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How hard can it be? m20b20 Touring in CA

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    #16
    It's so beautiful 😭

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      #17
      Originally posted by Shock(/\)ave View Post
      Hah! It's a pain in the butt to quote the way I do it, which is to manually copy and paste the QUOTE tags repeatedly and format everything. I've been posting on forums for a long time; it's an old habit now. O.G. ;D
      So I was doing it right! I guess that muscle memory must help a lot, it took me like 45 minutes for those first five responses. That doesn't even make sense actually so now I really want to know how I pulled that off

      Originally posted by Shock(/\)ave View Post
      Unplug the cruise control. I don't think we ever had it hooked up, and it's definitely the cause of the issue. Troubleshooting that will be a pain, but with your future plans for the car I wouldn't even worry about it. :o
      Sounds good to me, I have just about no interest in cruise control anyway, I just plugged it in because I felt like I should since it was there lol. That was almost a week ago and I still haven't tested it, so I'm pretty sure there's literally no way I'm ever going to miss that feature. Besides, keeping a constant speed isn't good for fuel economy anyway :p

      Originally posted by Shock(/\)ave View Post
      I would be royally pissed if I hit a patch of road like that.
      Daily life, but now I know I have an excuse for being angry all the time! :D

      Originally posted by Shock(/\)ave View Post
      Yuck! We'd have replaced that jack for you if we'd caught that.
      :rippedoff: Nah, I figured you guys probably just didn't see it. Out of curiosity though, how did you guys get the rear wheel up to do the valve adjustment? My "low profile racing jack" can't even get close to the jacking point in back. I ended up using the scissor jack from my FR-S and it was so small on that rusty jacking point that I was worried it would punch through. I have a picture but I'm afraid you'll judge me for going through with it x.x

      Originally posted by Shock(/\)ave View Post
      It wasn't leaking when we had the car, so it's very recent, and we've both spent more time with our heads in the footwell than we'd care to remember, so the leak has to be occurring outside of the cabin. Throw some cardboard under the entire length and width of the car and pump the brakes with the engine off, wait 15 minutes, and look for drops of brake fluid.
      That might be why the drip test wasn't working, I did it with the car running. I mean that and I could have missed the right drip while sticking my finger in all the water drips because ADHD. I still can't believe I steered straight for that puddle when I knew that my whole purpose for going outside was a drip test I think I have enough cardboard to do it that way, so as soon as it dries up outside I'll do so--much better than looking for unspotted parking spots.

      Originally posted by Shock(/\)ave View Post
      It's a beautiful state, but that's one more reason I'd rather visit than move there. ;)
      Originally posted by MortyCrock View Post
      And I'm with Shock(/\)ave... I'll just visit CA. Liked it when I lived there, but glad I got to keep Oregon plates on my cars.
      I'm always halfway between wanting to leave and wanting to stay

      Originally posted by Shock(/\)ave View Post
      If you're weight obsessed you should definitely seek out an all aluminum M52 and make yourself a frankenmotor:
      Thanks for the video! Unfortunately I don't have any idea how to even begin to convince CA to let me smog something like that. It sounds like years of hell just to get them to approve an engine swap through the proper channels, and that's with a stock engine.

      Originally posted by Powling View Post
      I've seen this touring in person and absolutely loved it. If I hadn't just purchased a 318is I would have probably jumped on this one!

      And I can attest to how awesome the sellers are. Great people for sure!
      See! I'm not crazy! This guy knows! :)

      Originally posted by MortyCrock View Post
      Sounds like it's swap time!
      Originally posted by Bmwdayz View Post
      A friend of mine imported a 320i touring and wasn't able to get it registered in California. They said because we never got the 2.0 engine it wouldn't be allowed. He ended up swapping the motor to a 2.5 m20 and was then able to get the car bar'd and registered in California.
      Did your friend post about the process he went through anywhere? I'd really like more info on how he pulled it off, because this is starting to look like the most feasible option. I've been playing around with this idea for awhile, so it's really interesting to hear that someone actually did it!

      Originally posted by Roadrunner View Post
      I can't believe I almost missed that! Have you been watching The Grand Tour by any chance? :nice:
      I've gotten as far as the fourth episode. I don't have prime so I watch it at my cousin's house, much to her dismay :devil: I've been watching Top Gear UK in reverse for at least a year and a half now though, and I've made it down to season 8. Lately I've been binge-watching

      Originally posted by bobaflesh View Post
      When I was entertaining the idea of importing a touring from Hungary, where I'm originally from I was doing extensive research on registering the car in CA and all car import brokers told me the same thing. If it was not originally sold in the USA, California more specifically, then the car will need to undergo lab testing, which only a few places are certified to do and the cost is between 5-10k$.

      A loophole people were talking about was that the car gets registered out of state and stays registered for up to a year there, then CA should be able to register without the import problems.

      Either way, please do document your progress and experience so others can benefit from it too!
      I'm really interested in the out of state loophole, because that's the first I've heard of anything having to do with other states helping to register a car in CA. I mean really, it wouldn't be that hard to "live" in Nevada for a year if that's what it took. Though living in Oregon for a bit might even be a nice change of pace.

      Originally posted by Shock(/\)ave View Post
      I've collected a few more resources for you to check out. :)

      I remembered reading about some of the insanity of classic car ownership in California, but there's so much of it on Bring A Trailer and other California based websites that I now tend to filter it out and create a mental summary of "typical big government making everything more difficult and expensive".

      With that stated, I recalled a few excellent articles on how to completely bypass the issue - there are alternatives to dealing with the ridiculous and completely unreasonable requirements that California imposes:

      I have a mild obsession with license plates. Which is to say that I often pay extra for those special plates that I think look cool, but no one else ever notices. I also know a lot of weird license plate-related facts. Like, for example: did you know the last number in a Massachusetts plate corresponds to the month it expires? I proudly trot out that one every time I see a Masshole on the road. Surprisingly, my passengers never seem quite as intrigued as I am.Occasionally, there are…


      DeMuro's an expert on the subject, and you'll find additional articles written by him with further details. Given what you're looking at with the insane lab testing fees, and that some companies are offering complete registered businesses with mailing addresses for very reasonable money, this looks like a great option.

      With respect to your fuel injectors, here is the service I had in mind:



      He's based in your state, too, which is great. I'm even thinking of using his service for my cars, and I have a border crossing and very poor exchange rate to contend with.
      Given that I've already paid an arm and a leg in taxes to CA, it wouldn't even be fraud. I'm going to be really seriously considering that one; I don't see what would actually be illegal about it in my case.

      Thanks for the link to the guy to see about the fuel injectors!

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        #18
        Originally posted by BFT_Boyle View Post
        It's so beautiful 😭
        For your viewing pleasure:










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          #19
          Oh man, and it's a slick top??? Dang... Uber lucky.


          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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            #20
            Originally posted by Chalk View Post


            I've heard either Napa, Humboldt, or Sonoma county--depending on who I'm talking to--doesn't smog test. So that might be a good route to go if I run into more trouble than I can handle. There's a big cars and coffee on the 21st so I'm sure there will be people there who've made it through this kind of issue, and I'm hoping they'll be able to steer me in the right direction.

            I really don't understand the lab testing thing. On top of it just being ridiculous in the first place, there's only one lab in the state and they're free to decide whether they even want to look at the car or not. Not to mention that the test is pass/fail. The estimates on cost vary a lot. I've heard, as was noted earlier in this thread, figures like 7 and 10 thousand thrown around a lot. The importer guy said 4.5k but it sounded like he either didn't know what he was talking about or knows way better than anybody else.

            What's the weight like on the s50/52? It seems like it would be heavy



            My friend has Rallyarmor mud flaps on his e30, and it looks like they'd probably screw right on the same way, cheap too. So I'm hoping it'll work out nice and easy.
            Smog inspections are required when you register or renew registration for a vehicle in California, but there are some exceptions.


            Which counties require a smog inspection for the registration renewal?
            Counties that Require a Smog Inspection for Vehicle Registration Renewal
            Alameda Butte Colusa Contra Costa Fresno
            Glenn Kern Kings Los Angeles Madera
            Marin Merced Monterey Napa Nevada
            Orange Sacramento San Benito San Francisco San Joaquin
            San Luis Obispo San Mateo Santa Barbara Santa Clara Santa Cruz
            Shasta Solano Stanislaus Sutter Tehama
            Tulare Ventura Yolo Yuba
            There are six counties that require smog certifications within certain Zip Codes only. These counties are:

            El Dorado, Placer, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Sonoma
            .
            In a very quiet way they are saying that within these 6 counties there are areas that do NOT require smog

            My buddy bought a set of rally armor mud flaps for his E30 then sold the E30. He will sell them cheap, just lmk

            Its not impossible to make the touring legal in CA, but its not going to be easy. I wish you luck
            Simon
            Current Cars:
            -1999 996.1 911 4/98 3.8L 6-Speed, 21st Century Beetle

            Make R3V Great Again -2020

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              #21
              Very interested in how this turns out for you, I've always considered importing a e30 touring but recently settled with a e46 touring instead. I did a ton of research on importing one, but just never went threw with it. Shit I have family in Germany AND my Dad works for the airlines so I could potentially fly over to Europe for free!

              One of my family member's has a property up north in Lake County and like you said, they don't require smog, you just pay the registration fee each year much like other states HOWEVER it is required to have one smog before having the car registered/ title transfer to that county. Thats right, you need to smog the car 1 time and it will be exempt from smogs forever, as long as it stays in your name. We have a few cars registered up there, one being my Grandpas 88' 735i. He hasn't smogged it in nearly 20 years. I do however see in the near future CA requiring smog in all countys due to people taking advantage of the system, and more importantly the god awful growing population. You could say we're taking advantage, but for what its worth he's MAYBE put on 2,000 miles on his 7 in the past 10 years alone.

              Good luck figuring this out, and please we all beg you not to be secretive on how you get it registered here.. To many people purposely don't post info on the subject on importing cars/ registering them because they want to make a quick buck and do it for you.
              Last edited by KIRIEIW; 01-08-2017, 12:09 PM.


              1992 M tech 2 Convertible - S50 Swap
              1992 e34 Touring- S50 Swap
              1992 325i-S50 Swap (SOLD)

              1995 e36 M3 Mugello Red - S50 (SOLD)
              1991 325i Convertible Laguna Green (SOLD)
              1987 325i (SOLD);1992 M tech 2 Convertible (SOLD)
              1988 325i Convertible Alpine White (SOLD)
              1991
              Brilliantrot Convertible 80k Miles (SOLD)
              1992 325i Convertible Schwarz (SOLD)
              1992 318i Convertible Project-Finished (SOLD)

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                #22
                Originally posted by Bmwdayz View Post
                A friend of mine imported a 320i touring and wasn't able to get it registered in California. They said because we never got the 2.0 engine it wouldn't be allowed. He ended up swapping the motor to a 2.5 m20 and was then able to get the car bar'd and registered in California.

                I heard the same but that doesn't make sense. I have an 85 323i with M20B23 that was BAR'd in the 80's and we never got the 2.3. A closed loop piggyback computer was installed for emissions. Besides, they are all M20 engines. Perhaps they changed the rules somewhere along the line.
                "I'd probably take the E30 M3 in this case just because I love that little car, and how tanky that inline 6 is." - thecj

                85 323i M TECH 1 S52 - ALPINEWEISS/SCHWARZE
                88 M3 - LACHSSILBER/SCHWARZE
                89 M3 - ALPINEWEISS II/M TECH CLOTH-ALCANTARA
                91 M TECHNIC CABRIO TURBO - MACAOBLAU/M TECH CLOTH-LEATHER

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                  #23
                  Originally posted by reelizmpro View Post
                  I heard the same but that doesn't make sense. I have an 85 323i with M20B23 that was BAR'd in the 80's and we never got the 2.3. A closed loop piggyback computer was installed for emissions. Besides, they are all M20 engines. Perhaps they changed the rules somewhere along the line.


                  True... but that's CA in the 80s, vs CA now. EPA and Customs laws are way more stringent now with importing vehicles.


                  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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                    #24
                    Originally posted by MortyCrock View Post
                    Oh man, and it's a slick top??? Dang... Uber lucky.
                    Definitely much more my style :)

                    Originally posted by 2mAn View Post
                    https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/vr/smogfaq

                    In a very quiet way they are saying that within these 6 counties there are areas that do NOT require smog

                    My buddy bought a set of rally armor mud flaps for his E30 then sold the E30. He will sell them cheap, just lmk

                    Its not impossible to make the touring legal in CA, but its not going to be easy. I wish you luck
                    How cheap? I'm looking at the universal ones that are sub $20 because of my budget, even though it would be nice to have better ones.

                    Thanks for that link, I might need to go that route depending on how my appointment with the refs on the 11th goes. I'm looking at getting a parts car with a 2.5 if they say that will let me avoid lab testing. That would also avoid sourcing other replacement parts individually as well, and how cool would it be to turn the parts car into a drift missile and tow it behind the touring to track days? *dreams*

                    Originally posted by KIRIEIW View Post
                    Very interested in how this turns out for you, I've always considered importing a e30 touring but recently settled with a e46 touring instead. I did a ton of research on importing one, but just never went threw with it. Shit I have family in Germany AND my Dad works for the airlines so I could potentially fly over to Europe for free!

                    One of my family member's has a property up north in Lake County and like you said, they don't require smog, you just pay the registration fee each year much like other states HOWEVER it is required to have one smog before having the car registered/ title transfer to that county. Thats right, you need to smog the car 1 time and it will be exempt from smogs forever, as long as it stays in your name. We have a few cars registered up there, one being my Grandpas 88' 735i. He hasn't smogged it in nearly 20 years. I do however see in the near future CA requiring smog in all countys due to people taking advantage of the system, and more importantly the god awful growing population. You could say we're taking advantage, but for what its worth he's MAYBE put on 2,000 miles on his 7 in the past 10 years alone.

                    Good luck figuring this out, and please we all beg you not to be secretive on how you get it registered here.. To many people purposely don't post info on the subject on importing cars/ registering them because they want to make a quick buck and do it for you.
                    I'll be happy as can be if I can pull it off just once in my case, and I'm definitely not patient enough to try and make money off other people doing it. Have no fear, I will share the details, successful or otherwise. Thanks for the heads up about lake county, it may not help with the initial registration, but I could definitely see other uses for that in the future :D

                    I have similar sentiments on the population growth :( I just think they should focus on new car regulations instead of hassling people about their old cars. Old cars naturally die out, and if they keep making emissions more stringent, we'll end up upgrading to something more efficient when the old ones go. I mean out of the total population how many actually have the goal of driving an old car anyway?! Just leave us alone! Sigh

                    Aside from that I'm just like, if the car has the proper equipment (which BAR will check and tell you) and if it passes smog mandates for the year it was made (which they should be able to check at any smog station) then where does all this extra nonsense even fit? It's ludicrous.

                    Originally posted by reelizmpro View Post
                    I heard the same but that doesn't make sense. I have an 85 323i with M20B23 that was BAR'd in the 80's and we never got the 2.3. A closed loop piggyback computer was installed for emissions. Besides, they are all M20 engines. Perhaps they changed the rules somewhere along the line.
                    Originally posted by MortyCrock View Post
                    True... but that's CA in the 80s, vs CA now. EPA and Customs laws are way more stringent now with importing vehicles.
                    I probably should have just lied and said it was a 325, they probably wouldn't have noticed. Or at least thought it got great emissions for a 2.5 lol Things that make me wonder if I was born too late though.

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                      #25
                      It's all gone terribly wrong

                      ***UPDATE***

                      So I got in the car to drive to my friends house tonight, and the clutch pedal dropped to the floor. The brake fluid isn't low, and it hasn't come out in the footwell, so I'm thinking my leak was the slave cylinder which has now seemingly gone--though I couldn't get under the car to confirm. I'm gonna have to figure it out and get it going tomorrow so I can get it to it's appointment on the 11th to find out what BAR has to say about registering it as I can't delay since my permit runs out on the 30th.

                      Time to learn how to hack things together on short notice, probably in the rain, because there's no way I can get it there unless I get it going. Now I'm wondering if I should have taken the app a week later but practically next door instead of an hour's drive x.x

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                        #26
                        Originally posted by Chalk View Post
                        ***UPDATE***

                        So I got in the car to drive to my friends house tonight, and the clutch pedal dropped to the floor. The brake fluid isn't low, and it hasn't come out in the footwell, so I'm thinking my leak was the slave cylinder which has now seemingly gone--though I couldn't get under the car to confirm. I'm gonna have to figure it out and get it going tomorrow so I can get it to it's appointment on the 11th to find out what BAR has to say about registering it as I can't delay since my permit runs out on the 30th.

                        Time to learn how to hack things together on short notice, probably in the rain, because there's no way I can get it there unless I get it going. Now I'm wondering if I should have taken the app a week later but practically next door instead of an hour's drive x.x
                        The timing of that really sucks.

                        At least you'll know your brakes very likely weren't the cause of that leak. I wonder if the heat of the new environment accelerated the disintegration of the seal?

                        If you need a hand finding resources to help you tackle the job let me know and I'll help out. :-?

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                          #27
                          I'll be extremely interested to see how you fare on getting it registered, cool car to have in the Bay Area! Based on your pictures, I'm assuming you are in Alameda?

                          OBDI M62B44/6 swap
                          Transaction feedback
                          - jpod999

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                            #28
                            If you ever need some help from a shop, I would be more than happy to help you out here at German Autosport in Berkeley on San Pablo Ave. Bring it by anytime, we're all enthusiasts and would love to check it out!
                            sigpic
                            1987 - 325i Convertible Delphin Auto [SOLD], 325i Convertible Delphin Manual [SOLD]
                            1989 - 325i Convertible Bronzit m30b35 swapped [SCRAPPED], 325i Sedan Alpine Auto[DD]
                            1991 - 325i Coupe Laguna Manual [Project], 535i Sedan Alpine [SCRAPPED]

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                              #29
                              Originally posted by Shock(/\)ave View Post
                              The timing of that really sucks.

                              At least you'll know your brakes very likely weren't the cause of that leak. I wonder if the heat of the new environment accelerated the disintegration of the seal?

                              If you need a hand finding resources to help you tackle the job let me know and I'll help out. :-?
                              Turns out, the brakes were also leaking :(

                              On the way to the shop, because I basically failed miserably in the rain trying to replace the slave and master cylinder, one of the brake lines blew completely out. Turns out they're all completely shot. I mean really really really rusted to kingdom come. I was planning on going out of state to pick up a parts car, partly for the engine swap registration idea, and now I'm really now sure if that's the move to make. In part because I needed BAR to confirm that the engine swap would even work for getting it registered.

                              The slave has now at least been replaced, the pedal isn't coming up when pushed down fully, but I think I may have attached the master to the pedal on the wrong side or something because it feels like that's because it's binding. I think I'll be able to replace the master myself, I just need ramps or a jack that can actually get under this car--"low profile racing jack" I should have known that was a lie for $120, sigh--so I have more room to work in when trying to unstick rusty bolts. The straddling the curb method just was not cutting it. Paying the shop--I hadn't seen your post yet McGyver--to do the slave I guess was a waste of money since I only did that instead of figuring it out myself because I needed to make that BAR appointment I'm missing tomorrow, oh well.

                              Needless to say missing BAR appointment tomorrow is going to drastically slow the registration process, because I'm going to end up in DMV day pass territory when I need to take it to appointments, and the semester is starting soon. I'm also worried about the car sitting that much while I try and get it together.

                              Feeling pretty in over my head now, and I'm worried about what else is going to crop up :(

                              Now I'm looking at having to sink $500 into softlines because I just don't have the facilities to drop the rear subframe, and I'm pretty sure that's beyond my level atm since I was defeated by the coupling between the hard and soft line from the clutch master to the slave today, albeit in heavy rain and in the gutter because I had it straddling the curb so I could get under it.

                              Originally posted by jpod999 View Post
                              I'll be extremely interested to see how you fare on getting it registered, cool car to have in the Bay Area! Based on your pictures, I'm assuming you are in Alameda?
                              I think it's a cool car to have just about anywhere :D Yes indeed, Alamurda represent, lol.

                              Originally posted by McGyver View Post
                              If you ever need some help from a shop, I would be more than happy to help you out here at German Autosport in Berkeley on San Pablo Ave. Bring it by anytime, we're all enthusiasts and would love to check it out!
                              Thanks! Sent you a PM
                              Last edited by Chalk; 01-11-2017, 01:11 AM.

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                                #30
                                Originally posted by Chalk View Post
                                On the way to the shop, because I basically failed miserably in the rain trying to replace the slave and master cylinder, one of the brake lines blew completely out. Turns out they're all completely shot. I mean really really really rusted to kingdom come.
                                What an aggravation! I'm really sorry we didn't catch that - it would most definitely have been a priority fix before the car left our possession.

                                I'm sure you must be upset by it, as am I - we had the car in a really good shop not long ago, and you'd think they would mention that to us!

                                Originally posted by Chalk View Post
                                I was planning on going out of state to pick up a parts car, partly for the engine swap registration idea, and now I'm really now sure if that's the move to make. In part because I needed BAR to confirm that the engine swap would even work for getting it registered.
                                Can you get anything in writing from them before you proceed with something like a parts car? I'd be nervous going that route if they could just change their mind after all the work was done. Totally agree with you on the idea that you should've just said it was an M20B25 since it's just about impossible to tell the difference without pulling the motor apart.

                                Originally posted by Chalk View Post
                                Feeling pretty in over my head now, and I'm worried about what else is going to crop up :(
                                After you get this work done there isn't much that hasn't been replaced, so here's hoping you'll enjoy smooth sailing from thereon.

                                I had similar thoughts after the heater starting spilling coolant right before the really cold weather set in.

                                Originally posted by Chalk View Post
                                I was defeated by the coupling between the hard and soft line from the clutch master to the slave today, albeit in heavy rain and in the gutter because I had it straddling the curb so I could get under it.
                                That makes my lying on a piece of cardboard on top of slush in pouring freezing rain seem downright luxurious. ;)

                                Sounds like you're really being tested at the moment; stick with it and I'm sure you'll be rewarded with a great long term mechanical companion. :)

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