmer1

Nick_F said:

Well the 2011 e92 is a N55 unless it's a 335is? might be a contributing factor to the reliability

That would be correct.

GB-335xiCoupe

patsbimmer1 said:

That would be correct.

They both have N55 Engines, and rolled off the assembly line within 3 months of each other. The black one I had tuned with a Vishnu Proceed V3 for about two years. I haven't modded much, just upgraded charge pipe and had the transmission ecu flashed with the Alpina B3 program. The transmission in my blue one is stock, and the difference is obvious.

As far as maintenance for the black one (other than oil changes), here's the short version:

e92/N55/ZPP/ZCW
Bought 08/09/2013@53,340mi Current 2/2019 @200,100mi (5yrs, 6months and 146,800miles)
Fail(s):
tstat hous/water pump 89k,
Walnut blast at 101k,
Transmission/T-case Fluid change and Alpina B3 flash at 103k,
Chargepipe at 106k,
Coolant tank crack at 114k, and related to the coolant fix, had to replace the FRM3 at 114k
VANOS recall performed by dealership $0 at Approx 160k,
OFHG replaced at 195k (minor leakage, simple fix)

Rekpoint

GB-335xiCoupe said:

They both have N55 Engines, and rolled off the assembly line within 3 months of each other. The black one I had tuned with a Vishnu Proceed V3 for about two years. I haven't modded much, just upgraded charge pipe and had the transmission ecu flashed with the Alpina B3 program. The transmission in my blue one is stock, and the difference is obvious.

As far as maintenance for the black one (other than oil changes), here's the short version:

e92/N55/ZPP/ZCW
Bought 08/09/2013@53,340mi Current 2/2019 @200,100mi (5yrs, 6months and 146,800miles)
Fail(s):
tstat hous/water pump 89k,
Walnut blast at 101k,
Transmission/T-case Fluid change and Alpina B3 flash at 103k,
Chargepipe at 106k,
Coolant tank crack at 114k, and related to the coolant fix, had to replace the FRM3 at 114k
VANOS recall performed by dealership $0 at Approx 160k,
OFHG replaced at 195k (minor leakage, simple fix)

Yeah I wouldn't just buy it right away and drive it. I would do a cooling system refresh. Change all the fluids. Get a new chargepipe and get index 12 injectors. To make as reliable as possible.

Rekpoint

Can we get an F in chat for BavAuto

patsbimmer1

Rekpoint said:

Can we get an F in chat for BavAuto

What are we giving them am F for... ya know Garag Life Motoring has a WIbimmers A+ rating...

WIBIMMERS

chit chat thread