The 328i - A bit of a project

InvaderGIR

InvaderGIR

InvaderGIR

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Joined
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I just wrote a massive post, and my laptop crashed. :( Here goes again.

By the way, it's not as good as Paradigm's thread. :p

As most of you know I bought a 1995 BMW e36 328i a couple of weeks ago (and for those that don't, visit here).

I bought the car quite cheap, and am so it's not in the best of conditions, but I actually like this as it gives me a project and something to do at the weekends that I will enjoy.

So, problems the car had when I picked it up. Well, the tyres were crap, it has a couple of rust spots, the interior isn't leather, it's done 169k and it has orange indicators.

First up were tyres, I made a thread here and over on e36coupe.com about them and got lots of different opinions, in the end I went for Goodyear Eagle F1s and in the 3 miles I've driven it since, they are much better than the Infinity on the rears and mixed brands on the front.
I went to a local palce in Reading that also has a Hunter 4 wheel alignment machine, and so got the tyres fitted and the car fully aligned. I then found out via the garage that the rears can't be adjusted (but aren't out a worrying amount), as some of the nuts/bolts are siezed and heating them off could result in breaking more than fixing and it's not worth it for them to do that.
So, to add to the list, take apart the rear drive and suspension system and put it all back together.
Ok £460 later and the tyres are sorted.

When driving the car back I had a nice metal on metal scraping noise, which I checked when I got home and the front driver's side outer pad is worn low, and the driver's side inner pad is just the backing plate hence the noises.
I checked up on the e36coupe.com forum and found out that a lot of people use and recommend Performance Friction Z rated pads. I also found out that being a member of the forum means I get a 10% discount, which is nice.
I phoned up on Monday and spoke to the guy dealing with the discounts, and after a bit of discussion decided on getting a full set of pads and discs. Due to the discs being ordered in to them from elsewhere it would take two days for me to seethem.

Ohhh what's this...


IMAG0266.jpg

2x280mm vented discs, 2x286 vented discs (286's - fronts are under the box for 280's - rears).
Discs are ATE discs.

IMAG0268.jpg

8x pads... 4x front 4x rear.
Pads are Performance Friction Z rated pads.

IMAG0267.jpg

Pads in the box


Just had it delivered (I say just, I had it all sent to work and I picked it up from our postal depot). :D

They'll mostly see normal road and fast road driving, with a little bit of track thrown in over the next year. :)

I have to say, AS Performance were brilliant, speed of the service was great, and Alyn (the guy I spoke to about the brakes) was brilliant with organising it all.

£265 later and I have new dsics sat in front of me. :D

I shall be fitting all of these tomorrow afternoon with the help of -westy- so that's all good.

That's all the sorting of things I've organised so far.

Over the next few months I'll be sorting the rust, the bushes all round as it's on 169k and I want to have some slightly stiffer than stock ones to improve the handling a bit. I'll also be doing the leather and indicators as well as a stereo.
I'll keep this thread updated with what's going on and progress shots etc.

I'll also be undertaking the fun and lengthy dismanteling of the rear end, but that will be a few months off I think, when I can book time off work easily and have loads of light in the mornings and evenings to work on it solidly for some time, with removal of old nuts/bolts etc. and replacement with new ones to ensure the alignment can be done properly.

I think that's basically what I wrote before the laptop crashed.
 
Yay thread :)

Keep up the good work, and soon, it could look as good as mine :p

I've just bought new discs and pads for mine, but went for EBC grooved discs (zinc coated) and Redstuff pads. For a grand total of £171 :D
 
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hmmm seems a bit backwards to have done all the alignment and then plan to change the bushes and suspension, cos after that the alignment is higly likely to be all wrong again
 
paradigm said:
Yay thread :)

Keep up the good work, and soon, it could look as good as mine :p

I've just bought new discs and pads for mine, but went for EBC grooved discs (zinc coated) and Redstuff pads. For a grand total of £171 :D
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It could...although I have rust, which will need to be sorted well to look as good as yours, and a few parking little dents.

All round or front only? :p

Wasn't sure on discs so ended up figuring that for the moment the ATE ones will be fine. If I get serious about tracks and stuff, then I'll upgrade properly.

Matt82 said:
hmmm seems a bit backwards to have done all the alignment and then plan to change the bushes and suspension, cos after that the alignment is higly likely to be all wrong again
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I wanted it to be done with the tyres, like a base level. I will get it done again once I've done bushes and freed up all the rear components, as it will be out properly then, but will also be able to be adjusted properly. :)
 
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Mate where in Reading has a hunter machine?

Edit: Good luck with the E36 by the way, definitely the best cars available at their price point, so good shout being brave and buying one :)
 
InvaderGIR said:
It could...although I have rust, which will need to be sorted well to look as good as yours, and a few parking little dents.

All round or front only? :p

Wasn't sure on discs so ended up figuring that for the moment the ATE ones will be fine. If I get serious about tracks and stuff, then I'll upgrade properly.



I wanted it to be done with the tyres, like a base level. I will get it done again once I've done bushes and freed up all the rear components, as it will be out properly then, but will also be able to be adjusted properly. :)
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cool stuff.. you looking to just bring the car right up to scratch or turn it into something quicker?
 
Jez said:
Mate where in Reading has a hunter machine?
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Elite Wheels - They seem a bit chavvy from the site, and have loads of horrible alloys when you walk in the door, but they are all decent competent sensible people in there. :)

For a closer one to you, try Align My Car and enter your postcode, it's how I found Elite Wheels.

Jez said:
Edit: Good luck with the E36 by the way, definitely the best cars available at their price point, so good shout being brave and buying one :)
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I won't be using it all that much, so it only has to last like 10k miles/a year or two. :p

I do plan on sorting it out so it's in good condition though, and keeping it for a fair while, I love it already, every time I see it parked out the front I grin, and grin even more when I take it for a drive. :D

paradigm said:
All round :D
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GIT. :( :p

Matt82 said:
cool stuff.. you looking to just bring the car right up to scratch or turn it into something quicker?
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Little bit of both I think. Want to bring it up to as good as it can be and maybe later make it quicker. Handling is my main concern really, but I'm sure if I track it a bit I'll want it quicker. :p
 
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Good work but it does illustrate the dangers of buying a 'cheap bmw'. You know what you are doing but quite quickly your £1200 bargain is now a £2000 car. With new suspension and bushes it'll be approaching a £3000 car..
 
but anyone not in a coma should know that a cheap old car is going to need work doing to it to make it into something half decent, id hope
 
[TW]Fox;13705952 said:
Good work but it does illustrate the dangers of buying a 'cheap bmw'. You know what you are doing but quite quickly your £1200 bargain is now a £2000 car. With new suspension and bushes it'll be approaching a £3000 car..
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This is true, but not *always* the case. For example whoever buys mine will get one that needs nothing doing to it, and (due to the market) won't cost much (if anything) more than the others for sale at the moment.
 
paradigm said:
This is true, but not *always* the case. For example whoever buys mine will get one that needs nothing doing to it, and (due to the market) won't cost much (if anything) more than the others for sale at the moment.
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given up on the track car then?
 
paradigm is spot on really.

The thing is also, I can do work on the car over months, but having that initial lump of say £3k would take me ages, as if the money is there, I will likely spend it on other things. :p

Also, so far, I've spent out on items that would need doing down the line on any car.

Bushes are a few hundred, and the suspension is fine even though it's likely to be old. I may replace that at a later date, but I could well do that on a £3k car too.

The thing is though, Phate's thread of 'How much have you spent?' really shows just how much everyone spends on their cars, even you Fox have spend a few grand on the car that you hunted for ages for a perfect example. ;)
 
InvaderGIR said:
Little bit of both I think. Want to bring it up to as good as it can be and maybe later make it quicker. Handling is my main concern really, but I'm sure if I track it a bit I'll want it quicker. :p
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The 328 has enough for the track. After brakes I'd concentrate on handling - polybushing, refreshing/upgrading shocks etc... and of course weight reduction too ;)
 
[TW]Fox;13705952 said:
Good work but it does illustrate the dangers of buying a 'cheap bmw'. You know what you are doing but quite quickly your £1200 bargain is now a £2000 car. With new suspension and bushes it'll be approaching a £3000 car..
Click to expand...

The same logic could apply to any "£1200 Bargain" and whats to say that a car purchased for £3k is not going to generate the same sort of bills?

The outlay is for consumables, something that will always cost, whatever the make / model or price of the car.
 
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