'Road trip kit'

[AutoXinE30]

Up soon will be my first distance road trip in the E30, 500 or so miles. In my previous vehicles there were always parts that seemed to break for everyone and break at the wrong moments... In my old MK2, it was fuel pumps... never left home without a spare pump and tools. God knows they didn't fail monthly but, if it did fail, it was definitely when you were out of town. My old MK3 VR was so low I kept a spare oil pan, gasket, 6qts of oil and a spare oil pump pick up. Luckily I never hit anything to need to install it on the side of the road...


Do any you guys have a "roadside" kit? Whats in it besides fluids? :)

[ZM Blue Devil]

what kind of maintenance history?

[AutoXinE30]

I had a fairly large folder handed over to me all I really remember off the top of my head was a used trans and TB/WP with under 60k currently on it.

[ZM Blue Devil]

In that case, contact numbers of members along the route.

L

[SpecM]

go ahead a do a tune up now (plugs, filters, oil change)

maybe a spare quart of oil, gallon of water, alt/wp belt, and a good spare tire

[ChaseN]

I always carry a spare fuel pump and main relay. Gives me a warm and fuzzy, as its the only thing that's ever left me stranded on an e30.

Other than that the only thing I'm ever really paranoid about on a new to me M20 is the t-belt (had an eta once snap on me only 22k miles from last replacement...but it had also been 9 years). But it sounds like you've got that on lock...I go by 5 years/60k, so even if it doesn't have 60k on it, I swap it at 5 years. They can take a 'set' (shape) if not driven regularly.

My old MK3 VR was so low I kept a spare oil pan, gasket, 6qts of oil and a spare oil pump pick up. Luckily I never hit anything to need to install it on the side of the road...

And you enjoyed driving it, with that hanging over your head? An oil pan job on the side of the road is NOT my idea of fun.

[einstein57]

Spare........Nothin really. Maybe coil and plug wires if your car still has the originals. E30's are the 95 honda accord of the german world. Just keep changing oil and they just keep going. VW is the jaguar of the german world. You can't even look at them with out breaking something.

Oh i thought of something. Crank position sensor and water temp sensors. These have been the cause of a lot of crank no start problems. Although you could just replace both for under $100 and never have to worry about them as long as you own your car.

[AutoXinE30]

And you enjoyed driving it, with that hanging over your head? An oil pan job on the side of the road is NOT my idea of fun.

Loved it. But only cause that's the only way the car really looked right to me.... Unlike the E30, I like where mine sits right now. A pan job on a VR is nothing. I could probably have it done from jack up to oil filled in under 45 mins. Only scary part is the start up.

An electric impact pulls down the 23 bolts that holds the pan and the pan drops out. Nothing in it's way. Plus they are steel pans and take a hell of a lot more beating then aluminum.

[ChaseN]

Loved it. But only cause that's the only way the car really looked right to me.... Unlike the E30, I like where mine sits right now. A pan job on a VR is nothing. I could probably have it done from jack up to oil filled in under 45 mins. Only scary part is the start up.

An electric impact pulls down the 23 bolts that holds the pan and the pan drops out. Nothing in it's way. Plus they are steel pans and take a hell of a lot more beating then aluminum.

To each their own, I guess. I don't want to get into an argument, but I feel like there is a point at which, when you are driving around with a spare oil pan in your car, that somethings getting a bit excessive. But then, thats your deal, not mine. No hate.

E30's are the 95 honda accord of the german world. Just keep changing oil and they just keep going. VW is the jaguar of the german world.

Ha, so true. I had an '03 Jetta...oof. That was a mistake.

[einstein57]

I own a 85 Gti, had an 02 Gti, and my fiance had a 02 jetta. The Jetta seats caught fire. Lol. I've only been able to put 10k miles on the 85 in the last 10 years. 5 grand later the car still won't run.

[bimmerboy08]

heres what's in my kit (I'm borderline crazy so its alot)

-fluids (oil, brake fluid, antifreeze, p/s fluid, octane booster)
-cross wrench
-portable tire inflater
-fix a flat
-duct tape
-electrical tape
-socket kit
-adjustable wrench
-needle nose pliers
-zip ties

I think thats it...

[ortholithiation]

Bimmerboys is a pretty good list, add two extra sparkplugs and some silicon sealant and you are good.

[nando]

500 miles?

I'd bring a quart of oil, a gallon of water, and drive.

those VWs were pretty well crap. I just learned VW used cable speedometers until 1991. WTF?

[Emre]

All I carry in my E30 is:

• a quart of oil and a couple of rags
• a breaker bar with a 17mm impact socket on it (I've got wheel studs, so I can't use the OEM lug wrench)
• Spare wheel/tire and OEM car jack
• Handful of random fuses in a small container that I stick in the trunklid toolkit

Never needed anything else besides the factory toolkit and what I listed above. But keep in mind my car is very well maintained. I also keep an active AAA Plus membership since I like to drive old German cars and you never know (haven't needed a tow in years...but still). I also usually have a copy of the E30 Bentley Manual in the glovebox.

[Massive Lee]

A gallon of water, just in case you have cooling problem and need to reach the next gaz station for help. Water is free and can save your ass. It helped me, in the Mojave desert.