I'm saying bye-bye to my car - (LOTS of pics)

[royalflush313]

Well after much consideration, I'm going to be selling my beloved 318is and start saving up for the M3. I want to be able to buy a M3 when a nice example strolls by.

Anyways, I have only owned the car for about a year, and since then I have put in countless hours of time, money and work. My life has been devoted to the car, and it has taken me away from much of social life, my girlfriend doesn't like this too much. I would imaging that once I get the M3, I will be polishing the car and/or staying glued to the computer screen for even longer time.

Anyways, here are some pictures of when I first purchased the car, and its progress.

At CG Motorsports where I had the pre-purchase inspection:


Got the keys, driving 'my-car' for the first time
http://www.servfiles.com/2610/

Gave the inside a quick clean, but still pretty dirty
http://www.servfiles.com/2609/

First mod! Clear turn signals, and got a fog-blank on (it was missing)
http://www.servfiles.com/2611/

E30 meet, with tinted windows
http://www.servfiles.com/2612/

2nd meet, my car was finally lowered on Bilstein Sports & H&R Sports


I got the Ryan G splitter and Euro trims too (w/ a nice mountain back drop)
http://www.servfiles.com/2614/

DIY Red tails
http://www.servfiles.com/2615/

Being proud of my really cool and fast car.
http://www.servfiles.com/2616/

@ the BMW dealership
http://www.servfiles.com/2617/

Got my euro smileys, grille, and diamondschwarz kidney grille on
http://www.servfiles.com/2618/

Recent night pic. Euro plate on


Got the IS skirts and RD apron on, after a quick wash


Engine bay is starting to look clean too


http://www.servfiles.com/2622/

z4 3.0 shifter, brand new knob/boot, e36 leather ebrake handle/boot
http://www.servfiles.com/2623/

Polished aluminum gauge bezel
http://www.servfiles.com/2624/

eBay pedals and my Clarion deck shown
http://www.servfiles.com/2625/

closer look at the IS skirts, paint came out suprisingly well, i was very satisfied
http://www.servfiles.com/2626/

RD apron, this pic shows off the not-so-perfect fitment
http://www.servfiles.com/2628/

http://www.servfiles.com/2627/


Well if you are reading this, thanks for waiting around for all these pics to load.

I'm going to be parting out the following, how much do you think I can get?

- clear turn signals
- IS Skirts (painted diamondschwarz)
- RD rear apron (painted diamonschwarz)
- Clarion dxz645 deck
- RyanG. Splitter
- Euro bumper trims (front'n'back)

and possibly a set of Bilsteins Sports shocks and H&R sports springs.

thanks for lookin'

- Hiro


PS: As some of you may know, I change my mind a lot! So until it happens, I can't say for certain that I willl be selling the car - but it's certainly rolling towards that way. Only thing that is keeping me from selling the car is, that the car is doing so well, I have put in so much work to fix all the little 'problems'. I really love the car, but I know I would love a M3 more.

Anthony, all of this is partially your fault for bringing your M3 to the meet the other day!!!! Your car opened up my eyes once again, and I realized that I want the M.
Oh well, I wanted one since I was 14, I think it's time I'm allowed to have one.

[kowalski]

hey man maybe you can help me with a problem i live in whiterock where do you live? iv got an idling problem i duno what it is tho... iv got a 91318is too its awsome anyways i also want the M but i want to make it run good too. iv been working on finding it forever.

[Mike 91 318ic]

I'd buy your euro ellipsoids if you want to sell them. I doubt the next owner would even know what they are...

M

[VtwinVince]

Personally, with the amount of work you have in your car, I would keep it. Invest in some driving schools, then go out in the twisties and drop the hammer on Motoyen, like I did on Sunday. But seriously, the 318is is an excellent car for technical roads, so keep it and flog it. Just my personal opinion, of course.

[fastbmw]

Driving schools are the way to go. It will literally make you 100% better driver both in safety and skill. I've avoided dozens of near accidents due to the stuff I've learned on the track. For some reason, everyone wants to run me off the road.

[royalflush313]

Mike, I will be keeping the euro ellips and euro grille, sorry. But selling the bumper trims if you are interested.

Vince and Alex, I defenetely understand what you are saying. I could have a 2.5L M3 and still be passed day & night by 318is and 325is such as yourselves.
I have a old video of my dad's work's race prepped civic hatchback in Suzuka passing F40s. The F40 driver was probably just some rich guy with no skills, and also too scared to push the thing - it always comes down to the driver more or less, and not the car.

I was looking through my receipts, and the only thing that I would be losing big time is the suspension, alarm and tinting.
Everything else, I'm going to be taking them off and selling them, or keeping them for the M.

The M will be more or less a garage queen, something nice to look at, and also something nice to drive on a sunny day.

In the future when I have more money, I would defenetely consider a second car which would be a DD/track car.

I'm still young and stupid, now is the time to waste lots of money and still justify it.

[fastbmw]

A garage queen would be great but then you'll need a 2nd car or you'll be constantly paranoid of something happening to your car. But then again, once you go M you never go back....

[royalflush313]

Originally Posted by fastbmw A garage queen would be great but then you'll need a 2nd car or you'll be constantly paranoid of something happening to your car. But then again, once you go M you never go back....

I've put on 4000km if even, on my 318is since last July so....

[motoyen]

OK lets gets something straight here. It was ME that blew by Vince on the inside this Sunday! However it was both of us that blew an WRX away as well!

Anyway back on topic. Hiro if I were you I wouldn't buy a M3 to keep it as a garage queen, it will cost you more $ that way. M3's really need to be driven and driven hard, I was at 7200RPM when I just BLEW past Vince this Sunday. A quick shift to 4th and he was a dot in my rear view mirror. Uh, anyway back on topic again.

Seriously if I were you I would invest in some driving schools. The power deliver in the M3 and the 318 are very similar. I've driven Vince's car and it feels a lot like mine, just with a little less power. On any of the roads here being a better drive with a decent suspension setup will be way more valuable than having tons of horsepower.

If I were you I would invest in being a becoming a better driver, tune your car and in a few years when you've got a good chunk of $$$ then buy an M3. You don't want to buy an M3 and have no money left over. Trust me these cars can get very expensive to maintain.

[royalflush313]

Originally Posted by motoyen OK lets gets something straight here. It was ME that blew by Vince on the inside this Sunday! However it was both of us that blew an WRX away as well! Anyway back on topic. Hiro if I were you I wouldn't buy a M3 to keep it as a garage queen, it will cost you more $ that way. M3's really need to be driven and driven hard, I was at 7200RPM when I just BLEW past Vince this Sunday. A quick shift to 4th and he was a dot in my rear view mirror. Uh, anyway back on topic again. Seriously if I were you I would invest in some driving schools. The power deliver in the M3 and the 318 are very similar. I've driven Vince's car and it feels a lot like mine, just with a little less power. On any of the roads here being a better drive with a decent suspension setup will be way more valuable than having tons of horsepower. If I were you I would invest in being a becoming a better driver, tune your car and in a few years when you've got a good chunk of $$$ then buy an M3. You don't want to buy an M3 and have no money left over. Trust me these cars can get very expensive to maintain.

Problem is, I really don't want to spend anymore money on the 318is that isn't worth anything to the insurance companies. I have had my car stolen in the past, and ICBC really screws you over.
I can invest tons of money into this thing and if car is stolen or damaged, all I have to show will be a stock 318.
Remmeber, that's why I decided not to spend more on suspension, not to do an engine swap, and so on.

Last 2 years I had been looking for a M3, and I didn't buy one, because of what you just said, I don't want to have a M3 and have no money left over. Well now, the scenario is a little bit different.
If I buy a decent car, I will have quite a bit for the car savings fund left, so if something goes wrong, I have backup fund just for the car.

I would rather have a car that I can slowly work on and baby for years, then when I have money burning a hole in my pocket, I can invest in a track car//DD.

Most of you are giving me rational, smart, adult, advice, so thank you very much. But I'm only human and my desire to own a M3 is taking me away from any rationality....

Don't get me wrong, i'm not getting rid of the 318 because i'm bored or i crave more power. I just want a M3. Because if all I wanted was power, I wouldn't be looking at E30s, and if I was thinking about the money vs. performance ratio, I defenetlely wouldn't be looking at E30s.

I think that most of the people here who own the E30s don't only buy the E30s because of its handling or the power, or the looks-alone. It's the combination of all aspect of the car that makes the E30 BMWs so appealing to us.



Anyways, I have been looking at the only couple M3s for sale in BC and they aren't all that appealing. There is one that I found in Alberta with low-km that sounds nice.
I have a friend who is looking throug the Japanese auction for me now, so he is going to tell me when a E30 M3 comes along. Asfaik, I should be able to score a 89 euro m3 for less than the price of good condition M3 in Western Canada. I could always wait a year or two and there will be even more selection of M3s to choose from.
There are LOTS of them for sale in Japan at any given time, and the prices vary from anywhere from 7000ish to upwards of 45-50,000 (for Evo models etc).

[kowalski]

hey how much you want for the skirts? mine all got stolen and icbc told me i was scamming them im not happy give me a call or somthing and ill come look at them 604 8373306

[motoyen]

Well then I can't blame you for wanting an M3. I don't think there is another car anywhere close to this price range that is as much fun to drive! Everytime I drive my car, even for short trips I have a huge grin on my face. Hiro you should come with me for a drive to Squamish. One ride in the M3 and for sure you will want one. If you are really serious about wanting an M3 then you should join the US BMW club so you can get the Roundel and also join the SIG. Those are the 2 best places to find good to mint condition M3's.

[Spalding]

Originally Posted by royalflush313 Problem is, I really don't want to spend anymore money on the 318is that isn't worth anything to the insurance companies. I have had my car stolen in the past, and ICBC really screws you over. I can invest tons of money into this thing and if car is stolen or damaged, all I have to show will be a stock 318. Remmeber, that's why I decided not to spend more on suspension, not to do an engine swap, and so on.

I could be wrong but... can't you just get your car appraised? If it is really nice and has substantial mods can't you insure it for that value? I know this is the case for some older cars and I am pretty sure you can add insurance for car audio equipment.

I know that back in my misguided Alberta youth I had a couple cars ripped into for the car audio equipment. The cars were both cheapies, maybe $1500ish each, with the value of the stereo though I managed to get several thousand for each.

Can anyone confirm if this is possible in BC?

[royalflush313]

Originally Posted by Spalding I could be wrong but... can't you just get your car appraised? If it is really nice and has substantial mods can't you insure it for that value? I know this is the case for some older cars and I am pretty sure you can add insurance for car audio equipment. I know that back in my misguided Alberta youth I had a couple cars ripped into for the car audio equipment. The cars were both cheapies, maybe $1500ish each, with the value of the stereo though I managed to get several thousand for each. Can anyone confirm if this is possible in BC?

I'm not exactly sure how it works, because my insurance broker guy told me that ICBC will not cover any aftermarket modifications done to the car. But I have heard that you can appraise the car or what not and increase your insurance payment or something like that.


Anthony, if I can ride along when you goto Squamish, I will defenetely come along.
I will join the SIG today, it's only like 12 bucks a month ? or was it 12 bucks a year?

Is BMW Club of America totally separate from the BMW Club of BC etc?

[Drake]

Ya for about 100 or so a year you can insure your car for an additional $5000 of bolt-ons.
Sounds like your into this...awesome. Mind clarifying what SIG is?
If you make a final decision let me know how much you want for the clears and the splitter.