Less rust and hopefully some reliability- the Midwest Daily iS

[AWDBOB]

stoked to see this stay kinda stock! but also stoked to see where you take it once it starts to snowball (pun intended lol)

Me too- honestly driving a stock iX around in the winter has been oddly satisfying so far. I modified all of my old iXes and didn't realize how much cruiseability I was giving up until now. And don't you wish that evil on me, I don't have the mental energy for this to turn into a "build". As things break I will likely make them better, but if it ain't broke, it ain't gettin' fixed.

Hopefully you got to play in the snow a bit the past few days. I can't wait to get a look at this thing in person. An iX is an awesome winter car and as has been mentioned, they won't rot to the ground if you keep up with some regular rust repair and prevention.

The snow has been a blast! I've been playing with fire by putting off changing the tbelt. This HG leak is pretty bad, so I am waiting until I can do the HG/Tbelt/seals/etc all at once.

Lets make sure we don't put it on the lift. Ignorance is bliss, right?

[mjweimer]

Hopefully you got to play in the snow a bit the past few days. I can't wait to get a look at this thing in person. An iX is an awesome winter car and as has been mentioned, they won't rot to the ground if you keep up with some regular rust repair and prevention.

[wworm]

stoked to see this stay kinda stock! but also stoked to see where you take it once it starts to snowball (pun intended lol)

[AWDBOB]

As little traffic as there has been lately, it's threads like yours that keep us coming back. I 100% agree with you regarding social media, and love flipping though the build threads from start to finish. Keep it up!!!
I've always been interested in an IX as I will eventually need something with AWD. I've wanted an older Wrangler for forever, but if I came across an IX like this one I'd have a similarly tough time pulling the trigger as you did. Something about an AWD e30 in the snow that seems so appealing

Thank you!! I have a lot of fun tracking progress on here. And reading other awesome build threads (like yours) lets us all tap into the pot of motivation to push through a project or find some creativity to come up with something fresh.

I love me a Cherokee Sport 2dr- cheap and crappy. Wranglers have gone up in price and are so rusty now it's a struggle to find one to daily. They are great fun, though.

If you ever find an iX like this one and are in need of a winter daily, don't hesitate! These cars are really stout in stock form. If you keep up with things, I think they can really be quite reliable. The key (and this is mainly to myself), is keeping things in scope and not letting projects get out of hand. Linda's journal is a clear indication of that

Thread hijack in progress.

Are those of you winter driving your IXs doing fluid treatments to undercarriage? I have a clean but not perfect 88 IX and I can’t bring myself to even mount snow tires anymore.

I feel shame winter driving it, but it’s a shame not to drive it, too.

I plan on using fluid film one I seal up what I can. I also know several folks who use Krown Rust Control- Krown uses a formula similar to fluid film, and if you have them coat your car (reasonably priced, might I add), they will actually offer a guarantee with their services.

Unpopular opinion: I don't really like the way the iX drives compared to a RWD E30. Because of this, I have sold the nice iXs I've owned over the years that were too nice to drive in the winter. The value of a clean, manual iX makes it tough to justify driving a car through the winter, so I completely get it. But to me, they're meant for this! I think your initial approach going into winter driving in addition to how you care for the car during the salty seasons could dramatically limit the corrosion to where you could semi-worry-free enjoy your car in any weather. It'd just take an extra step of intentionality initially and throughout the season.

Bobby, you buy some many cars. I love it! This one looks fun! I am finishing up my rust project now, keeping my ix as the daily for the time being. They are too fun in the snow and I actually have felt more secure in the ix than my Audi. Maybe that's the inclusion of snow tires in the winter, but either way they are tanks in the snow.

Edit: I know you know this.

It has taken me a while, but I do feel like I am thinning the fleet down to just the "right" vehicles. I'm sure I'll be following behind re: rust repair. The snow tires on this thing almost make it "too" good in the snow, if that's even a thing. It's too grippy to slide!

That's in pretty nice shape!! I remember back in 88 (didnt have a license yet) but I would build E30 325ix coupes all the time I wanted one so bad.

Looking forward to following this!

It certainly looks better in photos than in person, but it is way nicer than I could've ever asked for, for the price I paid. Man, the '88s are so great. Heidi my lachs '88 is one car I think I'll look back on and regret selling. But, it helped pay for the M3, so I'd say it was a worthy compromise.

[Staszek]

That's in pretty nice shape!! I remember back in 88 (didnt have a license yet) but I would build E30 325ix coupes all the time I wanted one so bad.

Looking forward to following this!

[jeenyus]

Bobby, you buy some many cars. I love it! This one looks fun! I am finishing up my rust project now, keeping my ix as the daily for the time being. They are too fun in the snow and I actually have felt more secure in the ix than my Audi. Maybe that's the inclusion of snow tires in the winter, but either way they are tanks in the snow.

Edit: I know you know this.

[BreadMan]

Thread hijack in progress.

Are those of you winter driving your IXs doing fluid treatments to undercarriage? I have a clean but not perfect 88 IX and I can’t bring myself to even mount snow tires anymore.

I feel shame winter driving it, but it’s a shame not to drive it, too.

[Albie325]

I know the forums are dead, but I thoroughly enjoy posting my progress up on here with my E30 endeavors. And re: the forums.... there is nothing on social media that will compare to a build thread. It's becoming a lost art, really

As little traffic as there has been lately, it's threads like yours that keep us coming back. I 100% agree with you regarding social media, and love flipping though the build threads from start to finish. Keep it up!!!

I've always been interested in an IX as I will eventually need something with AWD. I've wanted an older Wrangler for forever, but if I came across an IX like this one I'd have a similarly tough time pulling the trigger as you did. Something about an AWD e30 in the snow that seems so appealing

[AWDBOB]

Likewise, always enjoyed your build threads! Excited to see this one come together.

Looks like a nice foundation that deserves to be saved! Congrats on finding the iX!

Thanks, gents! I do feel like this car deserves another life, which I hope to give it.

Nice work, Bobbie!! I have a driver quality E28 spoiler. Text me if you want some pics :)

Thanks, man! As always, it's a pleasure doing business with you.

Nice score!

There is a couple here that daily a pair of very clean iX's year round. My hat is off to them, and you for taking that on.
I love my E30 but I enjoy bombing around every day in my Tundra. Big V8, auto, heated leather, etc.
I'm getting old...

I could certainly see how that would be appealing to some. I am so analog and weird about cars....my Forester is a 5sp FXT with the Sports package. I can't stand driving anything that doesn't make me work for it, however inconvenient it is at times.

The iX, however, I don't think will be TOO much of a compromise. I'm going to keep it at stock height and will be adding heated seats, adding some RAAMMat and ensolite in the right places, etc. I think it'll be one hell of a daily!

Subscribed. I have been winter daily driving my ix for almost 10 years now. I love it. I plan on tearing it down for a driver resto sometime next year. And a few upgrades. Mine has more than 100k than yours so it needs addressed before I start to flintstone it. But it will always be my winter beater.

I was just talking with mjweimer yesterday, and he has a buddy who daily drove an iX for 100K. My brother has been driving his iX daily for well over 5 years now. I have repaired so many... the maintenance is a non issue. It just seems like such a great car in it's stock form to cruise and enjoy, in all of the seasons.

Subscribed! This thread may talk me into doing the same thing. :-)

My first E30 (and only E30 that I have used as a daily) was a clapped out iX. Much worse than this car. But I loved that thing so much that I have always dreamt in the back of my mind of picking up another one to daily. I think if you find the right candidate, it will be nothing but bliss!


I celebrated our first snowfall with a proper cruise. It was everything I had hoped it would be.

Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr

[mike.bmw]

Subscribed! This thread may talk me into doing the same thing. :-)

[rzerob]

Subscribed. I have been winter daily driving my ix for almost 10 years now. I love it. I plan on tearing it down for a driver resto sometime next year. And a few upgrades. Mine has more than 100k than yours so it needs addressed before I start to flintstone it. But it will always be my winter beater.

[Poorhouse]

Nice score!

There is a couple here that daily a pair of very clean iX's year round. My hat is off to them, and you for taking that on.
I love my E30 but I enjoy bombing around every day in my Tundra. Big V8, auto, heated leather, etc.
I'm getting old...

[e30austin]

Nice work, Bobbie!! I have a driver quality E28 spoiler. Text me if you want some pics :)

[kid325e]

Looks like a nice foundation that deserves to be saved! Congrats on finding the iX!

[BreadMan]

Likewise, always enjoyed your build threads! Excited to see this one come together.