Announcement

**mike.bmw** · 09-17-2016, 12:42 PM

Day 1 (3/15/2016)
The car did really well on the 650 mile drive home. No overheating. No drama. Sitting in a car for 10 hours will start alerting you to the things you want/need to fix. The gas gauge was a bit off. The speedo cut out once for a few minutes. The driver's seat belt latch had issues. The rear defrost button popped out and onto the floor. The steering had binding and clunking issues. Aside from the steering issues, the other issues I noticed were all minor. I believed the steering issues were caused by bad ball joints on the front lower control arms, which I planned to replaced. More on that later.

Day 2 (3/16/2016)
I took the car to get state inspected, emissions tested, and registered. Everything went off without a hitch.

Day 4 (3/18/2016)
A few days after driving it home I decided to start taking a closer look at the car. I pulled the spark plugs and 3 of the 4 spark plug tubes were completely submerged in oil. All the way to the top of the tube. The plug wire boots kept the oil off the plugs, but as soon as I pulled those I knew I couldn't drive the car until I fixed this. I ordered new plugs, a new valve cover gasket, and all new valve cover bolts and rubber washers. Replacement was fairly straight forward. I put the gasket on dry save for the RTV that needed to go on the "half moon" corners and where the front timing cover meets the head. No more leaks to this day and the spark plug tubes are still dry.

Engine after taking the valve cover off:

Day 10 (3/25/2016)
I decided to have RRT, a trusted local shop, perform a Post Purchase Inspection. I gave them a list of everything I knew was wrong with the car. They looked it over and came back with a few additional things. Thankfully nothing pressing. They said the car was in great condition for it's age and was extremely clean.

**mike.bmw** · 09-17-2016, 12:46 PM

Work In Progress

Over the next few months either I or RRT fixed the following things. I wasn't great about taking photos of everything.

(I wish I could get the below text to work in [tbl] tags, but the forum doesn't currently support it)

Code:

Date Mileage Description
3/18/2016 133450 Spark plugs (nickle antiseize).
3/18/2016 133450 Valve cover gasket, spark plug gaskets, valve cover bolt rubber washers (antiseize).
3/18/2016 133450 Center/rear rubber exhaust hanger replaced.
3/24/2016 133510 Rear defrost switch replaced.
3/27/2016 133607 Flushed power steering fluid with Dexron III ATF (siphon method).
3/27/2016 133607 Driver's side fog light bulb replaced... need to fix electrical connection, bulb not the issue.
3/29/2016 133680 Airbag threads fixed.
4/1/2016 133690 Rebuilt both exterior door handles. Replaced broken door card clips. No more rattles!
4/6/2016 133710 Brake + clutch fluid flush, brake fluid reservoir replacement.
4/6/2016 133710 Rear diff fluid change.
4/6/2016 133710 Transmission fluid change.
4/6/2016 133710 Front control arms and bushings replaced. (Note: Steering issues not yet resolved).
4/8/2016 133735 Center (metal) exhaust hanger/bracket replaced.
4/8/2016 133735 Front bumper trim replaced.
4/14/2016 133818 Replaced lower oil pan gasket, helicoiled 4 bolts and retapped the rest, all new OEM bolts. Changed oil. Fairly easy job aside from the 4 stripped threads in the upper pan. Thank goodness for helicoil. I also installed all-new OEM pan bolts (all 16 of them) with the gasket.
4/14/2016 133818 Replaced passenger side door seal.
4/22/2016 134020 New OEM throttle cable.
4/22/2016 134020 New OEM driver seat belt receiver.
5/11/2016 134217 Replaced steering rack, steering u-joint, tie rod ends, and power steering fluid. Expensive fix, but the steering is spot on now!
5/18/2016 134290 New OEM passenger tail light gasket.
6/3/2016 134550 New OEM speed sensor clip. Probably the first place I should've looked, but thankfully I hadn't pulled the cluster yet!
6/3/2016 134550 New OEM wiper arm gaskets.
6/3/2016 134550 Replaced air filter.
6/22/2016 134750 Replaced passenger side mirror assembly (from another Alpine White 1991 BMW 318is).
6/23/2016 134750 New OEM plastic undertray and right air/brake ducting.
10/21/2016 135730 Replaced all hoses, fuel lines, gaskets, vacuum hose, clamps under intake manifold.
10/21/2016 135730 New fuel injectors (Bosch 0280150556).
10/21/2016 135730 Replaced Oil filter housing gasket, o-ring, and filter.
11/06/2016 135990 Trunk seal replaced
11/11/2016 136010 Front and rear speakers replaced with Pioneer TSG1345R.
01/06/2017 136450 Replaced tires with Nexen CP672 195/65R14
01/21/2017 136545 Replaced SI Board in Cluster
2/1/2017 136700 Replaced driver seat shocks. Cleaned and lubed mechanisms. Cleaned and conditioned seat.
2/2/2017 136700 Replaced passenger seat shocks. Cleaned and lubed mechanisms. Cleaned and conditioned seat.
2/10/2017 136825 Replaced front lip and rear spoiler with fresh OEM parts.
2/10/2017 136825 Replaced HVAC switch.
2/17/2017 136888 Replaced timing chain tensioner and crush washer (new M44 style tensioner).
3/10/2107 137163 Timing cover gaskets, upper/lower oil pan gaskets, crank seal, valve cover gasket
3/10/2107 137163 thermostat + housing + radiator + water pump + radiator hoses
3/10/2107 137163 All timing chain guides
4/27/2017 137670 Spark plugs (BGK6EK, nickel antiseize), BMW spark plug wires, ground cable
5/15/2017 137983 AC Belt
5/31/2017 138090 Replaced all fuses
7/9/2017 138457 Replaced Fuel Filter (Mahle KL9) and O2 sensor (Bosch 13108)
10/18/2017 139170 Oil/filter Change - Rotella T6 5W40
11/18/2017 139527 Swapped dashboard with crack-free dashboard
12/23/2017 139800 New hood strut, glove box latch, gas cap, parking brake handle
4/9/2018 140400 Roker Paint refresh
4/29/2018 140593 Oil/filter Change - Mobil 1 15w50
5/25/2018 140880 Front sway bar bushings (Febi) and endlinks (Lemforder). Rear sway bar bushings (BMW) and endlinks (Lemforder).
7/3/2018 141030 Hood roundel, VDO/Continental head unit
7/27/2018 141189 Front rotors (zimmerman), pads (pagid), sensor, retaining screws
7/29/2018 141189 Rear rotors (zimmerman), pads (pagid), sensor, retaining screws
9/14/2018 141428 Bremi coil packs
9/14/2018 141428 Exhaust mount isolators
9/14/2018 141428 Bled brakes with Motul 5.1
11/07/2018 141940 Replaced springs (H&R OE Sport 50404.55), shocks (Bilstein B4 Toruing), mounts (sachs), bump stops, bellows, and all new hardware
11/07/2018 141940 Bled brakes with Motul 5.1
12/27/2018 142472 Ronal LS, Yokohama S.Drives
1/6/2019 142571 Oil/filter Change - Mobil 1 15w50
1/12/2019 142600 Air filter (Mahle), Spark Plugs (BKR6EK), Brake pins relube, brake pad sensor (front)
3/9/2019 142690 Stromung exhaust install
3/17/2019 142800 Replacement OE coil packs installed, ICV cleaned
3/24/2019 142880 Keyless entry install
5/9/2019 143290 14.5mm rear spring pads installed
5/19/2019 143375 Drive belts, motor mounts, oil change, lower oil pan gasket
7/7/2019 143700 Transmission mounts
7/9/2019 143750 Rotella T6 5w40 oil change, filter change
9/22/2019 144990 Front brake pads (Pagid), brake fluid (Motul 5.1), rotated tires

Photos and notes of some of the work mentioned above

- Passenger side door seal. Mine had shrunk and caused a 1" gap in the top back corner. I could see daylight when the door was closed. I ordered an aftermarket reproduction piece from this place: https://vintageautobahn.wordpress.com/e30-parts/ It's spot on and worked perfectly.

- Front bumper trim. Ordered new OEM plastic trim and installed it...

- Tail Light Gaskets.

- Carpet cleaning results. I rented a Rug Doctor. I took the interior out and went on a carpet cleaning frenzy for a few hours. Very happy with the results!

- The battery box had a minor amount of rust. The only rust on the car. I am certain of this because I've had the entire interior out and I've been underneath the car quite a bit. I wire-wheeled this away and had the rest professionally repaired at a trusted shop. Only a 1"x1" piece of metal needed to be welded in in the lower right corner of the rear valence. It didn't even get into the original white paint!

**mike.bmw** · 09-17-2016, 12:48 PM

Memorial Day Photos:

My E30 and my 2015 328xi M Sport wagon:

Cars and Coffee w/ E30 M3:

Cars and Coffee w/ other E30s:

Cars and Coffee w/ Volvo:

Cars and Coffee w/ Countach:

Misc:

**kid8** · 09-17-2016, 01:28 PM

The car looks great! Keep up the great work and have fun!

I've always wanted to do what you did, and fly out to buy a car and drive it home.

**mike.bmw** · 09-17-2016, 05:09 PM

Originally posted by kid8 View Post

The car looks great! Keep up the great work and have fun!

I've always wanted to do what you did, and fly out to buy a car and drive it home.

Thanks! That's the plan. I'm trying to keep the car as clean and original as possible.

It was my first time flying somewhere to buy a car and driving it home. It was a fun experience!

**MT325is** · 09-17-2016, 07:00 PM

that is a clean car. wow

**Codym42** · 09-17-2016, 08:57 PM

Wow, another 318is with a moonroof! Is it an ASC? That's what mine has.

Did you find this car on Atlanta Craigslist? I think I remember seeing it or one similar.

Looks really clean. Good work so far!

**mike.bmw** · 09-18-2016, 01:37 AM

Originally posted by MT325is View Post

that is a clean car. wow

Thanks!

Originally posted by Codym42 View Post

Wow, another 318is with a moonroof! Is it an ASC? That's what mine has.

Did you find this car on Atlanta Craigslist? I think I remember seeing it or one similar.

Looks really clean. Good work so far!

Thanks! After a lot of research, a local sunroof/convertible top shop was able to tell me the moonroof is a Webasto Starlite IV. It has no markings aside from "Carlite" on the glass itself, but based on the dimensions and exploded parts diagram (http://techwebasto.com/documentation...arlite-iv.html), it's definitely a Webasto Starlite IV.

The car may have been listed on craigslist. I had contacted the dealership that sold me the car in January 2016 about a different E30. When I called to inquire, someone was already on plane to buy that one so my search continued. The dealership later contacted me in March and told me they had another E30 for sale and hadn't listed it yet. After a couple lengthy discussions on the phone and a lot of photographs, I decided to take the chance and book a plane ticket to look at the car.

I was searching searchtempest (craigslist nationwide), various online BMW forum classifieds, ebay, Facebook BMW classifieds, and a few other avenues multiple times a day during the last few months of my search. Earlier in the year I was prepared to pay asking price for a really clean '87 325is in PA, but the owner of that car ultimately decided they couldn't sell it. A similar thing happened with another '87 325is. Also, a lot of folks just don't want to deal with out-of-state buyers.

**Codym42** · 09-18-2016, 12:23 PM

Originally posted by mike.bmw View Post

Thanks! After a lot of research, a local sunroof/convertible top shop was able to tell me the moonroof is a Webasto Starlite IV. It has no markings aside from "Carlite" on the glass itself, but based on the dimensions and exploded parts diagram (http://techwebasto.com/documentation...arlite-iv.html), it's definitely a Webasto Starlite IV.

The car may have been listed on craigslist. I had contacted the dealership that sold me the car in January 2016 about a different E30. When I called to inquire, someone was already on plane to buy that one so my search continued. The dealership later contacted me in March and told me they had another E30 for sale and hadn't listed it yet. After a couple lengthy discussions on the phone and a lot of photographs, I decided to take the chance and book a plane ticket to look at the car.

I was searching searchtempest (craigslist nationwide), various online BMW forum classifieds, ebay, Facebook BMW classifieds, and a few other avenues multiple times a day during the last few months of my search. Earlier in the year I was prepared to pay asking price for a really clean '87 325is in PA, but the owner of that car ultimately decided they couldn't sell it. A similar thing happened with another '87 325is. Also, a lot of folks just don't want to deal with out-of-state buyers.

Nice, the moonroofs have always been sort of a mystery on 318is cars. There was a guy on the r3vlimited facebook page the other day that had one. He never said what brand it was but it was slightly different than the ASC on my car.

I remember seeing a white 318is similar to yours on CL but it looked like it was from a private party. Anyway, glad to see you made the trip back up to VA with it. I bought a car out of state once and I probably will never do that again (it broke down a couple times) and involved several calls for a tow truck and a visit to the dealership...

Do you plan to modify the car or leave it as is?

**mike.bmw** · 09-18-2016, 01:24 PM

Originally posted by Codym42 View Post

Nice, the moonroofs have always been sort of a mystery on 318is cars. There was a guy on the r3vlimited facebook page the other day that had one. He never said what brand it was but it was slightly different than the ASC on my car.

I remember seeing a white 318is similar to yours on CL but it looked like it was from a private party. Anyway, glad to see you made the trip back up to VA with it. I bought a car out of state once and I probably will never do that again (it broke down a couple times) and involved several calls for a tow truck and a visit to the dealership...

Do you plan to modify the car or leave it as is?

Yeah, aside from a tractor trailer tire blowing out a couple cars in front of me the trip home was drama free.

Modify or leave as is... good question! I haven't entirely decided so here's a very long winded answer. This also plays into my next purchase decision: replace tires on mint OEM basketweaves or buy new track wheels/tires.

I'm a firm believer that cars should be driven. I've always had a thing for track days and autocross. The majority of my experience has been with Subarus. Some of my previous cars include a 2005 WRX Wagon and a 2008 STI. Great bang for you buck. Huge aftermarket. Really easy (and enjoyable) to work on.

'05 WRX Wagon

'08 Subaru STI

I also have a thing for older Volvos. Love the 240 bricks. I spent a lot of time on this one and it was purely for cruising around, nothing track related.

At the risk of sounding conceited, my 318is may be a little too nice for the track. Though I'd really, really love to get it out to Summit Point or VIR.

So *I think* my current plan is to keep the car stock and drive it a few times a week for enjoyment. At some point I may throw a track-oriented brake pad/rotor/fluid combo along with a new wheel/tire package, but there are few more mechanical maintenance items I need to take care of before considering that:

- address oil leak from front timing cover (relatively small)
- replace rear diff bushing
- replace sections of rubber fuel line + new clamps
- replace vacuum hose

**Codym42** · 09-18-2016, 07:02 PM

Oh man, those Subarus are so tempting to modify. My buddy has an '02 WRX hatch that he's dumped way too much money into.

Your e30 probably is too nice for the track! But, I'd say wheels/tires would definitely be a good first upgrade. It would look nice with some 15" Euroweaves or 16" style 5s if you want to keep the OEM look. There aren't very many choices for tires in 14s. Even certain sizes in 15" suck.

**WestCoastEta** · 09-18-2016, 10:18 PM

Insanely clean 318 you have there. Just looking at those carpets, damn :shock:

I love that you plan on actually driving it, too. Looking forward to seeing your progress!

My buddy just bought an 05 Sportswagon in red. Wish I could convince him to take it to the track haha

**mike.bmw** · 09-19-2016, 09:59 AM

Originally posted by Codym42 View Post

Oh man, those Subarus are so tempting to modify. My buddy has an '02 WRX hatch that he's dumped way too much money into.

Your e30 probably is too nice for the track! But, I'd say wheels/tires would definitely be a good first upgrade. It would look nice with some 15" Euroweaves or 16" style 5s if you want to keep the OEM look. There aren't very many choices for tires in 14s. Even certain sizes in 15" suck.

Thanks!

I'd love style 5s, but I'm not sure how I feel about running adapters. The 15" Euroweaves would be a great choice. I may look into that next year. In the meantime I'm going to focus ($$$) on refreshing some of the wear items on the motor (hoses, lines, clamps, gaskets, etc).

The OEM size tire choices (195/65/R14) are horrific. I've only found a few tires that come in that size. The tires currently on the car are Falken Sincera SN-828s. Not terrible, but not great by any means. I may just get another set of those in the short term.

Originally posted by WestCoastEta View Post

Insanely clean 318 you have there. Just looking at those carpets, damn :shock:

I love that you plan on actually driving it, too. Looking forward to seeing your progress!

My buddy just bought an 05 Sportswagon in red. Wish I could convince him to take it to the track haha

Thanks! The carpets were in decent shape when I got the car. Though one of the previous owners was definitely a coffee drinker. Seeing that there are no cup holders, some of that coffee made it's way into the carpet. Removing the interior combined with a few hours of Rug Doctor machine rental did wonders.

It's too fun not to drive! ;)

Here's to hoping I make a lot of progress! Time is scarce between work and family. :D

**jpod999** · 09-19-2016, 10:24 AM

I can't believe how clean your car is, looks brand new! I like the way you are going with it also, eight years ago I would have said lower it but nowadays a stock E30 like this is seriously appealing. Enjoy it!

Announcement

Mike's Alpine White 1991 318is

Mike's Alpine White 1991 318is

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