Should i sell or fix my 320i?

[Hani]

I just bought a 320i about two months ago, didnt have much money and needed to get something quickly, remembering my mum had a nice one back in the 90's thought i would give the e30 a try. I like RWD cars and couldnt think of anything better at the time. Paid 490 and I love the car it drives much better then alot of the new stuff.

The problem is that its coming up to the MOT expiring and there are a few definite failures:

-Play in N/S track rod ball joint
-Corroded rear brake pipes
-Not alot of tread on the tires
-Blowing front box on the exhaust
-Rust on the O/S sill under the door about 3" hole

There is also a slight leak in the engine bay but i'm not sure what it is the mechanic wasnt that worried though. Also the gearbox isnt the best at getting into first and the clutch judders when its very hot.

How much would all this cost to fix? I take it, that these things are all gonna add up to alot. I paid 490 for the car and have bought 6months tax, but i feel like all these problems are gonna end up costing me more than a car.

Is it going to cost alot to fix the main MOT failing problems that i listed? I was planning on getting an e39 or a 325 sport later this summer when i have more money. But need something between now and august, i was hoping this would do but the mot expires on in a week. So I have about 500 till then should i fix my car or try and sell it reall cheap together with the 500 buy somethign else with a long mot? Your advice would be of great help thanks.

[HotboxDeluxe]

You could spend half that monkey on fixing the 320, then have an mot'd car you like till joyful arrival of E39/Sport, it'll be worth more with a ticket anyway, and squander the rest. Or buy your E30 some BBS and springs, it'll be grateful...

[Zayyan]

You could spend half that monkey on fixing the 320

Wouldn't it be fun using monkeys as currency

I'm glad "sell it or fix it" are the options, and "scrap it" isn't there

If you're short of money I'd sell it to someone who'll sort the bits out as a project and buy yourself something crap....will make the Sport/E39 seem far better when you get it!

I'm pretty sure you can get a refund on the tax you don't use as well so the fact you've already bought tax is nothing to worry about

[Hani]

So you reckon it wont cost too much to repair and MOT? I've heard that it costs alot to replace the brake pipes because you have to take of the rear axel.

[Borderbmw]

Id spend the money to fix it and give a few goodies etc,as to be honest when the MOT's expired your gonna have to rush to get something elase and you could end with a even worse motor!? just a my opinion though

[dazleeds]

fix it mate cos without a test you gonna get pennies for it im sure youll get plenty cheap bits from here if you need em and as for the brakepipes i redid all my rear pipes on my old 320i by moving the lot and rerouting everything sounds daunting but was a piece of piss in the end and did em all including splitter pipes fluid etc all fixings for about 25 quid got some bbs for sale 14s and 15s if your interested
fix it mate and enjoy it again Daz leeds

[Hani]

Don't really have much experience with car brakes, are they solid metal pipes? If so how do you reroute them?

[Borderbmw]

Original are often steel,but ive found its best to use kunifer pipes or similar,a roll is available at any decent auto factors(and the unions),and just take your time,its nice and easy to bend

[dazleeds]

had to do mine for test and had never done pipes before but it was just common sense as you strip 1 pipe out make its replacement and refit mine went straight through mot no problems main thing is to make sure they cnt rub on anything and that there is no movement in the pipes anywhere but make sure when it comes to bleeding the system at the end its done properly or mr mot will send you home gutted Daz

[Borderbmw]

MY best mate borrowed my flaring tool etc as he wanted to do the pipes on his mini,and i went to see how he was doing a bit later.....and he said"im doing fine,ive got some lovely flares on the brake pipes! )........shame he hadnt put any unions on the pipes before he flared them!!!!! I nearly peed laughing!

[Borderbmw]

Or if your not sure about making them yourself,you can buy a ready made set from Automec(i think?) for a bit more expense?

The dealers do them aswell i should think but you'd pay big money i would guess?

[Hani]

Hey are these the ones: http://www.automec.co.uk/cgi/CopperzpCo ... _sets.html

What other parts would i need? any hoses and fittings? Is there any chance of fitting disks on the rears instead of my drums while i'm down there, how hard would that be?

[Borderbmw]

As you're doing everything else you might as well change the flexible hoses,they're quite cheap and easy to change......to change to rear discs i think you have to change the rear trailing arms and some other bits,but its not that heard i believe mate.

[Hani]

I found this E34 on ebay that looks fairly decent:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... RK:MEWA:IT

Can't view it but it seems cheap and red interior must be worth a bit on its own. Do you think i should maybe try and bid on it?& how much?

It could save me having to fix my car.

[Davenotouring]

Done lots of miles and it's still the M20. I don't think the interior would fetch much.

If I was looking for a cheap runabout it'd be something like a Honda Civic or similar.

[Hani]

civics seem more expensive than old e30's and stuff of the same age.

[320Touring]

Fix it!!!!

its an e30, gotta be saved!!

[Hani]

Just read up on plumbing so now i understand the whole 'forgot to put the unions' on joke. Seams easy enough. Are these pipes gonna have a standard sized bits that i can get from a shop?

[Simon13]

bin it, it's a 320 for gods sake

[Borderbmw]

Yep,it will all be standard metric stuff,any good factors should be able to advise properly mate

[Hani]

After reading the "Why does everyone seem to think 320i's a rubbish" i am definatly thinking that this thing is gonna be losing me alot of money.
If its got a nice black leather interior, scratch&dent free and 160kMiles what sorta prices would I get? I'm trying to gauge whether or not to make it tidy and drivable or really make it nice and mint or just get an MOT and sell it.

[Simon13]

seriously! if the sills are rusty and has holes the in floor pan, well there are plenty with out that. I'm sure u could find a cheap E30 which would be a bit better for 500 notes with enough ticket on it to get u to august.

But to help Bharat has 14 inch steelies for a tenner with tread on them for sale

clutches all shudder when very hot E30 trait

zorst can be patched with those patch things u can buy

a new wishbone with ball joints in it is Ԛ£35, and if your not a spastic with a set of spanners u could do it.

So that might have u enough left over to get the brake lines and sill welded maybe

[Hani]

But i already have the car simon and have already paid 500 pounds for it, however i have another 500 which i can spend on another car or fixing this one with hopefully something left over.

Were can you get the wishbone? Can't really patch the exhaust though its already been patched and its on the muffler were it connects to the pipe. But i guess the rest I can fix and the rust is only on the sill.

[Simon13]

german, swedish french for a nice genuine bmw one with out the bmw badge on! Ԛ£35 Thats if its the ball joint on the wish bone ya?

[Hani]

I beleive its the ball join ton the end of part 14 which connects onto 13 on this picture: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/a/146.png
BUt the other way around as its RHD.

Could that be this:
REPLACEMEN n/a 605110100 TIE ROD ASSEMBLY E30 82/95 E30 RANGE 10/82 - 07/95
RH - WITH PAS
or this
REPLACEMEN n/a 605110100 TIE ROD ASSEMBLY E30 82/95 E30 RANGE 10/82 - 07/95
LH

from eurocarparts?

[Gwynleym10]

The ones for a Ԛ£10nner more at Eurocaparts are a lot better, but if your getting ride of it in the end.....

[Hani]

i think they are hte ones for a 10er more, theyre the most expensive ones.

[Quaser]

HI Hani

I think that the track rod is on the steering rack - about Ԛ£30 from GSF
Rear brake pipes - about Ԛ£50 all in including buying a tool for around Ԛ£25 to make them yourself!
Tyres - Bharat is selling a set for Ԛ£10 - or look at spending Ԛ£20 for part worns
Front box - 2 piece system i take it, there are a few 320's being broken on the zone - prices are usually around Ԛ£30 for the whole system
Rust - about Ԛ£60 to get it welded at the most.
This is assumming you can do the work yourself, otherwise add another Ԛ£100 - Ԛ£150 for labour.

I would keep the car as you know the things wrong with it, and it has been running ok so far. If you buy another car, you have the hassle of selling this one without MOT (worth about Ԛ£200 - Ԛ£300 without MOT - prob around Ԛ£800 - Ԛ£1000 with!) and you wont have to start spending on the new one which could have a lot of hidden expenses!

Q

[Hani]

Didn't know about GSF, seems to have alot.

Is the silencer-centre on GSF the front box for my exhaust that i want seams a bit cheap 28.50 considering that i saw one go on ebay for 60 quid.

I just realised I'm going to have to retrack my steering if i replace the tie rod, arent i? I dont think i know how to do that.

[Gwynleym10]

http://www.esatclear.ie/~bpurcell/318is ... #trackrods
try here for info on tracking etc...[/quote]

[swindy]

Just doing my rear brakes now, rear axle off no probs, and According to the BMW parts man the pipes I ordered come ready bent, so really very good, ALL pipes not including rear trailing arms, 15.00. Cant say fairer, any motor factors will make you some, but very bend them to shape, try yourself and end up doing what I did, kinking one and having to get a new one. I will let you know tomorrow about the ordered pipes and how they turn out.

As for sell or fix? Id fix and hav a lil fun with it!

Regards Mark.

[Hani]

phoned the local BMw specialist they want:

300+ For the brake pipes
180+ for exhaust (just front)
120+ for tierods and tracking
45+ for the weld (its only the size of a coin)
that around 650, seams a bit steap. So i will definatly have to do it myself or sell it. I was hoping theyd say 250 odd for everything.