M42/E30 Skid Plate

[stevefreides]

Hi.  I've been driving a new-to-me 1991 318is for a few months.  I live near NYC and will drive the car there sometimes, and I worried about trashing my oil pan on some raised manhole cover.

The car is completely stock, a not-even-daily driver (I work from home), and I'm wondering if a skid plate is worth doing - seems to be about $200 for the part (at bavauto.com) and although I do some minor repairs, I'd have my service station do this and I assume it'll be at least that much more in labor.

Worth it or not?  Piece of mind is worth something, don't know if it's worth $500+  Everything I read says it's a must-do if you have lowered suspension but I don't and won't.

Thanks in advance for your replies, and would also appreciate recommendations on a source for the part besides bavauto is there's better to be had.

Thanks again.

-S-

[mabeer]

http://www.hikfabrication.com/arvixe/Skid_Platee30-325-318-m3-race-track-m14-m40-m20-m10-m30-m50-s50-s52-m52-s14.html 

More expensive but rock solid.  I can't imagine $200 to install but I'm sure shop rates are cheaper here.  Is it worth it for you?  Only if you need it.  Whenever I'm faced with a "crystal ball" decision I ask myself, what are the consequences of an adverse outcome?  If you get one the adverse outcome is you never hit anything and you're out the $.  If you don't get one the adverse outcome is busting your pan and assorted accompanying hassles.   Pick which outcome you can best live with.

Here in Indiana I wouldn't bother at stock ride height.  NYC I don't know.  Take your fattest friend out to the city drive slowly over a cover get out and see how much clearance you have.

[bmwman91]

I have an OEM one installed and it was a HUGE pain in the butt. It involves the use of rivet-nuts, which I didn't have the tool for (and the tool is $$$), I ultimately had to involve my MIG welder lol. Anyway, whatever you go with will likely involve some welding.

[stevefreides]

mabeer, that one looks good - it's currently at the top of my personal list.  That it attaches to the frame just seems better to me.

bmwman91, I've heard it's a pain in the arse which is why I will outsource this one.  I just found a local service station that seems to be experienced in this sort of thing for race/rally purposes.

Frederic318is, no way I'll roll my own on this.  Changing my own window switches is about my speed, but I'd be happy to look at pix of what you did as I'm sure others would be, too.

Anyone know if this forum supports giving notifications by email of updates to threads?  On other forums, I make that my default, but I can't even figure out how to do it on this one thread, let alone for everything.

Thanks, all.

-S-

[bmwman91]

You can try the "Notify" button at the top of the thread.

[i8ur911]

I bought mine from Red46. He is a member on r3vlimited. It's a really nice piece and was VERY reasonably priced.

[Boris3]

M42 on the 318is has a low hanging pan even at stock height. I put the Red46 plate on the 1991 318is beater, and have a Raceskids plate on the Spec e30 that has been fine in off track excursions and saved the pan a few times when driving to the track before I began trailering the car.

The Severe Duty plate is the stronger of the three options since instead of bolting to the radiator support it welds to the frame rails. More expensive but great for a rally car and nasty street conditions.

[wazzu70]

Raceskids seem to be the most popular. No personal experience though.

http://www.raceskids.com/products/race-skids/e30-m42-details

[stevefreides]

Raceskids - looks exactly like what they sell on bavauto.com - they're less expensive on bavauto if memory serves.

I don't know why, but I think I"m either going to go with Red46, which is less expensive, or the HIKFab one, which seems the most robust.

I appreciate the link - thanks very much.

-S-

[bmwman91]

The HIKFab one looks pretty neat. Very sturdy. Where exactly does the thick bar go though? Does it get in the way of anything?

[ryanjv]

http://www.hikfabrication.com/arvixe/Skid_Platee30-325-318-m3-race-track-m14-m40-m20-m10-m30-m50-s50-s52-m52-s14.html 

More expensive but rock solid.  I can't imagine $200 to install but I'm sure shop rates are cheaper here.  Is it worth it for you?  Only if you need it.  Whenever I'm faced with a "crystal ball" decision I ask myself, what are the consequences of an adverse outcome?  If you get one the adverse outcome is you never hit anything and you're out the $.  If you don't get one the adverse outcome is busting your pan and assorted accompanying hassles.   Pick which outcome you can best live with.

Here in Indiana I wouldn't bother at stock ride height.  NYC I don't know.  Take your fattest friend out to the city drive slowly over a cover get out and see how much clearance you have.

Love the friend test comment.  In school i lived with some big guys (also tall) and when they rode in the back, car looked like it was borderline bottoming out.  it was best to keep one in front and one behind me.

[colin86325]

Here are some installed pics of the HIK (aka Peerless) skid plate.  Basically you weld it to the frame rails.


http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread.php?t=95327

[stevefreides]

If it's welded to the frame rails, does it provide some additional stability and anti-roll strength, I wonder.

-S-

[colin86325]

I'm sure it does, but I don't think it's ever been measured.

[PumpItUp]

$160 shipped http://www.red46.net/store/p6/Sump_Armor_-_BMW_e30.html

After-market oil-pan:
(Steel, 120 euros): http://www.ebay.de/itm/Stahl-Olwanne-fur-alle-BMW-E30-4-Zylinder-Rallye-Cross-/120861552357?pt=DE_Autoteile&hash=item1c23e8eee5&_uhb=1#ht_1597wt_952

OEM skid plate, ~$250 shipped:
Factory option: http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/Skid_Plate/ES127978/ (m42 has the most expensive e30 factory plate)