Dumbest mistake youve made with your e30?

[steve68]

1988 325IS, 2nd owner got it in 93', I installed all these parts----RD springs, KYB's junk, but free, BBS wheels polished lips, UUC short shifter, actually, perfect car all books even had the original window stickers, ever thing worked, no stains, no tears, seats all good carpet good, no cracked dash, paint was good, had 2 dimples in the hood, someone jacked it up by the oil pan, had 270K on the car, couldn't sell it, so, I gave it to my dad, which he drives into the ground, sits at his house, tows it to Kauffman tire in Alpharetta and leaves it there, doesn't go back to get it, moves to FL, sells car for $300, man I wish I would have kept that car, don't listen to you wives about cars, keep them all!!!!

[e30onBBSs]

Just had another one, pretty small but still really dumb.

After having my e30 on stands for a few weeks, I finally was ready to drop it back to the ground! I slide my jack under the front, raise it and grab the stands, then slooowly lower the jack. Once its all the way on the ground, I pull the jack as normal and the pole come off by itself. "uh". The lower control arm was just barely barely sitting on the jack, enough that there was a lot of weight on the jack, near the handle. After trying to maneuver it out with no success, I was like I need another jack... and promptly pulled my moms scissor jack out of her mazda and 2 minutes later I was on my way!

[15Michaeljoseph]

it exfoliates the pores


--Mike

[arams325]

+1 to the facial of gas pulling my pressure regulator off the fuel rail at tech school haha

[bumada]

Nothing dumb yet for the e30.

In college, I had a 1995 Integra that burned quite a bit of oil. I was about to leave to go home for one of the college breaks. I checked the oil and filled it back up to the line. I was in a bit of a rush because I like to get on the road as quickly as possibly. About 20 minutes down the road, I smell oil, which isn't that unusual since it burns it on the daily. But this smell was stronger than usual. Within 15 seconds of thinking what it could be, it hits me with a ton of bricks. I forgot to put the oil cap back on! I felt sick to my stomach because I figured the oil cap was long gone and I was dreading to see the mess.

I pulled into an Advanced Auto, popped the hood, oil everywhere. However, the oil cap was still on the valve cover as it was wedged between the hood and the valve cover. Bought another quart of oil, and some vigorous clean up, I was back on the road.

[Stanley Rockafella]

pull the fuel pump fuse then proceed to start the car. Let it run until it dies on it's own

[estoguy]

Removed a fuel line without depressurizing the system. Copped a fuel geyser to the face. That was not a fun time.

I need to do this sometime soon... so what is the best way to depressurize the system? Just pull the battery cable? Relay?

[15Michaeljoseph]

Removed a fuel line without depressurizing the system. Copped a fuel geyser to the face. That was not a fun time.

shotgun fuel facials for life... i remember the first time i changed my fuel filter.


--Mike

[Hooffenstein HD]

Removed a fuel line without depressurizing the system. Copped a fuel geyser to the face. That was not a fun time.

[ArtFoodBMW]

All of this was pretty stupid.

I bought a z3 shifter to install into my 85 327, took my old shifter out to find that my shift carrier was very different from later model ones. Put the old shifter back in. Go to the junkyard with my friend, find the one car that has a late carrier, can't get the bitch clip off the trans, then friend has to go work so we left. Went back the next morning and ended up dropping the whole subframe, engine and trans to get better access to the bitch clip.

Install the new carrier and shifter and hear a very noticeable grinding noise in reverse and second gear, when the shifter is pushed to the left. Found out it the stupid balancer on the driveshaft/guibo is hitting the linkage. I tried to bend the linkage from underneath but with no success. I ended up jacking the car up off all 4, put the car in gear, running. Hop underneath the car with a grinder and try to cut off some of the balancer but my air compressor can't keep it so it would have taken 2 weeks to make progress.

Since i was running the car, I forgot to put the parking break back up. Lower the rear of the car - no problem. As soon as the front cleared the jackstands, the car starts rolling down the driveway, falls off the jack and knocks over the stands. We ended up stopping the car 2 feet from the neighbors moving truck... Thankfully nothing broke and no one was injured.

Long story short, I'm not on speaking terms with anything related to the shifter.

[deutschman]

selling it :)

[15Michaeljoseph]

haha my mom did that once, rolled back into the garage door.


--Mike

[lukeADE335i]

Same for me - started car & released e-brake, forgot something and without thinking ran back inside the house to get it, came out & the car was sitting in the neighbours front yard! Smashed through the asbestos fence between our houses, spent rest of day getting safety gear and cleaning up the mess.

Car wasn't badly damaged though as the asbestos sheet was pretty weak.

[keefy6]

parked the car, got out, didn't pull e brake. car rolled back cracked the rear bumper.

[AlonzoS]

2nd day I owned my e30 two years ago I hit a fire extinguisher box in my college parking lot. lol Got confused with the pedals since it was my 2nd day learning to drive manual. Cut a very nice hole in my fender and gave my front bumper a nice crooked smile. And on my friggin birthday too! All's good and repaired now though