MOAR prestige scrap purchased, ultimate driving machine

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

For £280 of the EvilBay, couldn't say no. I already have three old BMW's so I felt - quite rightly - that there was room in my life for another. High bidder last seen disappearing up his own arse so I got the second chance email. Yay.

 

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323i E46 with 5 speed manuel box in Death green with black velours, four shitty scruffy 18 inch MV 'loys (2 wanked tyres), fucking filthy inside, shagged radiator, no T&T, drivers door lock bolloxed but unlocks on key button PRESTIGE.

 

Central locking, four working electric windows, OBC, FM sterio radio cassette player (BMW Business)  FULL ELECTRIC PACK ONO.

 

Starts on the button, sounds as smooth as a cashmere codpiece. Already made a start on it - put a new rad in today (£66 Nissens), looked at the rest of it. New rear discs and pads very recently, all the suspension looks nice amnd clean with no Titanic style rust, all the rear brake pipes replaced, zorst looks okay. Got a good part-worn indicator to replace the busted one in the pics. Remarkably rust free, none of the usual 'arches hanging off' nonsense but a scuff on the passenger arch to be fixed with products from Halfords.

 

Don't know why the fuck I bought this - was puzzling over it today. Oh well.

[Cavcraft]

Fuck, that's cheap. 323 should be 2.5 straight 6? I had the SE version a couple of years back, went like a rocket, very impressive. You've stolen it at that price, despite the quite awful colour. 15/10, v. impressed.

[eddyramrod]

I think that was one of those "can't say no" moments that Shiters get sometimes.  I had the same thing with the Volvo.  I didn't really need it, I already had a perfectly good semi-surplus car, but for the money... it just had to be done. 

You're among friends, we understand.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Yup. Next stage is a good seats out clean up and a borderline MOT. Bloody airbag light comes on now but I've had luck with those Ebay '£9.99 FOR YOUR LIFE THINK OF THE CHILDREN' resistors.

If it's not snowing in Jan, could be a pleasant shitter.

[Bren]

Looks a good buy - even with the council estate paint colour.

 

Chrome arches for even moar council estate effect.

 

And it's not a diesel - I think the motoring public have forgotten that BMW actually make good petrol engines.

[Pillock]

Sounds like you bought it because it was a steal, and even with just a clean and a few common sense fixes you'll be quids in.

[cort16]

That looks great for the money . Should be pretty lively with that engine too.

[Cavcraft]

Yup. Next stage is a good seats out clean up and a borderline MOT. Bloody airbag light comes on now but I've had luck with those Ebay '£9.99 FOR YOUR LIFE THINK OF THE CHILDREN' resistors.

If it's not snowing in Jan, could be a pleasant shitter.

 

Despite the possibility of a granny/egg sucking INTERFACE, the airbag light thing seems to have happened to every single E46 (and doubtless other models of BMW too) ever. I was told it's a wire under the driver's seat that gets caught when people in the back put their feet under the seat. Would an FCR clear it for  the MOT? Also if rear brakes have been done hopefully you've escaped the handbrake of doom backplate thing.

[cort16]

It's the arse sensor in the seat that gets fucked and clearing it doesn't work if my one was anything to go by. It's a pita to fix unless apparently.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I've already had the E46 handbrake airbag light on ballache of doom with the 320d Touring. It's more time than money with this sort of shite.

[Station]

That looks a steal for that money - I hate that BMW green though! I remember reading in Car magazine about 13 years ago to avoid Forest Green and any browny/metallic red colours as it will affect resale value - which looks like it was true!

[purplebargeken]

Bloody bargain, top buy. 

[Junkman]

That looks terminally awful, so well done! I'm about as green with envy as the car with paint.

[cort16]

Has it got a green cloth interior?

[rml2345]

That's al lot of car for not much moolah, even if it is a bit scruffy. 

Am I the only one that actually likes that colour?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

It's Oxford green apparently. Motor trade cloth (black) thankfully. With a good clean up and the marks touched in, it'll gleam like a shiny shilling up a sheeps arsehole. The alloys are just getting rubbed down and a generous coat of silver hammerite. Not worth enough hof a proper refurb.

 

The old rad was completely bolloxed, had expanded and ballooned out.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

Am I the only one that actually likes that colour?

Yes .

[cort16]

I've seen a couple of green ones with green interiors and they're outstandingly awful.

[KruJoe]

It's preferable to a poke in the eye with a mucky stick.

That colour's alright, it also looks good on x05 and x06 model Peugeots.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

To think Ibought a w plate 320d Touring in 2001 for 17 grand and a V plate 328i was on the cards for a grand less. Now they're down to handbag money.

[Jim Bell]

I would stick myself inside that twice a day.

 

Probly thrice on sundays.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Well, an MOT is dawning. Part worn tyres sorted (well, another set of 'loys), some mint as-new Mintex part worn front pads fitted (10mm yo), part worn wiper blades and the vehikle inspected. Handbrake adjusted up. Bit of play in the rack and a blown number plate lite are all I can find for now but the emissions breathalyser of doom and the brake rollers are the two main hurdles. It appears to have had new rear brakes very recently, and the rear brake pipes were were replaced with (you'll never take me alive) copper ones last year. Balljoints and shocks all good. It drives well enough, so tomorrow we shall see just how grim it really is and whether I flushed £290 down the bog. Plus £66 for the new rad. And £30 for an MOT.

[saucedoctor]

Rear brake pipes can be a pain in the arse on those. Tank out, usually, so it's a big plus that they're done already.

Well played, sir.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

MOT is tomorow - my usual MOT legend has a couple of spaces so I'll get it over and done with.

[hauserplenty]

I can't say how common this is in your part of the world, due to your climate etc., but copper brake lines seem a right bodge to me. They're considered unsafe due to copper's low melting point. I think you'll find steel ones to be worth investigating, once you get an MOT cert that is...

Otherwise, top bombing!

[saucedoctor]

To be fair, they're probably Kunifer (cupro-nickel) which looks like copper. I've never used anything else when replacing brake pipes.

[Squire_Dawson]

I've been told similar things too pretty vehemently, that copper work-hardens so is unsuitable for brake pipes (due to the risk of fracture or shearing I suppose). Yet the motor-factors don't sell anything else and the mechanic I go to don't have or use owt else. What I can do.   

 

I reckon the doctor has a point though, for if copper was so dangerous for brake-pipes they wouldn't sell it in a fekking great roll.

[londonm]

I don't mind that colour at all.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

'Coppers low melting point' when the F is a brake pipe going to get any where near its melting temp??

[cobblers]

"1,085 °C

Copper, Melting point"

 

"81 °C

12 year old brake fluid, boiling point"