E30 Zone

Hi
As above im looking to buy a tourer. Any advice on what to look out for / common issues.
Any help appreciated.
Thanks

TourING (not tourer) models are almost identical to the best-equipped E30 saloons; their only unique weak point is a rusty tailgate.

For everything else, check out the Buyers Guide:

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... ing_an_E30

Thanks
Will have a read
Touring noted

With any touring you get brakes and suspension up to the standard of the top of the range saloon - the 325i, and with a 325i touring you get all of the above, plus front alloy control arms, (if the car has been maintained properly), the same as found otherwise, only on the M3.

wishful thinking Brian. I suspect the vast majority of 325i tourings that are left and actually get driven were relieved of their alloy front arms many years ago

Hi guys
So I went to see the touring this morning and took it for a test drive. In all honesty I think its in good condition but I'd like to run some things past you

Engine is a 320
Mileage is 120k
No rust visible and no signs of any repairs. Only bit of rust was that bottom piece where the cut out is for the exhaust...there was a bit of rust. Other than that all body lines were straight and true. Gaps were consistent
All doors open and shut correctly, Driver's side lock barrel sticks slightly but suppose this should be an easy fix?
Engine bay is clean and no signs of any fluids leaking
Sunroof fully operational
Interior is clean and seats in good condition

Issues
Clutch
If the clutch is held in it looses the clutch and you have to pump it. Seller said its the clutch slave cylinder. Is this correct? He has the part brand new and said its fairly simple to change. Firstly is this likely to be the problem and is it actually fairly simple to fix?

Engine
It has a slight rough idle at times. Seller said he reckons its the coil wires that need changing. As the car was driven the rough idle seemed to go away somewhat. Any suggestions on what this could be?

On the test drive the engine felt lethargic. This could be a perception thing but at low speeds and low revs it just seemed powerless. Don't get me wrong it was making progress and doing so smoothly but it just felt slow. I did drove there in a e46 320 so not sure if I was expecting too much from a 20year old engine. On an open road and from first with foot down it did pick up nicely. I was changing gears are 4.5k revs and it all seemed normal with no smoke from the back. Anybody able to comment on this? I know its somewhat subjective.

Other than that it really seemed a tidy car from what I could gather from my limited knowledge. So any further points / comments / input will be greatly appreciated.

Clutch will be the master cylinder, unless the car is leaking fluid badly onto the ground, and needs frequent topping up, but it's recommended that the two cylinders are both replaced at the same time. When one fails, the piston in the other will move into places it doesn't normally go, and destroy a seal that might already be fragile.
Whatever is wrong with the engine, I'll wager it WON'T be the coil wires, if they are the originals and unless they have been obviously damaged. The rough idle will more than likely be a weak fuel mixture, caused by one or more minor air leaks and/or worn injectors - typical stuff you find on the average unloved E30.
The 2 litre engine is noted for being a rev. happy motor that is gutless at low revs., and this will be exacerbated by the above.
Don't worry about the oily bits too much - they are easily fixed. Rust and trim consume much more money to sort.

Thanks.
So clutch master and slave cylinder to be replaced. What the price of these parts and a guide price i should be looking to pay for labour.

Also you mention air leaks...is that from hoses?...which ones?

Cheers

These cars were built and designed to be easy to repair,clutch master is bolted to the pedal box and is a minor challenge to swap,slave is on the bellhousing on the l/h side and is almost easy to deal with.

Parts should be available from GSF/ECP/carparts4less for under £50 or thereabouts.

320i has a short stroke engine,so produces it's grunt above 3000rpm,really,it's the thinking man's 318i!

Touring's main achillies heel is the tailgate,poor design leads to rust along the lower glass edge,water runs down the glass,past a worn rubber seal into a channel,only way out is via a rust hole...really bad one's seperate the inner from the outer...

Sounds like quite a nice car that could be sorted very easily.

I did notice while looking that lots had that tailgate rust. Is it just a case of fixing it when it rusts or does keeping that rubber in good condition prevent the issue.

Will check out the parts cost and also look for some diys on how to replace the master and slave cylinder. Ultimately id like to upgrade the brakes so going to do some reading on that.

Makes total sense re the engine and power above 3k revs. Thats exactly what i experienced.

The standard brakes are more than man enough for the 320i Touring with discs all round. As stated, a good all round service will sort most issues.

You'd be lucky to find one without a rusty tailgate, it's a poor design.

The lower channel below the glass is the culprit,this needs filling with a suitable waterproof sealant.
Seem to remember that I used Tiger Seal,I had a tube to hand and it was black!