clunking noise?

[innes]

clunking noise coming from drivers rear wheel area, sounds like something in the boot (similar to bottle rolling around) any ideas?

also, how many valves is my 325?

[thesaint]

12 valves, the clunkng could be subframe bush, when does it clunk? under accleeration, over bumps, all the time?

[evostormm]

Anti roll bar bushes would be my guess. I've got the same noises and that's what it is.

[Simon]

Subframe bush, anti roll bar bush, loose jack, loose wheel wrench, spare wheel not secured, I'd check your top mount first though, nice and easy and cheap to replace, and probably the most common cause of knocking noises from the rear.

[Brianmoooore]

Almost certainly the damper top mount, as Simon says.
For a more reliable replacement, use E46 cabrio ones. Direct replacement, but a bit stronger.
Just one bolt and two nuts to undo to remove damper and mount together. Don't even need to jack the car up.

[votivequagmire]

I concur with previous two posts.

I had said problem myself last month.
I didn't need to replace the mounting yet, one of the self binding nuts on the top had decided to lose it's thread?
Well the 'use once' nuts have been off and back on more than once