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Thanks. Already have the posting update set on FBM. Not a surprise that more common listings for the e46 xi models show up for Minnesota and Michigan There have been a few for WI though more often for full cars in the $1.5 to $3k range. Working on this thing I can see why, everything up front is much harder to deal with than the RWD models. LKQ in MKE allows yard access ($3 entry fee) and much to my surprise in November they did get a more recent addition of a 2004 330xi that I managed to get to a few days after it showed up. I picked up the driver's fender and lower fender liner, as well as a driver's side front door. Passenger side on that car had taken the hit, suspension was stock/blown, and driveline bits went early. Prices are not too bad, and you can waive the 90-day return guarantee add-on fee and, in some cases, return a "core" which drops the parts cost further.

trade you a pair of forgelines 😉

My suggestion would to set a posting update on marketplace to watch for people parting out xi's. Most salvage yards are picked over, or no longer allow you to walk the yard.

Would be cool if there was more traffic so here is a post

Good to see the site is still here. Not sure how much traffic there is these days but figured I would try posting. I recently picked up a 2003 330xi MT as a winter beater/project and could use a few things. Parts I need are interchangeable between the 330xi and 325xi models. If anyone might have them, know someone who might, or where there is one in a WI salvage yard let me know. I checked out the 2003 325xi at the MKE LKQ and it is pretty picked over. Parts needed: UPDATE -WENT AHEAD AND PURCHASED NEW: plastic undertrays /splash panels. The xi models of course have their own versions compared to other e46 models. There are three panels -- under engine, transmission and transfer case. I need all of them but especially the first two since this will be winter driver. -FOUND: driver's side lower front fender liner (PO met a tree). Again unique to the xi models -FOUND: driver's front fender (see tree reference above), black would be ideal. -STILL NEEDED: driver's front seat (comfort/nonsport) forward/backwards adjustment motor. -FOUND: Not junk yard fare but I could also use a decent set of four all-season tires in either 225/45/17 or 205/50/17, as well as a single 205/50/17 spare. Car actually has a full-size spare but with the original 2002 build date tire. It could use other things but I need to remember this is intended as a beater and not a rescue. Thanks!

Decent shape, missing one centercap, have all 4 waffles, one wheel has a slight bend, and one wheel has a small 1" damage on the lip from a curb. True 2 piece wheels, technically 3 piece but lip/barrel is welded together. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1843177256269737 Come get em.

FB link: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/24546213091739826/ Located near West Bend, HMU if you want them!

I finally got a windshield gasket!

Was really dreading this job, but the headliner finally gave out and started dangling - well at least the sunshade part. The rear was also sagging super badly. I ordered new OEM-like fabric, some glue, and got to work. Turned out 8/10, good enough, but definitely is a learning curve to this process and there are a few areas I caused a wrinkle, didn't apply enough glue, or didn't sand off enough of the old adhesive. Once all the trim, door seals, grab handles etc were reinstalled it looks nearly perfect though. The job itself was super tedious. After wrestling it for quit some time I realized the headliner is removable by folding the front seats back and sliding out the rear driver door while slightly folding it in a "U" shape. Car just turned over 150k miles

Glad to see it back on the road 😁

The hikfab plate has saved my pan so many times, it owes me nothing. If it’s bent bad you can straighten them in a press (ask me how I know) Glad to see the car made it relatively unscathed

Long story short, turns out back in late may 2023 I cracked the head on this car which explains the “expansion tank” issues I was having. I raced/codrove it like that for a year without much issue. In April 2024 after an event I decided it was time to dive in as the “expansion tank” issue was getting worse. did a compression test on it and every cylinder checked out great which was weird did a leak down test and cyl 5 took a shit cracked from exhaust valve to spark plug sourced 2 spare heads, took them to the machine shop & they fixed them all up & then they cracked them both in the fixture when pressure testing lol. (Clamped them wrong) IMG_4260.mov Shit happens and they ended up sourcing 2 heads fairly quickly - just something to note if you’re dropping these off at a shop that normally doesn’t touch these heads, make sure they clamp them down from the head bolt area and aren’t just putting a bar across the top of the head. Raced gf’s Supra for most of 2024 & didn’t have much motivation until recently to get this back together. turns out a few of the bores on the cam trays had some pretty bad scoring so grabbed a set from my spares since I had to reshim the solid lifters anyways this is usually the longest part of the process but it’s pretty straight forward, putting the cams in/out a few times to measure is the longest part also did valve seals because everything was part anyways Just in case anyone is curious since I had to buy spare motors to source heads lol: slapped it back together over the weekend with oem headbolts, Running distilled water&water wetter instead of coolant because I hate cleaning up coolant. Also don’t let me forget for the winter lol. plugged the laptop into ms3, hit the key, everything still worked & it fired right up. beat on it a bit & temps held around 190-195, didn’t have any weird leaks, expansion tank issues, etc -so hopefully it’s good to go. Still need to drop the current oil/filter, bleed brakes, check PS fluid, move fixed seat forward, address dumb valve cover leaks & re tape radiator gaps might run this at the next RA event or just wait for a USAIR lapping day to fully shake it down

Bravo! Glad you finally got to do this and I would love to join some year as well. Also post some exhaust videos!

Fantastic, cool you can convert to folding rear seats as well.

Looks fantastic! We gotta get the cars out sometime together this summer, it’ll probably motivate me to buy new wheels to keep up 😂

Maintenance > photos Oil change: 208,357. Used a Mann filter and trying out the Liqui Moly Classic 20W-50. Seems okay for a car of this age and appears to have a little more ZDDP than standard Castrol GTX, and falls under the FCP euro lifetime guarantee, most importantly. It’s not like M20’s are overly picky about their oil. Also installed a new valve cover breather hose, and most importantly, my Strömung catback! The perforated old one that despite being so rusty it sounds like a maraca, weighs a good 10lbs more at least: It was fantastic!! You. Absolutely. Should. It’d be awesome to have an alpine e30 convoy! Bonus pics of my skidplate that saved my trip: Also found a busted headlight lens I missed. Booo!

I kind of want to make new centercaps that say "Karavan" until I can refinish them haha.

TJ is totally right; that finish does make them look like trailer wheels 😆 Glad to see this car still kicking around!

New boot goofin' Picked up a set of wheels I've been casually on the lookout for forever: OZ Fittipaldi Fittistars! Specs are 16x7 et22 and tires are Falken RT615k+'s in 215/45r16 that are pretty tired but workable for now. I'll need to roll the rear quarters a bit more as they rub on bigger compressions but loving the look and fitment. Short term goal is to refinish the RS's while these are on the car. Long term I'm thinking rebuild these to 15x8" (the factory lips/barrels are double step) and paint the faces because the original diamond cut finish makes them sort of look like boat trailer wheels (thanks for that @wasnt m3, now I can't unsee it haha).

Sounds like an awesome trip, looking forward to photos! I'd love to take a trip like that in my e30, maybe next year...

146,650 Tension struts got tossed in awhile back, all is good so far. Swapped to summer wheels this week. New front struts came in this week, so going to replace those soon. I also got a new serpentine belt and crank seal guard over the winter, so I'll throw those on when I go digging for the whining noise eventually. Also got a new tweeter while on clearance from ECS to replace a blown front one. Other than front tires, it really just needs a good wash and paint correction/wax. I always forget how good of a car this is, I got out of the E30 and into this after a 2700 mile road trip and it was almost jarring how smooth, quiet, and competent it felt. Toying with selling the busted old Performance Aero front bumper to (partially) fund a manual swap. Thoughts from the peanut gallery? I also have a set of partially finished M-Systems with 3/4 turbine covers that I could donate to the cause and get close to breaking even between the two of them. It's tempting considering those parts are doing nothing but take up space and in the case of the M-Systems, I own nothing they even fit on anymore.

I will post a larger update down the road when i get around to uploading like a million photos, but I took the car down to The Vintage in Hendersonville, NC last week/weekend - needless to say, the trip was one for the books and a must - do for anyone on this forum. No major mechanical issues either - the worst one was a bad brake light switch that I fixed temporarily with a clutch switch and some good ole manual control . So much cool BMW brain-melt action, and even better, just an awesome group of people who love 'em and drive 'em hard. I made my trip a bit extra special by taking the long way there, driving to Pittsburgh day one, then cutting south along Skyline Drive/Blue Ridge Parkway for around 250 miles through VA until I reached NC where the majority of it is still closed due to damage from Hurricane Helene last fall. The event went for three days in NC, then i took two days coming home (including driving the Tail of the Dragon). All in all, a wonderful trip I'd love to have some fellow WIBimmers accompany me on with their own cars in future years! The stats: 2700 miles 8 days 12 states 2.5 days of rain One flash flood warning and one large rock hit to the skidplate 28.5mpg average One failed brake light switch - found a replacement at the Vintage! (no, I didn't steal it from another unsuspecting vert owner) 20lbs of Stromung exhaust lugged home with me diagonally across the interior 25+ Alpinas viewed at the CCA museum in Greer At least 10 E9's that i left drool puddles on And a partridge in a pear tree

Saddle is one of the best e90 interiors in my opinion, looks great with the black!

I really wanted to find a saddle brown or coral red interior to swap into the E90, but there were some limitations I learned: - needs be from an LCI car due to the additional headrest restraint system - needs to be sport with the thigh rest I searched locally for the better part of a year and turned up empty handed. So I opted to do the insane thing and buy a second E90 with all the parts I wanted, and did the swap. The one big challenge here is that my seats are manual bases, which I wanted to keep. Turns out the only way to do this is to strip the seats down to the bare frame and swap the foam, leather, electronics over. Overall was an absolute pain in the ass, but worth it I think. With the swap I also got heated seats, rear split folding seats (which I did not have before!) rear door sunshades, and a power sunshade rear deck out of it. Donor car: Swap:

Hey! That's great to hear that this car is still local and being enjoyed! Id love to check it out sometime!