Rare optional extra?

[bmw9818]

This is new to me! Didn't know e30s come with paddling pools in the boot?

My cars been garaged for about a month as well

[Alex]

failed rear light gaskets, failed boot seals, rotten inner arches are common now, radio aerial not secure, rust and more rust

[polsta]

a clear perspex outer panel and gold fish were the super rare extra

[mcbonio]

Its quite likely the water was there when you garaged it judging by the colour of it.

I often say this, I'll say again. Do you park you car on a sloped drive, nose down? If so, when it rains the area under the rear window wells up with water and seeps through you old worn boot gasket.

Sponge it out, let it dry and dust the inside with talcum powder. When it rains again you will see water lines in the talc and you can trace them back to the leak point. Brianmoore's tip that.

[daimlerman]

It was parked in the garage and water still got in..........

I have a garage roof like that as well....

[Simon]

Nothing rare about that!

[BATTS91]

Nothing rare about that!

Took the words out of my mouth!

[Tan91]

Nothing rare about that!

Took the words out of my mouth!

+1

[Jozi]

Drill a hole on the underside and it wont be long pouring out. I put this down to sunroof drains and a blocked outlet?

[hammoj28]

Mine did this due to a failed boot seal.

Also worth pulling the boot seal off to see what condition the metal strip its sits on is in. It can rot away so the water goes through no matter how good the seal itself is.

[vokietis]

there is a plug to drain it all out, just knock it out using a screw driver

[Gavla]

there is a plug to drain it all out, just knock it out using a screw driver

You don't perhaps have pictures do you, I have the same problem and cannot find the plug?

Thanks

[Alex]

Am i the only one who thinks its better to fix the leak rather than drill holes etc, having holes will only cause more rust as that starts rotting into a bigger hole

[Brianmoooore]

I've never found a plug yet!
There is a drain that was probably used in the factory to allow paint to drain out after dipping, formed by a small V shaped fold in the metal of the flange of the wheel arch where it joins the floor of the well. If you probe around in the sealant at this join with a small screwdriver, you can poke the sealant out and open up the drain.

[Sanchez]

Im with you Alex. Fix the leak.

Even if your car is in a garage an not rained on, when you wash it it will get water in it theres a poor seal.

[Jozi]

There's a little plug there held in by a few prongs, sealant might hide it though but there's defo something there.

I only drilled a hole to prevent water flowing into the rest of the boot, and to dry out the tool roll, the shell is scrap though.

[retroboyo]

take the carpets out and invest in a welder

[polsta]

someone i know had a case of this, couldnt work out where it was comming from and checked everything...then removed the long black plastic trimm across the top of the rear panel and rotten all along the top

[BenHar]

Drill a hole on the underside and it wont be long pouring out. I put this down to sunroof drains and a blocked outlet?

No need to drill a hole.

There are holes there from the factory.

They may be filled with sealant but it can be cleaned out.

On prefacelift cabriolets they are here:







Ben

[Brianmoooore]

The above are the drains I've referred to, but are normally completely hidden and blocked y seam sealant.