E36 Touring - New daily driver - Couple of Pics Added 4/12

[capri_rob]

Do any E36 Touring owners have a pic of the BMW CD autochanger in-situ ?

As promised..

Magic ! Just what I needed thanks Simon - will get on the'bay now and see how much I can pick one up for !

[capri_rob]

CD Autochanger on the way thanks to the bay of E.

Another quick Q for E36 Touring owners - is there a pin-switch anywhere for the courtesy lamp over the load area ? the lamp has the normal 3-way switch on it and works when you switch it on, but it doesn't come on automatically when you open the tailgate. I have had a quick look this afternoon and can't see a mechanical switch for it anywhere either on the tailgate itself or on the opening ?

[nickso]

pretty sure mine comes on when the tailgate is opened.

[Simon]

The light should come on as soon as you press the hatch release button, the switch is built in.

[da4x4turbo]

Those E36 tourings are cool. Very Cool.

[capri_rob]

The light should come on as soon as you press the hatch release button, the switch is built in.

Hmm. Looks like the tailgate trim will be coming off today for a looksee then !
Cheers Simon

[capri_rob]

Right - CD changer in and working - piece of pee-pee done in about 10 minutes and sounds great. Annoyingly though it looks like you have to buy a different interior trim panel to hide the CD changer when in-situ as the one in my car is flat - looks like the one in Simons pic has a "hump" in it to cover the CD changer up. Just have to leave the load cover in place for now until I manage to locate one

[oze30]

Simon, are they Rondells?

[Simon]

Simon, are they Rondells?

Yes Colin. 0058's.

[oze30]

I miss those wheels! Look wicked on the touring.

Rob, sorry, no cd changer door. I have other parts though.

[capri_rob]

Don't need a lot - one centrecap for the alloys - and are the headlamp glass covers detatchable or do you have to buy a whole headlamp unit ?

Simon I'd still like your wheels but just can't justify the time or fuel to come to South Wales to pick em up at the moment - sorry If any other Zoner is going from the midlands to anywhere near South Wales in the coming weeks and could pick them up for me please drop me a PM - there's a few beers in it of course

[oze30]

You asked me on Ebay, but it won't let me answer. glass is as far as I know, non detachable. I do have a set of angel eyes for sale though? I have some E36 328 sport bbs if you;re looking for wheels.

[capri_rob]

You asked me on Ebay, but it won't let me answer. glass is as far as I know, non detachable. I do have a set of angel eyes for sale though? I have some E36 328 sport bbs if you;re looking for wheels.

Thanks mate but Angel Eyes not really my thing and the wheels I really want are the 16" Double Spokes - just on the look for some locally at the right price unless I can get someone to pick Simons up for me !

[Simon]

Rob, it's not a problem.

With reference to the lights, the lens comes away from the unit, with the surround and reflectors complete as one. You will see the clips on the top of the light where it comes away.

This means you don't have to buy a complete new headlight.

[oze30]

oh cool. I didn't know that!

[e30_singh]

I am looking to get one as my next car, but they are expensive to insure. Might be the fact I am getting quotes on a 328i

I like E36 tourings, they look cool.

[capri_rob]

Quick update - had some initial teething troubles with this car but fixed under warranty by the dealer - issues with the climate control as mentioned in previous posts and also an almost-overheat in a traffic situation - took back to dealer and they have replaced the Radiator, Water pump and Thermostat FOC under warranty - car now drives absolutely perfect and climate control works as it should. Hats off to the dealer ( Carstins Subaru in Balsall Common ) who did a very thorough ( and expensive ) job without any quibbles or cost to me under the warranty.

The main cause of the problem was the thermostat sticking, the radiator was ok but had a slight weep from the lower part and has been replaced with what looks like a genuine BMW rad - the water pump was replaced as a precaution but the one they took out was the type with the metal impeller so may have been replaced at some point in the past anyway.

[jamie323i]

I had a similar problem with my E39 528i,had a small leak around the thermostat and caused all manner of funny goings on with the climate control!
The plastic casing around the thermostat had a hairline crack so only caused probs when up to temperature.
Glad you got it sorted

[capri_rob]

Just got these off the 'bay :

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0372670477

hopefully picking them up this week - don't know what make the tyres are but looks like they're usable for the time being anyway - can't argue with less than £20 per corner for a 16" BMW alloy with centrecap and legal tyre

Thanks for the offer on yours Simon but these are just down the road from me

[town325i]

nice wheels you have won there rob at a good price ive found a set of 17inch 7 spoke e46 rims to put on my missus compact. i bet that touring shifts with 2.8 in it

[capri_rob]

nice wheels you have won there rob at a good price ive found a set of 17inch 7 spoke e46 rims to put on my missus compact. i bet that touring shifts with 2.8 in it

Wheels are exactly what I wanted and less than I was expecting to pay including usable tyres - hopefully picking them up on monday - unfortunately my car is a 2.5 ( 323i ) not a 2.8 mate - still got plenty of poke though -

[B7]

They were the rims I had on my recently departed e36 323 convertible. Drove well on them as well.

[nickso]

think thats the wheels that are on the newly purchased car for the missus. they will look good on the touring, im looking for a set for my touring now.

[capri_rob]

think thats the wheels that are on the newly purchased car for the missus. they will look good on the touring, im looking for a set for my touring now.

Yep thats them. Nice coupe fella is it a 328i ?

[B7]

Watch the inside rim on these. We bent a couple in the lanes on potholes. Some BMW rims seem prone.

We did this



on this

[capri_rob]

Yikes ! Cheers Trev - I'm going to collect them tomorrow night and will pay cash on collection - the ad says if I don't want them when I go to collect I can walk away so will check them thoroughly first

[town325i]

Yikes ! Cheers Trev - I'm going to collect them tomorrow night and will pay cash on collection - the ad says if I don't want them when I go to collect I can walk away so will check them thoroughly first

a quote like that would get me worried i would want to no whats wrong w2ith them if i could walk away from the sale

[nickso]

Yep thats them. Nice coupe fella is it a 328i ?

no 318IS, missus doesnt need a 2.8 and i already have one. the only thing it is missing spec wise is a trip computer and possibly cruise.

does anyone know if the trip is an easy retro fit like the e30?

[capri_rob]

Yikes ! Cheers Trev - I'm going to collect them tomorrow night and will pay cash on collection - the ad says if I don't want them when I go to collect I can walk away so will check them thoroughly first

a quote like that would get me worried i would want to no whats wrong w2ith them if i could walk away from the sale

Yeah I thought it was a bit strange - hence going to collect with cash rather than paying via Paypal and then having to argue the toss to get my money back. I think I will jack my car up and spin each of them to check they're straight before handing over the ££ as well as chcking for visible rim & tyre damage.

Hopefully nothing to worry about - will find out tomorrow

[oze30]

Yep thats them. Nice coupe fella is it a 328i ?

no 318IS, missus doesnt need a 2.8 and i already have one. the only thing it is missing spec wise is a trip computer and possibly cruise.

does anyone know if the trip is an easy retro fit like the e30?

You mean the OBC? Nope. Means a rewire of the front end. Can be done, but unlike the E30, even the elec window looms have to be retrofited to the console. E36's are crap for retrofitting anything really.

[nickso]

Yep thats them. Nice coupe fella is it a 328i ?

no 318IS, missus doesnt need a 2.8 and i already have one. the only thing it is missing spec wise is a trip computer and possibly cruise.

does anyone know if the trip is an easy retro fit like the e30?

You mean the OBC? Nope. Means a rewire of the front end. Can be done, but unlike the E30, even the elec window looms have to be retrofited to the console. E36's are crap for retrofitting anything really.

cheers colin, ill give that a miss then.

what about converting from analogue clock to digital, if i could get away with that i'd be happy.

[oze30]

They did a digital clock??? Should be the same. It's 3 wires that go back into the loom across the heater box, so if the plug is the same, then happy days.

[capri_rob]

Picked up the wheels tonight - all straight, no damage to speak of - just need a good clean. Tyres are budget directional ones but all have loads of tread. Will get em cleaned up and give the barge a wash tomorrow then post a couple of pics

The existing 15" Jobbies with 205/60 tyres will be on ebay in the next few days - hopefully to recoup a chunk of the cost of the new wheels

[djk]

The existing 15" Jobbies with 205/60 tyres will be on ebay in the next few days - hopefully to recoup a chunk of the cost of the new wheels

Quite literally wheeler-dealing then!

[capri_rob]

Pics with new wheels :


Much better.

Just need a new passenger side headlamp glass to replace the stonechipped one that keeps fogging up