Prepping the E30 for a long journey?

[coldo]

Having ( ) to take the E30 from Edinburgh to just below Newcastle on sunday, roughly 3 and a bit/4 hours of motorway driving.

Its an '89 316i. Has been serviced regularly and is running fine. (touch wood )

Is there anything i could do to ease its pain on the journey?
How often should i be stopping etc...?

Will be 4 grown men in the car adding to the stress on the old girl aswell, and im honestly dreading it

[Ziggy]

If it's relatively well maintained, don't even worry about it! Mine did about 700 miles, in 2x6hour ish, non-stop trips at the weekend & didn't skip a beat... Just check the fluids & tyre pressures etc & enjoy!

[mason]

If it's relatively well maintained, don't even worry about it! Mine did about 700 miles, in 2x6hour ish, non-stop trips at the weekend & didn't skip a beat... Just check the fluids & tyre pressures etc & enjoy!

Ditto above just Enjoy!!!

[Jhonno]

check oil and water, pump a bit of extra air in the tyres and take some spare fluids with you..

[Kos]

if its been running fine then you have nothing to worry about,just check all the fluids.
i did edinburgh to hull, then to london in a 325i tourer dips bought and i collected it and had no probs.

[mrLEE30]

I did Dubai through UAE then into Saudi arabia, and finally into Bahrain, 900-950 km, 9 hours in a car (my cabby) i only purchased four hours before i set off!! Of course roof down all the way

check oil, brake fluid. look at the belts if they are not cracked then ok, if cracked you shoudl replace anyway. check yer spare and jack. take some water/antifreeze in boot with a bit of oil and the trusty wd40/duct tape combination, a coupe of fuses and basic tools. crank up the tunes and away you go!

mrlee

[coldo]

I did Dubai through UAE then into Saudi arabia, and finally into Bahrain, 900-950 km, 9 hours in a car (my cabby) i only purchased four hours before i set off!! Of course roof down all the way

check oil, brake fluid. look at the belts if they are not cracked then ok, if cracked you shoudl replace anyway. check yer spare and jack. take some water/antifreeze in boot with a bit of oil and the trusty wd40/duct tape combination, a coupe of fuses and basic tools. crank up the tunes and away you go!

mrlee

Off to do all that just now

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated

[boomer]

Having ( ) to take the E30 from Edinburgh to just below Newcastle on sunday, roughly 3 and a bit/4 hours of motorway driving.

You going via Glasgow and down the west coast fella?

- 4 hrs to Geordyville is taking it eassssyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[Widge]

Oh when I saw the thread title I thought you meant an actually long journey. I jump in the car an do that sort of distance without even thinking about it, the E30 if properly maintained will be fine. Yeah check fluids and tyre pressures etc... but don't you do that anyway?

I would only really give the car a check over if I was leaving the country or going to Cornwall or Inverness kinda distance, I'm in Leeds.

[coldo]

Longest journey its been on since ive owned it to be honest.

All looks fine, just got a dodgy drivers seat that need sorted, but not having much luck at the mo.

[320Touring]

its a 4 step process...

1. Check tyres re at correct pressure

2. Check under bonnet fluids (esp the screenwash )

3. Fill with petrol.

4. Drive.


My e30 is supposed to be doing eastern europe in the summer and as long as she gets a look over just before she goes (and anything major sorted) then it'll just be 2 weeks of "turn key" motoring

[CaesarBob]

Over that kind of distance you should be fine. If i haven't sold mine by the summer, she's off on a trip to Monaco via the 'ring (3k miles ish). Not expecting an dramas there either.

[ivqii]

If thats the sort of time you have planned for the journey take the A68 - some nice twisty bits and not too busy from jedburgh onwards

[dippae30]

done kingston to birmingham - was in birmingham for abt 30 mins (petrol -hahah) then to stafford, then back to london - the 316i lux - one of the best drives i've had...
didnt miss a beat... be carefull and drive...

[Gwynleym10]

Most of the 4000 miles a year I do is 300mile trips...

I have driven 650+miles in a day in my old m10.

Once I did 265 miles in under 4hours (no stopping) thats an average speed of 66mph pretty could for a 1.8 m10 and at least 70 of those miles in snowdonia!

I think your only problem will be your passengers wanting to stop all the time, especailly the ones in the back as E30's have no leg room there.(well apperently..never looked!)

[Morat]

I sent my old touring (318) off to France with my parents at the wheel. It came back a thousand miles later having not missed a beat. It was at about 130k back then. My father wouldn't know where the bonnet release was on anything he'd ever driven and checks tyres with an expert (but useless) kick.

Don't worry about it unless you have existing problems.

[Morat]

If thats the sort of time you have planned for the journey take the A68 - some nice twisty bits and not too busy from jedburgh onwards

Thats a fantastic drive - but look out for the unmarked cars. And the ferraris, porsches, TVRs and stuff appearing in your mirror like something in a video game...

[PaulyV]

Indeed I am planning a trek through France this summer so will be taking all the above advice.

best

Pauly

[Simon13]

nothing to worry about! rings trips are over 1000 miles in 3 or so days including up to 20 laps of the ring and home. My old sport does it in its stride. 100mph all the way along the m-way too. Twice now

I'd drive that car to Siberia 2morro if i had too

[316eyes]

I'd drive that car to Siberia 2morro if i had too

But would the thieving Ruskies let you bring it back?

[coldo]

EASY PEASY

[Cotty]

Knew it would be ok, I used to do two 3 & 1/2 hour drives in a day in my car, no probs its what I bought it for.

[Wiggy]

As all above,

Not a bother on the girl,

Similar to Mr. Lees maiden voyage the day I bought my car I went straight from London to Poznan (1300km/ 800+ miles) in one stint last November with an average temperature of -5, driving snow, and some energetic autobahn driving

Mind you my alternator did pack up 1/2 an hour from destination but that's pretty random

Planning a trip next weekend to Krakow via the Ukraine in the turd and not even a bit worried (just jinxed myself)

These babies aren't called the ultimate driving machines for nothing

[Brianmoooore]

Just seen this post for the first time. What a strange question!
If it was on a Ford or Vauxhall forum, then it would be appropriate.
IT'S A BMW, MAN!

[Widge]

Yeah a Ford forum it would be understandable. Don't they have to be prepped before they come out of the garage?

[Cotty]

I was going to take my touring to Spain last year, spending a week getting down there stopping off here and there in France on the way. Then a week in Spain and get a ferry back (takes 24 hours) the last thing on my mind was whether it would make it or not.

[coldo]

BMW or no BMW, its 17 years old!
In fairness though, ive been very impressed with it in my ~9months of ownership.

[Cotty]

BMW or no BMW, its 17 years old!

14years for me 1992

[Simon13]

age don't matter a f**k!

Davetourings chavalier did us proud when we colected the alpina a few months ago over 600miles in a day

[Widge]

He has a chavalier???? God that's bad, I thought he at least had one of those jap crap vtech things

[Simon13]

a diesel one at that, complete with SRI interior and wheels

Dave's had more cars than i have had hot dinners. Mind u i *think he only has 2 at the moment but i could be wrong!

[Jhonno]

Nothing wrong with a cavalier diesel. get one with the izuzu lump, turn up the fueling, stick on a bleed valve and put a k&n on You can even hear the turbo spin up

Went well and never got less than 40mpg out of it

[Brianmoooore]

BMW or no BMW, its 17 years old!
In fairness though, ive been very impressed with it in my ~9months of ownership.

We take my wife's 18 year old 250,000 mile touring 2500 miles around Europe every summer, pulling a one tonne caravan, usually at highly illegal speeds. Gets a quick lookover before we go, but no special prep. Has never missed a beat, except for the infamous fuel pump episode of last August.
My brother in law, when not involved with F1, trades as a second hand car dealer. A lot of the stuff he handles in two year old ex lease stuff, and occassionaly, when I'm at his place, I help prep the odd one.
You wouldn't believe how some of this non BMW deteriotates in just two years from new.
Really helps you appreciate the quality and engineering of BMWs.