How much did your M52 cost you?

[Mike-]

Probably a bit personal, but on average I'd like an idea of what this costs from start to finish if you do the vast majority if it yourself.

I mainly ask because I'm about to apply for student loans to start my Masters degree and because I'm so reckless I'll just add this amount onto my living costs so I have something to do other than go to lectures

In an ideal world I'd buy a ropey 328 with a short MOT and run the engine round to see if it's worthwhile sticking it in my E30. Naturally with things like the donor E36 being broken and scrapped and selling my old M10 should generate a bit of money too.

In the meantime I'm going to start collecting the requisite bits off eBay when they spring up for cheap, but a general idea would be good. I was thinking close to a grand? Nice even number I guess.

Mike.

[DanThe]

If its an M10 car you will have poverty suspension and brakes, your exhaust system will also be useless, if you want to do it cheap you will need at least 2k

[craigieeb]

Dan, since you've changed your avatar

I'm not even reading what your typing anymore

[DanThe]

Neither am I

[Mike-]

If its an M10 car you will have poverty suspension and brakes, your exhaust system will also be useless, if you want to do it cheap you will need at least 2k

It's on Bilstein shocks and springs currently, and I like my povvo brakes I want it done it for overtaking power not for burning round country lanes!

2k seems a bit high? Was thinking 1k for a donor, with remaining parts and scrapped shell should be around £500, then additional bits like sump, mounts, diff can't add up that much?

[E30BeemerLad]

Dan is the man to listen to with these conversions.

There are so many little bits that add up as you go along, have you got access to a welder? Can you do wiring?

[nickso]

Granted mine is a bit of an oddball conversion but I'd put mine closer to 3K. I paid over the top for my donor though and used it for a year before I broke it.

[e30-EVN]

Dan is the man to listen to with these conversions

THIS ^.!

so these bilstiens are in the 51mm struts yes??
and if you are putting this sort of poke in a car with milk bottle tops for brakes you sir are an idiot.. please tell me you plan on declaring this to your insurance

theres more to it than just putting an engine in out of a 200 quid rust bucket.. id agree with nickso, id put mine in the same ball park due to the fact i didnt buy a donner. i did it the hard way and bought everything piece by piece, a bare engine, loom elsewhere and every other piece from either bmw themselves or local factors. this included completly ''new suspension'' (2nd hand 51mm 325i front struts) brand new shocks and springs to suit and hold the weight of a real engine, new lower arms, new brakes ect ect ect..
the lsd alone cost 300 quid and this is a near must to get the gearing right

[Jibberingloon]

5* Service from DanThe

He did mine and its sweet as a nut.

[e30-EVN]

he is the zone 24v guru.. i know enough but if im ever stuck he comes up trumps everytime

[Duke137]

I wish mine cost 3k

[ross_jsy]

Mines cost me over £2k.

And that was on a 325i so didn't have to worry about 51mm struts/rear discs.

Add another £2k + for other upgrades that are well worth doing i.e. 4 pot brakes, refresh all the bushes etc etc

[leeparkes]

Imo i reckon you could do a 'lob in' conversion for under 1k if you do all the labour yourself.

Let presume the donor car is a ropey 328i manual for say £500 (thats what mine cost)
Rip everything out of it you need then weigh the rest in with the cats so now the engine owes you £250

Engine £250
E34 sump/dipstick etc £100
M50 manifold £100 (if wanted)
Low ratio diff £80
Then say £250 for your gaskets, mounts, servo, cheap 325i exhaust and little bits and bobs you need.
Thats £780

If you go for an auto donor just add the cost of a M20 fly and gearbox/linkages of your choice.


But rule number one, sort the handling before the power.
I wouldnt fancy throwing a M52 about with grandpa spec suspension and brakes.

[e30-EVN]

I wouldnt fancy throwing a M52 about with grandpa spec suspension and brakes.

niether would i Lee, you would have to be a complete nugget and totally not deserve it imo

[redcar]

[Mike-]

Very insightful, thanks fellas.

As for throwing a car about, don't think I've ever come close to aggressive driving; I drive like a total pensioner, I just like slinging it in 5th and being lazy! The vast majority of my driving is at 70mph on the A1

I intend on keeping my E30 for many moons so really once the engine is in I have plenty of time to rebush/upgrade other parts as I'm not exactly rushing to my nearest track day. I can price brake and suspension upgrades myself quite easily as it's familiar territory.

[leeparkes]

As for throwing a car about, don't think I've ever come close to aggressive driving; I drive like a total pensioner, I just like slinging it in 5th and being lazy! The vast majority of my driving is at 70mph on the A1

Sounds like you need a M30 then, power band is a lot lower down in the range than a M52 and you dont need to rev the bollocks of them to get going. Fat torque curve FTW.

You WILL need to upgrade the front suspension though.

[Mike-]

^ Considered an M30 but (although the E30 is lighter) my mate's E24 CSI manages no more than 17mpg, whereas my old E36 hit 40 quite easily so around the same economy as I get now, and this is my one and only car.

How much heavier is an M52 over an M10? Not a problem.

[leeparkes]

I was managing low 20's round town with my old standard M30, with my M52 probably around low to mid 20's (same driving style, route etc.) Tbh there's not a lot in it.

Dont know how much heavier the M52 is over the M10 but a M52 is only 20kg heavier than a M42, Id say M10 and M42 are similar weights.

[e301988325i]

and I like my povvo brakes I want it done it for overtaking power not for burning round country lanes!

Seriously you're going to end up wrecking your car within a week of converting it, the vented discs are barely up to stopping a stock 325i.

[Sawyer_E30]

and I like my povvo brakes I want it done it for overtaking power not for burning round country lanes!

Seriously you're going to end up wrecking your car within a week of converting it, the vented discs are barely up to stopping a stock 325i.

2nd this. I had a 316 and the stock set up was scary! It would roll about on windy days and would dive under braking. In the wet the front understeered, so you would turn the wheel more and get snap oversteer.

Always invest in steering and stopping.

[rich318i]

them 325i discs are shit with no heat in them. i get by with them but would like an upgrade but that costs with the need of bigger rims

[e301988325i]

to sum up you can't afford to do the conversion, if you start you probably won't finish and will have a rusty E30 on the drive, if you finish it, you're going to hit something with epic brake glazing/fade. Save up and then do it all. ps) a wms 280mm disc four pot setup, fits under 15" BBS and is enough for a non Mpower 24valver.

[rich318i]

i use engine braking any way like any good driver would

[Sawyer_E30]

i use enging braking any way like any good driver would

Engine breaking isn't any good in an emergency.. Like if a chav walks out in front of you.

[rich318i]

i dont drive like a tit in built up areas.

[Sawyer_E30]

i dont drive like a tit in built up areas.

That's good to hear. But with substandard brakes you will succumb to brake fade eventually and usually when you least expect it. Most likely not when a chav jumps out but when on a motorway slip road.

[rich318i]

you got to keep the heat in the brakes and they do the job. heel to toe is good aswell

[ross_jsy]

Looks like we have a contender for a Darwin award

But in all honesty, it really worries me that I have to share the road with people like you.

[rich318i]

that aimed at me ?

[ross_jsy]

Yes.

Keeping heat in the brakes/engine braking/heel toe comments make you look a tit

[rich318i]

well thats how a good driver drives mate, have you got a ROSPA GOLD for driving? if you know what a ROSPA is and whats involved?

[ross_jsy]

Oh dear.

Being a good driver will never make up for insufficient brakes.

[rich318i]

will the first thing you do is to know the car and its limits

[ross_jsy]

Tell the kid who runs in front of your car they should have known it's limits.