E30 Zone

Flew to Edinburgh to pick up my Tourer today. G - plate, Salmon silver, 17" Alpina reps, intergalatic mileage but new engine fitted 20000 miles ago.

Drove the beast back to Brum and never missed a beat.

Had to guess how fast we were going though as the speedo doesn't work , and whats with having the electric window switches for the back passenger windows and having manual winders??? What do the other 2 buttons in front of the drivers and front passengers window buttons do?

Shakes a bit as well at high speed so either the front wheels need balancing or judging by the state of the front discs, they're shagged, oh, and the front fogs don't work but the light switch does!

Apart from that, it's mint bodywork and interior wise. Very happy for the £1k I paid for it.

Odd having rear window switches and winders. I guess either someone was in the process of fitting motors and sold the car instead, or the motors died so he put winders in.

As for the other two buttons, if I understand you correctly, you're on about a 'double size' button in front of the drivers window button, and a 'half size' button in front of the passenger window button.
The big one is the breaker. This trips if something gets stuck in the windows when you shut them, and the button pops up. Just push it down again if this happens.
The small one turns off the window switches in the back doors (the ones you don't have.) You can still open and close the back windows in the front electrically, but people in the back can't. Stops the kids playing with them...

RapidE30 wrote:Flew to Edinburgh to pick up my Tourer today. G - plate, Salmon silver, 17" Alpina reps, intergalatic mileage but new engine fitted 20000 miles ago.

Drove the beast back to Brum and never missed a beat.

Had to guess how fast we were going though as the speedo doesn't work , and whats with having the electric window switches for the back passenger windows and having manual winders??? What do the other 2 buttons in front of the drivers and front passengers window buttons do?

Shakes a bit as well at high speed so either the front wheels need balancing or judging by the state of the front discs, they're shagged, oh, and the front fogs don't work but the light switch does!

Apart from that, it's mint bodywork and interior wise. Very happy for the £1k I paid for it.

nice one mate,get some pics up asap. where about in edinburgh did you buy it from?

Well done mate, Sounds like you had a good drive back. Cant wait to see the pics when you get some up

fuzzy wrote:

RapidE30 wrote:Flew to Edinburgh to pick up my Tourer today. G - plate, Salmon silver, 17" Alpina reps, intergalatic mileage but new engine fitted 20000 miles ago.

Drove the beast back to Brum and never missed a beat.

Had to guess how fast we were going though as the speedo doesn't work , and whats with having the electric window switches for the back passenger windows and having manual winders??? What do the other 2 buttons in front of the drivers and front passengers window buttons do?

Shakes a bit as well at high speed so either the front wheels need balancing or judging by the state of the front discs, they're shagged, oh, and the front fogs don't work but the light switch does!

Apart from that, it's mint bodywork and interior wise. Very happy for the £1k I paid for it.

nice one mate,get some pics up asap. where about in edinburgh did you buy it from?

Will get some pic's up hopefully tomorrow when I get chance. I can't believe how well it pulls in 5th from low down, the power delivery is so deceiving. I'm used to the all or nothing approach of my Rs Turbo (plus the driving end is obviously different).

Its got 17's on (205/45/17), but what tyres should it have on as they catch the front arches?

Brought it from a cockney guy from Dundee, met me at the airport. Top bloke, top motor!

snoops wrote:

GOD! Bare with me, only had it 9 hrs and it's dark outside!

Pic's tomorrow all being well!

Tyre size is fine, wrong offset or shock/spring problems, is it lowered?

fugazi33 wrote:Tyre size is fine, wrong offset or shock/spring problems, is it lowered?

I think it is yes, it looks lower now than in the pic's the guy sent me. He did say all the rear suspension was all new, so maybe the fronts duff? Does only seem to catch the one side as well.

I'll wager the high speed wobble is something to do with the Alp reps or their spigot rings

SPADGE wrote:spigot rings

The 'WTF are they' are no good??????

RapidE30 wrote:

fugazi33 wrote:Tyre size is fine, wrong offset or shock/spring problems, is it lowered?

I think it is yes, it looks lower now than in the pic's the guy sent me. He did say all the rear suspension was all new, so maybe the fronts duff? Does only seem to catch the one side as well.

Fronts could be duff or could just need the lip on the arches rolled or knocked back a bit, hard to tell without pics or seeing the car

Spigot rings centre the wheel on the hub, alloy ones are best although a lot of people seem to have no problems with the plastic jobbies.

Another member turns to the touring dark side.

Nice one

For the front fogs: If you mean the warning light in the instrument panel lights, then the switch, relay and fuse 29 for the LH foglights, at least, are all OK. Fuse 30 could be blown for the RH lights
Most likely the bulbs are blown, since, unless you know how to do it, they are difficult to change.
Easy way: Prise out the little plastic cap half way up the front of the light and unscrew the screw behind it.
The whole light will then come out of its bracket forwards, and you can just turn it over, unscrew the cover and change the bulb.

Cheers for all the help and comments, I'll endeavour to get some pic's of the wonder wagon up later today.

Did I guess right?



All the way to Dundee to get it, you deserve a medal

Sounds worth it if the bodys mint and the engine work was all good, plus if its always been up there then its open road miles.

and lots of salty roads and seaside air

Kind of a glass half empty person arent you Si

duncanmac wrote:Kind of a glass half empty person arent you Si

Mind you I think his glass is empty about now

duncanmac wrote:Did I guess right?



All the way to Dundee to get it, you deserve a medal

Sounds worth it if the bodys mint and the engine work was all good, plus if its always been up there then its open road miles.

Yep, thats the one. Long drive back, but a lot of fun tbh! A different day out for sure!

Not had chance to get more pic's up today as been out but have been having a blast in it. I felt guilty earlier when I was in the garage as I felt I had been two timing my S1 behind her back. Sounds daft I know but I get attached my cars, I'll be sorry to see the S1 go in a few weeks but needs must. At least I've got a fantastic piece of equipment to keep me thoroughly entertained for the next year before the big move.

Pic's will be posted I promise!

I would never touch a scotch car unless its for nothing or been owned by a deviant with a heated garage and a waxoil fetish. They are generally always rustier than southern cars, i have seen low mileage '99 E36s which have already had brake pipes replaced and thick scaly rust on all suspension components.
Everything crossed Rapid e30 that a ramp inspection doesn't reveal a rusty patched up corpse on a stretcher, the burger kings are a sure sign of wrongness and a sordid past !