Prince's BMW E36 318is Coupe

Hi all,

I bought this car quite a while ago. Originally I got the car as my Civic was involved in an accident and I needed something to get me from A to B, but wanted something that would hold it's value. I travelled to Peterborough one very snowy evening to check the car and it was fine (mechanically) so I lowered the seller to £1200 and drove it away that night. After owning the BMW for a while I decided to keep it instead of the Civic.

I've quietly started my project over the last month or so and decided to share it with everyone on here. It's not the most powerful car in the world but right now it fits the bill perfectly.

The previous owner's work wasn't the best so I have to correct scratches, rust and the awful back box. I've already had to replace a blown manifold (common problem on the M42 lump) and replace the clutch thanks to the release bearing. He did have some taste though as M3 rear lights have already been installed and the car has lowering springs (which will do for now). The car also had the full tool kit, torch, warning triangle and first aid kit.

My plans are:

Cosmetics
- M3 Body Kit
- AC Schnitzer Mirrors
- MTEC Mouldings
- BBS Style 5s (Summer Use)
- Smoothed Boot
- Lashings Of Carbon Fibre

Suspension
- HSD Coilovers (Fully Adjustable)
- X Brace
- Eibach Anti-Roll Bars
- Powerflex Purple Poly Bushes
- Front Upper Strut Brace
- Rear Upper Strut Brace

Power (Aiming for 160bhp+)
- Scorpion Exhaust
- Simota Carbon Fibre Induction Kit
- Big Bore Throttle Bodies
- Remap

Brakes
- Either a 330i conversion or an M3 conversion

Interior
- Honda Integra DC2 Type R Recaros
- Sport Headlining Conversion

In the future I will look into the possibility of a turbo or an engine conversion.

This is how it looked when I bought it:
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Obviously those awful eye brows had to come off, and that terrible M badge had to be removed.

So as soon as I had the time I removed them and gave it a clean:

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you welcome Prince.
i'm curious to see those wheels fitted!

Me too mate. The Style 5s look better, but the new rims are way more functional. Thanks again for the manual. I've had a good flick through and it looks very good. :D

Those wheels look marvellous Prince, tbh and imo not sure that you need to polish the lips on the wheels as they look sexy enough right now! I can already visualise them on your car, but what do I know! :embarrest:

Thanks mate. I kinda started them yesterday so there's no going back. I may just hand them over to my mate Dips @ Custom Cars though as starting them reminded me just how much I don't like sanding wheels!

What Big T said.
Are you sure you can polish them in the way you just scratch the paint from lips only without chufing the collor in the midle?
If not you prepare to pull of the paint entirely and paint them again after polishing.
Just an question, mate. Not trying to sugest anything. :)

I'm now considering getting them completely stripped and powder coated. They'll last years then.

Very nice. Good weight but do get yourself some AD08's and not that Vredestian crap.

Have you used the AD08s then? They were one of the tyres I narrowed down my choice to, but the £168 per corner (245/40/17s from Camskill) is a little off-putting.

Is the Vredestian tyre the tyre of choice when it comes to BMW's then?

A lot of the M3 guys swear by them.
 
Yes of course, had them on the RS since I've had it. They were only £144 for 225/40/18 when I bought mine but they have gone up to £170 now.
 
Cheaper alternative to the AD08's is the PARADA SPEC 2 I use these on the 306 and they are rather excellent if not quite as good as the AD08's they were nearly double the price for my tyre size....
Hankook RS2's are what Im going for next though and worth a look, Yokohama and Hankook as brands I swear by.....
 
Parada's are an average tyre at best, hell the ContiSport Contact 3's on the Fiesta knocks spots off them. AD08's are in a different league all together.

If you want something cheaper the Eagle F1 Asy's are deffo worth a look, top end of average/good tyre and does a top job of keeping my mates MR on the road.
 
Yes of course, had them on the RS since I've had it. They were only £144 for 225/40/18 when I bought mine but they have gone up to £170 now.

What are they like in the wet?

Cheaper alternative to the AD08's is the PARADA SPEC 2 I use these on the 306 and they are rather excellent if not quite as good as the AD08's they were nearly double the price for my tyre size....
Hankook RS2's are what Im going for next though and worth a look, Yokohama and Hankook as brands I swear by.....

Also those wheels a much better than the old ones ..... personally

I've never had either but only heard good things about Yokos. The RS2s are supposed to be quite good as well.

Parada's are an average tyre at best, hell the ContiSport Contact 3's on the Fiesta knocks spots off them. AD08's are in a different league all together.

If you want something cheaper the Eagle F1 Asy's are deffo worth a look, top end of average/good tyre and does a top job of keeping my mates MR on the road.

It's not that I want cheaper, but I do want to make the right decision. What ever I buy will be used from asap until October. They'll have to be used in dry, wet, on the motorway and possibly for a couple of track days. If the AD08s tick all of those boxes then it doesn't matter how much they are (to an extent - I'm not rich lol).
 
They're fine in the wet, you just have to bare in mind you're on a summer tyre and be wary of standing water as with most other wide summer tyres. I managed to get back from Crewe with them in the snow, although it was bloody hard work. My friend recently commented that he was easily as quick in the wet on AD08's as he was in the dry on his previous RS2's (DC2 Teg, track prepped).

The steering feel and response the AD08's give is absolutely incredible tbh, which is crucial to me with a high (ish) powered FWD car. They're ok when cold but when warm they really do grip excellently (and I mean excellently, not in the overused way by which people describe average tyres). Break away very progressively and mine are showing very little signs of wear after 3000miles including 15 balls-out 2 lap runs of Curborough.
 
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They're fine in the wet, you just have to bare in mind you're on a summer tyre and be wary of standing water as with most other wide summer tyres. I managed to get back from Crewe with them in the snow, although it was bloody hard work. My friend recently commented that he was easily as quick in the wet on AD08's as he was in the dry on his previous RS2's (DC2 Teg, track prepped).

Brilliant. That's just the kind of information I need. Thanks!
 
There you go then.... I think you have the answer....
But are they really that good? Like I said before it was the cost thaf put me off, because they were a lot more expensive in my size
Paradas are 46.50
AD08's are 79.69
 
There you go then.... I think you have the answer....
But are they really that good? Like I said before it was the cost thaf put me off, because they were a lot more expensive in my size
Paradas are 46.50
AD08's are 79.69

Wow that's cheap compared to my size! AD08s are £168 per corner from camskill.
 
Yeah I would have guessed yours would be expensive, I use 195/50/15's I wanted 205/50/15's but the price hike for an extra 10mm of tread was recidulas.... About £30 a corner.... Ok yes my size is cheap (prices from camskill) I can afford £80 a corner but when I know I can buy good tyres for £46 a corner then to me you have to justify it somehow because they the AD08's are more expensive than pilot exaltos....
The thing is though if people sing there prasies then there performance must be worth the price....
 
You get what you pay for. I'm pretty certain you'd overheat Poo-rada's in no time on track if you're driving properly. It's funny because most forums with mildly quick cars usually always used on the road Parada's and EBC green pads are "amazing", but on the more motorsport based forums and forums like SXOC and the MLR they hate them lol.
 
Yeah I would have guessed yours would be expensive, I use 195/50/15's I wanted 205/50/15's but the price hike for an extra 10mm of tread was recidulas.... About £30 a corner.... Ok yes my size is cheap (prices from camskill) I can afford £80 a corner but when I know I can buy good tyres for £46 a corner then to me you have to justify it somehow because they the AD08's are more expensive than pilot exaltos....
The thing is though if people sing there prasies then there performance must be worth the price....

I guess there's only one way to find out!

You get what you pay for. I'm pretty certain you'd overheat Poo-rada's in no time on track if you're driving properly. It's funny because most forums with mildly quick cars usually always used on the road Parada's and EBC green pads are "amazing", but on the more motorsport based forums and forums like SXOC and the MLR they hate them lol.

Couldn't agree more with the first sentence. Things are cheap for a reason imo. EBC Yellows were going to be my choice. Do you use the AD08s on track as well mate?
 
I have now. Never known anyone with EBC Yellows, DS2500's are such a good all-round it's hard to brake away from them. I hear EBC's blue compound is meant be really good though. The DS2500's were fantastic in my Brembo's, much better than the standard Brembo pads, and they are just as great in my AP's (although they are £200 a front set lol). I had DS3000's at first but they were awful from cold, were so noisy and dusty and started to munch my rotors! Doubt I will ever need to put them back in.
 
You get what you pay for. I'm pretty certain you'd overheat Poo-rada's in no time on track if you're driving properly. It's funny because most forums with mildly quick cars usually always used on the road Parada's and EBC green pads are "amazing", but on the more motorsport based forums and forums like SXOC and the MLR they hate them lol.

Well I use paradas and green stuff pads and on the road they are very good, but you buy to suit your needs... my 306 will most likely never see a track day so why buy track stuff, when what Ive got now is good enough

On the other hand my 205 may eventually
be turned into a track day car and that will get proper track day tyres and some DS2500 or blue stuff pads in whatever brakes I choose because it will need them.
 
I got my wheels back today. A MASSIVE thanks to Dips @ Custom Cars for another great job.

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I am delighted with how they look now and can't wait to get them on! :D

As always, comments welcome.
 
Not anything massive to report, but today I decided to enjoy the sunshine after work so decided to clean my engine bay. Tbh I've never done it since owning the car. So I set about with a bottle of this...

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and a cloth (I didn't take a picture of this).

After around 45 minutes work and good bit of trance playing I ended up with this...

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It's good to see the original hell rot and now you all know my car's birthday, you can buy it some presents! :D
 
Very nice, I shall check out Sainsbury's tomorrow now as I feel inspired ;)

AS the first picture shows, I only paid 19p for the bottle from work as *somebody* reduced it nice and cheap after coming up with this idea!

You may as well soak up some sunshine mate. Not sure you'll get much of tan though. :lol:
 
AS the first picture shows, I only paid 19p for the bottle from work as *somebody* reduced it nice and cheap after coming up with this idea!

You may as well soak up some sunshine mate. Not sure you'll get much of tan though. :lol:

:lol::lol:
 
This little pile of goodies arrived for me yesterday (obviously there is two of each lol)...

E46 M3 discs (325 x 28mm).

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Porsche calipers onto disc bracket.

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Braided hose for the Porsche caliper.

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Here's a few pictures taken (by someone else) from a Northampton BMW meet last Sunday:

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The very last outing in the Style 5s (damn they look good! - But still being sold). Comment welcome. :D
 
Car looks well maintained, mate!
Love what those wheels and mirrors had done to appearance! (where are the new wheels?)
You know what would look nice to see?
Few more pipes under the hood and FMIC! :) Only thing missing is charging IMHO!
But I am aware of costs and efforts needed, so in my eyes you got one perfect coupe!
 
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