damned 15k rule... how did everyone else do?

[TeamM3]

look who finally got a new fender :p

[Mick]

[marsfire]

Mick, when you gonna get that new fender painted?? Don't go drivin around like one of those ricers with the unpainted body kit j/k

glad to see your car repaired. your sig was making me sad

[Mick]

Originally posted by marsfire
Mick, when you gonna get that new fender painted?? Don't go drivin around like one of those ricers with the unpainted body kit j/k

I want people to think it's a white car with 90% of the body pannels in Carbon Fiber

I'm gonna do a motor rebuild over the winter and will probably have it painted in right after, should be looking tight next spring.

[aaronmjr]

Originally posted by Mick
Yeah, I could have simply dropped the $20k on a nicer car. But 1/2 the fun of owning this POS is slowly bringing it back from the brink of death. I wouldn't sell it for any amount of money right now. She's my baby (< forest Gump voice)

im there with ya!! my car is a pile!!! :p

[EVOIIIM3]

Originally posted by Mick
I want people to think it's a white car with 90% of the body pannels in Carbon Fiber

I'm gonna do a motor rebuild over the winter and will probably have it painted in right after, should be looking tight next spring.

You have it all wrong!!

Go and buy a roll of the CF look tape, and go over the fender with it, that way, you can tell people it's a full CF car, and you just haven't painted that fender yet.

[mpwolf]

Well, I bought my '89 with 97k miles and a salvage title, Bimmerworld rebuilt the car. $9,000 got me J-stock suspension, welded cage, and race seats...basically a fully prepped J-stock car, sans door bars. From there, it looks like this:

$475 (incl. labor) for a PPI and a few minor repairs right out of the gate.
$700 (incl. labor) to qualify for a VA emissions waiver. Basically all the ignition components from coil to plugs were replaced. I got ripped on this one and had to buy parts from the shop at full price. It sucked, but it's the only way I qualified for the emissions waiver. Hindsight 20/20, I would have had my mechanic adjust the valves, synch the TBs, set the base CO, and actually try to pass emissions. Oh well, live and learn.
$540 (incl. labor) to replace a leaking lower oil pan and worn out tie rods and front sway bar links.

After 5 months and 9,000 miles, I guess I'm at about $11,000 given the above and other maintenance items like coolant hoses, oil changes, etc. Add to that, $2100 in track related items (r-compounds, brake pads, camera mount, etc...), $2100 in unnecessary modifications (chip, diff. cover, street wheels, stereo), I guess I'm almost to $15k.

- Matt

[Jeremiah]

$11,885 for 91' with heated seats, E3 wing, E2 front and 90k on the clock. Withen the 1st month of ownership I had the E2 bumper and tow hook covers stolen, the rear drivers window shot out, the whole drivers side of the car molested due to my mom backing out of the garage and into my car with her Turbo S beetle and finally a majorly warped head. Needless to say once I get rid of some cars to pay for fixing the beast I’m sure I will be way over 15k rule. Until then it will be marinating in the garage while Eric is making good use of my DVD/Navi and many other car parts he has raped form the M3.

[puma1824]

So how's everyone doing with the 15k rule a year later? Last post was a year ago.

[UltM3]

The only rule is there is no rule ;-P. Sorry. Just had to say that. Purchased for $14,000k 5 years ago with only 67,000 on the odo. I don't have enough vacation time to add the receipts up. I'll guesstimate between $10,000 and $15,000. Of course thats odds and ends most people may not buy. New bolts, brackets, stuff most don't need but if I am in there fixing one thing might just as well replace what I can get to. I've been through several Exhausts and Rim set ups. I guess after all this typing you will spend as much or as little as you can, but for sure nothing is cheap. Not for our beloved M.............

For what its worth, other than the welding everything can be done at home, that is unless you have a welder. I am a basic garage mechanic at best but with the help of brett's CD, the SIG and S14.net I've done everything from flywhee/clutch work to control arms, motor mounts tranny mounts and on and on. We have so many great resources as a commuity of like minded enthusiasts you can feel confident to tackle almost anything. Point being it can all be done if you have the patience and want to learn.

Good Luck

[MPowerM3]

Bought mine for 11k in 2003 with 103k miles on it. Since then, about 1500 in maintance, not including the work going on now. Like everyone said, its gonna be awhile before its up to par. But I love every minute of it, and would gladly marry my M3 before any girl I know.

[///Mous3]

The assumptions

Originally posted by UltM3
The only rule is there is no rule ;-P. Sorry. Just had to say that. Purchased for $14,000k 5 years ago with only 67,000 on the odo. I don't have enough vacation time to add the receipts up. I'll guesstimate between $10,000 and $15,000.

I agree; sometimes you got to give credit to the salesmanship of the seller.

IMO;

The $15,000-rule's first a$$umption is that both seller and buyer knows the M3 E30 pretty well...

The second rule is that the car is reliable enough for a *daily use* if you paid at the price.

[Mmark]

Erm... I'm still counting, but not counting... IYSWIM.
m

[puma1824]

So I'm looking at a car that "supposed" to have done the following:

190,000 miles

Dinan upgrades are as follows: Dinan Cam Sprocket, Dinan Chip (stage II), Dinan rear and front anti-roll bars, Dinan Springs, and Dinan HD Shocks (by Bilsteins). The Alpina upgrade consist of the larger intake manifold. The rest of the restoration is as follows:

1. Front and rear rubber bushings, control arms, tie-rods, and joints.
2. Balanced drive shaft, center support, U-joints, and guibo.
3. New Motor Mounts and trans. mount.
4. New Fuel injectors, pump, fuel regulator, and fuel rail.
5. New Airflow Sensor.
6. New K&N Air Filter and Heat Shield.
7. New fluid reservoir tanks (windshield washer, and coolant).
8. New cap, rotor, and high performance wires.
9. New Engine Gaskets.
10. Rebuilt Head, valves, and springs.
11. Rebuilt Block, New Pistons, Rings, Connecting Rods,Bearings, and Balanced Crank.
12. New Timing Chain, Rollers, and sprockets.
13. New front and rear brake rotors, pads and hoses.
14. New Sachs Clutch Plate, Disk and Throw out bearing.
15. New transmission seals and joints.
16. New shifter linkage and all related parts.
17. New lights and lenses (except the rear lenses).
18. European Hella Smiley Headlights from Germany.
19. New Dash and Pillar covers.
20. Clifford Alarm with remote locking.
21. Blaupunkt MP3/CD/Tuner.
22. Delphi Skyfi cradle for XM Radio (radio is not included).
23. New window tints.
24. New 17"X8.5" BBS Wheels with Yokohama ES100 215/40/ZR17.
25. New MagnaFlow exhaust and Catalytic converter.
26. New Wiper Arms, Windshield, and Gasket.

From Internet it looks clean. I'd have to fly cross country to check it out.

Asking $18K should I go for it???

[JLee]

You would be crazy to buy this car and not look into Don Fields car for sale...

Now that car would be a great buy ..

If I could sell mine and buy his I would..