Author Topic: DesktopDave (Read 68793 times)

DesktopDave · « **on:** September 15, 2010, 11:10:16 AM »

Can't believe I haven't done one of these profiles yet...so here's the M42 of the collection, my stock DD 318i sedan:

Note mis-matched rear seat, e34 toolkit & 'vert sport wheel. Not too bad for 275k-ish miles, eh? Other goodies are Bilstien sport rear shocks & COP conversion. Otherwise she's pretty much stock. I've had her for over a year, she was a bargain that I couldn't pass up (largely because of this site).

Anyway, figured I'd post a few pics of the collection. My wife inspired me - she snapped a few pics of me working on the fleet.

Yup, that's me in the engine bay...I'm swapping a clutch line into a recently automatic car...haven't tested anything yet, time will tell if it works. Eventually she'll have either an M50 swap or an eta-based 2.8. I miss how smooth my old M20 525iM was (I don't miss the weight though) so I decided to build one! I don't get a lot of time to do stuff like this...is it a hobby or therapy?

Here's the donor...poor car. PO's "friends" punked him with a rollover party. At least that's what I think. I felt bad, but that's life...it'll be ready in a week or two.

So if you're heading through the Pittsburgh/western PA area and want to drop by, PM me a day or so ahead of time & we'll go get a beer & kick some tires. I'm convenient to many of the local highways too, and I usually have a bunch of spares if you're in need.

-eur04lif3- · « **Reply #1 on:** September 15, 2010, 09:03:17 PM »

thats a good collection of cars u got there....how many?

DesktopDave · « **Reply #2 on:** September 15, 2010, 09:23:33 PM »

Four. I've sold one & scrapped another...that makes six in the last year or two. Occasionally I come across a bargain and just can't say 'no.'

The wife calls it a "disease." :mad: What does she know...she married me...

DesktopDave · « **Reply #3 on:** September 27, 2010, 07:46:22 PM »

Found the options slip from my 325e parts car (stuck on the bottom of the rear seat)...guess which options my car now has?

209 LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL (25%)
210 ANTI-BLOCKIER-SYSTEM ( ABS )
219 Sport Steering Wheel, Leather
286 BMW LM RAD/BMW STYLING
300 ZENTRALVERRIEGELUNG ELEKTRISCH
498 Headrests in rear, Mechanic. Adjustable
530 AIR CONDITIONING
540 CRUISE CONTROL
551 On Board computer II with remote control
556 EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE DISPLAY
675 BMW sound system

498 and 540 moved right over. I added a ski bag too. Unfortunately the sport steering wheel (219) needs re-covered. At least I have a spare.

I'm still thinking about swapping the OBC (551) and the upgraded speakers (675). If I figure the code plugs out I'll do the OBC. If I can find components that will fit in the premium speaker housings they'll go in as well.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #4 on:** October 02, 2010, 07:49:06 PM »

Finally pulled the rear subframe from the bronze parts car. I figured I could use it as a rebuildable spare. What a bitch! One of the subframe bushings was sheared clear in half...and the rust is significant. Tomorrow the 3.64? LSD? is going into my burgundy red project car.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #5 on:** October 06, 2010, 08:29:46 AM »

I was going to put all this stuff in another post but it's too long-winded. So I'll add it here instead...

Personal philosophy of transportation...
I try to get a baseline feel for what a daily driver will cost in the first six months or so that I drive it. Let's say it's an extended test drive. You never know what the PO's have done to the car. Fixing the little things is fun with a new toy, but if there is a big problem, no matter how much fun the car/bike/scooter is, it goes. New cars over ten years or so cost less than a series of unreliable old cars. Don't let your heart get you into trouble over cars. Save that for the girls...

I will say that BMWs tend to be well taken care of, and they do last. Mine has over 275k miles on the original motor & tranny. The only significant trouble it's had mechanically was with the rear end...it's on it's third diff, but those are under-spec even for the light e30. Rust is also something to watch out for..other than that, it's all been trivial stuff.

These cars are very cheap to run, but if you repair every last item it'll really suck up huge amounts of time & money. I'm philosophically inclined to repair old stuff even if it costs as much as new...but I'm very cold-hearted about the whole thing...I run the numbers before every large repair to determine if the car stays or goes. So if/when the timing chain gets weak...I might be selling her off to someone else. That job is precariously close to the total value of the car...

DesktopDave · « **Reply #6 on:** October 06, 2010, 08:49:00 AM »

I figured I'd post what's been done to the car to defend my thesis above.

I stumbled on my 318i sedan while looking for a decent 325is. For $800 I figured "why not?" I had a reliable e34 525i that I could fall back on if the M42 blew up...and the body was in great shape...so I could always swap in an M52B28 if I didn't like the M42. I had heard of the car's reputation, but I was skeptical. Happily, the rumors are all true...gem of a car, one of the best BMW has bolted together.

But first, it desperately needed a diff. Sounded like a gorilla was pounding out the rear subframe with an impact wrench wherever I drove it. The wife, lacking vision, was thoroughly unimpressed.

While looking for a decent used diff, I found a suitable 3.73. Problem was, it had a rusty 325is wrapped around it. I was hoping that the car could be salvaged, but it was far beyond my skills. Happily, the parts car had black leather sport seats too. That made a huge difference in the car...and I splurged $20 on a 'vert 3-spoke wheel. Total cost, $300. Wife began to see the car as slightly acceptable.

Secondly, it needed cruise control. I use that all the time. I'll bet I spent about $200 on that, including the bad actuator & Ebay e36 cable.

Other than changing fluids and adding a decent MP3 stereo ($120), that's been the total cost of owning the car. $1500 isn't bad for a year of ownership...so it's time for some upgrades...I splurged recently on a few gaskets to keep the oil in the motor. They'll be going in presently. I'll post some pics. This winter she'll get a half-shaft CV boot, possibly a rear wheel bearing & front suspension bushings too. Exhaust system looks ratty too, we'll see about that next year. Wife has now accepted the car, even drives it on occasion.

Where else can you get a car this rewarding for $120/month? I've paid three times as much for half the fun! I hope everyone keeps buying new BMWs...

DesktopDave · « **Reply #7 on:** October 14, 2010, 07:51:41 PM »

Daily work log...another experiment. Does anyone know if a 325i VDO speedo will work in a 325e MotoMeter cluster? If not, that's OK. I'm putting it in the chocolate BMW. Likely I'll be starting that car up this weekend. It's taking forever to get all the little bits stuck on. Yesterday I made a facelift (>9/88) M20 motor fit an diving board cooling system. All I needed was a water pump from the old motor and a 5-speed radiator & hoses from an '87 325is. I could have used the original rad but I wanted to lose the integrated ATF oil cooler.

When I took these two clusters apart to swap gauges I found two surprises. The first is that the 325i cluster had been repaired - the speedo had a shop sticker on it! The second is that the 325e was missing the check engine light bulb...

AND the LED/light bar was gone. Not there. SI board is, but no LEDs for me.

WTF? I LIKE the useless little LEDs that light up for oil change intervals!

I guess they were tired of seeing the lights on, so they pulled the entire light bar. Replacing the batteries is a pain, but how often do you have to do it? Once in a car's lifetime? Lazy cheap SOBs. Good thing I have a lot of spares.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #8 on:** October 16, 2010, 10:11:49 PM »

Today's work included dropping the oil pan! Guess what? No loose bolts, no parts of the timing chain, no dissolving guides. One impact from a bolt in the pan, otherwise spotless. Whoever was in there last time really cleaned it up.

I also put in some new belts on both the 325i and the 318i. I've disabled the power steering, I'll be removing the rest of that system tomorrow. I also pulled the fan to see if the aux fan can handle the cooler weather solo.

Tomorrow should see me finishing up the coolant & braking systems on the 325i, then I'll finally have my spare car back together.

**update***

Changed oil on all the cars today. Went back to ATF for the transmission. Shift action seems a bit lighter, but I'm sure that's just placebo effect. We'll see what it's like below 0degF. I've also switched to Mobil1 0w30 green cap to see if I can squeak out another MPG. I also changed oil in the minivan...spec is 0w20, went with 0w30 just for the sake of keeping them the same. We'll see how that goes.

Also left the clutch fan on...you might ask "Why?" Well, let me tell you...the aux fan isn't working at all. I can short it (so it's not the motor), but the low speed resistor is dead as well. It was used, guess I should have sprung for the new one. I think it's the fanstat, a new one is on the way.

V-belts were totally shot as well, so I replaced them too. I'm trying some Dayco external ribbed jobbies. "Lasts longer for her" should be their motto. Perhaps I'll email it to Dayco..I can't think fan belts are very glamorous - this would help. I cracked the plastic cover on the rear of the alternator too. GRRRR:mad:. I put it back together with RTV, maybe it'll hold up. Not like it's really necessary, every other BMW I've ever seen has naked wires on the alternator. Good thing I pulled a battery lead too - the two alt leads touched briefly. :eek: That wouldn't have been good - full unfused battery power runs through the alternator...that's a damn expensive part too.

Anyone tried out Prestone Extended life? I couldn't find the Zerex G05 and didn't want to pay $25/gal to my local BMW dealer. It's for the spare car, I'll change it later & report on my findings.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #9 on:** October 21, 2010, 08:34:40 PM »

Had a great day with the car. Drove here & there doing little errands.

The ATF absolutely shifts smoother,

but the synchros are a bit slower.:mad: So no power shifting for me. The shifter is very slick, I'd recommend this for anyone with a short shifter or cold winters like we have here.

I don't think thinner oil would be bad for a transmission, but I'm no expert. From what I've seen and heard, ATF is about 10 or 20 weight oil (works great in bike forks BTW).

I have heard that some transmissions have brass or bronze components that cannot tolerate ATF with extreme pressure (EP) sulfur or phosphorus compounds. GL-4 is the spec I've heard, but I'm not sure of that's for gear oil, ATF or both. GL-5 should be avoided even if the transmission has a yellow ATF-oil tag like mine.

VegasKyle · « **Reply #10 on:** October 21, 2010, 10:56:52 PM »

Quote from: DesktopDave;97195

I was going to put all this stuff in another post but it's too long-winded. So I'll add it here instead...

Personal philosophy of transportation...
I try to get a baseline feel for what a daily driver will cost in the first six months or so that I drive it. Let's say it's an extended test drive. You never know what the PO's have done to the car. Fixing the little things is fun with a new toy, but if there is a big problem, no matter how much fun the car/bike/scooter is, it goes. New cars over ten years or so cost less than a series of unreliable old cars. Don't let your heart get you into trouble over cars. Save that for the girls...

I will say that BMWs tend to be well taken care of, and they do last. Mine has over 275k miles on the original motor & tranny. The only significant trouble it's had mechanically was with the rear end...it's on it's third diff, but those are under-spec even for the light e30. Rust is also something to watch out for..other than that, it's all been trivial stuff.

These cars are very cheap to run, but if you repair every last item it'll really suck up huge amounts of time & money. I'm philosophically inclined to repair old stuff even if it costs as much as new...but I'm very cold-hearted about the whole thing...I run the numbers before every large repair to determine if the car stays or goes. So if/when the timing chain gets weak...I might be selling her off to someone else. That job is precariously close to the total value of the car...

First off, Dave you have been a huge help to me. It's funny to think that 15 years ago had I bought my 318is (which I wouldn't have, didn't know how cool the M42 was until finding a link to this site) I'd be paying through the nose to repair my car and most likely end up scraping it. The internet is a crazy thing, what a wealth of information.

I try to do exactly what you describe. I was at that point just a few days ago. If the engine was toast, what was I going to do with the car? Sourcing an M42 and swapping it in was going to be a big undertaking for myself. Rebuilding the engine would be quite expensive (especially considering I paid $1000 for the car). So parting the car and starting over with a new 318 was going to be the most logical option. After thinking about it, I don't think I could do it. I almost feel a sense of duty when it comes to restoring this car to its former glory. It's funny because I haven't had a problem dropping the hammer of cars I've owned in the past but, I haven't looked this hard or wanted a car as much as this. Had I bought a car that was rusted out and beyond hope, parting it would be no problem. Had I paid $6000 for one in mint condition, a rebuild would be no problem. My car is a tweener; there isn't one fleck of rust anywhere but it has that big dent in the passenger tail light. It's a one owner car with great paint, tons of service records and a crack free dash but it has that dent and the suspension needs to be replaced. So it looks like I've let my heart get in the way on this one. I know it would be a lot cheeper to just buy that well sorted $6000 car than attempt to make this car into that. I guess the best thing to do is fix the timing chain then get a quote for the body work. If thats going to be too expensive to fix then I'll do my best to drive it as is and enjoy it until I find that $6000 prime example(for $3500).

I wish I had the room for 3 or 4 e30s like you. Once this one is up and running I bet I can con my girlfriend into one more.

Thanks again for all the help Dave!

DesktopDave · « **Reply #11 on:** October 22, 2010, 07:35:42 AM »

I'm glad to be of help, but you're giving too much credit...just personal ramblings. Thanks anyway.

I try to be careful with 'sense of duty' to my cars. Loyalty is always a good thing, but if you're not careful you might end up spending a small fortune on a car. I know I speak heresy, but the 318 isn't as much of a car as even a cheap econo-box is now. Better dynamics, absolutely, but less of an overall car. So I tend to rationalize the cost of a twenty year old car in terms of a new car payment...if I can have exactly what I want for less then the cost of a cheap new Mazda or Honda, then I'm pleased.

Happily, BMWs aren't too much trouble. They're well-built and laid out well, easy to work on and parts availability is outstanding. Dealers can be expensive and a tad arrogant, but that's not only a BMW problem. To tell you the honest truth...I like all sort of other machinery...especially Italian & French...they just feel 'right' somehow, and their cars are the right size. Hard to explain, but take out an Alfa GTV or Pug 505sti and you'll know what I mean.

BMW is a superb compromise though...they have just enough of that southern European flair to make it fun, but enough hard-headed engineering to make it run. Who's ever heard of an Italian gearbox lasting 275,000 miles? I'd sit and have a good long cry if my GT Veloce had a dent in the door...how many clean examples are left? As much as I love Alfas, I just can't get myself to commit. The Japanese make great cars too. A 300zx TT in full scream is a thing of beauty. Alas, it looks like a squashed bug & only fits two skinny people. Making an IS300 slide 'round a turn despite all its parental electronics is very entertaining. That fighting gets old quickly though.

BMW to the rescue!

As far as other German marques go, BMW has more flair than M-B and Porsche on any given day. Anyone seen a Panamera? Even the horrific Bangle-ized 7-series looks better. Same for that fishy S-Class that M-B tried to foist on buyers. Don't get me started on the Cayenne. Ugh.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #12 on:** October 24, 2010, 01:10:39 PM »

Got my hands-free bluetooth working finally! Blaupunkt to the rescue with their Hamburg MP57. It nicely matches the interior as well, red controls and very little silver. Cons are the white backlighting on the screen and menus take some getting used to. Not annoying enough to do anything about. $150 brand new. I wanted BT, MP3 and USB/Aux, seems like I've found my head unit.

I'll post a review once I get some time with it. The only annoyance is a sensitivity to bumps worse than my old Aiwa. This looks so much nicer than the very flashy blue Aiwa CDC did.

longtallsally · « **Reply #13 on:** October 26, 2010, 01:09:29 AM »

Quote from: DesktopDave;97854

Got my hands-free bluetooth working finally! Blaupunkt to the rescue with their Hamburg MP57. It nicely matches the interior as well, red controls and very little silver. Cons are the white backlighting on the screen and menus take some getting used to. Not annoying enough to do anything about. $150 brand new. I wanted BT, MP3 and USB/Aux, seems like I've found my head unit.

I'll post a review once I get some time with it. The only annoyance is a sensitivity to bumps worse than my old Aiwa. This looks so much nicer than the very flashy blue Aiwa CDC did.

I'll be interested in your review of the head unit. I got a Kenwood that I've been really happy with and it matches fairly well and you can customize the RGB of the display as well as all the other stuff so it doesn't look too far out of place.

I have to say, if it is skipping, you may want to evaluate your mounting. In my rock crawling Jeep, when I mounted the head unit correctly, I had virtually no skipping- even when crawling on rocks- read; BUMPY!

If you've not done it already, I'd very highly recommend sourcing some premium speakers (tweeters and all) as that made a night and day difference in the sound in mine. The only final addition at this time I want is a mild sub for a touch more bass.

It's funny as in general I've learned a good bit from you here in re-acquainting myself with the E30 since I'd been away for a few years. I'll be interested in seeing what's next...

VegasKyle · « **Reply #14 on:** October 26, 2010, 02:15:09 AM »

Quote from: DesktopDave;97793

As far as other German marques go, BMW has more flair than M-B and Porsche on any given day. Anyone seen a Panamera? Even the horrific Bangle-ized 7-series looks better. Same for that fishy S-Class that M-B tried to foist on buyers. Don't get me started on the Cayenne. Ugh.

I agree 100%. MB has never appealed to me, too big on comfort not enough sport. Sans the AMG models but then you are looking at ridiculous money. Porsche would be well served to make noting but the 911. The 911 has changed less than any car I can think of in the 30+ years it's been around. They should stick to what they know. The Panamera is uglier in person than on paper. $100k pacer anyone? BMW may have lost their way a little (the 7 that you mentioned, E63 6ers and the x6 to name a few) but for each of those on the road there is an E30, E24, E34 M5, E9, 2002 etc. I can think of a dozen I'd like to own.

Alfas are cool, great looking cars. Certainly a commitment to maintenance if you own one. Same goes for British cars. My grandfather has owned 3 or 4 MGB's in my life time. Fun cars for sure.

Author Topic: DesktopDave (Read 68793 times)

-eur04lif3-