320 update.

Post Thu May 12, 2005 10:37 pm

I've just handed over the Ãƒ”šÃ‚£450 so the 320 4 door is now mine. The buyer is coming to trailer away the remains of my stripped out MK2 Astra on Saturday. Overall I've made just over Ãƒ”šÃ‚£2000 from Ebay activity. So I have Ãƒ”šÃ‚£1500 profit. I'm going to allocate around Ãƒ”šÃ‚£800 of that to the E30.

Plan is:
-rebuild suspension with new bushes, ball joints, strut bearings etc
-fit lowering/handling kit. springs and dampers.
-replace steering rack universal joint
-fit Z3 rack
-some boring things like fit original air box and replace exhaust centre section that's blowing
-fit new wing and bonnet after having them sprayed. The colour is quite rare, some sort of Green. Can't remember what it's called now. About the rarest colour there is apparently.
-LSD if I can find one
-drive it

That's about as far as the plan goes really. All I want from it that it doesn't provide at the moment is more predictable handling and quicker steering. I'm finding the lack of power quite tolerable. I like the underdog factor. Plus, driving fast for the hell of it lost its appeal a long time ago. I just want to be able to enjoy minor drifting and decent twisty B roads. Private pleasures as it were.

Post Thu May 12, 2005 11:23 pm

not machelite green or summat like that? is it a dark green?

sounds like some good ideas there tom.. can pep the 2.0 lump up with a bbtb n a chip with some good results..

Post Sun May 15, 2005 11:25 pm

Well, slight change of plan. I'm going to look at some 318is cars. If I find one I like then I'm going to fix and sell the 320. It's a great car, but if I'm going to do the work then I might as well start with a 318is or a 325.

Post Sun May 15, 2005 11:49 pm

tomstickland wrote:Well, slight change of plan. I'm going to look at some 318is cars. If I find one I like then I'm going to fix and sell the 320. It's a great car, but if I'm going to do the work then I might as well start with a 318is or a 325.

yeah good choice tbh - go for the 325i only because in a way the iS is similar to your old GTE in its a high revving 4 pot... altho would be interesting to see what results you might get from that instead..

Post Mon May 16, 2005 9:06 pm

Well I'm in a bit of a quandary really.

I love the 320 because it's cheap fun. However, it's a liability in the wet. Had another moment today. It doesn't progressively drift; it just suddenly lets go. Reminds me of the Astra on cheap 14" tyres. Liability. So really I need to fit some decent tyres of the correct profile and sort the suspension. But I'd be better of doing that to the proper car. ie: 318is or 325. So maybe I should just fix the 320 and sell it.

Great car all the same. I love driving it.

Post Mon May 16, 2005 9:14 pm

Yeah its always a shame to get rid of a car you like but a 318is or a 325 Sport would be even more fun!

Post Wed May 18, 2005 10:42 pm

The mpg of the 320 is a joke too. Drive it carefully for a few days, then one 20 minute session at 85 on the mway undoes all of the good work. Average mpg comes out at 25mpg. The 318 IS has got to be better than that.

Post Thu May 19, 2005 3:20 am

tomstickland wrote:The mpg of the 320 is a joke too. Drive it carefully for a few days, then one 20 minute session at 85 on the mway undoes all of the good work. Average mpg comes out at 25mpg. The 318 IS has got to be better than that.

yeah it will be better... the 325i will be about the same.. but quicker with it

Post Thu May 19, 2005 8:56 am

tomstickland wrote: But I'd be better of doing that to the proper car. ie: 318is or 325. So maybe I should just fix the 320 and sell it.

Great car all the same. I love driving it.

Oi Oi... whadda ya mean a 320 isn't a 'proper' car, how dare you!!! :lol:

kp
who drives a nice 320i but it drinks like a fish