318idol -- Portland, Oregon

[RP Kennedy]

Hold the presses!  Is this Gary Medley, author of the "Build a Budget BMW" article in Roundel a couple years back?  I printed that article out, and view it at least monthly.  I had been tempted by the dark side (E30 325is) but have since the seen the light (weight.)  Say hallelujah!

[gearheadE30]

Love your car, and the baskets look pretty good. Wish my paint was that shiny....

I was up in Portland last summer, I recognize those pink garage doors. Dunno, maybe just my head screwin with me

[318idol]

Yes, that piece on the Budget e30 was mine, a 1989 325is -- a much fancier car than the stripper 318i pictured.

By the way, the Roundel article was a compressed version of a 3-part build-up of the car in Eurotuner magazine.  Then a year later I did a 1993 325is that we tricked out enough to equal a stock 1995 M3 on a (tight) road course.  That car was a gorgeous black-on-black e36 -- so perfect it scared me.  So I sold it.  Retreated to the 318i e30.

I'm in NE Portland.  email:  garymedley@comcast.net

As for "lowered suspension," I'm running Bilstein and H&R Sports -- and it didn't drop as much as I would have liked.  And the Billys are less comfortable around town than the Konis I used on the two previous cars.

You all know that, Roundel editor Satch Carlson lives in Portland.

As for the shiny paint, easy to explain.  Sun kills paint, and it's NEVER sunny in Oregon.  

[Nick_318is]

Very Nice car, I love how it looks, I think an iS lip in front would make it look even better and go with your trunk spoiler.  Oh and sweet write up on the budget beater (i have seen and studied the roundel one) can you link us to the original 3 part one?