E36 problems all over...

[Socksghost]

Hi guys... I just took "inherited" a e36 the car overheated a year ago... The windows don't go down.... The window seals look funny.... The previous owner glued the bottons on the center console the interior needs to be redone, seats and doors.... And maybe a lick of paint.... It's a 1995 325i .... Do I dump money in it or dump the car? I'd like to think that when I said to the old man I'd look after her, that I didn't lie.... Wife said no more than 35k .... So would 50k do her justice?


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[Xack]

R50k would buy u another e36... youve got some work to do on that Project :cartel:....

 

[DieselFan]

I'd clean it up on the cheap. Ie clean engine bay and car etc. Fix whatever you can diy then sell and buy a cleaner example. Once you start going into resprays and reupholstering you're going to spend big money may not be happy with the end result.

 

[wikked]

Option A)
Make a list of everything you know is wrong.
Get someone to do a thorough mechanical inspection
Get quotes for all the work that needs to be done.
Look at quotes
Cri.
Look at budget
Cri again.

Option B) Do just enough to get it running as a daily and drive it till it blows up.

 

[Ralf*]

did you inherit the car for "ZERO" rands

then it would be worth trying to attend to as many items DIY
overheated engine however sounds BAD

 

[zippy320]

Better post LoL

Anyway! Try a scrap yard , If you are based in Durban , Sparesboys has tons of E36 parts , You could buy a complete new seat set without bothering about reupholstering the car and if its standard seats you might get it cheap , back and front , I have seen some of their seats , they are like new .

Interior bits as well , Easy to change out and replace with good second hand parts, Just clean them up .

Mechanically though , that's a tough one for me, its good to buy new parts and replace with those as if you buy cheap non originals or second hand , reliability might be an issue. Try to stick to OE manufacturer parts .

But interior is nothing , If I could strip the interior of an E46 , I think anyone could do it. Try stripping it apart and cleaning each piece .

Try wiping the steering wheel down with some cleaning solution for leather , or just a sponge and water with soap , I Have seen steering's come back from the dead with a little cleaning . If there are no tears in the leather , im sure it can be cleaned up . I read that lotions , moisturizer , sweat etc can cause a build up of grime on steering's over the years .

There are now tons of E36s at yards especially in Durban , More E36 then E46 , unfortunately , hardly any E30s

 

[Socksghost]

Morning, I'm in JHB (east rand) yes I didn't have to pay a cent for the car, license is 7years behind, center console around gear leaver is stuffed an al the seats, old guy syliconed the back and passenger windows..... That's why he superglued the bottons I guess.... So step one I guess is to find out what's wrong with engine, she starts a treat but water goes missing.... I'm assuming its the head gasket


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[sash]

parts car might be a better option. If theres that much wrong on the surface, theres going to be a helluva lot wrong underneath.

 

[KarshS]

If you paid nothing for it and you have some spare cash around. Strip out the car, Throw in a nice 328i motor in there and have a track toy.

Sell the stuff you stripped out.

 

[Webmaster]

old guy syliconed the back and passenger windows..... That's why he superglued the bottons I guess....
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Who does that?? If you got the car for free then it is worth it to get her running. But that's where it stops I think. Doing the head and cooling system will set you back some and get the car running, but I suspect there are loads of other issues. I imagine the suspension was never done and will feel sloppy.
If you throw tons of money at it you can make her fresh, but in reality you may get her working and stop there as your to do list grows. I'd put the car on a lift and inspect the subframes/bushes/brakelines/rust/everything before I'd put my earned cash into it. Good luck bud.

 

[Socksghost]

Ok I guess that answers that question...... So basically even a free turd is still a turd..... I thought that if. Spending 50k on it would make it better than one you can buy for 50k it would be worth it.... But okay.... It needs paint has small dents so chuck the bumpers and fit a m3 body kit since you have to re spray .... Hardly any rust.... Needs new head and tail lights .... So thats boddy.... Inside I would say has to be all new interior , dash is ok but not seats and door panels has to go with the console.... And the engine and suspension .... Mmmm well his wife did say the clutch was gone and the water that disappears...... He has a new radiator and bottle but no luck


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[Prenevan]

RACE CAR:tiptoe::rollsmile:
Strip the interior out, get the car running and you have a toy to mess with.

 

[Webmaster]

RACE CAR:tiptoe::rollsmile:
Strip the interior out, get the car running and you have a toy to mess with.

+9000




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[moranor@axis]

at a guess:

15k suspension
15k engine
7k cooling system
no idea on interior but it does sound bad
20k body and respray (depending on condition)
other odds and ends ?

I dont think you will get it into showroom condition for 50k and if you putting in this much effort it has to be great when you done

If the car carries sentimental value to you then it is worth it if not I would sell it on as is or will as little as possibe repairs to get a buyer and look for a better project

this would be a good starting point for a track car because cosmetics and the interior are not needed

 

[individj]

i would take the R50k...sell that engine & whatever else..add it to the R50k..and buy something cool

 

[KrS24]

What's the mileage?

 

[Xack]

:smashScreen:

i would take the R50k...sell that engine & whatever else..add it to the R50k..and buy something cool

Iam sure we can get you in an e46 for R50k and a bit...let's sell it:cartel:...maybe end up with R70k by something cool

 

[Prenevan]

Well if you want to part with it, I wouldn't mind a race car


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[Socksghost]

It's just short of 300 000km ...... Is a e36 really so expensive to bring back from the dead..... Just the overdue licince fees is probably 4500 .... The tyers are basicly new, the battery , and the radiator ..... I've phoned a couple of scrapyards and interior is about R7000 for a good one.... So if engine is around. 15000 with water pump then pulling in new bumpers and lights before a spray might not be to bad..... But I'll first see wat the mech say about engine before I decide..... Otherwise Prenevan might just have a track car.....


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I'm a big fan of a e36 but my wife will kill if I just go and buy one.... But to get one and fix it up she's fine with..... As long as it's not more than what it's worth.... And if car is to far gone..... Then there is no point....


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[Prenevan]

I suppose if the wife is willing to allow you to mess about abit then i would take full advantage of that seeing that building a car is a whole lot of fun n the enjoyment of seeing it coming together is priceless


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