When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Well when I go into rut I sometimes do strange things. And yesterday I was in a passionate mood and pulled the trigger on this BMW z3. I spent the first half of the day at the DMV trying to untangle the title, Almost froze to death because we had to stand out side in the weather because of the corvid thing. For me no chairs with my legs this is a big deal. When I did get in the title was a convoluted mess with a lean involved, back license fees, short some seigniors or miss marked boxes. The clerk was a good guy and helped as much as he could and got her done just about the time I was about to say F it and go home and have a hot cholate or toddy which ever came first.
The last half of the day was spent and I do mean spent, that is I mean money, on bunch on parts and getting appointments for a new windshield and a smog test. Things I already knew that any part with a BMW OEM sticker is expensive but can you believe a door pull is over $200. I'm going to try and rebuild what I have. May or may not work we'll see.
This maybe a ongoing saga, hope not, but project cars are always a mystery and more expensive than you think. Today I'll see if I can get it to start and get rid of the miss it had last time I started it got to get it done before I get it smoged. No rush the appointment isn't till tomorrow...Tedd
I didn't get any pictures today will soon but my friend and I worked on the car all day, thank you Dan. it's a long story but car was vandalized last night the cat removed, one tie rod end removed shifter (it's a automatic) was jimmied up, broken hood latch tools that come with the car removed.(stolen).Took all day and a pile of money just to get back where I was before yesterday. I will have to cancel my smog appointment but will get it to the glass shop for the windshield replacement. The cat was found less it's O2 sensors. One of them was bought new and replaced the other will take a few days to be shipped. I need to get it home NOW but it snowed about 10 inches this morning and the car runs very loud and like crap with out one of the sensors missing plus I don't need a ticket with what all is wrong with the car now. Oh it does run now sort of.
I have a good idea who vandalized the car but I can't prove anything as yet. More to follow this is getting like a soap opera I hope it ends well....Tedd
It sure is dark down in this hole. I'll see if I can get it to the glass shop and then get a battery on the way home. Battery terminals were lose but the dead battery was left behind. More to follow, as The World Churns..... Tedd
Come on guys, it is time to quit giving Tedd **** over his car. He is a big boy with lots of years of experience. His experience probably started before many of you were born.
Come on guys, it is time to quit giving Tedd **** over his car. He is a big boy with lots of years of experience. His experience probably started before many of you were born.
Maybe so ,Anyone who knows cars will tell you BMW's are way overpriced money pits. Me personally I wouldn't give one a second look. I'd have used that money for gas and drove that beautiful '55.
Congrats Tedd... I'm sure you will do the BMW justice... It's only time and money, and when your time is up, YOU can't take the money with you... Enjoy your efforts...
Well I'll dive that beautiful 55 just about as much as I always have but the Miata may suffer a little. By the way the Miata is a better drivers car than the BMW all day long but the BMW is more comfy on the long haul and is quicker in a straight line. Besides I needed something to get me off my *** and back in the saddle working on cars, it's a use it or lose it thing at my age. I bought the Beemer right and allowed for a few major issues. I knew about then. I got issues just not the ones I thought I would get.
The Beemer got a new windshield today, looks a little less of a beater, first improvement in appearance so far. This is a fun learning experience for me. I know my way around a Miata and the older stuff but this Krout machine is quite different and I'm enjoying myself and so far my patience is holding up fine. I found out today that the oil pressure gauge isn't showing low pressure and to fix it all I had to do is put my glasses on and then find out it was the temp gauge. Pays to get familiar wit a new car.
I received my first complement today from the glass man. He thought the car sounded mean with a neat idle. Then I told him the o2 sensors were missing out of the cat and the ECU was just winging it and was confused on what to do with the extra gas. But I thanked him anyway. So that's what happened today. Tomorrow I might de dung the car and charge the battery and find out if I car repair the door pull for less than $200 dollars, what it would cost for a new one. Ya it's fun I could have just bought a turn key car and gone driving but that comes with no memories....Lost in the fifties ...Tedd
I don't want to pile on. I like the looks of those cars. One of my best friends is a service manager at a huge dealership. He has told me way before your post what a rabbit hole those cars can be. I hope the best for you. My friend races a Miata instead. He has owned so many cars. Beemers included.
I know that used BMWs can be bought for very reasonable prices, and doing work yourself also has a reasonable price tag. It’s just a labor of love, just like Oldsmobile ownership. But with vastly greater aftermarket support.
So Tedd, carry on and keep us posted on your progress!
Pulled the $200 dollar door pull of the car and plan on to rebuild, it had six deck screws trying to hold it on, some 2 1/2 inches long most were attached to nothing behind the door cards.. I think who ever did it got a screw gun for Christmas and a box of screws.
Car started right up so the battery held a charge over night with only about 5 miles of running time. Saved me buying a new battery, maybe. It still pulls some to the left probably because the idiot tried to tow the car by attaching the chain to the tie rod end but that is just a guess.
Tomorrow I get to work on a leach line on one of the rentals so car will have to wait. Corn beef and cabbage dinner at a friends house at two, I'll take a change of clothes..... Tedd
Tedd, in your downtime you might enjoy watching this guy wrench. Sreten is from Serbia, lived in the USA, and recently moved to Germany to be closer to his beloved bimmers. He’s become quite legendary in BMW circles, and after owning a few 3s, 5s and 7s, and currently a 6, I really enjoy him. He leans towards 12 cylinder lumps, but trust me, you wish you had him by your side as you’re resurrecting the Z3. Anyone knocking BMWs, or MBs, probably has never driven an M or an AMG.
Perhaps owning a beautiful high maintenance car is a bit like having a beautiful high maintenance wife. Fun? Absolutely. Worth it? Sometimes
Bought a 1975 2002 on my first overseas tour to England. Only drove it for 37 years before the 64 Impala SS took its parking spot. This was of course when you could open the hood and actually see things like the distributor, carb, battery etc. Bought it for $5600 and sold it for $5000. A really fun car to drive. I still kinda miss it but the 442 has certainly deadened the pain.
Everything on this BMW Interior is plastic brittle and thin. spent the last couple days getting aquatinted with Super glue , JBweld and Bondo again. The PO treated this car with no respect and destroyed most of what he tried to fix. I have made some progress de dunged the interior replaced the front and rear hydraulic lift cylinders on the trunk and hood, put together a bunch of the plastic interior parts. Also had to fiber glass and make a few parts that had missing parts in them that I couldn't find.
Man am I rusty with laying on Bondo, a little extra is additional hours work with a block sander and tater grater, this is something I haven't done in quite a few years.
O2 sensors should be here today and another start up should happen to see how many red lights are going to still be there. I have a OB2 reader coming also so I will see the mysteries it reveals. Other stuff has happened just trivial and time consuming I'm having fun so far but would like to sort out the engine for any issues not yet discovered and try and get a look at the rear suspension where problems are common on these cars. More to come there is a lot left to do. I will get pictures really...Tedd
Not to worry for Tedd,40+ years as a sales rep and I'm pretty bullet proof as far as criticism and such. Here are a few pictures of the BMW as I started working on it. pardon the dirt and grime .....Tedd vandalized windows getting ready to find water leak side view of dirty car BMW front of bmw
Getting in a sports car is like learning a dance step, once you get it down just repeat it all over and over again, besides gravity helps .Now getting out Newton law is a bitch... Tedd
Thanks, It will look better down the road I promise. As a after thought one of my screwups yesterday I was lubing door hinges and anything that stuck or wouldn't turn easily with WD40. DO NOT put WD40 in the ignition switch as it will shut down the security system in a BMW and car will not recognize the key. Lost a hour there trying to find out what I did wrong or what broke. Learning experience for me....Tedd
Thanks, It will look better down the road I promise. As a after thought one of my screwups yesterday I was lubing door hinges and anything that stuck or wouldn't turn easily with WD40. DO NOT put WD40 in the ignition switch as it will shut down the security system in a BMW and car will not recognize the key. Lost a hour there trying to find out what I did wrong or what broke. Learning experience for me....Tedd
Maybe some dry lube there, but I'd look it up first.
Made a little progress yesterday. oil change and filter (air and oil). found and tightened up the thermostat leak and found the radiator cap was not holding pressure. That might explain some of the heating up issues I was having. The oil plug was only hand tight and if it wasn't for the loooong threads on the plug it might have backed out.
Ran the car for about 45 minutes at high idle checking for heating problems and had none. That was a big relief starting to eliminate some of the big buck mysteries. On to the miss I have on one cylinder, maybe plugs, wires or coil pack don't know till I get a package from Amazon, man they are slow these days.
I'll work on door cards today, lots todo on them. Trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.... Tedd
...Tedd
I'll see if I can get it to the glass shop and then get a battery on the way home. Battery terminals were lose but the dead battery was left behind. More to follow, as The World Churns..... Tedd
. Pays to get familiar wit a new car.
