SWAP my BMW E36 320i for your 4x4?

[Peter C]

Gents,

 

As some of you might know, a couple of months ago I was looking for a cheap 4x4 and came across a nice BMW E36 320i SE saloon 5 speed manual, which I could not resist. The 320i is sweet but is fast becoming unsuitable for my needs. This is the state of the bottom of my "road":

 

 

I live in a Chiltern village (Buckinghamshire), on top of a large hill, where come winter time the roads become almost unpassable. Last winter I couldn't leave the village when the snow came down heavy.

 

So, if you fancy swapping your 4x4 for a nice 320i, let me know! I need a proper 4x4, not just a four wheel drive car. Any old LWB and diesel Shogun, Disco, Fourtrack, Patrol, Maverick, Terrano, Frontera or similar would do. Your car must have at least 6 months MoT and some tax. No project cars or modified rides, I need to strap a child seat in to accommodate my 10 month old son. The odd bit of rust or battle scar does not bother me.

 

The BMW:

 

MoTed and taxed until 1st March 2011.

Logbook present and in my name and address.

177k miles but drives like 77k.

Service history booklet stamped up to mid 2009.

Previous mature owner for 11 years.

4 x new Avon tyres (worth £300) on mint set of 5 alloys.

Decent spec with all the usual stuff plus electric windows (x4), electric sunroof, trip computer and Pioneer stereo with 6 disc changer in the boot.

Engine, clutch, gearbox, diff, brakes, exhaust, steering all good.

Interior very clean apart from minor wear to driver's seat base - see photo.

Exterior very clean apart from minor rust to rear near side and front off side wheel arches.

 

The only fault worth mentioning is that the nearside front electric window goes up at an odd angle. I have disconnected the switch to prevent potential problems. No idea what is needed to make the window go up straight.

 

I don't want to sell the car because I don't have time dealing with EBay idiots or tyre kickers. If I don't swap it I will keep it going through the winter.

 

Please PM me if you fancy a deal. Can do a little cash either way.

 

I am based near Beaconsfield, 10 mins from M40 J2.

 

Have some pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The more "shite" the better!

[peter9000uk]

You window problem will probably be a little plastic piece that a metal ball goes into on the mechanism. It is a very common fault as the plastic wears with age and the ball pops out all the time. There are 2 of them on each window and are around 95p each from BMW

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Why do you need a full-size 4x4 to ford a small puddle and get through a couple of inches of snow?

[pogweasel]

Why do you need a full-size 4x4 to ford a small puddle and get through a couple of inches of snow?

You've never been to Buckinghamshire, have you?

[red5]

Got a SWB petrol Front...ah.

[Peter C]

You window problem will probably be a little plastic piece that a metal ball goes into on the mechanism. It is a very common fault as the plastic wears with age and the ball pops out all the time. There are 2 of them on each window and are around 95p each from BMW

 

The day after I bought the car the window started playing up. I took the door trim off and noted that the plastic piece that you mentioned was cracked and the metal ball had popped out. I got a replacement clip, put everything back together and the window still goes up at an odd angle. I haven't bothered to invstigate further.

[Peter C]

Why do you need a full-size 4x4 to ford a small puddle and get through a couple of inches of snow?

 

After it snowed in January this was the view from my front bedroom window:

 

 

All but one road that leads into the village is single track and up a steep hill. The only decent road heads towards the opposite direction of my daily route and would add 5 miles to my journey.

 

My commute to work takes me via mostly B-roads, which are either flooded, covered in leaves, ice or snow between November and February.

 

I need a 4x4!

[Peter C]

Got a SWB petrol Front...ah.

 

Show me!

[peter9000uk]

The day after I bought the car the window started playing up. I took the door trim off and noted that the plastic piece that you mentioned was cracked and the metal ball had popped out. I got a replacement clip, put everything back together and the window still goes up at an odd angle. I haven't bothered to invstigate further.

 

There's 2 of them on each window

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

You window problem will probably be a little plastic piece that a metal ball goes into on the mechanism. It is a very common fault as the plastic wears with age and the ball pops out all the time. There are 2 of them on each window and are around 95p each from BMW

 

The day after I bought the car the window started playing up. I took the door trim off and noted that the plastic piece that you mentioned was cracked and the metal ball had popped out. I got a replacement clip, put everything back together and the window still goes up at an odd angle. I haven't bothered to invstigate further.

 

Piece of piss. Take the door trim off again. At the back of the door frame you've got the rearmost arm of the window regulator secured by a 10mm. Power the glass down about 3 inches, slacken the 10mm, push the bar down until the top rear corner of the glass is firmly in the door frame and retighen. If you run out of adjustment due to a worn mech, just elongate the hole in the door with a round file.

 

When replacing the white clips, use a pair of gas pliers to really snap the steel balls in before fitting the hairclips. Plenty of WD40 and spray grease! Also make sure the window is actually in both felt channels, especially the front one.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

All but one road that leads into the village is single track and up a steep hill. The only decent road heads towards the opposite direction of my daily route and would add 5 miles to my journey.

 

My commute to work takes me via mostly B-roads, which are either flooded, covered in leaves, ice or snow between November and February.

 

I need a 4x4!

 

Surely not.

 

this amount of snow...

 

didn't stop my mum's winter tyre-shod Primera from getting to the top of our quite steep drive.

 

A front-wheel drive car with winter tyres can do some amazing things, even in 2 feet of snow.

 

I'd quite like a 4x4, if only because a lot of them are easy to work on and have simple diesel engines - not because I live in the Highlands.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The winter of 2008 into 2009 I was driving a J plate 316i Automatic. A bit hairy, but progress was made. Just.

[ChinaTom]

When I worked up in the Siberian parts of northern China, the temperature range during the long winter months was minus 15 to minus 42 and while us Brits bombed about in 4x4's, our Chinese friends still pottered about in Santanas (VW, not spanish LR), Accords and even Applause copies. The only time they resorted to 4x4's was for the brief period when the daily temps ranged between minus and positive figures - i.e. when the snow and ice melted and refroze - wet and slippy. Driving on snow at minus 30 is surprisingly easy. It is the consistency of icing sugar and compacts really well. When the heavy snow comes (and bear in mind that it never melts until April, so just keeps piling up) it matters not whether you are in 4x4 or Daihatsu Domino - still need a snow plough and a battalion of army reserves with shovels to clear the stuff.

 

The reason I still hanker for a 4x4 for Norfolk winters is for the inevitable occasions where I slide off the road into a field. I would rather be in a high riding 4x4 for the mega-puddles though.

[whitevanman]

My P100 handled more snow than it had any right to................. we had it a lot worse than Bucks, trust me.......

[Peter C]

You window problem will probably be a little plastic piece that a metal ball goes into on the mechanism. It is a very common fault as the plastic wears with age and the ball pops out all the time. There are 2 of them on each window and are around 95p each from BMW

 

The day after I bought the car the window started playing up. I took the door trim off and noted that the plastic piece that you mentioned was cracked and the metal ball had popped out. I got a replacement clip, put everything back together and the window still goes up at an odd angle. I haven't bothered to invstigate further.

 

Piece of piss. Take the door trim off again. At the back of the door frame you've got the rearmost arm of the window regulator secured by a 10mm. Power the glass down about 3 inches, slacken the 10mm, push the bar down until the top rear corner of the glass is firmly in the door frame and retighen. If you run out of adjustment due to a worn mech, just elongate the hole in the door with a round file.

 

When replacing the white clips, use a pair of gas pliers to really snap the steel balls in before fitting the hairclips. Plenty of WD40 and spray grease! Also make sure the window is actually in both felt channels, especially the front one.

 

Thanks mate.

 

As soon as the weather perks up (it was -2'C when I left home this morning) I will give it a go!

[red5]

Got a SWB petrol Front...ah.

 

Show me!

 

Will post some pics shortly matey.