E30 Zone

What are the prices like? Basically my car is making me psychically ill, every time I look at it something breaks or it demands another 200 quid here or there and its driving me insane. What sort of price would I be looking at to put it into a dealership have the sunroof adjusted so it actually works proper ( goes up but wont slide in and along ) the drains checked and cleaned ( I cant find the pipes ) and maybe get the locks sorted so I can unlock it from the drivers side door again?

i don't work for BMW but I would say that you don't need 2 kidneys anyway

After the amount of empty stella bottles Im responsible for I dont think theyd take one of mine



Just a rough idea needed. 2-3,400 maybe?

Why does it have to be done at a BMW garage? If you took it to a BMW specialist or even a garage with a decent reputation I'm sure they could easily sort it and for less money.

+1 on what Kitch said...

Just because its being done by BMW, doesnt mean it will be done better.


Why not see if a local zoner will do it and pay them?

Suppose it doesnt need to be a bmw garage I just thought they might be the only ones whod know how to do the drains etc. I can check local prices.

Are there any local zoners who have experience of e30 drains have free time and want some cash for your efforts.

07794748007 - if any local zoners are up for my sunroof challenge

E30s are pretty old cars tbh, which makes them fairly simple to work on compared to modern cars. Any decent garage should be able to do a simple job like that easily. Or as mentioned a local zoner with a good amount of knowledge/skill.

Well my numbers there and Id much rather pay a zoner and watch on and learn than hand it to a mechanics but I may have to. Whats all involved? Told i may need to remove the headliner? To be honest by the amount of water there i think the tube is rotten through. Also where its coming in the boot...its dripping down the arches from behind the pressed together section that hides all the wires

Sunroof drains are rarely the issue!! Rotten sunroof trays are not uncommon though. Boot/light/door seals are a problem area for water leaks but 80% of the time it is rot or a split seam usually in the bulkhead area.

Pull the carpet out, dry the floor and get a mate to hose it down while you watch for water running in.

The sunroof is new which is puzzling. Its also a new headliner which i think was paid for in skunk, and by the looks of things it was smoked before fitting. Why would someone install a new sunroof and liner without the drains or what not. Il get dad to pour water on later and see where its coming out.

Where should it be exiting?

back sunroof drains at the boot bit.
front sunroof drains should be running out?

iv also heard blocked AC venting can clog a drain

You will be lucky to find anybody at a BMW dealership that knows much about E30's now.
What you should be looking for is an E30 specialist, once you have found the problem that is

Thats going to be murder only one i know is chris warburton and hes down south

All you need to do is open the sunroof fully and put your head in to find the drain holes in each corner. Fill up a beer bottle with water, and try to pour it directly down those holes.

If the water won't go down, your pipes are blocked.

If the water drips onto your driveway, everything's alright.

If the water soaks into your carpet, you need to sort your pipes out.

If your headlining gets damp, you'll be sending your car to China.

Now stop moaning about old cars and get your tools out.

The problem as stated above grrr, the sunroof doesnt open properly, it wont slide in and along. So i cant get up to see the holes. il just try push it down and in and along. I guarantee its the piping im just unsure how to go about it.

Could it be the rust in the sunroof tray stopping it going back.

Sorry. I had to say it.

stop being a tart euan , as ur tryin to open the sunroof get someone to gently push down on it , work on mine! then lube plenty of lube!!

Im thinkin that to scott. Think iv opened a can of worms tbh.

If you're going to 'assist' the sunroof by hand, remove the motor access panel, slacken off the big nut inside by a couple of turns, then wind the sunroof manually by the female hex in the centre of the shaft. There should be a suitable hex key in the tool kit.

M3 Motors in Bathgate is a BMW Specialist in Scotland if that's what you're after. They know E30's inside out and every so often have breakers that they can provide parts from.

Alternatively Boyd (Cecotto479) on this forum could help you out - Hamilton based workshop, lots of parts.

As it goes, Argyll Garage in Huntly are picking up an E28 from me this week. If you want to ask them how much it'll cost you to get yours brought down, I'll take a look, but you'd be better doing it yourself.

If you had come to Glamis today im sure we could have sorted you.

What was on at glamis? Couldnt have got to glamis anyway man car needs the tracking adjusted. Its alright boyd ta, il try getting the sunroof in manually and thatl enable me to check the pipes, if im really struggling il arange to take it down to you or m3

Pour some water down the vents on the scuttle, then check for waterfalls in footwells.

spook wrote:Pour some water down the vents on the scuttle, then check for waterfalls in footwells.

Il film the results! im sure itl be like a scene from the blue planet

Verde, just strip it all back, take it all apart, figure out how it works, clean and oil it then put it all back together. Its the only way you'll learn.!

Don't be afraid to dismantle anything, most things can only come apart one way and only go back together one way. Get stuck in.

If you are really desperate for a BMW specialist there is a garage in Insch that like their beemers. Why not give it a go yourself....it's the only way to learn anything.

I reckon you are going to find a rotten sunroof tray myself.

Its a good point. il get on the wiki and see whats what. I saw bits about drlling out welds etc which is worrying and seems hard. My sunroof doesnt have a fabric panel on it and theres no rust I can pdsee

verde wrote: My sunroof doesnt have a fabric panel on it and theres no rust I can pdsee

The fabric part has am essential bit of the mechanism for keeping out water attached to the rear of it. Without this, you will have water entering the car right across the rear of the sunroof hatch.

Id imagine thats why my car is currently like atlantis then. Why do I always buy the wrong cars with crazy bodges. is the panel easy to fit

http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/E30/T ... ing_frame/
#12 is the part in question - it's attached by two arms to the sliding fabric part, and when the roof is closed, forms a gutter under the rear edge of the sunroof panel, collecting any water that comes past the wind seal, and channelling it towards one of the side gutters. It's not uncommon for the fixing on one end or the other of this part to rust off, giving rise to the leak into the car, even if the sliding panel and the sliding gutter are present.
Like everything on an E30, the missing bits are easy enough to fit if you know how.

Brianmoooore wrote:Like everything on an E30, the missing bits are easy enough to fit if you know how.

Hollow laughter ensues.

Thats the problem, I dont have the knowledge. Im the kinda person that will disassemble something, rebuild it and end up with spare parts. Il wait til dads home then wel get stuck into it and see wha gwarn. Anyone selling carpet for a 2 door?