1987 320i

[Rouplc]

Hi everyone, I've had my 1987 E30 320i SE 2.0 for just over a year now and have loved every single second of owning and driving!

PARTS HELP: Could someone point in the right direction for finding a driver side window motor? Mines complete knackered and no longer works.

She's an absolute beauty, so want to keep her in good shape! Any help would be massively appreciated, thanks!

[Cloggy Saint]

That looks extremely tidy, and the best colour too (even though there is no 'best' colour, just personal favourites) Mart will be along soon begging for more pictures so you may as well start uploading!

[Rouplc]

That looks extremely tidy, and the best colour too (even though there is no 'best' colour, just personal favourites) Mart will be along soon begging for more pictures so you may as well start uploading!

Thanks! You wouldn't believe the amount of motorway 'thumbs up' and petrol station walk arounds I get!

Mart will not be disappointed, got A LOT of photos

[Brianmoooore]

PARTS HELP: Could someone point in the right direction for finding a driver side window motor? Mines complete knackered and no longer works.

'87 was a 'changeover' year for a lot of parts, including a complete redesign of the window mechanism, so you'll need to specify whether you have the old style S shaped mechanism or the newer scissors type. The later type is normally ultra reliable, and I'd be surprised if you have that and it has failed.
The early mechanism was usually paired with brown tinted glass, while green glass was fitted to later E30s, but there was a small window when green glass was fitted with the older mech., and, looking at the pic. I would say you have green glass, so your car may be one of these.
The later mech. will fit in place of the older type, but you'd need the glass with it as well, since the glass is a different shape at the bottom.

[Cloggy Saint]

Thanks! You wouldn't believe the amount of motorway 'thumbs up' and petrol station walk arounds I get!

Trust me, I would believe it.

[martauto]

Welcome to the zone mate, and yes more pics are required as per forum rules

Not that long ago the 320 four door auto was just above my Baur in the standings but people have seen the light at last.
Lovely car you have

Mart.

[Rouplc]

PARTS HELP: Could someone point in the right direction for finding a driver side window motor? Mines complete knackered and no longer works.

'87 was a 'changeover' year for a lot of parts, including a complete redesign of the window mechanism, so you'll need to specify whether you have the old style S shaped mechanism or the newer scissors type. The later type is normally ultra reliable, and I'd be surprised if you have that and it has failed.
The early mechanism was usually paired with brown tinted glass, while green glass was fitted to later E30s, but there was a small window when green glass was fitted with the older mech., and, looking at the pic. I would say you have green glass, so your car may be one of these.
The later mech. will fit in place of the older type, but you'd need the glass with it as well, since the glass is a different shape at the bottom.

Thanks so much for your help. I'm pretty confident it's green glass on older mech, so I'm assuming you'd advise installing newer 'scissors' mech in place for reliability?

If so, where would be the most reliable place to look to source one?

[ah]

Your lucky, you’ve got the best man on the case that zone can offer,(Brianmoooore) he will sort you out, o and by the way a very nice 320 you’ve got there,

[Brianmoooore]

If you do have green glass and the old mech., that piece of glass is quite rare - I've only ever come across one, and that was when I replaced a damaged door on an 'E' reg E30 with one that I thought was identical, but found that it had the old type 'S' shaped winder mech. I decided to see if the mech. and glass from the damaged door would fit, and found it would. It was many years ago, and IIRC, I had to drill one hole in the inner door frame for a 6mm fixing bolt.
You can try a "parts wanted" ad. in the appropriate section on here, and check the reputation of anyone that responds in our 'feedback' forum.

[Ukhozi]

Looks like a late 'change over' model unless the repeaters have been added, Mine is 02/02/1987 and has Green glass , (S350A) and scissor action.

[flybynite]

Looks like a late 'change over' model unless the repeaters have been added, Mine is 02/02/1987 and has Green glass , (S350A) and scissor action.

I thought UK cars had repeaters as standard. Can't say I remember seeing one here without them, mine has them and is one of the earlier cars out there and has had them from new. Thought it was law about '84/85

[ocde30]

Hi and welcome. Great looking car you have there. Is the interior as good as the outside looks?

[Brianmoooore]

I thought UK cars had repeaters as standard. Can't say I remember seeing one here without them, mine has them and is one of the earlier cars out there and has had them from new. Thought it was law about '84/85

Compulsory in the UK from April '86, but that doesn't mean BMW wasn't fitting them earlier.

[Cloggy Saint]

It would seem imports are exempt.

[flybynite]

It would seem imports are exempt.

Bit of a grey area I think. I know of one import that had to retrofit them because he run out of places that would MOT it without.

Luck of the draw I think

[Cloggy Saint]

I've got away with it for 4 MOTs, hopefully that continues.

[Brianmoooore]

I've got away with it for 4 MOTs, hopefully that continues.

Dangerous thing for a tester to let slip through! If you're pulled up for it by some bored but clued up traffic cop, the tester can hardly claim it was fine when he tested it, such as a worn bush or claim that the HID headlamps were standard ones when tested.

[Ukhozi]

Strange!, I was told all pre-facelift models up to 1998 didn't have repeaters, mine never had them as you can see., never mind, our ITV is very strict but at least no vested interest in finding faults to repair.

[biffer]

My mid-'87 pre-face has 'em.