can I cut out my spare tire well?

[Brian 89 325i]

Are you sure? My '91 had it.

My 89 had it too...

[nando]

Are you sure? My '91 had it.

late as in the last months of production, not all plastic bumper cars. my car never had trunk tar.

[lateracer]

Kaos, does that diff that's peaking out look familiar? It's the one you sold me. Works great. Thanks again. I agree that most of the noise is from wind hitting the rear. I'm planning on making some kind of simple diffuser at some point. Yet another project farther down the road...

Makes sense about the tar out back being ballast and not just sound dampening, although it did do that too. I noticed the rear was sitting up a good bit higher when it was all removed. Not a big deal now though, car has been lowered. More mods down the road anyway.

[Aptyp]

i want to do that too, I never keep a spare in the car

[Stu]

I was under the impression that all 4-cyl coupe/sedans had no trunk tar while all 6-cyl coupe/sedans did. Nando, what production date is your iX?

[kishg]

I was under the impression that all 4-cyl coupe/sedans had no trunk tar while all 6-cyl coupe/sedans did. Nando, what production date is your iX?

nope, neither my '91 325i or my '91 318is had trunk tar.

[Stu]

Good to know.

[nando]

i was under the impression that all 4-cyl coupe/sedans had no trunk tar while all 6-cyl coupe/sedans did. Nando, what production date is your ix?

10/19/1990

[lifeiskaos]

Kaos, does that diff that's peaking out look familiar? It's the one you sold me. Works great. Thanks again. I agree that most of the noise is from wind hitting the rear. I'm planning on making some kind of simple diffuser at some point. Yet another project farther down the road...

Haha nice! I'm glad you're enjoying it. I don't think I ever knew your screen name because we mostly communicated by email. I'll be keeping an eye out for updates!

[TrentW]

late as in the last months of production, not all plastic bumper cars. my car never had trunk tar.

Guys, that is NOT sound deadning: it is ballast.

4 bangers don't have it, and 57 pounds is not needed in the the floor of the trunk to kill road noise. That shit is all about keeping the balance of the car.

I was under the impression that all 4-cyl coupe/sedans had no trunk tar while all 6-cyl coupe/sedans did. Nando, what production date is your iX?

Okay, I'm now thoroughly confused. Searched "sound deadening" cause I'm going to finally install my RD sways on my '89 325is and bought the IE rear bar reinforcements that bolt thru the trunk and am deciding whether to remove the deadening (or ballast) or just get longer bolts and leave it in. My concern was more road noise w/o it, which I don't want, and if that's the case which deadening material to replace it with that would be lighter? Or maybe I could just spray some thick bedliner in there too and that would suffice. But now Luke says it's also to there to balance the car--which makes sense--but if it's ballast why do some six cyl cars have it and others don't? And does a stiffer suspension affect this equation at all?

Hep me please.

[racingwoody]

I believe it is there for ballast with a second benefit of sound deadening, how much noise is actually reduced from it is hard to tell. If you are preparing a track car you want to leave it in in my experience. We removed it from my car because I was heavy for a race and it weighed in at 53lbs. but we just had to add more lead blocks to the rear of the car to corner weight properly, e30's need weight in the rear of the car to help balance. If this is a street car you are probably still running carpet and carpet padding which will provide most of your sound deadening.

Removing your spare tire well will drastically increase the noise and drag in the rear of the car. Once again if this is a track car noise = no worries, but drag = bad. Cut 4" diameter holes across the rear valance and this will decrease drag along the rear under belly.

[Bruce Colby]

Or just remove the rear valance.

[racingwoody]

That'll work as well!

[e30_Drift_Spec]

I was wanting to do the same thing! i have a 86' 325es but mine has no valence! it's just the chrome bumper and that's it! If I remove the wheel well will it be affected!

if i were to add aftermarket bumpers that go lower i believe this would be affect or no!
How about an undertray!
Oh and I use my car as street and track! thanks

[mattdk318i]

I was just mentioning this exact thing, I think Quad Tips would be awesome, But i was going to need to removed the spare tire well. Which like the OP's is beat to shit from people thinking it was a good jacking point.

I think in the past 2 years ive had the car ive had the spare tire in there a total of 2 weeks.... Being aware of tire pressures/treadwear is slightly more affective than a spare(*IMO)....save for a complete blowout from poor tire construction or road debris.