hey guys does anone know if this is a big job? is it worth buying the car?
cheers
is this a big job?
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Rav335uk
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What engine is it, 4 pot or 6 pot?
Tappets are about a couple of hours, not a big job, and vibration could be wheels or bushes.
Tappets are about a couple of hours, not a big job, and vibration could be wheels or bushes.
If you Got "Haters",Then your doing something Right!
CR24v??? Where's it all gone?? LOL
Noisy tappets could be:
1,needs valve adjust
2,Bad big end bearings
3, a generally knackered engine
A sellers description could be to minimise big issues, and therefore big money.
Front end shake at 70-80 MPH is not a balance issue.
It is more like broken belt in a tyre at the least,maybe bent front wheels, but more likely knackered front wishbones, knackered track rods, knackered top strut bushes, knackered rear bushes for the front track rods. Pick any combo or all.
A poorly maintained car verging on shed status.
Take someone who knows cars with you.
If the car happens to be rust free, maybe buy it if you want a project.
m
m
1,needs valve adjust
2,Bad big end bearings
3, a generally knackered engine
A sellers description could be to minimise big issues, and therefore big money.
Front end shake at 70-80 MPH is not a balance issue.
It is more like broken belt in a tyre at the least,maybe bent front wheels, but more likely knackered front wishbones, knackered track rods, knackered top strut bushes, knackered rear bushes for the front track rods. Pick any combo or all.
A poorly maintained car verging on shed status.
Take someone who knows cars with you.
If the car happens to be rust free, maybe buy it if you want a project.
m
m
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sihooker
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It would be! That could be either the M10 or the M40 engine...user1830 wrote:1988
If it's the M40, and it is tappet noise, that'll go on for ages without affecting the car, it will only drive you nuts! You cant adjust them because they're hydraulic. If it's a worn camshaft it's a different matter. You'll find it wont want to rev very high if it's in a bad way.
It's unlikely to be the bottom end as this is a very strong part of the M40 engine, and rarely fails.
Do you have a web-link to the car so we can find out more?
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march109
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If its the M40 changing the oil for oil specified for diesel engines and running that through for a few thousand miles normally does the job.
Plenty threads on the hows and the whys of this. Its not as daft as it sounds.
Plenty threads on the hows and the whys of this. Its not as daft as it sounds.
325i Tech 1 Touring, breaking.
2.5 high comp. M20, 3.64 LSD, Fully undersealed, Spax springs & Bilstein shocks, s/s exhaust, Alpina rep wheels and more.
2.5 high comp. M20, 3.64 LSD, Fully undersealed, Spax springs & Bilstein shocks, s/s exhaust, Alpina rep wheels and more.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... TQ:GB:1123
this is the car, it the M10 engine. apparently the tappets can be adjusted quite easily. its this that im worried about;
"Front end shake at 70-80 MPH is not a balance issue.
It is more like broken belt in a tyre at the least,maybe bent front wheels, but more likely knackered front wishbones, knackered track rods, knackered top strut bushes, knackered rear bushes for the front track rods. Pick any combo or all."
this is the car, it the M10 engine. apparently the tappets can be adjusted quite easily. its this that im worried about;
"Front end shake at 70-80 MPH is not a balance issue.
It is more like broken belt in a tyre at the least,maybe bent front wheels, but more likely knackered front wishbones, knackered track rods, knackered top strut bushes, knackered rear bushes for the front track rods. Pick any combo or all."
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sihooker
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He's a bit tight with the piccies!
The best thing you can do is, as weed said, take someone who knows cars to go have a look. I wouldn't write it off because of those two issues if you can get it for a fair price. The jobs weed has listed are jobs that many cars will need doing at that age anyway...
The best thing you can do is, as weed said, take someone who knows cars to go have a look. I wouldn't write it off because of those two issues if you can get it for a fair price. The jobs weed has listed are jobs that many cars will need doing at that age anyway...
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sihooker
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I don't know, having not seen it. Depends on what he means by 'pretty much rust free'! Is it possible to get pics sent to you of the rusty areas if you can't view it?
It's certainly true that rust is always the issue with these cars as the mechanical bits aren't really too much of a problem.
As it stands, he has had no bids at £500, with 20 hours to go. You might be the only interest he gets. If you're going to risk bidding without seeing it first(risky), you'd better make sure you can afford the price you bid plus enough to sort the wheel shake out. Personally, i'd allow £250 for parts, but i'd hope for some change.
It's certainly true that rust is always the issue with these cars as the mechanical bits aren't really too much of a problem.
As it stands, he has had no bids at £500, with 20 hours to go. You might be the only interest he gets. If you're going to risk bidding without seeing it first(risky), you'd better make sure you can afford the price you bid plus enough to sort the wheel shake out. Personally, i'd allow £250 for parts, but i'd hope for some change.
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Grrrmachine
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For all the issues that have been listed, the maximum cost of repairs is a couple of hundred quid, less if you're handy with your own spanners. It's all serviceable stuff, and there's plenty of room around an E30 to get in there, get your hands dirty, and get it sorted, and the spare parts are easily available.
If it's a broken belt in the tyre, just rotate the tyres (swap the backs to the front, and vice versa.) If the shakes persist, it's not that, and the front bushes need replacing, which is just a matter of unbolting stuff and prising rubber bits in and out.
For a sub-1000 pound car, this is pretty routine stuff and no great shakes (pun intended.) It's the rust he mentions that you should worry about - that could be anywhere between some easily-paintable stone chips and some massive welding that could cost thousands to set right, depending on where it is.
YOU NEED TO SHOW US SOME PICS!
If it's a broken belt in the tyre, just rotate the tyres (swap the backs to the front, and vice versa.) If the shakes persist, it's not that, and the front bushes need replacing, which is just a matter of unbolting stuff and prising rubber bits in and out.
For a sub-1000 pound car, this is pretty routine stuff and no great shakes (pun intended.) It's the rust he mentions that you should worry about - that could be anywhere between some easily-paintable stone chips and some massive welding that could cost thousands to set right, depending on where it is.
YOU NEED TO SHOW US SOME PICS!
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sihooker
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It's my experience that when you buy an old car, you have to expect problems.
Always budget for the worst and you might be pleasantly surprised, is my advice. It could be as simple as a buckled wheel, or as bad as knackered bushes and ball joints throughout...there's no way that anybody could say for certain without seeing it.
I'd say that rust should be your main concern when buying an E30. Try and get more pics from the seller of any rusty bits.
Always budget for the worst and you might be pleasantly surprised, is my advice. It could be as simple as a buckled wheel, or as bad as knackered bushes and ball joints throughout...there's no way that anybody could say for certain without seeing it.
I'd say that rust should be your main concern when buying an E30. Try and get more pics from the seller of any rusty bits.
thanks, i am a marine engineer, working on boats all day so the labour and use/access to tools is not a problem, its my basic knowledge of how to tell which parts are fucked and which are not that is holding me back.
i also can get the welding done relatively cheaply but would prefer not to have to.
from what i can gather the seller says that the floorpan is good;
"floor pan is good there are some bubbles coming throw on 1 of the bak arches but is still solid not gone throw"
which is good news if he's telling the truth.
i also can get the welding done relatively cheaply but would prefer not to have to.
from what i can gather the seller says that the floorpan is good;
"floor pan is good there are some bubbles coming throw on 1 of the bak arches but is still solid not gone throw"
which is good news if he's telling the truth.
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sihooker
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He might have had a bad day at the office, although after looking at his feedback details and his last few descriptions, he seems to be averse to typing too much!
It's hard to say...i brought my first E30 with a wobble at 55-60mph (unknowingly,cos i didn't drive it that fast on the test run) and it was just a buckled wheel. How's your luck with cars??
Front suspension arms are pretty cheap at around £45 a side with the ball joints already pressed in, and the bushes for them aren't expensive either.
It's hard to say...i brought my first E30 with a wobble at 55-60mph (unknowingly,cos i didn't drive it that fast on the test run) and it was just a buckled wheel. How's your luck with cars??
Front suspension arms are pretty cheap at around £45 a side with the ball joints already pressed in, and the bushes for them aren't expensive either.
If he is talking about a vibration throught the steering wheel at these speeds it could be any number of things, a couple of which are mentioned above but none of which are particularly expensive or hard to fix.
Of that lot my money would be on, badly balanced/buckled wheel, or worn Wishbone Bushes.
If it is otherwise rust free it is probably worth the money.
My only concern would be the wheels sugesting to me (bigot) a low maintanence owner. Check the colour of the oil.
Cheers
Chris
Of that lot my money would be on, badly balanced/buckled wheel, or worn Wishbone Bushes.
If it is otherwise rust free it is probably worth the money.
My only concern would be the wheels sugesting to me (bigot) a low maintanence owner. Check the colour of the oil.
Cheers
Chris
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daimlerman
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That's expensive for a 316i at the current bid,however,if the OP buys,let me know and I can ferry you from Lincoln railway station....in an E30 with a proper engine that has been sorted...
Youth is wasted on the young.
Being blunt cause i've had a shitty night.
Yep had a look at the link, Rust on door is easily fixable. (hell, a new door is easy enough)
Bubbles on the rear arches are not good. These are usually well past there best by the time they start showing on the outside. You want GOOD pictures of the arches, scuttle panel and 'jacking points' (under front arches).
Whole new front lower suspension is about £150 (wishbones with ball joints) and TCA bushes. All diy-able on you own, at home with a jack, axle stands, and a hammer.
A nice set of BBS's or somthing would make it a good looking car, and might solve your wobbles anyway.
But aside from all that. The point is, E30 mechanicals are pretty straightforward. Rust and paint starts to get expensive quite quickly.
I would be slightly worried that it had been ragged round for the last few months by a youth in a baseball cap. Check out the oil colour and air filter for obvious neglect (and if he's wearing said cap when he answers the door, walk away
)
And there are many more out there. Check it out well for rust. (run a search on here for the favourite spots) and if there is any your not happy with, walk away.
Hell, if Daimlerman is offering you a lift from the train station. Beg him pitifully to have a poke around it with you.
Oh and dont drive off with it if you haven't got the V5 off him. (especially with no steering wheel)
Dont forget, many more fish in the sea.
Good luck,
Chris
Yep had a look at the link, Rust on door is easily fixable. (hell, a new door is easy enough)
Bubbles on the rear arches are not good. These are usually well past there best by the time they start showing on the outside. You want GOOD pictures of the arches, scuttle panel and 'jacking points' (under front arches).
Whole new front lower suspension is about £150 (wishbones with ball joints) and TCA bushes. All diy-able on you own, at home with a jack, axle stands, and a hammer.
A nice set of BBS's or somthing would make it a good looking car, and might solve your wobbles anyway.
But aside from all that. The point is, E30 mechanicals are pretty straightforward. Rust and paint starts to get expensive quite quickly.
I would be slightly worried that it had been ragged round for the last few months by a youth in a baseball cap. Check out the oil colour and air filter for obvious neglect (and if he's wearing said cap when he answers the door, walk away
)And there are many more out there. Check it out well for rust. (run a search on here for the favourite spots) and if there is any your not happy with, walk away.
Hell, if Daimlerman is offering you a lift from the train station. Beg him pitifully to have a poke around it with you.
Oh and dont drive off with it if you haven't got the V5 off him. (especially with no steering wheel)
Dont forget, many more fish in the sea.
Good luck,
Chris
cheers daimlerman, appreciate it but it went a bit high for me, especially with the problems i mentioned above.daimlerman wrote:That's expensive for a 316i at the current bid,however,if the OP buys,let me know and I can ferry you from Lincoln railway station....in an E30 with a proper engine that has been sorted...
if anyone hears about a 316 for sale give me a shout!! am desperate for an e30!!!!!
cheers for all your advice chris, yeah the price definatly went beyond what i would pay for it. gotta keep my eyes peeled for another.Chris wrote:Oooh, i'm over 1000 posts and never even noticed.
Yeah,
Little things
Chris
thanks again for the help
