These days, 3 grand buys an e90 330i ...

[Sir_Dave]

eBay. The blight of any car enthusiast.

I wasn't looking to buy anything, but you know when you just cant help yourself ... 😂
Personally, i think it was the Xenon headlights that did it, the cheaper ones never have them & they're just an expensive pain to retrofit!

Spec of the car is: '55 reg, 125k miles, full service history, recent discs/pads/tyres all round, the aforementioned xenons, HIFI stereo upgrade, heated seats, CD changer & front/rear PDC as options. No leather, but strangely, after being adamant that i would swop it out for leather, i am enjoying it so far, reminds me of my old e46 320d Sport!

The advert didnt really portray it in the best light if im honest, not particularly clean and as a purchaser you needed to see past the badmanz additions of black grills, team f*cking heko wind deflectors & carbon wrapped interior. West Midlands yo. I kinda expected it to be a shed when i went to collect it, although a one-way ticket to Worcester always kind of puts you in a position to buy something irrespective of what it looks like :laughing:

I was greated by this, seemed ok, chap was nice enough, clearly not the bloke that modified it, money paid.

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

First lay-by i could pull into, the following occurred.

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr
Be gone.

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Nope

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr
F*ck off

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

After cleansing myself from the darkness, i took a couple of interior shots. Not bad i dont think:

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Couple of fairly minging bits of trim, but nothing that cant be swopped out fairly easily. Unsure on the "carbon wrap", you used to be able to get a proper "carbon cube" from BMW for the e46, so i'll try & find something similar i think, unless i go full old man and retrofit lemon leather & wood ... Drove home on the hottest day of the year so far. Aircon clearly doesnt work. Balls. Best try re-gassing that i guess! Run home gave an indicated 34mpg, compared to 42 in the 330d thats not so bad. Since then, 22mpg around town 😂

Last night, i completed the last stage of the de-Birmingham.
From

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr
To

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr
Ah, thats better

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Cant get over how much better it looks now!

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

And next to the old beast, will be for sale shortly if anyone is interested :up:

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Dont really have any plans for it if im honest, am looking to start my own business shortly, so just wanted something presentable & (hopefully) reliable for as little cash as possible!!

 

[alistairolsen]

Definitely a huge amount of car for the money, especially in Msport trim with Xenons. The price of SE models on halogens is borderline robbery.

Look forward to further de-chavving, best of luck with the sale of the white one and starting your own business!

 

[BIFCAIDS]

3k Christ, that's a lot of car for so little. At least you got rid of the tat, a good proper going over with a machine polisher it will look stunning.

 

[Cub.]

Good buy.

Be interested to see if anything pops....

But for now, excellent bangernomics squire.

Ps. PM what business your starting etc and I can point any contacts your way...

 

[Greeny.]

Looks decent, like them in this colour.

 

[imprezaworks]

That looks great.

 

[JB21]

Great buy, and I'd have done exactly the same with the barry bits!

 

[R3k1355]

Many lols at the wind deflectors, especially on a car with A/C.

 

[Cookie]

Disappointed it's not a 3k E46 M3 tbqfh

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Nice daily! Bet it feels like a slug compared to a remapped 330d though!

 

[Stay Puft]

Exactly what I was looking for!

 

[Cookson]

Same trim as mine. hundreds of times better than leather. They hold you better when you drive it like a c**t.

I kinda liked the black grilles, but agree that the deflectors needed to go. Do these have a clutch delay valve like the old ones used to?

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Same trim as mine. hundreds of times better than leather. They hold you better when you drive it like a c**t.

I kinda liked the black grilles, but agree that the deflectors needed to go. Do these have a clutch delay valve like the old ones used to?

They do from the factory. Wretched little things!

 

[cat171]

Much better now fella! Those wind deflectors just looked so shite!

 

[Gray]

So much car for the money!

 

[mr bognor]

How may cars have you had now ?

If its under 30 I will be amazed

 

[Danith]

If I'm honest I didn't like my E46 330ci. Wasn't a patch on the E36. What's this one like compared to the 46? Fancy an estate one if they're that cheap now.

That's a bargain for £3k though and you came out of Birmingham unscathed and not with a cat D! nice work.

 

[donnylad]

lovely looking car!

whats with all the hate for wind deflectors? I have never ever fitted them, but my 172 has them (was on when i bought) and I don't mind them at all!

 

[Sir_Dave]

Look forward to further de-chavving, best of luck with the sale of the white one and starting your own business!

Thank you!!
Looking to start the business in September, so wanna go travelling through China/Japan over the summer holidays first.
Will be a nice way to get through my 3 month restraint of trade as well!

3k Christ, that's a lot of car for so little. At least you got rid of the tat, a good proper going over with a machine polisher it will look stunning.

It was the pics of yours @BIFCAIDS that persuaded me that the colour could look epic when nice & clean!

Ps. PM what business your starting etc and I can point any contacts your way...

Asset Finance @Cub. (+ anyone else who wants to know lol), ive been doing it since 2005, but now feels like the right moment to do it for myself. I specialise in financing software/machinery for engineering/manufacturing companies mostly, but have access to all sort of other facilities, i.e. VAT funding, working capital, vehicle finance etc. Will put a thread up in General Chat soon actually, need help choosing a name!

Disappointed it's not a 3k E46 M3 tbqfh

No chance i am that brave 😂

Nice daily! Bet it feels like a slug compared to a remapped 330d though!

My 330d wasnt actually mapped, but yes, at low revs it does feel like a 318i in comparison lol.
The derv is a right weapon now ive remapped the box, whilst doing 45mpg, but unfortunately, its worth 3 x as much as this ...

Exactly what I was looking for!

You werent looking hard enough :tonguewink:

Do these have a clutch delay valve like the old ones used to?

Yeah, it is a little annoying, but is also helps the clutch that little big longer i guess, so ill probably leave it as it is for the time being.

How may cars have you had now ?
If its under 30 I will be amazed :smile:

My best man brought it up in his speech actually, before this, id had 1 car for every year id been born, ie 35 :laughing:
Now on 36.

If I'm honest I didn't like my E46 330ci. Wasn't a patch on the E36. What's this one like compared to the 46? Fancy an estate one if they're that cheap now. That's a bargain for £3k though and you came out of Birmingham unscathed and not with a cat D! nice work.

Cant really remember the specifics and havent driven a manual e36/46 for a while, but in all seriousness, i genuinely believe that every 6+ cylinder manual BMW has driven pretty much the same since the e30. Each one just looses a little bit of interaction.

whats with all the hate for wind deflectors?

I just dont see the point in them personally, i dont smoke so dont need to keep the window open 2 cms to flick fag ash out, so if the window is open, i want to feel the fresh air. Also, BMW windows have channels around them so the water doesnt slosh into your window (off the roof) when its wet, so they arent needed for that reason either.

Im probably just an old fart, but i like BMW's to be 100% OEM on the outside, always have!

 

[BIFCAIDS]

Same trim as mine. hundreds of times better than leather. They hold you better when you drive it like a c**t.

I kinda liked the black grilles, but agree that the deflectors needed to go. Do these have a clutch delay valve like the old ones used to?

Did you not have adjustable bolsters? f**king pauper. Mine held me fine around the ol' Evo Triangle.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Ohhh I thought the app mapped the car not just changing some box settings. Yeah, won't be as drastic a difference in pace then!

Plus you won't have to wear gloves at the petrol station anymore!!

M Performance exhaust (backbox) makes these sound great btw!

 

[Cookson]

Did you not have adjustable bolsters? f**king pauper. Mine held me fine around the ol' Evo Triangle.

Both leather and acantara trim have adjustable bolsters, but I feel cloth is much better

 

[Cookson]

Ohhh I thought the app mapped the car not just changing some box settings. Yeah, won't be as drastic a difference in pace then!

Plus you won't have to wear gloves at the petrol station anymore!!

M Performance exhaust (backbox) makes these sound great btw!

So does whipping the vac pipe off the shut off valve in the second pipe :wink:

 

[crazystu21]

Nice, I’ve also just picked up an e90 330i m sport but with an auto box on 128k for the same price. Mines specced as below -

Sapphire black
Oyster leather
CCC professional Nav - Nav parts currently broken
Xenons
Rear PDC
Sunroof
Walnut dash trim

Needs a couple of little bits sorting and could do with the wheels refurbing which I’ll do when the tyres are dead but as my first BMW I’m loving it so far.

I may look to retrofit the CiC I drive system and Bluetooth but at the best part of a grand I’m undecided.

 

[Gally]

Good find Dave. I reckon with leather someone is trying to sell that for 5k!

 

[Kosy]

What a cracking car for £3k. Well played

 

[BIFCAIDS]

Both leather and acantara trim have adjustable bolsters, but I feel cloth is much better

I must admid, my cousin has a 1 series with the cloth and acantara and they do feel nice. I just prefer leather.

 

[BIFCAIDS]

Good find Dave. I reckon with leather someone is trying to sell that for 5k!

Cough

 

[Knuckles]

Lol at stopping straight away to de badman it

And brilliant use of ‘de birmingham’

 

[RIC172]

Lovely car and great value for money. This is on my shortlist if it turns out my 172 cup is too small once my twins are born. That or the 330d actually as I've noticed they have come down a lot in price too.

Also I might have kept the team heko wind deflectors as I have them on my cup and actually quite like them :laughing:

 

[gambit]

I like the idea of the turbo e90 4door 335i as the older sibling too.

 

[leeds_182]

Tis a 13 year old car though!

I still look at anything with a ‘new style’ reg as new even though some of those cars are nearly 20 years old now!

 

[Sir_Dave]

Nice, I’ve also just picked up an e90 330i m sport but with an auto box on 128k for the same price.

I was watching that one as well, then it disappeared so i bought this one instead lol.
Re: the CCC problems, it probably just needs a new unit, CarlyforBMW will probably give you a fault code to work on :up:

Lol at stopping straight away to de badman it
And brilliant use of ‘de birmingham’

Had to, imagine if someone i know saw me driving it 😂

I like the idea of the turbo e90 4door 335i as the older sibling too.

So do i, you can pick up ones with buggered turbos up for £4-5k or so these days, £2k on fixing & you have a rapid family car!

Coded some bits & bobs on this one last night, only the speed limit display, indicator flash/mirror fold on locking/unlocking, but useful

 

[crazystu21]

I was watching that one as well, then it disappeared so i bought this one instead lol.
Re: the CCC problems, it probably just needs a new unit, CarlyforBMW will probably give you a fault code to work on :up:

I wasn’t even looking for one, but it was within 2 miles and seemed a decent price so had rang, viewed and purchased within an hour!

A mate runs a local BMW specialist so it’ll go into him to sort, it’s just whether I put another CCC drive in or stump up for CIC? I definitely need Bluetooth one way or another though.

 

[Slammed172]

If I knew what I was looking at in terms of BMW's then I'd part 3k all day for that! Good job, love a good de-birmingham-ify mod.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Like that. Am in the market for something like this but struggling to find anything. Want an estate really, which instantly seems to make it a pain in the arse.

Good job on taking off all the tat. I have a deep hatred for wind deflectors.

 

[_Tom]

Nice. Wish mine was a 330i. My one also came with wind deflectors, M sport number plate surrounds etc. So was it 3k on the nose or in the 3's?

Mines been a pain this month. Two new drive shafts, a new calliper and tyres. I despise spending money on old cars.

 

[Sir_Dave]

it’s just whether I put another CCC drive in or stump up for CIC? I definitely need Bluetooth one way or another though.

CIC is definitely better, but being realistic, the satnav aspect is still sh1t!
Depends on how much extra you'll have to pay really ... couple hundred worth it, £850 extra, not so much.

If I knew what I was looking at in terms of BMW's then I'd part 3k all day for that! Good job, love a good de-birmingham-ify mod.

With old 6 cylinder petrol BMW's (not M3's lolz), generally you just check for:
1. Rust
2. Whether it runs

Like that. Am in the market for something like this but struggling to find anything. Want an estate really, which instantly seems to make it a pain in the arse.

Funny you should mention that, but i paid £3.6k for this last year for a mate lol:

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr
330i manual with xenons & heated seats. 175k miles ?

Nice. Wish mine was a 330i. My one also came with wind deflectors, M sport number plate surrounds etc. So was it 3k on the nose or in the 3's? Mines been a pain this month. Two new drive shafts, a new calliper and tyres. I despise spending money on old cars.

3 on the button!
I know what you mean about spending out, but then on the flipside, you aren't losing £250 a month depreciation, so its all swings & roundabouts ...
Also gives an excuse to modify, you should have said about the caliper, i could have sold you these M135i bad boys ?

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Funny you should mention that, but i paid £3.6k for this last year for a mate lol:

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr
330i manual with xenons & heated seats. 175k miles ?

Can you find me a car please?! I am really struggling to find anything. I'll give you some money and you can just drop it off ?

 

[imprezaworks]

These look a great buy, just the miles puts me off/old skool