New Member to the group and to BMW's

[gunny]

Just thought I would introduce myself to the group since you all will most likely get tired of my questions [???1], I am a first time owner/driver (or for that matter even sitting in one) of a 1985 325E that I managed to pick up for next to nothing (on ebay) last month.

I originally purchased it as a throw-a-way beater daily driver while I did some much needed maintenance on my Jeep, but within a day of getting it home and running (had been sitting for over a year in an non covered apt. parking space when the original owner had to leave the country due to an expired student visa) I will admit I fell big time for the car - it is easy to work on (the systems as a whole are not that much different then a Jeep 4.0 when it comes to troubleshooting)and the performance and handling levels are better then I expected for a 18 yr old car.

So far I have bead blasted the thottlebody and rotors, replaced the intake tube, ran a new gas line on the top of the tank that was leaking, replaced the front seats (the back seat looked new but the front were totally trashed), fixed some minor wiring problems, installed the deluxe door tweeters front and rear speakers from another 325, put some new blubs on the circuit board to light up the OBC and I still need to paint it after fixing some minor rusting along the bottom side panels and last replace the waterpump/timing belt as I have heard I need to do at an avg. of every 50,000 miles, then it will be back to almost like new condition at which point my wife as informed me that she will give me her 2000 toyota corolla and she gets the 325, so I am already thinking of another for myself and keeping my Jeep for weekend driving.


dang did not expect to ramble on so long.

gunny

 

[vlad]

Hi! Congrats and welcome!

 

[mrferg]

Welcome man! Sounds like someone is hooked for life

 

[gunny]

actually the Wife and I are both hooked - she is just itching to take it but since the Jeep is parked (funny how it is taking alot longer then planned to do the mods I am doing it [fake] ) she just has to put up with driving her toyota.

My feelings are that a car 18 yrs old, been sitting for 1 1/2 years without being started (less then 4 hours light labor and $20.00 in parts to get it going) that has 200,000 miles to run as good as the 325 does and does not look like every ricerocket out there then I am hooked - I am very loyal to a product that I like and that works the way it is supposed to, so it now looks like the Jeep just got a friend (the Jeep 4.0 is the same on reliablilty - thats why I have been a Jeep owner for the last 15 years).

Heck it is to the point right now that since the wife's 2000 toyota is paid off that I may surprise her for Christmas with a newer Beemer of her own (the toyota has less then 30,000 miles so selling should be easy) just because I am really starting to enjoy driving this car and do not want to give it up but got to wait to see if Uncle Sam is gonna to let me Retire or extend me again before I decide.

Thanks
gunny

 

[KC Ron Carter]

chip and a gear

I have had a 1984 since new.

If you get to keep the e30 consider two modifications.

A chip in the ECU to change the timing and open the RPM limit to 5300.

For $300 you can get a 3.46 to 1 ratio and it will wake that car up.

Yours should be running a 2.93 to 1 ratio now.
See the tag on the aft plate of your differential.

For $200 to $400 you could get a 3.91 to 1 ratio and be the same gearing as the later M3 e30.

For $300 to $500 you could get a 4.10 to 1 ratio and be faster than the auto m3, for 100 meters. "Thas what I'm talkin about".

All differentials from e30-6, e24, e28, and z3 with the correct ratio will fit with the change of aft plate and the swap of output flanges. This is a real deal DIY project for 4 hours.


Later,

 

[OreoGaborio]

you think a 325 is fun?... find a 325i or iS

 

[AutoXfreak]

Welcome, good to see you have found the bimmer to be so much fun. I too was a jeep owner and can attest to the reliability and sheer fun of them but, I vow that you will never be dissapointed with your 325.