e30Andym42

[e30Andym42]

I bought my beautiful 318is on January 12 of this year. I cant wait to get it on the road. The reasons I haven't yet are: 1) I don't yet have a job, but have an interview tomorrow, 2) I don't really have anywhere serious to drive to, 3) I don't see the need to rush into putting my car on the road when I can waste my parent's gas :D. I still drive my e30 illegally around the block though, heheheh. I cant stop thinking about it.

My Alpine 1991 318is cost me $1950.
The Good:
- excellent condition considering the use of salt in good ol' NY
- from Las Vegas
- 99K
- told it was an excellent vehicle by my mechanic
- babied
- drives very smooth and fast
- 35 mpg on thruway!

The Bad:
- dent under fog light (cracked fog light lens)
- very very minor engine oil leak (origin currently unknown)
- cracked dash
- bad timing chain tensioner (part ordered)
- handbrake doesn't ratchet (part ordered)
- ripped fabric in front seats
- previous owner replaced headlights with cheap, crappy ones

I am starting to get angry that the pictures wont upload, I'll keep working on it.

[e30Andym42]

Oh yeah, it needs brakes, and I'm pretty sure it has the original floor mats, which at least surprises me....and excuse the noob question by why cant I get these freakin pictures to upload!? They are saved on my computer off my camera, and I click "Manage Attachments", "Browse", and select the pictures. Why am I such an idiot.

[txleadfoot]

Probably because the resolution is set too high. Use some photo editing software to reduce them to 800x600 or 640x480.

[e30Andym42]

"Upload of file failed." guess not >.<

[txleadfoot]

Make sure it's RGB and not CMYK.

[swiss318is]

make an account on photobucket and then import the pics... thats how i do it and it works fine and without any problems

[r0ckrat]

Second for a photo-host like photobucket, flickr, picasa, etc.

[e30Andym42]

Anyways, some time after my SPECIAL moment....here's my car (im no photo specialist, so bear with me)

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2546.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2547.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2548.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2549.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2552.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2553.jpg

Here's a 1978 BMW 320i at a dealer near me

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2554.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2555.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2557.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2558.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2559.jpg



Unfortunately....on Monday, my streak of getting away with it ended, and I was driving my unregistered, uninsured, uninspected 318is down to the end of my street and back on my calm, policeless street (95% of the time I'd guess) and wouldn't ya know it, about half a mile away from my house I notice a truck with some junk on its roof and it was, of course, a state trooper. I slammed on the brakes hoping he wouldn't notice that I was driving it and assume it was parked roadside the whole time, but he didn't fall for it >=(

I got 2 tickets, 1 for lack of registration, and 1 for lack of inspection. Luckily I'm a "Typical 17 year old kid who makes stupid 17 year old mistakes" and he followed me home as opposed to towing my BMW away, and looked passed the lack of insurance. Sucker :p...still gonna be down a couple bucks though -.-

[e30Andym42]

Future plans!?
- pick up a set of stylish rims to use for summer/winter opposite the
basketweaves
- fix the dent under the passenger side fog light/replace front valence
- re-attach the black front "is" lip
- get dash cover to hide the cracks
- do something about the headlights (replace with...maybe ellips/smileys/angels)
- touch up the tiny chips in the hood
- fix oil leak
- new less restrictive muffler, don't want it to be ricey...ideas?
- increase engine performance, not sure which parts yet.

[hoevesruperd]

thats a real bmw addict! just bought an e30, already looking at an e21. keep it up boy! hahaha looks like a nice car. welcome to the club!

[e30matt]

clean car, but the tint needs to go

[Nick_318is]

Car looks great. I suggest a chip, for the headlights I just swaped to some H1/H4s and they are 100x better then the sealed beams. And for exhaust I love my suspersprint, quiet at idle and a nice noise at WOT.

[e30Andym42]

thx for the compliments.....as for the tint, the car came like that, and i don't really hate it enough to remove it, though i would prefer if it didn't have a sort of purple-ish hint to it. and, i was considering a chip or something, but i really don't know crap about them. my dad had one for his trans-am a while back, and he's not really much help on that subject regardless. it's also a bit expensive for me AT THIS TIME, what with no job, 2 tickets to pay, pads and rotors to replace, and fixing the dent in the front valence...i have around $550 to pay for these things and anything else until someone HIRES ME! anyways, yeah ill look into supersprint. i can't wait to get a job to pay for the goodies i want :D.....and back to the chip thing, we have 91 octane super premium around here, but currently in my tank is 89...don't know the extent of its relativity to the subject, but yeah, im n00b at chips

[monty23psk]

stock for these cars is 89, which means you need to run premium. Maybe people put regular but its bad for the engine. My sister did that for 5 yrs she owned the car. I know put premium. Big difference in response on the engine but will help the engine last longer. Anything with hight compression, like 10:1 or higher will need premium gas, no matter the vehicle model or brand.

[e30Andym42]

like i said, i put 89 in....which is premium. 91 is super premium, which, without prior knowledge, i didn't fill my tank up with because the owners manual says "Premium Gasoline"....so when i filled it up, i selected premium....89 octane. are u saying i should be using super premium 91 octane for the stock engine...or for a chipped m42?

[r0ckrat]

Until you get it chipped it's safe to run 89. Once chipped, it will need 91. The chip will alter timing settings, which with 89 octane can cause detonation.

[monty23psk]

if you look at the manual it says 91, which in the USA, its hard to find. Thats why 93 is the next best choice. The car will work with 87 as my car is living proof as it used it for over 3 yrs. The article I read said if your compression is over 9 you will need 93 octane. You call it super premium but here it is just premium, 89 is super, and 87 is regular. If the car is working fine, you can keep the current octane.

So in my opinion the m42 318is should be using 91 octane whether stock or with chip. Remember, premium and super premium are just marketing words, its the scienctific values that matter.

[e30Andym42]

well i wouldnt want detonation, thats for sure. anyways, ive been checking out some forums and such about chips for the 318is. they sort of contradicted each other....thoughts on the best chip? seems like MarkD is up there....like i said, idk much to anything about chips.

[gearheadE30]

Nice car! For the chip, MarkD is probably the way to go. I've had no problems with his 93 octane chip, and it gave a noticeable increase in driveability and midrange. A chip won't really get much more than that on our cars.

[e30Andym42]

the thing i'm currently focused on, in the nicest way possible, is the m42's lack of power in acceleration at least. sure the 318is can kick some serious butt around a track, but its not like i do that often, though id like to change that in the future when i have some extra money lying around. i'm afraid some idiot (avoiding profound language) is going to pull up in a 96 honda civic with a ridiculously big spoiler and a loud, annoying muffler (such as a glasspack) and think his car is the fastest car to hit the world. i'd like the ability to prove him wrong with a CORRECTLY and BEAUTIFULLY engineered german classic. don't get me wrong, there are certainly slower 4 cylinder BMWs, but id like to reach 60 faster than i currently can with the stock m42. my stock m42 is a blast around my street, but like i said...i dnt want to get shown up by a piece of crap when the light turns green. it may change in the near future as i obtain more information on the 318is, but i'd like to increase my 0-60 time without spending a huge pile of money. i'm working on getting a job so my money supply, once again, is limited. *sorry for the over-explanation, it's in my nature :)*

[e30Andym42]

hope i wasn't too harsh....i love my m42 to death, i just wish it was faster off the line...not that i really know what i'm talking about...first car much?

[hoevesruperd]

you want fast? here it is...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=A3BzF7kjLUY&feature=related
remember; there is always someone faster... and people with big engines usually compensate for smaller reproductive engines...

just kidding, i'd love an S engine too! if you look around you will see the prices and info you need to know for a swap. or maybe someone will be willing to trade a 325

[r0ckrat]

With the M42 it's all about the revs. Keep the RPM over 4500 and it'll go just fine, it's just getting to that point that seems sluggish. Don't shift 'till it reaches 6500-6800 rpm, and and you'll be able to keep it in the sweet spot. But, the M42 is definitely not a drag car motor, but a canyon carver.

[e30Andym42]

well i usually shift around 6....but thats becuz i'm afraid to over rev. as far as engine swapping, id love to swap for an s52 at the very least just for the beautiful engine tone. but i can't say i dnt love the sound of the m42. but back to the subject, an engine swap is time consuming, i can't do it by myself so that means wasting my dad's time, i dnt have the tools, and depending on the engine, there goes the weight distribution. oh, and one more thing, stock m42 318is 0-60 in an average of 9 seconds, as i'm guessing u already know. that's not exactly going to squash your face in with the g forces. i am aware its not a drag car and i dnt intend to make it one, just looking to improve upon that area.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mX4YBszdk04

[318kid]

If you wana do an engine swap get a Downing Atlanta Supercharger. Although it makes less power than the S50/52 it is still just as fun, and it only adds around 15lbs in the front of the car! (P.S. Make sure you take a buncha pictures and videos if you do it!)

[e30Andym42]

MAYBE in the future....not the near future though, adding a supercharger is a big job....parts need to be strengthened to handle the stress. not to mention, it would probably cost more than i spent on the car. plus, there of course are advantage to having a supercharger, but the problem is, i'm spending all that money and getting a great performance increase, but i have to deal with that whining noise all superchargers make. a car sounds better without it, in my opinion. a turbo is less annoying as far as sound goes, and i know i'm comparing them for the wrong reason, but the sound of a car is very important to me, as is peformance. i'd only sacrafice so much sound for performance because its not a race car, its my every day car, and i want to enjoy driving it without wearing earmuffs and/or hating the sound being pumped into my ears.

supercharger:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jSnd9E5BERQ

turbo:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jSnd9E5BERQ&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KdXD64OORPA&feature=related

over the top- straight cut gears:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSJ-HzNWJGM&NR=1

i wouldn't drive my car very much at all if it had straight cut gears and whined so annoyingly like that.

[hoevesruperd]

dont worry about the sound of that gearbox!! its a super-race car with the S42 engine and lots ofswiss318is was talking about (check the thread)

i also think the m42 turbo video you linked is rob_e30's car, (correct me if i'm wrong)
his threads on this forum might help you out figuring of you want to go the forced induction route

another great engine sound is the one from the S14! makes it even better since you know it was born in an e30! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iy4YDe8hWc)

[e30Andym42]

ok well everybody has a different opinion on sound and supercharger vs turbo, and what engine would be best to swap, but what really matters is i CAN'T do any of those for years, unless i get some magic money where it appears out of nowhere just for me, because the only money i have disappears. man, if it was 13 years later when i'm finally done with school for good, i would do so many mods and own like 10 different e30s....but the reality is it's not 13 years later. I need cheap, difference making performance mods, as simply said as i can. at some point, i would also like to spend maybe $1500 or so on a reliable, safe winter car to protect my 318is from the dreaded road salt. but thats not at least until next winter. but as for now, i need performance enhancing, not wallet depleting modifications for the m42....and a job so i can...buy them? just looking for info to decide what to do first

[e30Andym42]

oh.....it was maybe a month or two ago that i tried to install a cold air intake system from K&N, but the bracket to support it didn't fit at all, so i had to return it, and i ended up just getting a panel filter...noticeable modification without the noticeable weight difference in my wallet :D. this was also due to the fact that the panel filter that came in the car was finished and needed replacing anyway. but you know, thats what i'm looking for, what else going to do that for me?

[318kid]

Oh well you were talking about swapping so I figured.... There isn't many things that will really help our engines. You may get away with a rebuild for $1700 but thats dependent on how hard you search for parts. The only things that are reasonable price-wise is maybe a chip and an exhaust system. Sorry.

[e30Andym42]

well, now i'm taking the next step in perfecting its exterior. i am removing the front valence to have a repair shop take a look at it, and hopefully get that literally straightened out. then ill re-attach it, replace the lip clips, and finally get the lip out of my trunk and back where it belongs. right now, i really would love some help, if u can give me any, on how to remove the valence. my car is currently on jack stands outside with about a total of 8 bolts removed. it is still relatively rock solid. if you have any advice/info/links, please lend me a hand. the link to my thread about it is http://m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5394. i need to get this done as fast as possible.

[e30Andym42]

i'm going to bed in anger that this is not finished. my car is in pieces, and it makes me sad. it also scares me that some1 can break into it a lot easier, maybe i'll pull it into the garage. stripped a bolt. will finish it tomorrow hopefully.

[e30Andym42]

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/003.jpg

[gearheadE30]

dang, looks like the project from hell...something always has to go wrong. You don't have a location listed, but if you're in the indy area I could give you a hand.

As for performance, the best gains come from a chip (markD has a great setup <dsylva-tech.ca> is the website) an exhaust (supersprint is nice but costs $540, I have a nice magnaflow and am getting a better resonator and it will all be under $200) and the M20 flywheel conversion. There are a few DIY's about that floating around.

[e30Andym42]

oooooooooo thanks so much....sry about the location listing, ill put that up any time now. i'm in Lockport, NY...which is around Buffalo. i had no idea a Supersprint was THAT expensive. thats $500 difference from what i was previously considering, Dynomax SuperTurbo.....costs $40. i'll look more into magnaflow. as far as the flywheel goes, thats a big project, i dnt think i have the right tools to do it. i'll check out some of the DIYs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvhmVN-UFmk&feature=related

[e30Andym42]

was driving over to TOPS to get some milk and a new m5 passed me :). just thought i'd say, cuz i haven't seen any on the road yet, though i've seen them at the dealer. i've got to say though, that i prefer the e39, maybe because we test drove it a couple years ago. what an experience! and oh my god, the v8 engine noise was brilliant!

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/bmw-m5-e39-front.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/bmwm5.jpg

[e30Andym42]

i just got back from the BMW dealer after ordering clips to put the front lip on, which i absolutely can't wait to do, (valence is still in the shop), and it was such an awesome time. i love going to the dealer and checking out all the bimmers. today they had an e92 and an e46 m3 side by side in the showroom, and a e36 m3 outside. i checked and to my disappointment, there were no e30 m3s in the lot :mad:...oh well, i'll just have to keep dreaming.

[e30Andym42]

well i got the valence back today! I'M SO HAPPY, my baby can finally look as beautiful as she is supposed to be :D. but like all other things i do to my 318is, theres a bad side as well. the nice old polish guy from the collision shop dropped the repair cost from $163 to $150. i was so happy i saved a few bucks from what i would guess was my polish heritage. so i took the fogs and the brake ducts and loaded them into the trunk. the younger guy working there loaded the freshly painted valence into my trunk. i drove all the way home and checked out the parts, what a mistake. i noticed that the driver's side fog lens was now cracked, all of the bolts holding the fogs on weren't returned to me, and the two passenger side bolt threads for the lower bolts holding the fog light on were missing. (they are little plastic inserts into holes in the valence) now i'm going to have to drive all the way back down there and complain :mad:. will update later with pics.

[e30Andym42]

They gave me the bolts and some replacement thread inserts, and I will be getting some new fogs/fog lenses (whatever is available). After I got it attached, I was very excited and loved the way the IS lip improved the car's beauty. If you haven't read them anywhere, and are interested, my next jobs are:
- remove oil pan
- remove valve and timing cover and inspect timing chain components

The only problem is that I have just fractured my thumb, and my father is in Florida for business. Working on my 318is seems out of the question. Maybe I'll be able to work on it when he comes home saturday, and by work on it, I mean help him work on it because I wont be fully healed for 6 weeks or so. :(

[e30Andym42]

Some pictures of the dent in the front valence....the weather here is really crappy and rainy, so I'm still waiting for a sunny day to cap some pictures of the car now, after this was fixed and put back on the car.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2568.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2567.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2566.jpg

[e30Andym42]

Oh and theres one more....

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/08.jpg

Taken with this crappy little camera (all the other bad resolution pictures with this as well)
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2641.jpg




And some random pictures of the Florida vacation
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2633.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2629.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2628.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2627.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2624.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2623.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2622.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2610.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2606.jpg

[e30Andym42]

Somehow it randomly became nice....so here are some more random pictures

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2642.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2643.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2644.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2645.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2646.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2647.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2648.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2649.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2650.jpg

Now next to the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart...the reason is it is very similar in dimensions....same weight, length, height, 4 cylinders, no forced induction...
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2651.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2652.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2653.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2654.jpg

[e30Andym42]

Oh my gosh....I just saw...another BMW 318is!! It was Alpine II like mine, but it had a white "is" lip. He was coming from the market right by my house, so he must live close. I didn't think I would ever come across another one!

[xwill112x]

put a mark d on it, lighter flywheel, change your rear end gear to a 4:45, muffler, and a Cold air intake...
i dont believe many ricers will come close to touching you off the line..
thats a neck breaking off the line setup.


oh and must i mention WEIGHT REDUCTION take all your junk out of your car...spare tire, old condoms (lol) , etc...

that setup is under 1200$ to have done...
oh and other thing is ...you can adjust your cam timing instead of buying a new cam..

and then maybe a short shift kit..

honda's wont have much to say about that car.

[e30Andym42]

Awesome, thanks...I went to buy a cold air intake from K&N and I got it home and began installing it, and it went fine until I went to attach the support bracket. It didn't line up at all, so I returned it against my will and bought a K&N million mile replacement panel filter. Shame because I love what that cold air intake did for the lancer. I'm pretty sure the reason the one I ordered didn't fit was because they came out with the e36 body style later that year and it was for that, and the only other cold air intake system they had was for an e30 318, and I figured that wouldn't work either, and I even called K&N about it and they agreed with me. Oh well, now I'd hate to waste fifty bucks or whatever I paid for the panel filter when I barely used it yet.


Oh and nice one on the condums thing, lol

[xwill112x]

lol
just rig on on...i just bought the cone...did the rest myself...with some will power and a few trips to home depot...

btw, i have only a few mods on my 4dr 318i and i can easily wax most any civic, integra...especially the revvy crx's

hahah

fun stuff.