I Did A Dumb Thing (E30)

[flumph]

There's a long story about how I got to where I am, but I'll try to be brief. If I sound like an idiot, it's because I am.

I bought a 1984 325e for $3300 today. The paint is cracking, but smooth, the dash looks like someone removed it and used it as a melee weapon, and there are some moderate tears in the original upholstery. You have to hold the door in just the right way to get it to open and the odometer is disconnected. The mirror covers are clearly off of eBay, and there are some side skirts that I can't imagine have been there for very long. But I don't care about any of that; if this car was a person, it would have been in 3rd grade when I was born. The engine seems like it was well cared for, but I will be doing a compression test and checking all the fluids. The PO was a mechanic, but his son was the one who dailied it.

Something's off though. I've only ever driven standard on a motorcycle (which I did trouble-free for a long time), so maybe I just need to get used to a dry clutch, but this thing is really difficult to get off the line without stalling it. So much so that I had to leave the car where I bought it and have my dad come pick it up, since he's been driving stick twice as long as I've been alive. His opinion is that the clutch is strange. The ad said "new stage 3 clutch". The throw is very long and very heavy. I don't know if this is improperly adjusted or if I just have a low skill level, but even my dad said it was very chunky in first gear. For me, it's undriveable.

It's also my belief that the car needs a new front end. I have no basis for this, but riding in it, it felt pretty sloppy. Ad said "new lowering springs installed".

It has no cat, and some non-stock ECU in it that I haven't looked at yet. I'll get more info on that once I have time and light. Speaking of lights, the Brake Lining light is ever red, there's a flashing exclamation point, and the inspection light is on. But the tags are 3 weeks old.

My goal is just to have a fun RWD car that has some character and isn't my daily. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but with this E30 now sitting in my driveway, I'm getting that feeling that I'm in over my head. At the same time, it feels satisfying in an alien way to fully own a car. That seems a small thing to lots of people, but I've been making payments since I got my first car. This one's all mine.

Advice? Criticism? Ridicule?

[Yungbimmer]

Haha don't feel dumb. The stage 3 clutch is what's making it feel impossible to take off. That's a very aggressive clutch and pressure plate to be learning to drive manual with so it makes sense that it seems very hard to drive. If you drive it more you'll eventually get used to it. But its rather pointless to have such an aggressive clutch setup on a street car. Especially mated to an m20. The stock clutch has plenty enough bite to handle the m20 torque/power.

[ak-]

I also have a "stage 3 clutch", as they are advertised on eBay and what not, and if it's the same one then don't worry. It's a very heavy and aggro clutch with a high engagement point with little room for error. Something a lot of people have to get used to.
I don't know why he would install that on what I'm assuming to be a stock car? I agree with what the guy above me says.

The front end sloppiness can be attributed to worn suspension. Luckily for you, the E30's suspension is really easy to service. The most annoying things (in my opinion) are separating the tie rods and control arm joints which can be eased with a pickle fork.

Brake lining light is on due to the wear sensor on the brake pad. Either worn or just faulty.
Inspection light is the oil-service interval light. There is a way to reset it when the oil change is done that you can look up in the DIY section. More than likely the PO just never reset it.
Not sure what the flashing (!) is, must be an early model thing. Maybe take a picture.

No reason to feel in over your head. The problems you listed are minor things that half the experienced people here would turn a blind eye at (except for the suspension, that's a majority of what makes an E30 fun to drive).

[Stanley Rockafella]

that's what $3300 gets you for an e30 these days?!

wow, how times have changed!

[superj]

its ok, man. even if you may have paid a bit more than some of us would have, you will love the car and that will be worth the cost. plus, you will end up putting way more into it anyways so who is counting?

have fun with it and take lots of pictures. the eta motor will certainly last many many many more years so you could possibly pass it along to your children or grandchildren if you only use it as a weekend car. then it will be worth way more then the price you paid for it, especially since its an 84.

[beta14ok]

Lol.....Welcome to the hobby that will never leave you alone......but you will have fun!

[bumada]

Every car I've ever bought has given me buyer's remorse for the first couple of days. A little TLC and it'll go away.

[Das Delfin]

all that stuff is pretty much normal

the inspection light is separate from your tags. The inspection light is a bmw thing designed to make you bring it into the dealer for service. There is also an oil light. If you google you can find what you're supposed to check during these intervals but due to the car's age it's probably a long list of stuff so prioritize the stuff you want to do and come back to the others later. If you google you can also find out how to reset them with just a wire.

the brake lining light - two solutions. 1. remove the cluster and remove the light. 2. there is a little wire you have to replace with the brake pads (it's like 7 bucks) on one front wheel and one back wheel.

The clutch thing is your clutch. Mine has a standard clutch and this car is actually the hardest to stall of any manual I've owned.

All e30's that haven't been maintained well (most of them) need new front suspension bushings/control arms etc. You want to buy name brand stuff like lemforder here.

not sure what the flashing exclamation point is.. must be an early early model thing

[roguetoaster]

Isn't the exclamation point something to do with automatic transmission electronics? Also has some other possible function on Euro cars.

[2mAn]

:coolphoto:

Good news: Its an 84 so its lighter than all of the later models

Bad news: Its an 84 so it has slightly different parts than all of the later models.

[ttrousdell]

that's what $3300 gets you for an e30 these days?!

wow, how times have changed!

I havent purchased an e30 in a few years and now im in the market for another one. Im amazed how in the NY Craigslist there is more molested crap being sold for such high prices. In 2008 when I got my first e30 $3300 could get you a well sorted plastic bumper, manual, 2 door e30. Yes how times have changed.

[IceWhite]

Welcome to the Forum, this is a great place. There will be times you are going to need a flame suit!

Welcome to E30s too!! You are going to hate them and love them at the same time. It's a ride you will get from no other car.

As for the exclamation point, (If it the flashing light between the Speedo and Tacho), that is your check light system. It is supposed to turn off when you press the brake pedal after you start the car. If it does not turn off, then you got to look up by your rear view mirror and on the panel with the LED's on, it tells you of any faults on the car by way of a constant LED. There is also a button to press to turn of the flashing exclamation point light.

Good Luck and enjoy the car.

[MR E30 325is]

I havent purchased an e30 in a few years and now im in the market for another one. Im amazed how in the NY Craigslist there is more molested crap being sold for such high prices. In 2008 when I got my first e30 $3300 could get you a well sorted plastic bumper, manual, 2 door e30. Yes how times have changed.

Same. Back in 05 my buddies and I practically stole E30's due to how little we paid. Ah, I miss those days.

But OP, welcome to the club!!

[flumph]

In advance, I apologize for the long post.

So I chose to run on the safe side and I took the 325e to a local, reputable garage that deals with European cars and restorations. I'm glad I did. I learned the following:

1. The head gasket is leaking oil. Procedure for them is to get a gasket kit, send the head off to a machine shop to inspect it for warping and cracks, and refinishing. Parts and labor were quoted at a little over $2200 for this alone. The valve cover gasket isn't included in that price.
2. Drive shaft support bearing is about to go. This would obviously not be pretty if it failed.
3. Rear swing arm links and bushings are toasted.
4. Rear brakes need new pads and rotors need refinishing.
5. The idle control valve had been "re-engineered" by the PO, somehow involving a garden hose.

For a 32 year old car, none of this exactly surprises me, but the bills sure add up fast. I don't think anything they've quoted me is outrageous, to be clear. I have to have a plan though:

1. Is the head something I can do myself? I'm mechanically inclined and I've used a torque wrench before, but I've never worked on an engine. I found this guide and it doesn't look like anything I couldn't do. The thing that would make me the most nervous is reconnecting everything properly at the end. Should I attempt this? More questions on this in the next section.
2. I think I'm going to go ahead and get the garage to do the drive shaft support bearing. They gave me a good price.
3. I think I'll just change the swing arm bushings myself. Doesn't seem that complicated. While I'm at it, it looks like ECS Tuning sells a total suspension rebuild kit for $450. Might as well.
4. I can probably change a brake pad, but I can't machine a rotor.
5. The ICV looks like the easiest thing in the world.

These are the things that I think it needs otherwise:

1. The gearbox feels like stirring a bowl of oatmeal. Down the line, it needs to be either rebuilt or replaced. A fresh Getrag 260 5-speed looks like it's pretty easily available for around $400, but I'm also reading that there are some compatibility issues between the early Etas (mine) and some of these transmissions. More research needed.
2. The clutch will be changed almost immediately to a softer clutch that I can actually slip in 1st gear. It looks like all I need to do this is a jack, some stands, a friend, a 12-pack, and a free Saturday.
3. I'm playing with the thought of putting a 325i head on it, but that's a question to ask another time.
4. About the heads, it seems like there are a few things that are worth doing while you have the valve cover off. I've read that the valve springs are notoriously weak in the Etas, in pursuit of greater efficiency. Is it worth putting new springs in? At that point, how hard is it to put in a higher lift cam? What's the difference between doing that and just buying a 325i head on eBay? Buying a new head and gaskets, I'm still paying less than I would be paying the garage just to change the gasket.
5. Having no service record whatsoever, a new coolant pump and a new timing belt seems wise.
6. The odometer is disconnected. It reads 157xxx, but for all I know this could be 250xxx.
7. Those fancy limited slip diffs have my eye.

These are the things that I want to do that involve no manual skill whatsoever:

1. The PO put limo tint on half of the windshield and on all of the rear windows. Not my scene.
2. The PO fastened sideskirts and a front air dam with sheet rock screws.
3. The PO painted the front grill kidney vents black. Those'll probably end up back to their original chrome glory.
4. I know this is weird, but the PO put in one of those MP3 player car radios with bluetooth and stuff. I sort of want a tape deck.
5. Did they make a glass sunroof panel for the E30? Would be sweet, but that's far down this list.
6. The paint is good but it looks like it's not going to be good for that much longer. Paint is expensive though.

In conclusion, my biggest question is whether or not I should attempt to change my own head gasket. By no means do I expect to have all of this done quickly. I was looking for a project, and I sure found one. Also thanks for all the replies. Y'all seem like good folks.

Also, I promised pictures and forgot. So here's that. This was the day I bought it.

[Das Delfin]

I mean if you're not willing to diy you shouldn't own an old car!

The head is definitely something you can do yourself. Have a machine shop resurface and redo the valves. Should only be around $200. Buy a head gasket kit that includes timing belt, water pump, cam seals etc etc. Of course you're gonna have to do some reasearch and figure out what the hell you are doing. What would life be if you never had to try at anything??? FYI a valve cover gasket is like 8 bucks. WTF do you mean it isn't included in a 2200 dollar price tag...

everything else.. is easy. I mean especially if this is a second or third car and you can park it in the garage and have all the time in the world.


You sound like you should own a stock e30. What I mean is you seem like you favor originality. By all means go back to a stock clutch, get rid of a freakin tint, skirts etc (well with the skirts do some research because some are desirable) chrome kidneys etc. But do yourself a favor and keep the mp3 player if you intend on dd-ing the thing

and have fun!

(also pics don't work :( )