Resurrecting an F80 BMW M3 "30 Jahre"

[KarshS]

Hi Gents,

Many of you followed my M8 thread and the sale of that car, so I won’t go into too much detail there.
Long story short, the dealer I originally bought the M8 from offered me a deal to take it back as a trade-in against any vehicle they had available on the floor.
At the time, an F80 M3 had just been traded in against an M5. I had a quick look, liked what I saw, made an offer, and the deal was done.
Not sure yet whether this was my lucky break at finally owning an F80, or bad luck. I’ll get into that part later in the thread.

Vehicle Details:
2017 BMW M3 “30 Jahre” Edition (30 Years Edition)
1 of 500 worldwide (and, from what I understand, 1 of 30 in SA)
Macao Blue Metallic
97,000 km
Motorplan ran until 03/2024
Clean history — no comments
AutoGenie and Lightstone reports came back clear


Optional Extras:
Individual Special Paint
Individual Merino Leather
20" 666M Wheels
DCT Transmission
M Carbon Ceramic Brakes
Adaptive M Suspension
Comfort Access
Carbon Interior Trim
Adaptive LED Headlights
Surround View
Heads-Up Display
Harman/Kardon Sound
Shadow Line (extended contents)
Competition Package
A few other smaller extras

First Impressions:
When I first viewed the car, it had the usual wear and tear you’d expect for its age, mostly light scratches. It was also clear the car hadn’t been washed with much care, but nothing that couldn’t be sorted out with a proper detail.
Interior was nice and clean. Better condition interior than others i have seen.
One thing that stood out was the CS bonnet, which I wasn’t a fan of. Thankfully, the previous owner still had the original bonnet and agreed to send it through, so that wasn’t a deal-breaker.

Collection Day:
After about two weeks of delays, the car was finally ready for collection.

On the day, I noticed a couple of issues:
A slight dent on the corner of the bonnet (Paint removed on the bonnet edge)
The PPF was badly damaged, likely during transport from Kimberley to Johannesburg
The dealer agreed to cover the cost of replacing the PPF and bonnet damage.

Before I get into the bad part of the story…
Here are some pictures taken post-delivery:

 

[Greenz]

Congratulations,what a beauty!😍😍😍

Before I get into the bad part of the story…

I am scared.

 

[///M Individual]

Congrats bud! 👌

Left us on a cliffhanger here.......

 

[Zach]

Congratulations,what a beauty!😍😍😍



I am scared.

Guy is starting a lemonade stand with all his recent purchases.😅

 

[Nishcat_M140i]

Congrats my bru

I always said the F80 M3 was one of the best looking cars ever made, absolute timeless design. Was looking for one before the M140i, would still love to do an S55 since Its the only turbo I6 platform with the N54 that I haven't experienced yet.

Very different car compared to the M8 and not really much comparison. but I'm keen to hear how it drives and feels compared to both the F30 and G20 340s you owned, especially since those were modified.

Looking forward to seeing what you have planned and I won't be surprised if mods have already started since its out of plan.

Hope the Bad isn't too bad👀

 

[2SCOOPS]

Congrats!!

 

[TBP88]

Hi Gents,

Many of you followed my M8 thread and the sale of that car, so I won’t go into too much detail there.
Long story short, the dealer I originally bought the M8 from offered me a deal to take it back as a trade-in against any vehicle they had available on the floor.
At the time, an F80 M3 had just been traded in against an M5. I had a quick look, liked what I saw, made an offer, and the deal was done.
Not sure yet whether this was my lucky break at finally owning an F80, or bad luck. I’ll get into that part later in the thread.

Vehicle Details:
2017 BMW M3 “30 Jahre” Edition (30 Years Edition)
1 of 500 worldwide (and, from what I understand, 1 of 30 in SA)
Macao Blue Metallic
97,000 km
Motorplan ran until 03/2024
Clean history — no comments
AutoGenie and Lightstone reports came back clear


Optional Extras:
Individual Special Paint
Individual Merino Leather
20" 666M Wheels
DCT Transmission
M Carbon Ceramic Brakes
Adaptive M Suspension
Comfort Access
Carbon Interior Trim
Adaptive LED Headlights
Surround View
Heads-Up Display
Harman/Kardon Sound
Shadow Line (extended contents)
Competition Package
A few other smaller extras

First Impressions:
When I first viewed the car, it had the usual wear and tear you’d expect for its age, mostly light scratches. It was also clear the car hadn’t been washed with much care, but nothing that couldn’t be sorted out with a proper detail.
Interior was nice and clean. Better condition interior than others i have seen.
One thing that stood out was the CS bonnet, which I wasn’t a fan of. Thankfully, the previous owner still had the original bonnet and agreed to send it through, so that wasn’t a deal-breaker.

Collection Day:
After about two weeks of delays, the car was finally ready for collection.

On the day, I noticed a couple of issues:
A slight dent on the corner of the bonnet (Paint removed on the bonnet edge)
The PPF was badly damaged, likely during transport from Kimberley to Johannesburg
The dealer agreed to cover the cost of replacing the PPF and bonnet damage.

Before I get into the bad part of the story…
Here are some pictures taken post-delivery:

View attachment 34373
View attachment 34374

These keep getting bettter and better as time goes. Hopefully a keeper here, I think finding clean F8x cars is going to become even harder than it is now in the coming years.

Drive it safely and enjoy!

 

[KarshS]

Let the ownership experience begin…

I took delivery of the car and went for an initial drive. It felt solid and drove well overall. However, I quickly noticed a knocking noise when coming to a stop, particularly as the gearbox downshifted. A quick bit of research suggested this was a relatively common issue on the F8X chassis.
Typically linked to the differential bushing.

It turns out the issue was so prevalent that BMW released an updated differential polyurethane mount, replacing the original rubber version (part number: 33179503009).
I sourced the updated bushing from BMW Midrand and booked the car in at X-Flow Performance for installation. While the car was there, I also had the engine oil, differential oil, and gearbox oil serviced.
The differential mount replacement was quite labour-intensive, but two days later the car was ready. The improvement was immediate. The car drove smoothly and the knocking noise was completely gone.

Shortly thereafter, I drove from Randburg to Midrand to visit a family member in hospital. On leaving, the car suddenly began misfiring at a traffic light and switched off, displaying a drivetrain error. I pulled over, switched the car off, and restarted it. I managed to get home to Centurion, although the idle remained slightly rough.
I plugged in MHD to read the fault codes. There were multiple errors relating to misfires and O2 sensors. After clearing the codes, the car seemed to drive normally again.
Unfortunately, without access to platforms like Bimmerpost, it was difficult to find comparable cases for troubleshooting. I then booked the car back in with X-Flow for further inspection.
They identified that the charge cooler was leaking into the intake, which was preventing the O2 sensor heating elements from functioning correctly. Fortunately, this wasn’t a major setback, as I had already planned to upgrade to an aluminium charge cooler.
I purchased the upgraded unit and had it installed. While the car was in, we also replaced the spark plugs, which were in poor condition, and swapped out the air filters (which were last replaced in 2019). As a precaution, given the possibility of coolant entering the engine, we performed another oil service.
This resolved the initial errors, and the car started and ran well again.

However, during a test drive, the car cut out once more, this time indicating a fuel pump issue. Upon inspection, the low-pressure fuel pump appeared to be blocked. We also noticed the issue tended to occur when the fuel level dropped below half a tank.
A new fuel pump was ordered and installed, and since then, the car has been running flawlessly.

Many advised me to return the car to the dealer, and I seriously considered it. But the more time I spent with the car, the more I fell in love with it. I had a decision to make: cut my losses or commit to restoring the car to where it should be.
For reasons many enthusiasts will understand, this car just spoke to me. I often found myself standing in the garage simply admiring it. It’s beautiful. Driving it brought back a feeling I hadn’t experienced since owning my E46 M3.
I couldn’t give up on it. I knew that returning it might mean it ends up neglected or in a worse condition. This car felt special enough to deserve a second chance.

So, I made the call. I’m fully invested in bringing her back to her prime.
She’s currently at SAUBER undergoing a full paint correction and ceramic coating. The PPF has been removed, and I’ll have it redone once I find a panel beater or PDR tech I trust to address a small dent on the bonnet. I’d prefer to avoid respraying due to potential colour-matching issues. It’s a minor dent, but one that will bother me until it’s sorted.

I’ll share more photos once Fuzz is done with the detailing. Im keen to see how she comes out.

Hoping no further mechanical issues pops up.

Apologies for the long read.

 

[KarshS]

Guy is starting a lemonade stand with all his recent purchases.😅

Explain.... Keen to hear why you say that.

 

[KarshS]

Congrats my bru

I always said the F80 M3 was one of the best looking cars ever made, absolute timeless design. Was looking for one before the M140i, would still love to do an S55 since Its the only turbo I6 platform with the N54 that I haven't experienced yet.

Very different car compared to the M8 and not really much comparison. but I'm keen to hear how it drives and feels compared to both the F30 and G20 340s you owned, especially since those were modified.

Looking forward to seeing what you have planned and I won't be surprised if mods have already started since its out of plan.

Hope the Bad isn't too bad👀

Shot bru,

Wont compare it to the M8. They are both 2 completely different cars that cater to different needs.
I cant compare it to the M340i as well. The G20 has its place as the perfect daily, Family cruiser and easy power can be archived for the odd track day.

The F80 is just raw, you feel everything. Its not for everyone. Some might find the ride harsh. But i love it and the feeling it gives me. Its what i was missing on my previous cars. Mainly its a damn sexy car to look at

 

[zabbo]

Congratulations!!! Sure you will love it even more once you have sorted it properly.

 

[TurboLlew]

Let the ownership experience begin…

I took delivery of the car and went for an initial drive. It felt solid and drove well overall. However, I quickly noticed a knocking noise when coming to a stop, particularly as the gearbox downshifted. A quick bit of research suggested this was a relatively common issue on the F8X chassis.
Typically linked to the differential bushing.

It turns out the issue was so prevalent that BMW released an updated differential polyurethane mount, replacing the original rubber version (part number: 33179503009).
I sourced the updated bushing from BMW Midrand and booked the car in at X-Flow Performance for installation. While the car was there, I also had the engine oil, differential oil, and gearbox oil serviced.
The differential mount replacement was quite labour-intensive, but two days later the car was ready. The improvement was immediate. The car drove smoothly and the knocking noise was completely gone.

Shortly thereafter, I drove from Randburg to Midrand to visit a family member in hospital. On leaving, the car suddenly began misfiring at a traffic light and switched off, displaying a drivetrain error. I pulled over, switched the car off, and restarted it. I managed to get home to Centurion, although the idle remained slightly rough.
I plugged in MHD to read the fault codes. There were multiple errors relating to misfires and O2 sensors. After clearing the codes, the car seemed to drive normally again.
Unfortunately, without access to platforms like Bimmerpost, it was difficult to find comparable cases for troubleshooting. I then booked the car back in with X-Flow for further inspection.
They identified that the charge cooler was leaking into the intake, which was preventing the O2 sensor heating elements from functioning correctly. Fortunately, this wasn’t a major setback, as I had already planned to upgrade to an aluminium charge cooler.
I purchased the upgraded unit and had it installed. While the car was in, we also replaced the spark plugs, which were in poor condition, and swapped out the air filters (which were last replaced in 2019). As a precaution, given the possibility of coolant entering the engine, we performed another oil service.
This resolved the initial errors, and the car started and ran well again.

However, during a test drive, the car cut out once more, this time indicating a fuel pump issue. Upon inspection, the low-pressure fuel pump appeared to be blocked. We also noticed the issue tended to occur when the fuel level dropped below half a tank.
A new fuel pump was ordered and installed, and since then, the car has been running flawlessly.

Many advised me to return the car to the dealer, and I seriously considered it. But the more time I spent with the car, the more I fell in love with it. I had a decision to make: cut my losses or commit to restoring the car to where it should be.
For reasons many enthusiasts will understand, this car just spoke to me. I often found myself standing in the garage simply admiring it. It’s beautiful. Driving it brought back a feeling I hadn’t experienced since owning my E46 M3.
I couldn’t give up on it. I knew that returning it might mean it ends up neglected or in a worse condition. This car felt special enough to deserve a second chance.

So, I made the call. I’m fully invested in bringing her back to her prime.
She’s currently at SAUBER undergoing a full paint correction and ceramic coating. The PPF has been removed, and I’ll have it redone once I find a panel beater or PDR tech I trust to address a small dent on the bonnet. I’d prefer to avoid respraying due to potential colour-matching issues. It’s a minor dent, but one that will bother me until it’s sorted.

I’ll share more photos once Fuzz is done with the detailing. Im keen to see how she comes out.

Hoping no further mechanical issues pops up.

Apologies for the long read.

Unfortunately not everyone looks after special cars the way we do and these things tend to happen. On top of that you have BMW being BMW as well with recalls and improvements to parts over time. You'd be surprised at how many revisions there are to oil pumps, injectors and fuel pumps over the life cycle of a car.

I think you should be fine - these are not particularly complicated cars as far as modern turbo motors go and you're in good hands with Xcede.

I think you're already deep into bringing it back to the expected standards. I'd probably also be on the 'send it back' bandwagon if you hadn't already done most of what is likely wrong with it. Get an oil analysis done as well while you're at it just in case.

Honestly I would just respray the bonnet- there are places that will get it right. I feel like spot repairs end up annoying you even more than leaving the imperfection there.

 

[Zach]

Explain.... Keen to hear why you say that.

From your posts on your last 2 cars, looks like you traded one lemon for another.

 

[Cornel]

Congrats mnr! sorry about the setbacks, but im sure it will be a beast once everything is sorted!
Just something about a M!
Now you also know why i decided to keep the X5 back in the day.

 

[Cornel]

Unfortunately not everyone looks after special cars the way we do and these things tend to happen. On top of that you have BMW being BMW as well with recalls and improvements to parts over time. You'd be surprised at how many revisions there are to oil pumps, injectors and fuel pumps over the life cycle of a car.

I think you should be fine - these are not particularly complicated cars as far as modern turbo motors go and you're in good hands with Xcede.

I think you're already deep into bringing it back to the expected standards. I'd probably also be on the 'send it back' bandwagon if you hadn't already done most of what is likely wrong with it. Get an oil analysis done as well while you're at it just in case.

Honestly I would just respray the bonnet- there are places that will get it right. I feel like spot repairs end up annoying you even more than leaving the imperfection there.

Just on the N54 motors, there was 12 revisions of injectors, luckily i have rev12 in my x5m, injectors is quite pricey

 

[NWZ333]

Congrats Karsh!! This is an absolute stunner!! Wishing you many more safe miles!

 

[KarshS]

Unfortunately not everyone looks after special cars the way we do and these things tend to happen. On top of that you have BMW being BMW as well with recalls and improvements to parts over time. You'd be surprised at how many revisions there are to oil pumps, injectors and fuel pumps over the life cycle of a car.

I think you should be fine - these are not particularly complicated cars as far as modern turbo motors go and you're in good hands with Xcede.

I think you're already deep into bringing it back to the expected standards. I'd probably also be on the 'send it back' bandwagon if you hadn't already done most of what is likely wrong with it. Get an oil analysis done as well while you're at it just in case.

Honestly I would just respray the bonnet- there are places that will get it right. I feel like spot repairs end up annoying you even more than leaving the imperfection there.

Agree, The s55 does not seem to have much issues. there is a large community out there and well experienced workshops.

next on the list is the crank hub fix then can start playing with software ect.

Good point on the oil analysis. Will get that done as well.

Will share a pic of the dent. its really small but will look at other options as you mention.

 

[KarshS]

From your posts on your last 2 cars, looks like you traded one lemon for another.

My M340 is owned by a close friend of mine. Its still runs beautifully with no issues.
The M8 was not a lemon, it performed and drove beautifully. I Could just not get out of it due to an undisclosed insurance claim.

Hope that clears. Hopefully this "lemon" turns into a strawberry

 

[Zach]

My M340 is owned by a close friend of mine. Its still runs beautifully with no issues.
The M8 was not a lemon, it performed and drove beautifully. I Could just not get out of it due to an undisclosed insurance claim.

Hope that clears. Hopefully this "lemon" turns into a strawberry

You certainly treated the m8 as a lemon. Time will tell with this one I guess, but its not off to a good start.

 

[Nishcat_M140i]

Let the ownership experience begin…

So, I made the call. I’m fully invested in bringing her back to her prime.
She’s currently at SAUBER undergoing a full paint correction and ceramic coating. The PPF has been removed, and I’ll have it redone once I find a panel beater or PDR tech I trust to address a small dent on the bonnet. I’d prefer to avoid respraying due to potential colour-matching issues. It’s a minor dent, but one that will bother me until it’s sorted.

I know this feeling way too well.

When I bought the M140i, I went through the very same thing where it was issue after issue with the car. From not being services for a whole 2 years, to so many parts being replaced to the point the whole entire engine was stripped out of the car to replace certain components.

I also thought I would have sold the car and there was pressure to get rid of it, but emotionally I knew I wanted to keep her regardless of the issues I had with it when I got it. Even though I did the 240 a few years, the 140 was a car I always wanted, especially in the BSM Shadow Edition Spec that I have. Nearly 2 years later, she's running absolutely strong without a single issue and a few mods too now that she's put of plan.

You definitely have made a good choice keeping her Karsh, and its one you won't regret, especially if your heart is in it to restore and bring her back to her glory although she looks really good. Having known you and Rish for the many years that I have and seeing you guys go from one car to another, you someone that takes good care of your cars and pride in them, so this F80 is in safe hands for sure.

Unlike ex vrous and stekkies, cars deserve 2nd chances lol. Looking forward to what you have planned.