Crash's Cars

  • Thread starter Crash
  • 151 comments
  • 14,974 views
Crash

Crash

I wish somebody would have told me
Premium
6,041
United States
Puget Sound
Crash852
Crash's cars:

1988 BMW 325iX
First car! Purchased Summer 2011
Fall 2012 update
Spring 2013 update, also added a Mazda 6
Uh oh, it's leaking coolant
Picture update
Happy 200k mile anniversary!
No brakes, no problem
Coolant hoses replaced at work parking lot
Farewell

2003 Mazda 6
Mazda 6 purchased
Update with service items
Driver's door lock replaced
End of A Chapter

2001 BMW M5
BMW M5 purchased and road trip home
One month update on the M5
Welp, life happened. First major door ding on car
M5 gets a photoshoot
Maryhill Loops Hill Climb
New badges and new tires: Spring 2015
Autocross
Dyno results: Summer 2015
100k mile anniversary
West Coast Road Trip
Suspension and Front End Refresh
Small Updates

1999 Toyota 4Runner
Toyota 4Runner purchased
Starter Fixed
Alternator Rebuilt

1991 Porsche 911 Carrera 2
Progression: Purchase
One Year Update
 
Last edited:
I have always wanted my own car. And now, I have finally bought one:


1988 BMW 325iX
IMG_4159_Edited.jpg

IMG_4160_Edited.jpg

IMG_4161.jpg


When I picked it up, it had about 161,500 miles on the odometer. A bunch of wear and tear items have already been replaced, car came with some spare parts and it was just an overall clean car. The previous owner also put some mods on it:

Z3 Short Shift and ZHP shift knob
Bilstein shocks and H&R springs
Magnaflow exhaust
Pioneer stereo system

Nothing too crazy, but nothing too tacky.

There are some small things like a broken hood latch cable and a few missing trim pieces. Also, I guess the turn signal stalk somehow broke off, so I have to get a replacement one and put it in. Right now, it's just an allen wrench that's sticking out; the turn signals still work, it just doesn't have a stalk. I'm going to fix that stuff and clean it up before thinking about any mods in the future.

I haven't drive the car too much since I picked it up, but it's been a lot of fun so far and I look forward to more days of happy motoring.
 
Last edited:
No way! Thats so ironic because my friend just bought a 325is for $600 after someonce clipped the front end and bent the A-pillar. Funny because he's been placing most of the parts like the driveshaft, differential, transmission, and engine in his son's 318i.

If the car wasn't destroyed it would look exactly like yours. Congrats on the buy and have fun. I think the E30's are always the best.
 
Thank guys, it's been a lot of fun so far. There are a few small things that I do plan on fixing in the next few weeks though:

Get second set of BBS basketweaves
Replace center cap on one of the basketweaves
Replace indicator stalk
Replace hood latch cable
Replace passenger door interior trim
Replace BMW steering wheel logo
Replace front lower lip

I'll continue to update this thread as I fix stuff and if I ever do mods.
 
If you do want to do mods, it would be great to put in an ECU and lower the car about an inch. Don't worry, it won't bottom out and it won't look slammed.

Its your car though, so do what you want to do. My friend owns 3 E30's, so I usually go from what he's told me. I think that an E30 is on mmy list for a car to buy once I get the money. They're just hard to find around here. Then its an E36 M3, or S13 240SX.
 
nice car my dad used to own one but he sold it for something else. cant really remember what tho nice car deffinatly
 
Oooh, an E30. Very nice!👍 One of these would be my ideal 1st car...

It'll be interesting to see what you do to it and how well it goes.
 
So I tried to tackle some of the quick, smaller things this weekend. When I had bought the car, the passenger window did not work, and the radio reception was absolutely terrible. Well, I pulled out the passenger window switch and swapped it with the driver window switch. It turns out the switch itself went bad, and not the window motor. The switch will go up, but not down, so I'll pick up one in the next few days, and that should give me a functional passenger window again.

I still have to figure out if my power antenna is broken or if the aftermarket stereo just doesn't support the power antenna for whatever reason. In the meantime though, I was able to manually pull about 2-3 inches worth of antenna up from the retracted position. Now I get MUCH better improved radio signal. I never knew that just a few small inches like that can make such a big difference.
 
Update: I've fixed a few small things on the car. I removed the horrendous tint and I now have a turn signal stalk. The car needs the O2 sensor replaced; a new one is sitting on my floor, so I'll replace it when I get the time.

Also, the trunk has developed a leak, so I have to figure out where it's coming from and seal it up before the rainy Seattle winter returns.

I'll wash the car soon and post better pictures of it.


the_stig_1
As Australia doesn't get the 325iX, What does the X stand for
Click to expand...
Eric.
All wheel drive.
Click to expand...

Yup, AWD. Eric got it.

Eric.
Looks like a pretty solid car, enjoy it!
Click to expand...

Thanks!

When I first bought it, I wasn't 100% sure how long I would keep it. The more I drive it though, I more I've grown to love it.
 
These are pretty neat little cars. I know a few people with them over here (the snowy side of the state) and they tend to get around just great.

The ZHP shift knob and Z3 shifter feel very good in the E36 and I imagine it is the same in the E30.
 
It's been over a year since I have posted in this thread. For the past year and 15000 miles, it's been mostly fun, trouble free motoring. As a old German car, it's been solid. I've taken it on short road trips to Portland and around the state, and drive it 60 miles each day to and from work. I'm now up to about 176500 miles on the car now. Unfortunately, the AWD system takes a large toll on the fuel economy, I'm only averaging about 20 mpg in mixed city/highway driving.

I've autocrossed my car once so far in the spring. Despite it being on lower than stock "sports" suspension, body lean was... pronounced, and it wasn't very fast. I think my inexperience and running on worn out snow tires didn't help. ;)


During my year of ownership, the following are some of the more major items that have been replaced:

One of the rear wheel bearings started making audible noises after the autocross, it may have started before the autocross, but I have no idea. Finally traced it to the left rear wheel bearing when I took a right turning highway interchange at a high speed and the bearing sounded like it was about to explode. Both the rear wheel bearings were replaced together though.

The clutch master and slave cylinder were replaced. While in stop and go traffic, my clutch pedal went and stayed on the floor. I had to manually pull the pedal up and I was able to limp it home. It looked like the clutch master was the culprit, but I also replaced the slave cylinder since both looked original or at least very old. But hey, for it to last a long time, I'm pretty happy about it.

Got new tires after the old set was worn out. I also replaced the spare tire with a full size one. For whatever reason, the 88 iX came with 15 inch wheels and a 14 inch steely spare. The 89-91 iX all came with a full 15 inch spare. Plus the spare tire looked like the original one that's never been used, so it's time to replace it with something that's not 25 years old.

The hood release cable was finally fixed. It took a bunch of hours and was really annoying to thread through the firewall, but at least I can finally open my hood with the interior lever, rather than using a screwdriver and looking like I'm stealing my own car.

I also did a bunch of small jobs. Coming up, I need to replace some grommets and the trunk seal before it starts constantly raining again.


I found out that my car was built at the end of October 1987, so in roughly 20 days, the iX will turn 25.

Here are a couple of pictures from the past year of ownership.

IMG_4188_Edited.jpg

The iX after it was driven around in the snow.

IMG_0353_Edited.jpg


IMG_0355_Edited.jpg

Autocrossing the iX (Photography credit goes to my friend)​
 
Great read so far, Crash. Love hearing about NW drivers braving the elements and fixing their own cars, as well as learning that the ix's have been around for that long. Great car! 👍

:lol: about "stealing your own car".
 
I recently added another car to the stable:




2003 Mazda 6​

It had ~98000 miles when I bought it and it's going to be my parent's new primary car. The 6 has the V6 and is fully optioned out with leather and heated seats and steering wheel radio control and all that jazz; it just doesn't have a moonroof. I took it to work one day, and boy is it so much quieter and more comfortable than my E30. You can call me old, but I don't think I would mind something like that to commute in.

The 6 does need a few things soon, though it feels very solid still overall. It needs a 30k mile service, new tires and miscellaneous little things here and there. A week after I bought it, Mazda announced a recall due to a possibly faulty airbag, so I'll have to take it in soon to get that inspected and repaired.

--

Spring is here, theoretically, and it's time for an update.

I've been poor and lazy, and didn't really do anything to the E30 before winter arrived. Remember how I was going to replace the trunk seal in my previous update? Yeah, the seal is still sitting on my living room floor...

At the very least, I did confirm that water is leaking in from the seal and also, unexpectedly, in the screw holes for the rear license plate, though thankfully that's only a tiny amount when that area is directly being blasted with water.

For a while, my speedometer had a mind of it's own. The needle on the dash would flicker wildly while driving, or just not work at all. What if I'm doing 30 mph? Well, the needle would be telling me that I'm doing anywhere between 15 mph and 50 mph, and it's changing by the second. I did take some brake cleaner to where the wire connects to the sensor in the rear differential, and that's mostly stabilized the speedometer, but I've also gotten a new sensor for replacement. Too bad I didn't get pulled over; just imagine the following:

"Son, do you know how fast you were going?"
"Well, actually, no sir, my speedometer doesn't work."

Other than that, this winter has been pretty solid for the E30, no major mechanical problems or service needed, other than replacing belts, thermostat and water pump, which was an expected scheduled maintenance. After a year of stuff constantly breaking, it's nice to just drive the car and have it just work.

I've also purchased the "is" lip for the front of my car and a new radio antenna. There's also a non-M3 E30 1:18 scale model that I purchased.

Car show, cruise and tour season is starting. I'm hoping to be able to get some nice new photos of my car. Perhaps it'll give me a little more incentive to make it look nice.









IMG_1554 by chng8, on Flickr


IMG_1560 by chng8, on Flickr​
 
^ They do their job. I think he should leave them, they're much better than modern "bumpers."
 
e30 freek
I hate those diving board bumpers are you gonna take them off?
Click to expand...

Eventually. The plastics can be just directly swapped on, though the diving boards have a few extra screw holes that I probably would have to plug up. I already have a set of plastics. I need to get them sanded, primered and painted to match the body color before I put them on.

Wolfe
^ They do their job. I think he should leave them, they're much better than modern "bumpers."
Click to expand...

When I was still in college, everyone would bumper park in all the street parking spots in the area. I figured it would have been better to have just left the metal bumpers on until I don't have to park in that area frequently anymore.

You want to bumper park with my metal diving boards? Go right on ahead, it'll just destroy your plastic bumper.

e30 freek
Im not saying he should put a crappy aftermarket kit on just something more to give it a euro look
Click to expand...

Europe got small metal bumpers for the early models. Late models had the same plastic bumpers in the US and Europe, with a few minor trim differences.

--

Planning on going to an autocross this weekend. It'll be fun trying to wring the most out of this again. It's been about a year since I've last gone.
 
Was the red stripe a factory option? Or did it come on the Ix? I've never seen it before.
 
I think the pin stripping is a dealer done add on.

--

I had a great time this weekend with the car.







Thanks to Casey for taking these photos while I drive.

It rained on and off during the morning. I got 4 runs in, and of those, 3 were on dry concrete while 1 was in the rain. I got the chance to explore the limits of my car, and try to push as hard as I can. Too bad that the autocrosses around here aren't much closer. I drove around 90 miles each way to and from the autocross. Otherwise, the only other shorter place to autocross is 70 miles to drive the whole way, or 33 miles plus a ferry ride. If they were closer, I would be going to a lot more of them.
 
Hey Crash just a quick question, does your car tick slightly? Just that mine does and I read its most likely the injectors as the M20B25 is supposed to have noisy ones. I'm getting the valves adjusted just in case but wanted to hear from a fellow 325 owner about their experiences.
 
Yup, my M20 certainly ticks. I'm not sure it's the injectors, but it's very common to have a noisy valvetrain. Doing a valve adjustment will make it quieter, but it's something that will come back after several thousand miles. :indiff:
 
I had weird dream last night, I was driving to work in my E30 and you drove past in your E30 going the other way. I don't even know what you look like :s

I don't know what else happened in my dream but it was definitely your car.
 
It's a sign man. It's a sign.

--

I now have a spare iX M20 sitting in my front yard. I think it's going to be an interesting and expensive piece of work...

--

I attended the E30 Picnic this past Sunday and here's a couple of pictures:



 

Latest Posts

Back