Local help/opinions/guidance needed:

[m3fuz]

Hi all - I just picked up a cheap E30 ('87 325e) and am trying to do a bunch of stuff to it so that I can enjoy it for the rest of this summer and fall (still not sure what I'm doing with it for the winter).

I need to do something about the shifter as there's a lot of slop in there so I'm going to start by looking at the linkage. I figured if I'm in there, I might as well drop in a SSK and read through this thread to get a lot of background and useful information:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=41971&highlight=Shifter+Linkage

I'm thinking about picking up the budget kit from Understeer (I bought my Stromung exhaust for my old M3 from them and they were great to work with) and the shifter linkage refresh kit from Pelican. If there are other vendor suggestions, feel free to share them as well.

My questions are:

1. Is the UUC DSSR worth the price? This car is purely a weekend beach car - no autocrosses/driving events. At 176K miles, I have no intention of blasting lots of cash on this car, just want to have a fun weekend cruiser.

2. EDIT - after reading the Bentley on how to remove the driveshaft, I definitely need a jack and stands, or access to a lift. Any garages here that let you rent out lifts (doubtful - the liability would be a nightmare, but just throwing it out there).

3. Has anyone locally installed the Z3 1.9 lever that I can take a look at or share pictures of? I don't want to drive the car, but just see how it sits in the car. The pictures in the thread linked above look like they have a variety shifter height.

4. I was also told that the guibo is on its way out, so I figured that if pulling the driveshaft made switching the SSK easier, I could do the guibo at the same time. Is there anything else that I should consider swapping out while I'm down there?

5. Does anyone want to help? I've never done this task, and because I live in a condo, we're not allowed to do any work on the car here. I was switching the antenna and motor in the trunk with a work light on and a neighbor sent an email to the Condo Board. I live in "that" building.

I'm great at buying beer and pizza, and making smart-ass comments, but really do want to do this with some guidance. Time-frame for this is probably a month or so out. I'm really concerned because I've heard of some people getting this done in an hour or less, and others taking days.

Thanks in advance.

[M-technik-3]

If you not gonna dump a ton of cash just get the Z3 kit from anyone of the numerous OEM houses that sell the kit.

Out you way there are a bunch of locals in the Greater Boston area.

I have both of the shifters you mentioned and if I was on a budget would buy the Z3 but the UUC has far less notchy feeling. It's oem smooth with shortened throws.

[FredK]

Besides a shifter refresh and a guibo change, there isn't much else to do at the same time "while you're down there".

I am not certain if having a "guibo cover" necessitates removing the entire driveshaft. If it does, then things can definitely get more complicated. Otherwise if you don't, then guibo removal isn't that bad at all, and the job should take just an hour or two.

If you plan on running this car until the winter, then IMO, it doesn't make much sense to buy an expensive DSSR when you can get a ton of feel back just by replacing the selector rod joint and plastic bushings.

[m3fuz]

Thank you both very much for the feedback - it's greatly appreciated. Are either of you going to Cars and Coffee at Larz Anderson this weekend?

FredK - I think we met at BavAuto a few years back when I had the Estoril M3 sedan.

[FredK]

Yeah, we've met a few times dude, I remember you from way back when, when some Boston people met up.

I'm not going to C&C this weekend.

[M-technik-3]

I was in germany for weekend have not gotten home yet.