New barge - '97 328i Coupe

[Topgeartom]

Had the car a couple of weeks now. Its such a different experience to the 172.

Performance wise it really isnt that different at all in terms of outright pace, it just goes about it in a completely different way.

I was orginally after a sport, but after searching for a good car every day for close to 3 months, this car popped up locally and i couldnt refuse it for the price i paid.

Its a 2-owner car currently on 62k miles with full service history to boot. The history has every reciept going and even the original spec sheets and bill of sale. The car was ordered new from Ivor Holmes BMW of Luton by a Cpt. Painter - an airline piolt for easyjet (according to a Luton Airport parking pass which dropped out of the history), theres even a lovely letter from him commending the service he recieved throughout the buying process.

It was bought completely standard, although i do have a number of plans in the works!

Changes so far include:

Full clear light swap
Black Grilles
HID dippped beam conversion
matching hid-look sidelights
K&N gen2 IK
z3m short shifter
led plate lights
bosch aerotwin wipers
installed my sony usb headunit
rear 6x9 speaker adaptors with new speakers to match

braided cutch hose yet to fit

My biggest purchase to date are these:

Just waiting for some tyres to turn up then they will be going on, and should alter the look of the car substantially!


Anyway, managed to throw a bucket over the bus and take some first pictures.

From this:

To this:

Cheers
Tom

 

[Rob]

Great barge, the wheels will really make a difference.

OT, but a polo went past me earlier on ATS cup's and I thought of you. Wish I'd bought them.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Looks nice enough

Although if you're fitting a 'braided cutch hose' make sure you remove the clutch delay valve (CDV) 1st, makes a huge difference to the feel of the car!

Also, FYI, the cheapo eBay coilovers (Raceland) i think, are well thought of in the e36 world. If you haven't already, join www.bmwowner.com, purely as a lot of the mods you are planning on doing are available cheaply through many of the members on there ...

 

[Christopher]

Love it!

Those wheels will look awesome on there.

 

[_Tom]

Ah i want CH's..genuine too?

My mate has a 328 he's setting up as a track car. As a all round package im impressed.

 

[hughesclio]

looks a bit bland at the moment mate but tidy with it, i know once you have finished with it it will look very nice.
will look forward to the progress on this.
oh and those wheels are my favorites so thumbs up from me

 

[Scrooge]

Should look good, great purchase!

 

[daveski]

Looks lovely, E36 are growing on me more now seems most of the idiot owners have moved onto the E46

 

[silentsnake]

Tidy! Very clean

 

[DrR]

Nice like these lots.

 

[Topgeartom]

After close to 2 weeks waiting for tyres and fitting, at last they are on.

As aj quite rightly points out, it is now depserate for coilovers at the front. All in good time!

Anyway, a few very quick shots:

Cheers
Tom

 

[YorkshireDaz]

Nice mate! It sounded well the other day when I saw you

 

[Owen]

CH's are awesome dude, just needs some coilys. Or a couple of fat mates in the passenger seats.

 

[hughesclio]

looking good mate, id seriously swap my csl's for a set of those as i love them.
yo going to get the sport bumpers?

 

[Topgeartom]

Sport bumpers are the next step. Dont know if im going to try source 2nd hand ones that will inevitably be tatty or get one of the new reproduction kits and paint them myself.

Dont fancy paying the prices for a pro sprayer, and i wouldnt know who to go to either.

 

[Ra1nb1rd]

looks good fella,

ive got some eibach pro street coilovers forsale at present if your intrested, message me for details

 

[Christopher]

Looks great! Will be even better when it's dropped a bit with the Sport bumpers.

 

[Brookie.]

Looks so good Tom! I'll have to pop round for a nosey soon

 

[Gally]

Looks superb on those wheels mate, it's not too high but will look sweet once dropped a little.

Dave just spaffed in his cornflakes!

 

[Rob]

Wheels make a big difference, some (not too much) lows and it'll look great.

 

[jon_r]

As you say, a couple of sport bumpers and that'll look great!

 

[Ali]

Just looks like an old BM with Reps?! I actually prefer it before.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Hmm, looking at that, i think i would have waited a little more & just bought a Sport.

Especially if you're going to make it into a rep, on reps, anyway!!

My old one, now owned by a stance monkey, looks epic & was featured last month:

 

[montana]

not keen on those wheels - looks like its trying to hard (chavvy?) prefered the old wheels

 

[_Tom]

Dave, your old one was for sale not long ago.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Dave, your old one was for sale not long ago.

Was it? No mention of that in his thread on bmwowner. What did he want for it?

 

[Vish]

Not doing it for me on the wheels without sport bumpers, so look forward to seeing it rep'd.

Dave, saloon wheels? I love the finish on them. Car looks mint!

 

[_Tom]

Was it? No mention of that in his thread on bmwowner. What did he want for it?

Cant remember now. It was in E38. He was going to keep the wheels though iirc. Whats his forum name on other forums? I'll try and search it.

 

[Sir_Dave]

He's just 'samsam' on bmwowner, no sure on elsewhere. Tis a mint car, no rust whatsoever, so would have made a nice buy for someone ...

 

[Ali]

Hmm, looking at that, i think i would have waited a little more & just bought a Sport.

Especially if you're going to make it into a rep, on reps, anyway!!

My old one, now owned by a stance monkey, looks epic & was featured last month:

Does he sell drugs?

 

[jon_r]

My old one:







Love that car!

 

[Sir_Dave]

Does he sell drugs?

Probably, is their a 'drugz, thugz & lowz' scene?

Although judging by the angle he's at, perhaps he's just 'badparking', thats another one apparently.

Jon's old one has gone in a better direction tbh, bar the poverty spec seats.

 

[Topgeartom]

Ive seen that car about a fair bit Dave, had no idea it used to be yours. Hes got the throwing stars for sale at the moment at something like £900.

That looks excellent Jon, i'd have loved a hell red one, but could not believe how hard it was to find a nice one in any colour!

Sport bumpers and lows are coming as soon as my clio is fixed and sold.

A couple of phone pics from a recent drive out:

Cheers
Tom

 

[Christopher]

Hmm, looking at that, i think i would have waited a little more & just bought a Sport.

Especially if you're going to make it into a rep, on reps, anyway!!

My old one, now owned by a stance monkey, looks epic & was featured last month:

Awesome stuff.

 

[Topgeartom]

Finally got some front and rear M-tech bumpers on the car. Massive improvement imo.

Also had some other little additions like the boot spoiler. Its starting to get there.

Just a couple of pics, went a bit arty farty on the first one:

Cheers
Tom

 

[Daniel]

Debadging and clean numberplates next?

I've got a feeling this is going to turn into a very very nice car.

 

[Topgeartom]

Coilovers and some poke next hopefully, although i may put the cash into more power first.

Shouldnt be spending too much on it, my plan is to save for an m3.

Cheers though love!

 

[Ian_182]

Looks nice on those wheels,and the miles on are a great find...

 

[Triki]

I dont think the wheels suit it !

Maybe my opinion will change after the lows...

 

[Sir_Dave]

Looks much better