Colorado general chat...

[iamsam]

ha ha what are you gonna do with all that power??

[blefevre]

Just got done snow driving in the E30 for the first time (with snows). HOLY CRAP. That is the most fun I have had in a while. It is so easy to control it is silly. Much easier then the E46 with DSC off. Now to get the Ti's snows on and try that one out.

[iamsam]

Just got done snow driving in the E30 for the first time (with snows). HOLY CRAP. That is the most fun I have had in a while. It is so easy to control it is silly. Much easier then the E46 with DSC off. Now to get the Ti's snows on and try that one out.

what tires? brand new i presume? And it is a load of fun. We need to get a snow rally/drive happening this weekend.

[Roland H]

General Altimax are dirt cheap, and work really well.

[hyperE30]

snow yeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiii!!!!!!!!! so much fun with all season but switchin tomorrow for studded... specially if a drive is on point

[monkeytaco]

ha ha what are you gonna do with all that power??

Well today I drove sideways in some empty parking lots with all that power, this thing is so much fun! I am _really_ going to need a set of snow tires...

Days like today make me wish I hadn't passed up on an ix back in college. :(

Anybody know of good empty metro-area parking lots away from 'concerned' onlookers?

[Cloudbase]

Finally off work. Can't wait for some hoonage on the way home. Left the Tacoma at home on purpose today! Unfortunately my snows are bald from all of my dry road hoonage! It's gonna be fun!

[Roland H]

someone help me answer this...

Hey Roland,

Erik suggested that I talk to you about some questions concerning an 89 325 i that I'm going to be looking at on Monday. It's a manual, 2 door, white on tan California/Colorado car. Says it hasn't been in any accidents, and the current owner bought it from a dealership in Boulder. It has 208,000 mi and as far as I know is un-modified.

First of all, what exactly should I be looking for and are there any E30-specific questions that I should be asking beyond the normal car look-over? Also, how hard is it to adjust the valves? From reading around, it seems like the 2.5 is bulletproof and has many more years in store, am I right in that assumption? Are there any definite walk away problems that you're aware of?

Thanks in advance Roland!

Mike

[Roland H]

someone help me answer this...

Hey Roland,

Erik suggested that I talk to you about some questions concerning an 89 325 i that I'm going to be looking at on Monday. It's a manual, 2 door, white on tan California/Colorado car. Says it hasn't been in any accidents, and the current owner bought it from a dealership in Boulder. It has 208,000 mi and as far as I know is un-modified.

First of all, what exactly should I be looking for and are there any E30-specific questions that I should be asking beyond the normal car look-over? Also, how hard is it to adjust the valves? From reading around, it seems like the 2.5 is bulletproof and has many more years in store, am I right in that assumption? Are there any definite walk away problems that you're aware of?

Thanks in advance Roland!

Mike

[Bimmerman325i]

I just had waaaaaaaaay too much fun hooning around in the Subaru. God damn I love that car.

Hey Roland,

Erik suggested that I talk to you about some questions concerning an 89 325 i that I'm going to be looking at on Monday. It's a manual, 2 door, white on tan California/Colorado car. Says it hasn't been in any accidents, and the current owner bought it from a dealership in Boulder. It has 208,000 mi and as far as I know is un-modified.

First of all, what exactly should I be looking for and are there any E30-specific questions that I should be asking beyond the normal car look-over?

Rust around battery tray, tail lights, if the roof area around the sunroof is bubbled/kinked/warped that car has seen the track (seems unlikely).

Also, how hard is it to adjust the valves? From reading around, it seems like the 2.5 is bulletproof and has many more years in store, am I right in that assumption?

2.5 is bulletproof, and the valves aren't that hard to adjust. It's annoying to do if you have my level of patience, but take your time and it's fine. With normal maintenance, the M20 2.5 has been known to go well beyond 500k miles without rebuilds, just normal maintenance.

Are there any definite walk away problems that you're aware of?

Ask when the timing belt was changed, if the water pump was changed with it. Remind him that a sound like a sewing machine is normal, a loud sewing machine is a bad sound.

Thanks in advance Roland!

Mike

Sam can probably give a better list than that, but those are general problem areas of the E30 that are beyond standard normal car inspection. The owner probably would let Mike get a PPI done, so take it to Autosport and tell em I sent him.

Hope that helps!

[monkeytaco]

I know all of you have been chomping at the bit for some winter driving fun, but now that my car works I want dry pavement so that I can repeatedly smash my eyeballs to the back of my skull while giggling uncontrollably.

I did have a LOT of fun in the snow this evening though...

Also, does anyone have a spare 325 instrument cluster laying around? Preferably motometer? I have LOTS of m42 parts to trade...or beer? I have beer but no money. I should rephrase, I have no money because I bought beer.

EDIT: That is all.

[Bimmerman325i]

I know all of you have been chomping at the bit for some winter driving fun, but now that my car works I want dry pavement so that I can repeatedly smash my eyeballs to the back of my skull while giggling uncontrollably.

I did have a LOT of fun in the snow this evening though...

Also, does anyone have a spare 325 instrument cluster laying around? Preferably motometer? I have LOTS of m42 parts to trade...or beer? I have beer but no money. I should rephrase, I have no money because I bought beer.

EDIT: That is all.

I have a motometer cluster, well, the housing/tach/mpg meter/idiot lights part of it. I'm 99% sure it's from a 325i, and I might have a 325i coding plug lying around somewhere......

[blefevre]

what tires? brand new i presume? And it is a load of fun. We need to get a snow rally/drive happening this weekend.

Continental extremewintercontact. The reviews put it at or above the new WS70's on ice (which I was most concerned with). They did great today. My biggest test was taking 90 degree turns from a stop to an uphill. The car did great!

[Bimmerman325i]

Continental extremewintercontact. The reviews put it at or above the new WS70's on ice (which I was most concerned with). They did great today. My biggest test was taking 90 degree turns from a stop to an uphill. The car did great!

You'll have to keep me posted on how well they last. I'm about due for a new set, mine still have tread but I'm betting they've aged out by now.

Are those 'dry road performance' winter tires or 'you will never get stuck, ever' tires? Also, studdable?

[blefevre]

someone help me answer this...

The timing belt is a must.

Valve adjustment is very easy. You just need a new gasket, rocker plugs, feeler gauges, 10mm wrench and a small allen.

If he at all cares about driving pleasure then have him look at all the bushings. The price adds up quick. CA, tie rod, motor mount, trans mount, diff, etc. That was my biggest regret with my car is that the motor was running GREAT but I forgot to look at the suspension and I ended up replacing all of it.