Front disc diameter and tech details

Hi, I hope some of the tech' minded people in this owners club can help, as I need all the help I can get with BMW related kit!....I've recenty bought some early 3 series (can't remember the model, but it was B reg') callipers and carriers from a scrap yard. My intention is to fit these to another car (a FIAT X1-9). The discs aren't a problem as early BMW 4 hole discs have the same spacing (near as damn it) to FIAT hubs. FIAT brakes are rubbish, BMW ones are good. This is obvious just by looking at the build quality and finish on the castings. The stopping power is predicted to be greatly improved with BMW front brakes, mainly due to them being ventilated, verses Fiats small solid ones. However, what's the standard front disc diameter for a 3 series BMW?..And, what's the thread type on the calliper brake hose connection? This looks (and feels) identical to the FIAT, but I just want to be sure....And one final question. Do any 3series have 13" wheels, as this FIAT does, and I just want to be sure they'll not hit the callipers. I believe wheel offset is very closely matched between BMW and FIAT X1-9.....

I hope this posting doesn't offend any BMW members. I don't want to take any more BMW parts from the yards, and I don't plan to take any BMW alloys for my FIAT, mine are fine.Honestly!.....I hope someone can help a fellow car club member (admittedly not in the same car club!)....Come on, take pity on me. You know I have my work cut out to combat FIAT rust! (that's when dodgy cheap metal oxidises, in case any of you BMW owners didn't know this word.)............but seriously, I would appreciate any advise.

cheers

Joe

Hi Joe

sorry can't help with technical details, but I have been a BMW enthusiast and a FIAT enthusiast for over twenty years. I usually run at least two cars and both BMWs and FIATs have been in my garages most of that time. Did try a VW for a year, very sad experience! My latest 52 reg FIAT has a far better paint job than my 51 reg BMW! In fact the quality of the BMW has fallen with successive models whereas the FIATs have improved. My next BMW will be a Mercedes as the poor finish and electrickery on my latest E46 Coupe is pitiful. As the BMWs are so massed produced thesedays, they have lost that exclusiveness which was always part of the attraction of ownership.

  

Yeah, I'd be tempted to agree. FIAT build quality has certainly improved, but what struck me about the calipers from a 318 was the superior casting finish then the FIAT ones I'm going to take off. And for example the BMW carriers are nearly twice as thick as the FIAT carriers at the point I'm going to mount them!...The BMWs superior engineering I think still rings true to the average bloke on the street. Where with Italian based cars you pay for the engine and get the rest of the car for free (brakes? who said Italians want to slow down?!), I think it's probably still true that with a BMW you still get the whole package. Put it this way, atleast BMW door cards don't threaten to come off every time the doors are closed!...I've never owned a BMW, so am not qualified to say how they drive, but all I can say is that a partly dismantled BMW sitting next to an Italian partly dismantled FIAT,Lancia,Alfa etc looks far more a substantial body structure. A BMW might have two bolts with lock nuts, where the FIAT might make do with contact adhesive and a prayer!...thanks for the replies. Joe