Where to begin. My car started out as a 1986 2dr 325. No E. Delphine gray with pearl beige standard vinyl seats. Manual transmission. Power windows and a manual sunroof. 6 button clock. 14" bottle cap wheels and metal diving board bumpers. The car was sent to a salvage yard about 6 years ago when the owner blew up the engine with roughly 200,000 miles on it.
A friend of mine then rescued the 325 from the junkyard and put another used stock engine in it. He drove the car for about 2 years before he shipped off to fight in the Iraqi Invasion. The car got parked at his mother-in-laws with a bad clutch master. There it sat for almost a year when out of the blue I got a call from his wife, asking if I knew where she could get rid of the car, as it didn't drive. I immediately offered her $300.00 for it (I know a bargain when I see it). She said that was fine as long as I had it gone by the next day. Trying to find a car trailer or car dolly on short notice is nearly impossible. And the cost of towing 3 years ago was all ready getting ridiculous. So after much calling around, I managed to locate a dolly and tow it home.
Getting started. Old cars do not like to sit! Once home with the car, I tried starting it up and was immediately welcomed with a bunch of leaky fuel lines. However it did start and run - just not for very long. On Monday I ordered all new rubber fuel lines, a fuel filter, an oil filter, and air filter, spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor, a clutch master and clutch slave. With everything installed the car started up and ran great. I was able to drive it for almost a month before the clutch pedal stuck to the floor again. This time it turned out to be the rubber clutch slave hose had a pin hole. In hind site I wish I had put in a braided line, but I just replaced it with a new factory one.
My original reason for buying the E30 was either for my Sister-in-law to drive orfirst car for my 15 year old nephew. At the time I was driving a 2000 Dodge 1500 pick up truck and the wife was rolling a 1994 325i convertible. I was only going to drive the 325 until all the bugs were worked out and then hand it off to one of the family members.
Funny thing - the more I drove the little 325 the more I liked it. We had owned a 1984 318i back in the day, which was the wife's car, but it had always felt so small. I'm 6'3" and having my knees jammed into the dash and trying to shift gears in 5 o'clock traffic wasn't exactly my idea of fun. I commute 45 minutes to work every day and sitting in stop and go traffic with the clutch in made my leg hurt. I like drinking my coffee on the way to work, and with only 2 hands, driving, shifting and holding that Starbucks cup can get pretty complicated. And if the phone rings - forget it!
Fast forward 3 years and I still own the car. My sister-in-law didn't get it. We helped her get a 1999 528ti wagon. It's very nice. That M52tu motor has quite a bit of power, even in that heavy of a car. Plus with the sport package it looks great. My nephew will be 17 in December and still doesn't have his drivers license. I don't know what his problem is. Could be lack of funds. I can't believe how expensive it can be getting a drivers license in the state of California. From what he said, it's close to $800.00. I guess there is no drivers ed in school these days. You have to go through an independent driving school.
Since I kept the car, it was going to need some up grades to become a daily driver that was comfortable enogh for me. I thought it would be cool to park my truck and put those every day miles on the little E30. Little did I know my wife was going to sell her 325ic and start her own antiques buisness. Now she drive's the truck and I have the BMW. Having a 3rd car option would be nice. Maybe in the future.
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