I am getting ready to do an S50 swap on my 1991 318i manual sedan, and I wanted to post up a thread just putting it out there so that people can consider and think about it.
I purchased my car 3 months ago from a guy in his 40s near Princeton, NJ (can provide carfax and VIN). This guy was the 2nd owner of the vehicle, having owned it since 1993. He held onto it this long simply because he loved it, and it was garage kept during that entire time. Reason for selling was that he ordered a new 5 and needed the space.
The car now has 142k miles on it, and as a testament to how well it was cared for, everything works... and I mean everything. Also, I have a spreadsheet of all work done to the car since 1993. This includes:
For reference, the car had 119k miles in 7/2006. PO wasn't driving it as a daily since what looks like 2005. In the past months I have owned it, I replaced the alternator and the starter motor (real PITA). The car does have the optional (small case) 4.10 LSD.
The engine starts up without any problems and I have total confidence in its abilities, having daily driven it for about 3,000 miles now, even in the 30-degree range of temps. Under the hood is not the cleanest you'll see, but she runs like a top. I have been driving 80% highway commute to my school, and MPG has been as high as 28.8 and never below 26. Transmission shifts smoothly, I don't hear any noises from anywhere in the powertrain, honestly this might be the most well taken care of M42 aside from what's in a museum in Europe.
I may seem crazy to swap out of such an excellent M42, but half the reason I bought an E30 was to swap it.
I hope to be pulling the motor during the week after memorial day weekend. If anyone is curious enough to come take a look, you can come for a ride in the car and feel just how solid everything is. Email me if you'd like to talk or get more information - stephen.hesser@gmail.com
As for the mandatory price listing... well, if I could find a single buyer for everything (I will be keeping the radiator) I would happily take $1,000 for the motor with mounts and arms, accessories, bolted to the transmission, with guibo, driveshaft, 4.10 LSD and really anything else you could want (minus the radiator of course, the plastic harness covers, and the shift knob which I need).
Edit: I am moving to the west coast in a couple weeks and need to find a new owner for this powertrain. $600 picked up! Hell of a deal for what you're getting.
I purchased my car 3 months ago from a guy in his 40s near Princeton, NJ (can provide carfax and VIN). This guy was the 2nd owner of the vehicle, having owned it since 1993. He held onto it this long simply because he loved it, and it was garage kept during that entire time. Reason for selling was that he ordered a new 5 and needed the space.
The car now has 142k miles on it, and as a testament to how well it was cared for, everything works... and I mean everything. Also, I have a spreadsheet of all work done to the car since 1993. This includes:
- Oil change 5/2010 and every year or 5k miles
- New O2 sensor 5/2010
- New diff fluid 5/2010
- New Thermostat and radiator hoses 7/2006
- Headgasket leak fixed (not entirely sure what that means) 7/2006
- New spark plugs 7/2006
- New air filter 7/2006
- New fuel filter 7/2006
- New trans fluid 7/2006
- etc, etc.
For reference, the car had 119k miles in 7/2006. PO wasn't driving it as a daily since what looks like 2005. In the past months I have owned it, I replaced the alternator and the starter motor (real PITA). The car does have the optional (small case) 4.10 LSD.
The engine starts up without any problems and I have total confidence in its abilities, having daily driven it for about 3,000 miles now, even in the 30-degree range of temps. Under the hood is not the cleanest you'll see, but she runs like a top. I have been driving 80% highway commute to my school, and MPG has been as high as 28.8 and never below 26. Transmission shifts smoothly, I don't hear any noises from anywhere in the powertrain, honestly this might be the most well taken care of M42 aside from what's in a museum in Europe.
I may seem crazy to swap out of such an excellent M42, but half the reason I bought an E30 was to swap it.
I hope to be pulling the motor during the week after memorial day weekend. If anyone is curious enough to come take a look, you can come for a ride in the car and feel just how solid everything is. Email me if you'd like to talk or get more information - stephen.hesser@gmail.com
As for the mandatory price listing... well, if I could find a single buyer for everything (I will be keeping the radiator) I would happily take $1,000 for the motor with mounts and arms, accessories, bolted to the transmission, with guibo, driveshaft, 4.10 LSD and really anything else you could want (minus the radiator of course, the plastic harness covers, and the shift knob which I need).
Edit: I am moving to the west coast in a couple weeks and need to find a new owner for this powertrain. $600 picked up! Hell of a deal for what you're getting.
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