Messages

1

General Topics / My E30 318iS Ownership Cost Analysis [DATA]

« on: April 25, 2010, 06:46:17 PM »

Interesting. I keep records to about the same degree that you do but use a trusted indy for most things beyond routine maintenance, mostly because I don't have much time for wrenching myself.  Without going into excruciating detail, my costs are as follows:

4/2008 to 4/2009
Maintenance & Repair   $5,244.36
Fuel                           $2,137.98
Insurance                   $1,016.00
Total cost                   $8,398.34
Miles Driven                      16,664
Cost/mile                       $0.50
   
4/2009 to 4/2010
Maintenance & Repair    $1,949.13
Fuel                            $2,152.74
Insurance                    $1,016.00
Total cost                    $5,117.87
Miles Driven                      18,667
Cost/mile                      $0.27



I've owned the car for 24.5 months and I don't mind spending the $ as long as I can schedule maintenance and repairs and the car goes in and out of the shop under her own steam. It's been stone reliable and looks very nice for a 20 year old car, having been generally well cared for since birth (I have records back to 10/1991 totaling >$20K in maintenance and repairs).  

Next up for the car: Tires, some fluid changes, and some minor body work.

I figure that I'm not paying interest on a note (if you pay 7.5% on a $15K note over 4 yrs, you'll lay out $2400 in interest) my depreciation is MUCH less than that for a new car, and I like the car, so I'm happy.    

I don't generally consider a DD to be an appreciating investment anyway...

2

General Topics / Reserve Fuel Light Mileage

« on: April 21, 2009, 10:57:46 PM »

As I understand it, the 318's have a 14.5 gal (55L) tank  My light typically comes on at ~300 miles and the two times it came on, the car required 12.3 and 12.8 gal, respectively, yielding 23.8 and 24.5 mpg.

3

General Topics / T+364 days

« on: April 05, 2009, 11:06:09 AM »

Tomorrow is the anniversary of my purchase of the little white beast. It was a very nicely presented car and honestly described by the PO, who had very nearly all of the service records for the car since birth.  It has, however, been an eventful year.  

   Front & rear rotors, pads, and sensor

Timing chain tensioner & check all timing components (OK)
 
Clutch disc, plate, TO bearing, input and output shaft bearings, and input shaft seal (leak caused failure).  Change transmission and differential oils.
 
Driveshaft flex disc and support bearing (preventative).
 
Shocks and struts with Bilstein Touring, replace upper mounts in rear and strut bearings in front.  

Control arm bushings.  

Replaced foglights with better used units

NYS inspection: Safety pass, Emmissions: HC limit = 0.80, result = 0.32; CO limit = 15, result = 3.24; NOx limit  = 2.00, result = 0.29

Replaced wiper blades (2 x 20" Rainx Latitude)

Replaced all coolant hoses and all vacuum hoses;

Replaced O2 sensor, fuel filter, spark plugs, spark plug wires, and rear brake pad wear sensor (damage from road debris)

Purchased & installed Hella H1/H4 conversion.

All of that with 3 oil changes (all synthetic - Mobil 1 or equivalent) and 637.2 gallons of fuel burned over 15,982.9 miles.

Hopefully the coming year will be a bit less spendy, but there remains a list of things to do.  IMHO, it is indeed worth it because it's a nice car that serves well, drives beautifully, and gets noticed.  Am I upside down? You betcha, but I expect to get a few years out of the beast, then sell for more than I paid.  

Tom - If you're reading this, give a holler anytime and take the beast for a drive.  I think you'll approve.

4

Electrical / H4 headlight housing

« on: April 04, 2009, 11:18:02 AM »

Ebay Hellas as installed by me.  Nothing amazing to look at, but they throw quite a bit more light than the sealed beams they replaced. Sorry the car's so dirty; it's a DD and hasn't been washed in a month.

5

Electrical / H4 headlight housing

« on: April 01, 2009, 08:10:23 PM »

I don't, but I can take some and email or post if you wish.  It'll probably have to wait until the weekend, tho' - am most bizee...

6

Electrical / H4 headlight housing

« on: March 29, 2009, 08:18:17 PM »

I just bought these and am most pleased.  They work very well and installation was easy enough for a Luddite like me.

7

Off-topic discussion / What is your 0-60 time??

« on: March 24, 2009, 07:23:58 PM »

Hmmm...a 3.64 would indeed be nice.  I've always thought that first gear was stupid short.  Anyone have an LSD 3.64 or 3.73 handy and want to swap for a 4.10 LSD?

8

Off-topic discussion / What is your 0-60 time??

« on: March 15, 2009, 08:13:10 AM »

Even in good tune and with a 93 octane chip it's slow by modern standards, but I don't care.  Driving a slow car fast is always fun...

9

How-To's / H1/H4 headlight upgrade

« on: March 15, 2009, 07:33:52 AM »

I just did this conversion yesterday (Hella H1/H4 with standard 55 & 55/60 watt lamps +2 10A fuses) and am impressed with both the light output and beam pattern.  I have to adjust the lights downward a little, but that's it.  For the money and ease of installation, I cannot imagine why anyone would bother fooling with elipsoids, smileys, or any other conversion.  Working at a relaxed pace, it took me a grand total of 45 minutes and required one screwdriver.  Btw, I purchased the bits (genuine Hella kit, exactly the same part #'s as retail suppliers) on EvilBay for quite a bit less than the catalog price.  Lamps, bulbs, wiring bits, and rubber pieces were a grand total of $173.22 including shipping and NYS sales tax.

10

General Topics / What Are You Going to Buy for Your E30 to Start Off Spring?

« on: March 02, 2009, 01:10:36 PM »

I wouldn't have an E30 without one now. It's probably a personal choice thing, but to me, the steering is perfected by the Z3 'rack. It makes for better steering than I had in my 944, which is regarded by some (and by me until I got my E30) as the best steering car ever made.

I'm sure it is great...and to be honest, I thought the slow ratio was rather odd considering the excellent chassis calibration otherwise.  I've actually had two cars that I thought had better steering than the E30: My X1/9 (those little things have amazing reflexes), and my E34 535i.  Oddly my preWW2 BMW has faster steering than the E30 as well...and it's R&P, too.

11

General Topics / What Are You Going to Buy for Your E30 to Start Off Spring?

« on: March 02, 2009, 06:17:35 AM »

You should all have Z3 steering racks on your lists.

Nah - don't care enough about it. It's an airbag car and used as a DD on relatively straight roads.

12

General Topics / engine oil

« on: March 01, 2009, 01:10:45 PM »

Whatever reputable synthetic I can find (Mobil 1 , Syntec, etc...) in the viscosity range I need at the time: 5W40 winter and 15W50 summer.  Oil changes are done quarterly with estimated annual mileage at ~15500.  (Thus far I've owned the car for 313 days and have driven it 13352 miles).

13

General Topics / What Are You Going to Buy for Your E30 to Start Off Spring?

« on: March 01, 2009, 07:10:15 AM »

Fix rust on the rear valence, repaint front valence, reinstall pretty wheels (Ronal LS), replace sealed beams with H1/H4, replace left front fog lamp, perhaps replace the muffler with a Magnaflow unit, and change the brake fluid. The AC compressor may need to be changed.  

Alot the mechanical stuff on the car was done in the last 12 months (clutch, rebuilt driveshaft, brakes, struts, shocks, bushings, head gasket, water pump, & all hoses - every single one) so I'm hopeful that this year will be a bit less expensive!

14

General Topics / Post Your Current Problems

« on: February 07, 2009, 01:55:13 PM »

It's dirty
Power steering moans for a moment upon really cold startup (<20 deg F)
Muffler has a loose baffle - only rattles sometimes
PS highbeam cracked but working
PS foglight cracked and bulb out (AGAIN!)
2 small bullseye cracks in windshield (which is original, I think)
Rust in the rear valence.
Alternator bearing noisy when cold.
Power antenna inop.
Brake fluid due for changing

Not a terrible to-do list for an 18 year old car...

15

General Topics / Pics from meet in Floral Park Queens

« on: September 02, 2008, 08:17:23 PM »

i dont know how old YOU have to be in order to be cranky(the owner of that car is 51)
          the car has never attracted cops,and the only part that is fiberglass on that car is the wing

I'm actually not cranky

If the front spoiler and bumpers and skirts and vents are steel I'm impressed with the handiwork, time spent, and commitment to the project but it's still a bit bling for me.  

Hey, it's a free country, it's his car, and it's not exactly like there aren't a zillion E30's running around, so he hasn't defiled an icon or anything.  Different strokes for different folks!

If that thing doesn't attract the cops, then the guy must know how not to drive like an idiot, so that's certainly cool, too.

Oh, and what is under the hood is absolutely hot - I'm just not feeling the exterior.