E30 318is vs E36 318is

Heres one for you

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2442402082&category=9837

Number of ways to check whether your car has one fitted:

1) Burnout from the traffic lights. 2 black lines = lsd; 1 black lline = open diff

2) Jack up both rear wheels and rotate one wheel by hand. If other wheel turns in same direction = lsd. If it turns in opposite direction = open diff.

3) Jack up one rear wheel so other side is still on the ground. Turn the raised wheel. If it's hard to turn = lsd. If it turns easily = open.

Hope i've got this the right way round. If not someone will correct me no doubt.

I must be stupid... but what is LSD ?? Limited slip differential... but what the hell does it do ? and a easy way to find out would be nice... i think i saw someone else asking the same question on the forum, will have to find that... but it didnt really say what it does...

Edited by beema318is

The sports seats were standard and you couldn't get the M3 bodykit as this required almost every panel to be changed. The full bodykit would make the car look much like a 325iSport.

- Baur Cabriolet Conversion (£4,475)
- Metallic Paint (£375)
- Exhaust Catalysor (£350)
- Leather Upholstery (£901)
- Anti-lock Braking System (£690)
- Spoiler Equipment - Front only (£160)
- Limited-slip Differential (£396)
- Alloy Wheels - 7J x 15 Cross Spoke Style (£1,074)
- Electric Sliding Sunroof (£745)
- Air Conditioning (£1,341)
- Front Seat Heating (£243)
- Rear-seat Head Restraints (£112)
- On-board Computer (£363)
- Anti-theft System (£397)
- Halogen Front Fog Lights (£149)
- Headlight Cleaning System (£310)
- Heated Mirrors, Driver’s Door Lock & Windscreen Washer Nozzles (£89)
- Map Reading Lights (£62)
- Rear Window Blind - Manual (£104)

These are the obvious options, there are also the special order ones like M-TechII bodykit and Aplina stuff which adds extra £££ to the price. I'd class a car with most of these as a well specced E30.

The Sports Seats as fitted to most E30s with the extendable thigh support were originally designed by Recaro but were not branded as such,  because of the volume required Recaro couldn't fullfill the obligation so BMW made them themselves under licence.

Edited by Caesar Bob

Because its a chain as opposed to a belt, it's not expected to need changing on a regular basis & therefore isn't given such easy access. Plus you can't slide a chain onto toothed gear wheels like you can a belt onto a pulley. You have to remove a link, install the chain and then rejoin it. Bit like a bike chain only a double thickness one (duplex).

What do you class as "full spec extras"? I have only seen a couple for sale that ever had close to a full collection of options.

Stupid thing was if bought new an iS with all the options cost within a few £100 of a base spec M3.  

You are joking?? Right!!

There is an awful lot more to be changed than the chain alone and i really can't see an AA man doing it at the side of the road.

Head gasket is fairly major job involving half the engine being dismantled, head was also skimmed + i went to BMW for the work. I'm sure i could have got it done cheaper but i decided to have it done by them.

The timing chain was another £500! @ BMW.

To me these jobs are only DIY if you are a very competant mechanic (not me) and you have the time to do it (not me again).

I bought my iS privately 18months ago with 62,700miles on it and this morning i just passed 87,900miles.

The oil leak could be the rocker cover gasket or the camshaft sensor on the front of the engine. The camshaft sensor has a rubber o-ring which can perish, mine was weeping quite alot but it's a piece of pi$$ to change. One allen bolt if i remember right.

Had the head gasket go on me last xmas, that'll be a £1,000 please sir!! and had the timing chain and pulleys, etc changed shortly after. Sure was a cheap new year. 

Oh yeah, and it's the profile gasket that can be a bit awkward on the M42/M44 engine coz you can really see it.

Edited by Caesar Bob