The BMW Daily Driver Thread

[JustinOlson]

I've become really interested in picking up a E39 528i for a 2JZ swap. There are a few of these already, and with the falling price of the E39's, I imagine this will become much more popular.

 

http://speedhunters.com/archive/2009/09/15/gallery-gt-gt-two-supra-hearted-bimmers-from-jersey.aspx

[aziza z]

Already picked up another e30. This time the lightweight 91 318is. Already pulled the motor out for an s50.

[aziza z]

And i just picked up a m50 motor today. That was fast hahaha.

 

m50 wasnt my first choice but it was a deal i couldnt pass up. Besides, it will be a nice practice run for the s50 swap. haha.

[BobbyZ]

And i just picked up a m50 motor today. That was fast hahaha.

 

m50 wasnt my first choice but it was a deal i couldnt pass up. Besides, it will be a nice practice run for the s50 swap. haha.

 

I have been contemplating an M50 swap for my DD '91 318is. You should keep us up to date on this project. I would love to follow your progress.

[RTz]

m50 wasnt my first choice but it was a deal i couldnt pass up. Besides, it will be a nice practice run for the s50 swap. haha.

 

You mean S52?

[aziza z]

You mean S52?

 

I hope so! But Ill be realistic and say s50 for now.

 

And yes as soon as I have it in there (I think this week) ill keep you guys posted.

[ransomnotes]

Wow, cool to see other Z car owners who daily drive bimmers! Here's my e30.

91 318i, 135k miles with black interior and leather seats. It's a rebuilt salvage, and not in the greatest condition, but not too shabby for a $900 daily driver. I had to get a couple new rotors, calipers, pads, add a simple ground wire to fix the power windows and heater, and throw on some matching wheels and new tires. Had to go with 14's for now. Just need to find two more 15's, and do some vacuum line cleanup under the intake. Otherwise, it's been a great daily driver. Very fun car. I'd much rather work on the Z, but I can see the bimmer eventually becoming another project. I love the look and how it handles, and it's already pretty peppy, but an engine swap is a VERY tempting future endeavor. Until then, I plan on installing some larger injectors, a bigger AFM, performance chip, and better flowing exhaust.

[madkaw]

Any major do's or don'ts or stay away from models. I know there is a lot more info needed, but it is a used car.

 

 

 

1994 325is 155K some service records, but car overheated on test drive and it was 15 degres out. It was a flordia car and the glycol solution was weak and the thermostat froze up!!??? 2600$ new tires and service records showing timing belt and ater pump done 2007

 

1998 328i,no service records, pretty clean 165kmiles. Trans slipped a little under hard acceleration. 4200$-probably take less

 

1995 540i(beast) no service records,new tires, a little rust here and there, 169k miles, drove good-weird tranny. I say weird because 6 speed auto seems sluggish-but heard that's normal. Did not slip under hard acceleration. Got to love those factory SS headers .3000$ may take less

[BRAAP]

The ’94 that over-heated, depending no how severe, could require a cylinder head worst case. I have heard these heads are prone to cracking if over heated. If you are not opposed to small project, a V-8 conversion could remedy the power-train woes and ease long term future power train costs and issues, (small block and LSx V-8s are common in this body style from SBC, to SBF and LSx alike. Can be relatively inexpensive if you are resourceful, they plentiful and with more conversion kits becoming available... )

 

The ’98, a manual trans conversion may be in order unless you prefer an automatic. If you have to deal with OBD-II emissions compliance in your neck of the woods, power train swap may not be as simple, though could. Best to contact your local emissions testing facility regarding the vehicle and proposed power plants first.

 

The E36, ('92-'99 3-series), are actually very VERY easy to work on and parts that are not related to the BMW power-train are affordable, even through BMW directly! (The power train seems to be the expensive part of the car to maintain, making domestic V-8 conversions much more common for obvious reasons). This series of BMW had a long successful production run with literally millions o the road, and was engineered and built from the standpoint of not only easing assembly line production, but also future maintenance! In my research and experience tinkering on these cars now, I feel the E36 and E30 today are what the S-30 was in the 80's and early '90'S! Of ALL the cars I have had the opportunity to put a wrench to, the E36 and E30 series BMW cars are as easy, and in some instances even easier to work on, (remove and replace parts), than an S30 Z car! Interior, suspension, body, etc! Electrically speaking, the E36 is complex in that it has tons of electrical information and systems, but each system itself is simple, i.e. just a lot of simple systems, (compared to the Z-32 Nissan which is complex system of complex electrical systems that are not only difficult to troubleshoot and diagnose, but difficult to access and maintain, Q-45 is the same! The BMW E-36 is simple in design, functionality and easy to access within the car and dash). The E30 chassis is less complex and just as easy to work on, yet less expensive regarding parts and initial investment.

 

The 5 series, I am not as familiar with yet want to get closer acquainted with, i.e. an E39, (’95-’03) to receive an LSx conversion is probably in my future, after my E36 LSx conversion is up and running.

 

The E-46 3 series, ('98-'06) under went a major electrical change in that it utilizes a "Canned-bus" electrical system. The other BMW cars did as well, though I do not know when that transformation took place in the 5 and 7 series. As I understand this modern electrical system, it is very complex, not just simple power and ground circuits that we are accustomed to, more like digital circuits controlling Digital modules for all the various electrical components of the car such as illumination, instrumentation, controls, windows, locks, seats, climate control, stereo, security, etc, and an engine management that is even more integrated into the chassis electrical. I'm withholding judgment towards this new electrical system for now. I have heard of horror stories that dealers are not able to trace down basic electrical gremlins in stereo and window actuation systems, also heard from the Hybrid side that engine conversions can be much more daunting electrically speaking if wanting to retain as much of the OE electrical, climate control, etc as possible. Not enough info from either side of the “canned-bus” pro-con camps to make a judgment of whether or not this “canned-bus” electrical system was beneficial or not from the standpoint of maintenance of an aged vehicle or lends itself to DIY customization, other than I am watching closely, looking for a glimmer of hope that these cars are friendly to the DIY crowd as they become accessible within mortal budgets.

Edited February 1, 2010 by BRAAP

[madkaw]

These cars are for a DD, so no v8 conversions for me. It would be a guess to say whether or not the head suffered any damage. We took a took a 5 mile ride half of that showing the temp in the hot range and it was 15 degrees out. My concern is that if it overheated because things froze up enough that the thermostat didn't work, did it do any other damage????

 

I also have to have an automatic, so no tranny swaps either.

 

I appreciate your insight BRAAP. I love cars-but shopping for one can be a bitch. You come across so many losers and liars it isn't funny-especially in the price range I'm shopping in.

 

If I was really nuts I would buy the 87 325e that was on ebay the other day. It had 87,000 original miles and was super clean and he wanted 4500$ for it. It might actually be the best deal and the easiest to work on of the bunch. It was on craiglist, but he pulled the listing.

 

I am waiting on vin#s from the sellers of these other cars so I can do a carfax.

[Michael]

My DD 1992 E36 325is threw its serpentine belt on a 500-mile a few days ago. I attempted a roadside fix (parking lot of Autozone), screwed it up, drove 140 miles before the charging system died. Last night I finally installed the correct serpentine belt, more or less correctly... after having to make a custom fork-shaped tool to deflect the belt enough to slide it past one of the idler pulleys.

 

My point is that "easy to work on" is relative. If you can pull off a V8 swap in a few weeks, then yes, E36 BMWs are terrifically easy to work on. And they are certainly easier to maintain than post-2000 luxury cars. But I am continually frustrated and challenged, to say the least, but "basic" repairs on my E36... suspension bushings, shock mounts, and the like. This suggests that a Corolla/Civic/Sentra/Protege is the more user-friendly daily driver. If a major problem develops, one simply throws the car away, without attempting to repair it by oneself, or to take it to the dealer.

[Pete84]

Found a gem of a '93 325I. Auto, just a tick over 160k miles.

 

The head gasket is blown, but the PO parked it as soon as it went. Hopefully the head isn't cracked, really don't want to deal with that.

 

[BRAAP]

Found a gem of a '93 325I. Auto, just a tick over 160k miles.

 

The head gasket is blown, but the PO parked it as soon as it went. Hopefully the head isn't cracked, really don't want to deal with that.

 

Nice find.

 

If the head is cracked, I know of a fix... Muhahahahahahaha...

 

[Pete84]

Why yes, so do I, but it really isn't that fun down here with our draconian smog laws in California. I am not sure if I can put M3 cams in the head, since it is a non-Vanos one. Took one look at M3 heads, and then ran the other way .

 

One nice omission on that car is Vanos. After looking at the steps to remove and install such a system, I am really happy that my car doesn't have it. The mechanisms also fail, sticking at a particular advancement, bet that is great for the motor.

 

Oh yes, forget things when my coffee is still kicking in. Paid $300 for it

[Gollum]

If you were to buy a 93+ LS1 Camaro donor car you'll have EVERYTHING required to satisfy those pesky CA smog laws, and smog refs. You can PM me if you're interested in finding out the niddy griddy details of how the CA laws work.

[BRAAP]

If you were to buy a 93+ LS1 Camaro donor car you'll have EVERYTHING required to satisfy those pesky CA smog laws, and smog refs. You can PM me if you're interested in finding out the niddy griddy details of how the CA laws work.

 

Yeup. I am pretty sure there are already a couple of smog legal LSx powered BMW E-36s cars on the road in Californ-eye-ae. HBZ Member mas280 in southern Cal is building one linked here;

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1214157

 

As is another southern Cali guy, very well known on this forum, building two versions of E-36 V-8 hybirds.

[Pete84]

That would be an awesome project, but. . .

I am working part time, going to school full time, and don't have a garage. With all this rain we have been having I haven't even been able to start pulling the head off, which is no small project.

If I did have a garage it would change things immensely, after sundown work grinds to a halt. Really limits productivity Not to mention seeing all those LT1 and LS1 Camaros and Firebirds on craigslist for pretty slick deals. In the end though it would cost several grand more than I am able to put into it right now, but in a few years with an engineering degree situations will be different.

[Gollum]

That would be an awesome project, but. . .

I am working part time, going to school full time, and don't have a garage. With all this rain we have been having I haven't even been able to start pulling the head off, which is no small project.

If I did have a garage it would change things immensely, after sundown work grinds to a halt. Really limits productivity Not to mention seeing all those LT1 and LS1 Camaros and Firebirds on craigslist for pretty slick deals. In the end though it would cost several grand more than I am able to put into it right now, but in a few years with an engineering degree situations will be different.

 

Werd

 

And what IS with all this rain lately? Holy crap!

 

Oh... umm topic.

 

I saw a sweet E30 today that belongs to a friend of a friend. I tried swaying him to the dark side of the force.

[BRAAP]

Another Black BMW M3 LSx conversion on the East coast. “Demon Speed” on bimmerforums;

 

Front straight, VIR

 

On dyno;

 

 

In car..

[BRAAP]

RTz bit the bullet and bought a ’98 M3 coupe. Went with him on Friday to pick it up, and WOW! This is a VERY clean car. Ron is now the 3rd owner. First owner kept the car in heated carpeted garage. Second owner kept it garaged, (not sure if it was heated or not). Only 74,000 miles on the clock, completely original, back seats look as though they have not been sat in. I drove it to the shop, runs and drives exactly as mine did before I pulled the engine out, just cleaner and nicer.

 

Promised him I wouldn’t post any pics till he showed his wife first. Sort of a surprise for her. She has been nudging him to get one for while, last week was out of town, back tonight.

 

Here some pics I took Friday as he picked up the car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My M3 on the left, Rons M3 on the right and the RTz 260 (currently receiving the engine from my M3), in the middle.