Discussion
Following a trio of E90 320si (and years before that an E46 325ti and 330D) it was time for a change: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
With the sale of my Pistonheads auction Mustang: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... and Clive The Corvette still away in the States, I needed a daily driver. I like the E90 shape, reliability, smoothness and simplicity of the pre-2008 N52 naturally aspirated straight six and of course rear wheel drive, manual.
After a number of false starts looking at 325i (why are so many write offs?!), I found this 330i, for sale privately, in Worcester.
+
Well priced, advertised for £2500, I haggled and paid £1600.
M Sport spec for the more hugging seats, sharper looks and Xenons.
It's not black.
Decent history.
Not written off and appears to be accident free, with original paint.
Everything works.
-
The colour is still a bit too dark for me, but I can live with the grey.
The black wheels, side indicators and front window tints have got to go.
Substantial oil leak from the cam cover and sump (normal).
Coming up due for a service.
Paint needed on the rear bumper with two scuffs.
Small amount of rust on the rear tailgate, by the number plate lights.
Stone chipping on the front bumper and bonnet, with marks on the roof from a rack.
Needs brakes all round, discs corroded, pads low with a vibration.
Tyres are almost new, but front and rear don't match and are budgets.
Fortunately for me, service, oil leaks, new tyres and brakes are all easy enough for me to sort and give me a chance to use my preferred brands.
I drove it for a week, out of necessity but also to see what other work might be needed. Fortunately, it drives superbly, no major issues I could find. I do love the smoothness of an NA straight six.
I set to work ordering various parts and got to work this last weekend. Oil leak first off.
The clever, swivel oil cap appears to be the main source of the leak, so have a new, conventional one on order. BMW supplied the wrong cam cover gasket, so am waiting on a replacement (flat, metal style for these earlier engines). I will replace the valvetronic and sensor seals at the same time.
Air filter, the old one was actually very clean.
Unlike the cabin filter, which was grim.
New spark plugs.
Front window tints removed, with heat and a LOT of adhesive remover.
Hubcentric spacers with long bolts, 15mm rear and 10mm front. I'd say that a 20mm rear would have been better, but felt more comfortable with a thinner spacer, from a safety pov. Such a shame BMW made their wheels with such conservative offsets, they look far too tucked in.
I dropped the old oil, it was dark, but not black. Once the new gasket arrives I will be using Liqui Moly's finest, with a new filter.
More work planned, with a probable track outing and future family 'Ring trip in mind, but that brings things up to date. I'm just waiting on that gasket.
Thanks, Dave
With the sale of my Pistonheads auction Mustang: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... and Clive The Corvette still away in the States, I needed a daily driver. I like the E90 shape, reliability, smoothness and simplicity of the pre-2008 N52 naturally aspirated straight six and of course rear wheel drive, manual.
After a number of false starts looking at 325i (why are so many write offs?!), I found this 330i, for sale privately, in Worcester.
+
Well priced, advertised for £2500, I haggled and paid £1600.
M Sport spec for the more hugging seats, sharper looks and Xenons.
It's not black.
Decent history.
Not written off and appears to be accident free, with original paint.
Everything works.
-
The colour is still a bit too dark for me, but I can live with the grey.
The black wheels, side indicators and front window tints have got to go.
Substantial oil leak from the cam cover and sump (normal).
Coming up due for a service.
Paint needed on the rear bumper with two scuffs.
Small amount of rust on the rear tailgate, by the number plate lights.
Stone chipping on the front bumper and bonnet, with marks on the roof from a rack.
Needs brakes all round, discs corroded, pads low with a vibration.
Tyres are almost new, but front and rear don't match and are budgets.
Fortunately for me, service, oil leaks, new tyres and brakes are all easy enough for me to sort and give me a chance to use my preferred brands.
I drove it for a week, out of necessity but also to see what other work might be needed. Fortunately, it drives superbly, no major issues I could find. I do love the smoothness of an NA straight six.
I set to work ordering various parts and got to work this last weekend. Oil leak first off.
The clever, swivel oil cap appears to be the main source of the leak, so have a new, conventional one on order. BMW supplied the wrong cam cover gasket, so am waiting on a replacement (flat, metal style for these earlier engines). I will replace the valvetronic and sensor seals at the same time.
Air filter, the old one was actually very clean.
Unlike the cabin filter, which was grim.
New spark plugs.
Front window tints removed, with heat and a LOT of adhesive remover.
Hubcentric spacers with long bolts, 15mm rear and 10mm front. I'd say that a 20mm rear would have been better, but felt more comfortable with a thinner spacer, from a safety pov. Such a shame BMW made their wheels with such conservative offsets, they look far too tucked in.
I dropped the old oil, it was dark, but not black. Once the new gasket arrives I will be using Liqui Moly's finest, with a new filter.
More work planned, with a probable track outing and future family 'Ring trip in mind, but that brings things up to date. I'm just waiting on that gasket.
Thanks, Dave
Edited by Fishy Dave on Tuesday 3rd June 12:43
Just commented on your other thread too...
That looks such a good car and as said; those bits you'll have sorted soon enough (you're already half way into them)
For brakes; if you just want standard; I can highly recommend the ATE discs and their ceramic pads via Autodoc; paired with HEL braided lines and fresh fluid, they make for excellent brakes; but also very little dust
You can fit the 340mm Brembo 4 pot calipers from the F3x cars to the front of your car IIRC; plug n play, as they are on the E81/87s; and like I have on my E81 130i LE - 2 piece 340mmBrembo discs and Pagid Street+ pads; absolutely brilliant braking and not that dusty at all
Mteconline's stud conversion kits very good too; better than longer bolts and makes it a breeze when removing/refitting wheels
That looks such a good car and as said; those bits you'll have sorted soon enough (you're already half way into them)
For brakes; if you just want standard; I can highly recommend the ATE discs and their ceramic pads via Autodoc; paired with HEL braided lines and fresh fluid, they make for excellent brakes; but also very little dust
You can fit the 340mm Brembo 4 pot calipers from the F3x cars to the front of your car IIRC; plug n play, as they are on the E81/87s; and like I have on my E81 130i LE - 2 piece 340mmBrembo discs and Pagid Street+ pads; absolutely brilliant braking and not that dusty at all
Mteconline's stud conversion kits very good too; better than longer bolts and makes it a breeze when removing/refitting wheels
venster70 said:
The engine looks clean, seems a good buy.
Interesting ramps, do these not crush the sills, I thought you could only use the mounting points on modern car sills, due to potentially crushing a bunch of plastic?
They'll be on the jack pads as they protrude down a good inch or soInteresting ramps, do these not crush the sills, I thought you could only use the mounting points on modern car sills, due to potentially crushing a bunch of plastic?
Looking good, and I think you avoided disappointment by not finding a 325i!
I decided I wanted an E91 in 2018 and manual petrol 6s were hard to find and mostly expensive so I compromised and got a 325i. But after a 325ti it felt a bit lethargic so it only lasted a year until it was replaced by a manual E90 330i SE. Another compromise, but it had the split/fold rear seat option, Xenons and electric sunroof. But it seems to have got under my skin as 6 years later I still have it even though it became a Cat N in 2023 when someone drove into the back of it.
The colour looks like Sparkling Graphite, the same as both my E91 and E90. Not ideal, but better than black!
I decided I wanted an E91 in 2018 and manual petrol 6s were hard to find and mostly expensive so I compromised and got a 325i. But after a 325ti it felt a bit lethargic so it only lasted a year until it was replaced by a manual E90 330i SE. Another compromise, but it had the split/fold rear seat option, Xenons and electric sunroof. But it seems to have got under my skin as 6 years later I still have it even though it became a Cat N in 2023 when someone drove into the back of it.
The colour looks like Sparkling Graphite, the same as both my E91 and E90. Not ideal, but better than black!
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