I have created this thread to track my experiences with my 1991 BMW 318is.

Table of Contents:
Car Info
Type AF93
Model 318is - USA
Engine M42
Displacement 1.8
Drivetrain HECK
Transmission MECH
Production Plant REGENSBURG
Production Date 5/19/1990
242 Driver Air Bag+series
281 Lm-rad 6 1/2 X 14
300 Zentralverriegelung Elektrisch
410 Window Lifts, Electric At Front
481 Sport Seats F Driver/front Passenger
530 Air Conditioning
556 Exterior Temperature Display
925 Shipping Protection Package
Color Alpinweiss 2 - 218
Engine modifications
Original M42
Bosch 19#, 4 pintle injectors (0280150556)
SSSQuid chip (stage 1) tuned for 19# 4 pintle injectors and 93 octane
Timing case + components resealed/refreshed
Mess under the intake complete refresh
Upper/lower oil pans resealed
Cooling system replaced/refreshed
[strikethrough]Bremi[/strikethrough] Coil Packs
Exhaust
Strömung catback with custom 3" rolled angle tip
Transmission
Stock
BG Syncro Shift II 75w80
Brakes
Brembo Blanks with Pagid Pads
Motul DOT 5.1 Brake Fluid
Differential
Small Case 4.10 LSD (and a spare!)
Motul 75w90 Gear 300
Suspension
H&R OE Sport Springs (50404.55) with Bilstein B4s
Fresh control arms, ball joints, bushings, endlinks, mounts, steering rack + tie rods all around
Wheels
BBS RS001 (15x7 ET25) with 205/55R15 Yokohama Advan Fleva v701s
Ronal LS (15x7.5 ET 25) with 205/55R15 Yokohama S Drives
Stock basketweaves with 195/65R14 Nexen CP672s
Exterior modifications
Webasto Starlite IV Moonroof (dealer installed ... wasn't my choice to put a hole in a slicktop, but I can dig it)
New OEM front iS lip
New OEM rear iS spoiler
H4/H1 headlights
Rockers repainted black
Tint: 50% front, 35% rear
Interior modifications
Crack-free dash swap
Continental TR7412UB-OR
Refurb'd instrument cluster
Keyless Entry
Carpet-out deep cleaning
Front and rear facing child seats
Based on the data above, you may notice it *WAS* originally a slick top. The first owner had an aftermarket moonroof put in at the time of purchase. Doh! The moonroof is pretty cool though and functions 100% as it should.
Background / Purchase Story
I started looking for a nice E30 in mid 2015. I test drove a number of local cars that didn't pan out. As time went on my search radius expanded. In March 2016 I had a solid lead on a nice 318is in Atlanta, GA. I got on a plane the next morning, flew to Atlanta, looked over the car, bought it, and drove it 650 miles home (~10 hours). All in the same day. I finally had an E30! A really clean one as well. 132K miles with original paint, original glass, no accidents, and the A/C blows ice cold (R12).
Recent Photos:



I took a photo of my E30 before driving it home:

Mileage before driving home:

Photo at the South Carolina border rest stop:

Interior:

Toolkit:

Trunk:

Table of Contents:
- 2016-10-09: Mess Under the Intake refresh - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
- 2016-11-06: Trunk Seal
- 2016-11-11: Rear bumper adjustment
- 2016-11-11: Front and rear speaker replacement - Part 1, Part 2
- 2017-01-06: New tires (Nexen CP672)
- 2017-01-07: SSSquid Stage 1 93 Octane Chip Install
- 2017-01-22: Cluster refurb/SI board replacement
- 2017-02-01: Seat shock replacement
- 2017-02-02: Spoiler and valence replacement - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
- 2017-02-17: Timing chain tensioner replacement
- 2017-03-20: Timing case reseal, water pump, thermostat, timing guides, and more!
- 2017-04-17: Plugs, wires replacement
- 2017-05-15: Belt replacement
- 2017-05-21: Mach V Motorsports / GRM Dyno Day
- 2017-06-01: Fuses (just because!)
- 2017-07-02: Der Bayerische Magazine!
- 2017-07-09: Fuel filter, 02 Sensor
- 2017-08-05: GRM Magazine!
- 2017-11-18: Dash Swap
- 2017-12-22: Hood strut, gas cap, e-brake handle, glove box latch
- 2017-12-29: BMW CCA badge
- 2018-01-12: Summit Point Trackcross
- 2018-04-09: Rocker Paint Refresh - Part 2, Part 3
- 2018-04-23: Exterior Detail - Part 1, Part 2
- 2018-04-29: Moonroof photos
- 2018-05-05: HPDE at Summit Point
- 2018-05-11: 35th Deutsche Marque Concours d'Elegance
- 2018-05-25: Sway bar bushings and endlinks
- 2018-07-03: VDO/Continental TR7412UB-OR Head Unit
- 2018-07-29: Brake refresh - Part 1, Part 2
- 2018-08-01: August 2018 R3V Car Of The Month
- 2018-09-07: M42 Coil Pack Swap Part 1, Part 2, The End
- 2018-09-07: Bleeding brakes
- 2018-10-06: NJ BMW CCA Shenandoah Driver's School at Summit Point
- 2018-11-07: H&R, Bilstein, Suspension Overhaul
- 2018-12-27: Ronal LS, Yokohama S.Drives, Photo Shoot
- 2019-01-18: Photos on Performance Alloy's Website
- 2019-01-21: Small Case S4.10 Road Trip
- 2019-03-09: Strömung exhaust install
- 2019-03-24: Keyless Entry
- 2019-04-xx: 36th Deutsche Marque Concours d'Elegance - Exterior Prep, Engine Bay Prep, Interior Prep
- 2019-05-01: M Tech 2 Steering Wheel (385mm), Returned due to crash damage
- 2019-05-19: 36th Deutsche Marque Concours d'Elegance - First place 80s BMW class!
- 2019-06-09: Rear spring pad swap (ride height adjustment)
- 2019-06-19: Engine mounts, drive belts, oil pan investigation
- 2019-07-09: Transmission mounts
- 2019-07-25: Fire extinguisher
- 2019-09-08: BMW CCA NCC Shenandoah HPDE at Summit Point, More Photos
- 2019-10-16: BBS RS001s!!!!!
- 2019-10-26: First Published Article in National Capital Chapter BMW CCA magazine, der Bayerische
- 2019-11-25: H4/H1 lights installed
Car Info
Type AF93
Model 318is - USA
Engine M42
Displacement 1.8
Drivetrain HECK
Transmission MECH
Production Plant REGENSBURG
Production Date 5/19/1990
242 Driver Air Bag+series
281 Lm-rad 6 1/2 X 14
300 Zentralverriegelung Elektrisch
410 Window Lifts, Electric At Front
481 Sport Seats F Driver/front Passenger
530 Air Conditioning
556 Exterior Temperature Display
925 Shipping Protection Package
Color Alpinweiss 2 - 218
Engine modifications
Original M42
Bosch 19#, 4 pintle injectors (0280150556)
SSSQuid chip (stage 1) tuned for 19# 4 pintle injectors and 93 octane
Timing case + components resealed/refreshed
Mess under the intake complete refresh
Upper/lower oil pans resealed
Cooling system replaced/refreshed
[strikethrough]Bremi[/strikethrough] Coil Packs
Exhaust
Strömung catback with custom 3" rolled angle tip
Transmission
Stock
BG Syncro Shift II 75w80
Brakes
Brembo Blanks with Pagid Pads
Motul DOT 5.1 Brake Fluid
Differential
Small Case 4.10 LSD (and a spare!)
Motul 75w90 Gear 300
Suspension
H&R OE Sport Springs (50404.55) with Bilstein B4s
Fresh control arms, ball joints, bushings, endlinks, mounts, steering rack + tie rods all around
Wheels
BBS RS001 (15x7 ET25) with 205/55R15 Yokohama Advan Fleva v701s
Ronal LS (15x7.5 ET 25) with 205/55R15 Yokohama S Drives
Stock basketweaves with 195/65R14 Nexen CP672s
Exterior modifications
Webasto Starlite IV Moonroof (dealer installed ... wasn't my choice to put a hole in a slicktop, but I can dig it)
New OEM front iS lip
New OEM rear iS spoiler
H4/H1 headlights
Rockers repainted black
Tint: 50% front, 35% rear
Interior modifications
Crack-free dash swap
Continental TR7412UB-OR
Refurb'd instrument cluster
Keyless Entry
Carpet-out deep cleaning
Front and rear facing child seats
Based on the data above, you may notice it *WAS* originally a slick top. The first owner had an aftermarket moonroof put in at the time of purchase. Doh! The moonroof is pretty cool though and functions 100% as it should.
Background / Purchase Story
I started looking for a nice E30 in mid 2015. I test drove a number of local cars that didn't pan out. As time went on my search radius expanded. In March 2016 I had a solid lead on a nice 318is in Atlanta, GA. I got on a plane the next morning, flew to Atlanta, looked over the car, bought it, and drove it 650 miles home (~10 hours). All in the same day. I finally had an E30! A really clean one as well. 132K miles with original paint, original glass, no accidents, and the A/C blows ice cold (R12).
Recent Photos:



I took a photo of my E30 before driving it home:

Mileage before driving home:

Photo at the South Carolina border rest stop:

Interior:

Toolkit:

Trunk:

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