Considering Buying An E30?Upgrades?Differences? - Page 2 - United Bimmer Community

**510markman510** · 04-01-2012, 06:08 AM

Hi im looking at my first car as im soon turning 17. Ive been doing a lot of research and looking at forums like this to get a broad idea on whether investing in a classic like this would be a good idea. Im not mechanically minded and with my final years of school approaching i dont feel like ill have the time to repair a project car or the like. Ill have the odd weekend to work on it, and im always keen to learn but what im looking for is a reliable daily driver. Is this realistic? Ive heard about coolant leakage issues around 66-78k miles, if a car has passed this point is it in the clear? thanks guys this was one of the more informative posts on the subject!

DEATH2000 · 04-01-2012, 09:19 AM

Welcome to United Bimmer. The E30 is an excellent car to drive but with the average age of then around 25 years old they can have a few issues. They are great to learn on if that's what your interested in. However expect things to break and budget accordingly. If you have no tools or available resources to fix problems then maybe it's not the best option unless you have the money to pay for things as they pop up. I don't want to discourage you, as their are some E30's with overdone million miles!! On the original chassis and engine too. Try to find one in good shape with the maintenance records. You would really want to get one that you know has been maintained properly.

I've seen people find good E36's for as little as $600. The coolant system is the weak point on the car and for around $400 you can have everything replaced and good to go. Regardless of which model you choose their are lots of people who have tons of knowledge on both models.

I've owned my 98 E36 for 7 years and I still have the service records for everything I've bought both maintenance wise and aftermarket. I had my water pump, thermostat and clutch fan replaced out of nessecity due to overheating and other then regular maintenance (fluids, filters, spark plugs, etc) i haven't had to spend large amounts. They are no more expensive for regular maintenance then any other car. Just don't then over heat. Both the E30 and E36 engines don't like overheating

**510markman510** · 04-02-2012, 05:43 AM

ahhh thanks heaps, but then as someone with little knowledge should i steer clear of cars with previous issues? Or if theyve been fixed will i be ok? Im keen to work on the car here and there although i cant let it become a big project because schools gonna take a big priority next year. As a reliability factor have there been any largescale issues with the e36? i know with the e30 there was a big issue pre 94' with the coolant system leaking into the oil due to a bad gasket, and there was no recall so im sure to look out for something like that when buying. As an e36 owner what tips could you offer me to maintain a car like that?

Both these earlier models are my favourite era of BMW. I reckon it was a redefining moment for BMW as a domestic name. I love the rigidity and simplicity of it all and i dont understand why with a car i havent even found yet, ive already developed such a strong relationship. <3 90's BMW.

DEATH2000 · 04-02-2012, 11:28 AM

I look at it this way, any 25~ year old car will have issues no matter what brand it is. The issues with the E30 are commonly known and once fixed quite reliable. That's why I advised you one with repair history would be a good idea. That way you know what's been repaired or replaced. These cars are great to learn on! Their not as complicated as everyone makes them out to be. Just a different engine design then the norm. Still function the same way.

The biggest problem with the E36 is the cooling system. The plastic components were known to become brittle and crack causing overheating. These are all parts that are easit replaceable for not large amounts of money. I had my water pump replaced in 2006-07 and I have never had an issue with it since. Pre 1997 the water pump was plastic and broke over time. Their was no issue of bad head gasket in any model uear unless you overheated the car and blew it.

The complete list of parts needed to overhaul a cooling system is the following:
- Thermostat
- Thermostat housing (aluminum)
- Water pump (aluminum impeller, Stewart brand is the best)
- Fan clutch and fan
- Upper and lower radiator hoses
- Coolant expansion tank
This is the same on any car really, but te need for it can be more prevalent in the E36.
These cars are fantastically well designed and last a very long time as long as properly cared for. I would advise you to see and download the copies of the service manuals posted at the top of the E30 and E36 sub forums. Reading through those will for you an excellent idea of how to fix things should they go wrong, and which model might suit your skills and abilities better.

Here is a link to what is covered in the Inspection I & Inspection II services (what BMW calls their service packages):
http://www.bimmerzone.com/category/T...nspection.html

You are right about the 90's ones being the best. They were designed to be perfectly balanced for handling. Their was a reason BMW is called The Ultimate Driving Machine. People fall in love with these cars because of the wonderful driving experience. Their the only cars I will ever own (not counting my truck).

**510markman510** · 04-03-2012, 06:12 AM

thankyou this clears a lot up! you can probably see im still very new to this but articles like the one you linked and your general knowledge are good for tips to look for when im buying and maintaining my bmw yes?

DEATH2000 · 04-03-2012, 06:30 AM

Your welcome. Their is plenty of information here to help first time buyers.

On the E36 the odometer has a small dot below the mileage. This is called the "tamper dot". The car stores two sets of mileage data. Of one of the values does not match this dot illuminates. This is to prevent odometer fraud. Do note that I have seen several people legitimately have to replace their instrument cluster. If this is the case they will have documentation proving this. Their actually is a way to reset the odometer to the true Milage, which I would hope most people would do but not many know about it unless they went to the dealer.

**510markman510** · 04-04-2012, 03:07 AM

oh is that in every e36? cos ive heard the M3 has it. Thats a good idea on BMW's part though, did it ever catch on? Also would you recommend that i invest into changing the plastic cooling system? because i dont think itll be something ill be able to do by myself

DEATH2000 · 04-04-2012, 03:52 AM

Every E36 has the tamper dot. It is recommended to replace the plastic components prior to them dealing and creating problems. Their fairly easy to replace with some basic tools and a good read of the Bentley Service manual.

**510markman510** · 04-04-2012, 08:06 AM

alright mad! ill use it as a learning experience, now just to buy the car hahah. thankyou so much for your help as well, id be lost without an avid forum writer such as yourself helping me

DEATH2000 · 04-04-2012, 10:11 AM

Your welcome. If you have anymore questions feel free to ask.

**510markman510** · 04-12-2012, 07:45 AM

sorry to resurrect this post, but youve been a massive help! ive been keeping an eye out on e30's in my area and ive found that they've either been: almost restored, have had rebuilt engines, or they are total rust buckets and the owner is reluctant to post photos of the car because of this. As a general indicator what would the maximum mileage for an e30 be around. If its done over 200,000 km (124,000 miles) is it likely to be suffering wear and tear issues? Or is it a case of if its been working for this long that it will continue 'forever'? Also because the e36 is notorious for its 'recyclability' (plastic parts etc) will a lot of mileage mean the car is a risky proposition? thankyou for all your help and patience

DEATH2000 · 04-12-2012, 10:21 AM

Feel freer to ressurect it as you need to. I don't see anything wrong with a rebuild motor as long as it was done properly. Get the paperwork to see it was done at a qualified shop and find out why it was rebuilt. Most common is blown headgasket. In that case they usually machine the head and put it back on. They don't usually do a full tear down and rebuild. But the paperwork is essential. Anyone who paid to have it done is stupid if they didn't keep it. Either that or their hiding something.

By almost restored do you mean out of your price range? I don't see anything wrong with body Rudy because that's cosmetic. Which is easily fixable. You can take a course in body work and fix it yourself. You need to be concerned about structural rust. Get under the car and look at the frame. If their are holes in te frame from rust that's bad. Rust on structural areas bad. As long as the frame and drivetrain are in good shape the body shouldnt matter to much. Same goes for interior. Seats ripped to crap? Sweet, throw in Recaro's! That's how I see it.

These motors have been known to hit 1 million miles if properly cared for. And if Someone has properly cared for it they should have te paperwork. Just look at all the cars in your area. Each one you look at will give you an idea of what is out their first hand, what shape their in and what to look for each time. Don't let a seller try to scan you. If it seems fishy walk away. Take your time and look at everything. BMW made 350,000 E30's per year so their will be more.

The E36 used plastic company's in high stress areas and in non stress areas. When theirs heat it causes the plastic to become brittle. Web working on te car with the plastic pieces you just have to be careful not to break it. The only issue was the coolant system but of that's been replaced you should have no issues. I drove my E36 for 3 years after we did te coolant system and it hasnt overheated since. Reliability has been excellent except for three issues which are common, and fixable without killing my wallet.

**510markman510** · 04-13-2012, 03:52 AM

what are these other issues? And yeh ive seen on the pelican parts website, DIY methods on how to replace the plastic cooling system and where to buy the parts for this.

Ive seen a car with a rusty panel. Specifically this is the front quarter panel. Is this hard to replace and this isnt counted as structural rust is it?

By almost restored i mean the owner has said that he bought the car as a restoration project but he cant finish it because theres a baby on the way, which is fair enough i suppose. What ive understood so far is that i should look for a car with clean structural panels (from rust), low km's if possible, and full service history and log books if available especially for a car with higher km's

DEATH2000 · 04-13-2012, 08:21 AM

The only other issues I've had with my E36 have been the hood release cable breaking and a door actuator going bad. The hood release cable breaking is common if you don't properly grease the latches once in a while. I got lucky and the cable itself didn't break just the latch attached to the kick panel and I had to start using vice grips to open it. The dealership charges $900 to fix it claiming they have to remove the fender. You don't, at all. Theirs a great writeup on how to fix it already and the cable is a $40 part. The door actuator has micro switches in then and eventually they stop making contact and of course stop working causeing issues with the Central Locking System. A new actuator is about $75-80. Not super hard to replace just got to take the door panel off. Those ate really the only major issues I've had thankfully.

Front fenders are easy to replace. Just take one off a car in a junkyard. Places near the ocean or use salt for road de icing will have higher concentrations of rust. Swapping a front fender is easy. Just check local junkyards for the cheapest option.

And yes you are correct. When you say begun restoration how much work is required?

**510markman510** · 04-14-2012, 03:12 AM

They dont say what else needs work, but the body and the interior of the car looks very straight so im assuming it must be something under the car. Once you cancel out the engine due to its rebuild that leaves the only main bits to be fixed as the brakes, suspension (bushings perhaps?), and maybe even chassis if the car was saved from the junkyard no?

You seem to be a lucky man with your car, it looks good in your photo by the way. Very classy example of the e36! And yeh ive learnt from dad that dealers would try to overcharge (along with many new swears haha).This is why im trying to broaden myself in trying to find DIY guides on the internet. sooo many links on this forum its great!

Yeh it makes sense to take the cars previous dwellings into account. Its almost as if you have to be a mechanical detective when buying!