patsbimmer1

No kidding, I would absolutely take you up on that offer?! If I'm ever down that way I'll have to make sure I bring the E46 for you to test drive

Well boy do I have a treat for you then lol.  The DCT is phenomenal.  Next time you're in the area you can take it for a drive!

Well boy do I have a treat for you then lol.  The DCT is phenomenal.  Next time you're in the area you can take it for a drive!

Welcome to the greatest chassis BMW has ever made.  I have no bias whatsoever...

Up until last week I had 3 cars, '15 F30 335i, '08 E92 328i, '02 E46 M3. I sold the 335 and 328 last week in an effort to "downsize". Ever since I had the idea to downsize I've been searching for the perfect daily to my M3. For me that means the following recipe: 4 doors, safe, RWD, 6MT, NA. I want to be able to haul our two dogs around, but still be a fun spirited driving machine (E92 wasn't cutting it with the cramped backseat).

I set out to find a run of the mill E90 328i. Didn't really care too much about spec, until I saw a super cool M Sport one pop up for sale. Sadly it had hail damage and I passed on it, but couldn't get the idea out of my head of having a daily thats ~cool~. So then I revised my criteria to: LCI, E90, RWD, M Sport, 6MT. At first I didn't realize how rare of a spec this actually is, but was pleasantly reminded after posting a WTB ad on the Bimmerpost forums. From my research it seems that combination is even rare on the 335i, so I would expect the 328i version is even more uncommon. Most that could afford to spec out a 328 would normally just spring for a 335. To find one meant I had to find someone who custom ordered the NA, lower spec of the car for a very specific reason, to be the ultimate daily driver.
After quite a bit of searching the entire US, I came across one in Orlando FL that ticked every box:
6MT LCI RWD M Sport Non-iDrive Manual Seats It's on the higher side of mileage at 141k, but has all the common maintenance items addressed and a few tasteful mods:
 
Maintenance
Valve Cover Gasket Kit (Valve Cover Gasket, Spark Plug Tube Seals, Both Eccentric Shaft Seals)
Oil Filter Housing Gasket
NGK OEM Spark Plugs
Upper Radiator Hose
Coolant Hose
Expansion Tank Hose
Accessory Drive Belt Kit (Serpentine Belt, Belt Tensioner Assembly, and Drive Belt Idler Pulley)
Water Pump Replacement Kit (Pierburg Water Pump and Borg Warner Thermostat, OEM BMW Coolant)
Mods
BC Extreme Low Coilovers
Apex ARC-8 17x9 ET30
Achilles ATR Sport 2 255/40/17
Stud Conversion
Silicone Intake Inlet Hose
LED Headlight and Fog Light bulbs
Eonon GA9465 Headlights with Apple Car Adapter
 
Never been this excited to own a 230hp NA car, but for some reason I'm just as jazzed as the day I bought my F30. Will be flying out this Friday (7/30/21) to collect it and drive it home. Absolutely hitting tail of the dragon on the way back.
 

After more failed attempts at coding the B25 DME (kept having issues with connecting and finding the dme in the software), it was time to turn to plan b. Thanks to @m42b32 for having an extra MS43 DME and being able to flash it with everything I needed. Joe ended up putting the stock B30 tune, EWS delete and SAI delete on it and it worked like a charm. 
After a couple startups to see how things were going, the engine started running extremely rough and wouldn't idle. @B C ended up stopping over with his computer. We checked fuel injectors, good. Checked coilpacks, good. Nothing was obvious from the outside, so we plugged the computer in to check error codes. After translating a few we narrowed it down to the DISA valve. Turns out the plug wasn't fully seated on the connector. Plugged it in and purred like a kitten. Sweet! 
Torqued down axle nuts and crank bolt, bled the clutch a million different ways until it finally got all the air out, dropped it on the ZHP wheels and took it for a short "around the block" drive. All seems pretty good. 
Time to throw the front end back on, hood, fill AC install airbox and start daily it. 👍

Finally the day has come! Pulled the trigger on tackling the subframe reinforcement as preventative maintenance. This is a project far beyond my skill level, so thank you to Austin Nelson for all his help. Decided I might as well replace just about everything nearby while the subframe is out. Here's a breakdown of what is getting replaced:
 
- TMS Subframe reinforcement plates
- Revshift 80A subframe bushings
- Revshift 80A differential bushings
- TMS sealed monoball RTABs
- OE differential axle seals
- OE differential input shaft seal
- OE differential center support / bearing
- OE guibo
 
So far most of the rear end has been removed, making way for gasket/bushing/seal replacement. Still have yet to grind down the factory undercoating to get a good idea of current hairline cracks. A quick shot of the subframe post looks solid though, so fingers crossed everything looks great underneath the undercoating!

 

Was trying to get an ECS order high enough to get free shipping, so decided to scoop an LED interior kit. Figured this would be a tasteful upgrade in the lighting department

I am so happy you joined and that you ended up with this car!  Stalking you on Instagram was getting old.  I update the old owner periodically to assure him that the car is in good hands.  I know this is a car I'm going to wish I bought when I had the chance but I'm happy you've got the time to give it the love it deserves.  Please keep updating us!

Driving out Wednesday and Thursday. Rally is Friday and Saturday (also Sunday but I'm not staying for that portion). Drive home Sunday and Monday. Google Maps says 3500 miles but will be more because of the rally portion. 

I've committed to the 2021 Overcrest Rally with the e30. Should be a blast, but it's a lot of seat time and time away from my family - but I think it will be good for me. My wife told me to just do it, so I did. 

Another picture dump






IMG_2756.MOV

This past weekend we had 2 of my wife's friends stay at the house with their kids and husbands.  On Saturday the girls went to get their nails done and go to a beer garden in Waukesha and they took the M3.  When they got back my wife said her friends need to drive the car but were "afraid" so I spent the rest of the day egging them on.  On Sunday one of the girls was ready so I threw her in the drivers seat and we went for a drive.  She eventually fell in love with it and spent the rest of the weekend asking to drive it anywhere so we put a few more miles on it.  Her other friend drove it but it was too stressful of an event and she was done after one drive lol.
This is one of the reasons I bought a DCT.  I love handing my keys to someone and letting them rip!  It's even more fun when they've never really driven a sports car.  With a 6 speed there is a barrier to entry that scares people away.  You have to want to drive a manual trans AND have one available to learn on.  The DCT is a terrible automatic but the fact it can shift on it's own takes one barrier down.  
It also made me think about why these girls were "afraid" to drive my car.  They kept saying they're afraid they'd hurt the car.  It made me ask more then we got to the root.  They know how much I love the car and they don't want to be responsible for disappointing me.  Also, the perception that it's a terribly expensive car if something did get damaged scared them.  I had to go above and beyond to assure them it's a car, I have insurance and they can't hurt it.  I took them for a drive and they saw how I drive.  They won't be harder on it than I already am.
This also reminds me that it just takes once to get someone hooked.  One time behind the wheel to spark something you didn't know you had in you.  It's one thing to always be a passenger and enjoy a ride but to have the opportunity to push the pedal and control the noises coming out of the exhaust pipe is a whole different experience.  The friend who enjoyed it spent the rest of the weekend asking me about how to get into a car of her own like this and convincing her husband that it's do-able.
 
TL;DR - Don't be a dick.  Share the keys.

Thanks guys! Found a set of headlights today, can't wait to make the front end suck way less.

I finally made it to Mecca 




I saw the only thing I needed to see, and headed out

Just picked up a very nice 1999 Z3M Coupe this past weekend. Only 56k on the clock. Originally cosmos over black, repainted very well back in 2005 in Laguna Seca Blue. Can't wait to start modifying it! Stock currently, other than H&R springs. First order of business is finding some oem headlights. 

🥰
 

This past weekend we had 2 of my wife's friends stay at the house with their kids and husbands.  On Saturday the girls went to get their nails done and go to a beer garden in Waukesha and they took the M3.  When they got back my wife said her friends need to drive the car but were "afraid" so I spent the rest of the day egging them on.  On Sunday one of the girls was ready so I threw her in the drivers seat and we went for a drive.  She eventually fell in love with it and spent the rest of the weekend asking to drive it anywhere so we put a few more miles on it.  Her other friend drove it but it was too stressful of an event and she was done after one drive lol.
This is one of the reasons I bought a DCT.  I love handing my keys to someone and letting them rip!  It's even more fun when they've never really driven a sports car.  With a 6 speed there is a barrier to entry that scares people away.  You have to want to drive a manual trans AND have one available to learn on.  The DCT is a terrible automatic but the fact it can shift on it's own takes one barrier down.  
It also made me think about why these girls were "afraid" to drive my car.  They kept saying they're afraid they'd hurt the car.  It made me ask more then we got to the root.  They know how much I love the car and they don't want to be responsible for disappointing me.  Also, the perception that it's a terribly expensive car if something did get damaged scared them.  I had to go above and beyond to assure them it's a car, I have insurance and they can't hurt it.  I took them for a drive and they saw how I drive.  They won't be harder on it than I already am.
This also reminds me that it just takes once to get someone hooked.  One time behind the wheel to spark something you didn't know you had in you.  It's one thing to always be a passenger and enjoy a ride but to have the opportunity to push the pedal and control the noises coming out of the exhaust pipe is a whole different experience.  The friend who enjoyed it spent the rest of the weekend asking me about how to get into a car of her own like this and convincing her husband that it's do-able.
 
TL;DR - Don't be a dick.  Share the keys.

This past weekend we had 2 of my wife's friends stay at the house with their kids and husbands.  On Saturday the girls went to get their nails done and go to a beer garden in Waukesha and they took the M3.  When they got back my wife said her friends need to drive the car but were "afraid" so I spent the rest of the day egging them on.  On Sunday one of the girls was ready so I threw her in the drivers seat and we went for a drive.  She eventually fell in love with it and spent the rest of the weekend asking to drive it anywhere so we put a few more miles on it.  Her other friend drove it but it was too stressful of an event and she was done after one drive lol.
This is one of the reasons I bought a DCT.  I love handing my keys to someone and letting them rip!  It's even more fun when they've never really driven a sports car.  With a 6 speed there is a barrier to entry that scares people away.  You have to want to drive a manual trans AND have one available to learn on.  The DCT is a terrible automatic but the fact it can shift on it's own takes one barrier down.  
It also made me think about why these girls were "afraid" to drive my car.  They kept saying they're afraid they'd hurt the car.  It made me ask more then we got to the root.  They know how much I love the car and they don't want to be responsible for disappointing me.  Also, the perception that it's a terribly expensive car if something did get damaged scared them.  I had to go above and beyond to assure them it's a car, I have insurance and they can't hurt it.  I took them for a drive and they saw how I drive.  They won't be harder on it than I already am.
This also reminds me that it just takes once to get someone hooked.  One time behind the wheel to spark something you didn't know you had in you.  It's one thing to always be a passenger and enjoy a ride but to have the opportunity to push the pedal and control the noises coming out of the exhaust pipe is a whole different experience.  The friend who enjoyed it spent the rest of the weekend asking me about how to get into a car of her own like this and convincing her husband that it's do-able.
 
TL;DR - Don't be a dick.  Share the keys.

This past weekend we had 2 of my wife's friends stay at the house with their kids and husbands.  On Saturday the girls went to get their nails done and go to a beer garden in Waukesha and they took the M3.  When they got back my wife said her friends need to drive the car but were "afraid" so I spent the rest of the day egging them on.  On Sunday one of the girls was ready so I threw her in the drivers seat and we went for a drive.  She eventually fell in love with it and spent the rest of the weekend asking to drive it anywhere so we put a few more miles on it.  Her other friend drove it but it was too stressful of an event and she was done after one drive lol.
This is one of the reasons I bought a DCT.  I love handing my keys to someone and letting them rip!  It's even more fun when they've never really driven a sports car.  With a 6 speed there is a barrier to entry that scares people away.  You have to want to drive a manual trans AND have one available to learn on.  The DCT is a terrible automatic but the fact it can shift on it's own takes one barrier down.  
It also made me think about why these girls were "afraid" to drive my car.  They kept saying they're afraid they'd hurt the car.  It made me ask more then we got to the root.  They know how much I love the car and they don't want to be responsible for disappointing me.  Also, the perception that it's a terribly expensive car if something did get damaged scared them.  I had to go above and beyond to assure them it's a car, I have insurance and they can't hurt it.  I took them for a drive and they saw how I drive.  They won't be harder on it than I already am.
This also reminds me that it just takes once to get someone hooked.  One time behind the wheel to spark something you didn't know you had in you.  It's one thing to always be a passenger and enjoy a ride but to have the opportunity to push the pedal and control the noises coming out of the exhaust pipe is a whole different experience.  The friend who enjoyed it spent the rest of the weekend asking me about how to get into a car of her own like this and convincing her husband that it's do-able.
 
TL;DR - Don't be a dick.  Share the keys.

This past weekend we had 2 of my wife's friends stay at the house with their kids and husbands.  On Saturday the girls went to get their nails done and go to a beer garden in Waukesha and they took the M3.  When they got back my wife said her friends need to drive the car but were "afraid" so I spent the rest of the day egging them on.  On Sunday one of the girls was ready so I threw her in the drivers seat and we went for a drive.  She eventually fell in love with it and spent the rest of the weekend asking to drive it anywhere so we put a few more miles on it.  Her other friend drove it but it was too stressful of an event and she was done after one drive lol.
This is one of the reasons I bought a DCT.  I love handing my keys to someone and letting them rip!  It's even more fun when they've never really driven a sports car.  With a 6 speed there is a barrier to entry that scares people away.  You have to want to drive a manual trans AND have one available to learn on.  The DCT is a terrible automatic but the fact it can shift on it's own takes one barrier down.  
It also made me think about why these girls were "afraid" to drive my car.  They kept saying they're afraid they'd hurt the car.  It made me ask more then we got to the root.  They know how much I love the car and they don't want to be responsible for disappointing me.  Also, the perception that it's a terribly expensive car if something did get damaged scared them.  I had to go above and beyond to assure them it's a car, I have insurance and they can't hurt it.  I took them for a drive and they saw how I drive.  They won't be harder on it than I already am.
This also reminds me that it just takes once to get someone hooked.  One time behind the wheel to spark something you didn't know you had in you.  It's one thing to always be a passenger and enjoy a ride but to have the opportunity to push the pedal and control the noises coming out of the exhaust pipe is a whole different experience.  The friend who enjoyed it spent the rest of the weekend asking me about how to get into a car of her own like this and convincing her husband that it's do-able.
 
TL;DR - Don't be a dick.  Share the keys.

This past weekend we had 2 of my wife's friends stay at the house with their kids and husbands.  On Saturday the girls went to get their nails done and go to a beer garden in Waukesha and they took the M3.  When they got back my wife said her friends need to drive the car but were "afraid" so I spent the rest of the day egging them on.  On Sunday one of the girls was ready so I threw her in the drivers seat and we went for a drive.  She eventually fell in love with it and spent the rest of the weekend asking to drive it anywhere so we put a few more miles on it.  Her other friend drove it but it was too stressful of an event and she was done after one drive lol.
This is one of the reasons I bought a DCT.  I love handing my keys to someone and letting them rip!  It's even more fun when they've never really driven a sports car.  With a 6 speed there is a barrier to entry that scares people away.  You have to want to drive a manual trans AND have one available to learn on.  The DCT is a terrible automatic but the fact it can shift on it's own takes one barrier down.  
It also made me think about why these girls were "afraid" to drive my car.  They kept saying they're afraid they'd hurt the car.  It made me ask more then we got to the root.  They know how much I love the car and they don't want to be responsible for disappointing me.  Also, the perception that it's a terribly expensive car if something did get damaged scared them.  I had to go above and beyond to assure them it's a car, I have insurance and they can't hurt it.  I took them for a drive and they saw how I drive.  They won't be harder on it than I already am.
This also reminds me that it just takes once to get someone hooked.  One time behind the wheel to spark something you didn't know you had in you.  It's one thing to always be a passenger and enjoy a ride but to have the opportunity to push the pedal and control the noises coming out of the exhaust pipe is a whole different experience.  The friend who enjoyed it spent the rest of the weekend asking me about how to get into a car of her own like this and convincing her husband that it's do-able.
 
TL;DR - Don't be a dick.  Share the keys.

This past weekend we had 2 of my wife's friends stay at the house with their kids and husbands.  On Saturday the girls went to get their nails done and go to a beer garden in Waukesha and they took the M3.  When they got back my wife said her friends need to drive the car but were "afraid" so I spent the rest of the day egging them on.  On Sunday one of the girls was ready so I threw her in the drivers seat and we went for a drive.  She eventually fell in love with it and spent the rest of the weekend asking to drive it anywhere so we put a few more miles on it.  Her other friend drove it but it was too stressful of an event and she was done after one drive lol.
This is one of the reasons I bought a DCT.  I love handing my keys to someone and letting them rip!  It's even more fun when they've never really driven a sports car.  With a 6 speed there is a barrier to entry that scares people away.  You have to want to drive a manual trans AND have one available to learn on.  The DCT is a terrible automatic but the fact it can shift on it's own takes one barrier down.  
It also made me think about why these girls were "afraid" to drive my car.  They kept saying they're afraid they'd hurt the car.  It made me ask more then we got to the root.  They know how much I love the car and they don't want to be responsible for disappointing me.  Also, the perception that it's a terribly expensive car if something did get damaged scared them.  I had to go above and beyond to assure them it's a car, I have insurance and they can't hurt it.  I took them for a drive and they saw how I drive.  They won't be harder on it than I already am.
This also reminds me that it just takes once to get someone hooked.  One time behind the wheel to spark something you didn't know you had in you.  It's one thing to always be a passenger and enjoy a ride but to have the opportunity to push the pedal and control the noises coming out of the exhaust pipe is a whole different experience.  The friend who enjoyed it spent the rest of the weekend asking me about how to get into a car of her own like this and convincing her husband that it's do-able.
 
TL;DR - Don't be a dick.  Share the keys.

Saw @damnboy037 near hwy100 and grange yesterday making me want an M2 even more.
Slightly bothered that you didn't notice me in the gray minivan 😶
/s

What kind of slob owned this thing before that let dirt build up behind the tail lights!?!?