BMWCurve's Sibling's 2003 BMW 330Xi M Sport Canadian Maintenance Ledger

[BMWCurves]

The Basics
My sister isn't a member here but I figured to help document the rehabilitation of her new purchase I would create a project/maintenance thread for her car on her behalf as well as anyone that has a 330Xi in need of some maintenance.

Year:2003
Model: 330Xi
Transmission: 5-speed manual (not sure the make on the gearbox)
Exterior Color: Black Sapphire Metallic (475)
Interior Color: Black (N6SW)
Trim: Black Cube
Packages: Premium, Cold Weather, and M Sport (Canadian car, essentially the Canadian equivalent to our ZHP package in the US)
Purchased: 03/12/2016
Mileage at purchase: 78,655 miles
VIN: WBAEW53403PG10122

The Purchase
My sister has had the same 2000 VW Jetta GLS (I think that's the right model, the 2.0L) with a 5-speed manual since she got it for high school. It's old, it's traveled, it's seen better days. Because the Jetta is in great need of being put out to pasture, my sister has been looking for her dream car (Porsche Carrera 4S and Audi R8 aside), an E46 330Xi with a manual transmission and the Cold Weather Package so that she can get to the mountain to ski in style. I have been searching for her for about the same mount of time I began looking in 2014 for my ZHP. I truly believe a low mileage, well maintained 330Xi with a manual is far rarer than a ZHP, and has even more aggressive buyers for them. After literally years of searching, my sister's husband sent me an email late Friday night with a freshly posted Craigslist ad showing a Canadian 330Xi manual with low miles and a body kit like our ZHPs. Upon further inspection it had both the Premium, Cold Weather, and M Sport packages. It checked all the boxes, so I shot the seller an email that night about my interest. I met him the next morning, liked what I saw, had it inspected, and purchased it the same day. The seller had to cancel appointments with four other potential buyers. Now it's at my parents' house while we get together all the maintenance items that need to be addressed.

The Maintenance
I had started a previous thread here asking a few maintenance questions, but decided I'll try and cover everything here.

Miscellaneous items that need to be addressed:

• Trunk release button on the trunk does not work.
• Codes for O2 sensor
• Internal fault code for the GM
• Issue with front driver's side turn signal
• Sunshade is stuck open
• Three jack pads are missing (BMW, 3x) - 51718268885
• Auxiliary input cable needs to be relocated
• AC service
• Parking brake adjustment
• Replace bubbling and worn ZHP 5-speed shift knob (2511789603)

Maintenance I'm suggesting
Suspension
Koni shocks/struts

• Front right strut: 8741-1481RSPORT
• Front left strut: 8741-1481LSPORT
• Rear shocks (2x): 8040-1343SPORT

Best I could find was from ECSTuning.com for $593.20 shipped.

Bushings
The mechanic said these bushings felt alright, but who knows when they were last changed.

• Front control arm bushings (FCABs) (BMW) - 31129063163
• Rear trailing arm bushings (RTABs) for Z4M (OEM) - 33326770817
• Hex bolt w/ washer for FCABs (BMW, 4x) - 33306760652

Other parts

• Rear shock mounts (Rogue Engineering)
• Front shock mounts (Lemfoerder, 2x) - 31336752735
• Strut reinforcement plates (BMW, 2x) - 51717036781
• Front strut dust cap (BMW, 2x) - 31331110196
• Locking nuts for strut mounts (BMW, 6x) - 31316769731

Optional parts
In order to save cost I tried to offer optional parts.

• Front spring pads, upper (BMW, 2x) - 31331091867
• Front spring pads, lower (BMW, 2x) - 31331096664
• Rear spring pads, upper (BMW, 2x) - 33531094754
• Rear spring pads, lower (BMW, 2x) - 33531094518
• Bump stops, front, plus dust boots (BMW, 2x) - 31302290316
• Bump stops, rear (Meyle, 2x) - 33506757368
• Dust boots, rear (Febi, 2x) - 33521136283
• RTAB limiters (Vorshlag)

Cooling System
I am guessing all the parts are original since the previous owner doesn't recall any maintenance being done on the cooling system during his ownership. It's due.

• Radiator (Behr) - 17119071518
• Expansion tank (OEM) - 17117573781
• Expansion tank cap (BMW) - E46 - 17117639022 (2.0 bar) or E30 - 17137639023 (1.4 bar)
• Expansion tank mounting clamp (BMW) - 17111707777
• Water pump (BMW) - 11517509985
• Thermostat (Mahle) - 11537509227
• Upper radiator hose (Rein) - 17127510952
• Lower radiator hose (BMW) - 11531436408
• Coolant temperature sensor/auxiliary fan switch (BMW) - 13621433077
• Coolant level sensor (BMW) - 17137553919
• Coolant (BMW, 1 gallon) - 82141467704

Optional parts

• Water pump pulley (BMW) - 11511436590
• Hex bolt for water pump pulley (BMW, 4x) - 07119904524
• Expansion tank mounting bracket (BMW) - 17111436250

Belts and Pulleys
Belts
Note: the belts look decent from a quick inspection (no real cracks visible) but would be worth changing for peace of mind.

• Accessory belt (Continental) - 11281706545 / 11287636379
• AC belt (Continental) - 11287512762

Pulleys

• AC pulley (INA) - 11287512758
• Idler pulley (INA) - 11287841228
• Tensioner pulley (INA) - 11281748131

Fluids
Note: the previous owner stated that all fluids were flushed in June 2014, but he did not specify how extensive "all fluids" was. It's cheap insurance to make sure the internals are running well.
Oil change

• Motor oil (8 quarts) - Two good options, BMW 5W30 or Mobil 1 0W-40.
• Filter kit (MANN) - Includes filter, large o-ring, and crush washer
• Smaller o-rings (BMW, 2x) - 11427549573
• Optional: purchase a magnetic drain plug from somewhere.

Other fluids

• Transmission fluid (1.1-1.3 quarts) - Redline MTL or Redline D4 ATF
• Front and rear differential fluid (front: 0.74 quarts, rear: 1.06 quarts) - Redline 75W90
• Front/rear differential crush washers (BMW, 4x) - 07119963355
• Transfer case (0.16 quarts) - Redline D4 ATF
• Crush washers for the transfer case (BMW, 2x) - 07119963308
• Power steering fluid (1 quart) - Redline D4 ATF
• Brake fluid - Again, several options. BMW (part no. 81220142156, 3 bottles), Pentosin DOT4 LV, or ATE Type 200 are all good options.

Miscellaneous parts

• Spark plugs (NGK, 6) - 12120037607 / BKR6EQUP
• Cabin air filter (MANN) - 64319257504
• Air intake filter (MANN) - 13721744869
• Wiper blades (BMW) - Evo version - 61610037009

Notes:

• Brakes have decent life left in them so that'll be deferred. I suggest Hawk HPS 5.0 pads (fronts - HB464B.764, rears - HB518B.642)
• Skipped fuel filter since previous owner did it only about a year ago (13327512019)
• I have never done the DISA valve rebuild, but I'd wager it'll be due sometime soon but isn't imperative to do it now.
• To keep cost down my father and I will try and tackle most of the labor.
• Upper and lower intake boots are in good shape since they were replaced recently.
• Had the tail light ground wire recall as well as the passenger airbag recall performed.
• Has non-stock gauge faces because US DOT requires MPH gauges. Depending on my sister's preferences we may change them out for a stock E46 330 cluster or ZHP cluster.

It's a lot to do but I think it'll get the car into great shape for my sister. Any thoughts or advice on my maintenance list or things I should look into would be greatly appreciated!

PICS - It's dirty as hell but it's just been sitting in the garage since it was purchased and the weather hasn't really behaved so it hasn't been washed yet. Will be cleaned soon (hopefully). Then a detail later.

[slater]

pics, william, pics! we want to see the pics! haha.

the canadian M Sport package basically gives you all of the cosmetic goodies of the ZHP, but that's it. no cams, software, oil pump nut loctite, 3.07 rear end, etc. this car must have a pre-march 2003 build because it's a 5-speed - which makes it potentially even rarer (*edit - just checked - 2/24/03 build date). not many M Sports were built before 3/2003!

nice find, man! (and post some pics! )

[Lublisha]

You snagged that thing fast! I saw it had posted as I was driving back from picking up my car in Tacoma. Didn't realize that was what you were having inspected


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[GotZHP]

Suspension
Koni shocks/struts
Front right strut: 8741-1481RSPORT
Front left strut: 8741-1481LSPORT
Rear shocks (2x): 8040-1343SPORT

Best I could find was from ECSTuning.com for $593.20 shipped.


How do these ride? How much drop compared to stock ride height. I pulled up to another ZHP this week and my car looked dropped, but really the stock suspension is sagging

[BMWCurves]

pics, william, pics! we want to see the pics! haha.

the canadian M Sport package basically gives you all of the cosmetic goodies of the ZHP, but that's it. no cams, software, oil pump nut loctite, 3.07 rear end, etc. this car must have a pre-march 2003 build because it's a 5-speed - which makes it potentially even rarer (*edit - just checked - 2/24/03 build date). not many M Sports were built before 3/2003!

nice find, man! (and post some pics! )

Haha I'll do my best to get pics soon. It's just sitting in the garage right now, surrounded by other cars so it doesn't move. It's also filthy, the previous owner didn't think he'd sell it quickly so he didn't even get a chance to wash it before it sold. But picture a black ZHP that sits higher than our cars (no lowering sport springs), and rides on square style 68 wheels (245/40R17 tires) instead of style 135s.

I realize it doesn't have any of the ZHP mechanical goodies, but it does look good! And it's not like my sister will miss the 10 hp and 8 ft-lbs, she's coming from a car that had 115 from the factory and has most likely lost a more than a few ponies from the stable since then.

You snagged that thing fast! I saw it had posted as I was driving back from picking up my car in Tacoma. Didn't realize that was what you were having inspected

Yup! The seller had several other buyers lined up and I wasn't taking a chance.

How do these ride? How much drop compared to stock ride height. I pulled up to another ZHP this week and my car looked dropped, but really the stock suspension is sagging

I love my Konis on my car. I've had them installed for about 6 months and they ride great at 3/4 turn from soft. Great balance of comfort and performance on stock ZHP springs. Other members have a similar setup and I believe they all like how they feel. Changing shocks/struts shouldn't reduce your ride height, that comes down to springs. I use stock springs so my car sits at stock ZHP height.

[GotZHP]

Haha I'll do my best to get pics soon. It's just sitting in the garage right now, surrounded by other cars so it doesn't move. It's also filthy, the previous owner didn't think he'd sell it quickly so he didn't even get a chance to wash it before it sold. But picture a black ZHP that sits higher than our cars (no lowering sport springs), and rides on square style 68 wheels (245/40R17 tires) instead of style 135s.

I realize it doesn't have any of the ZHP mechanical goodies, but it does look good! And it's not like my sister will miss the 10 hp and 8 ft-lbs, she's coming from a car that had 115 from the factory and has most likely lost a more than a few ponies from the stable since then.



Yup! The seller had several other buyers lined up and I wasn't taking a chance.



I love my Konis on my car. I've had them installed for about 6 months and they ride great at 3/4 turn from soft. Great balance of comfort and performance on stock ZHP springs. Other members have a similar setup and I believe they all like how they feel. Changing shocks/struts shouldn't reduce your ride height, that comes down to springs. I use stock springs so my car sits at stock ZHP height.

Not a bad idea for a good suspension refresh. I really want coilovers, but my current suspension will not last until i can afford them, so this could be a good set up for 5 to 12 months

[fredo]

Good catch, William ... Is your sister keeping both cars for a while ? I bet you and your dad want to do as much as possible before the 330xi becomes her only car. GL man !

[BMWCurves]

Not a bad idea for a good suspension refresh. I really want coilovers, but my current suspension will not last until i can afford them, so this could be a good set up for 5 to 12 months

Definitely worth it. Can't say enough good things about it.

Good catch, William ... Is your sister keeping both cars for a while ? I bet you and your dad want to do as much as possible before the 330xi becomes her only car. GL man !

She is. I keep joking that once the 330Xi is in good shape, she should just leave her Jetta unlocked with the key on the hood in some parking lot. She does not find that funny. KBB puts it worth about $1,500.

As for the BMW, I decided to go back in and clear error codes to see if that would remove the SES light (it did). Granted, the car hasn't been driven so it will likely rear its head again, but for now it is clear. Total remaining errors were as follows in PA Soft:

DME: Not sure what these mean, can anyone clue me in?



ZKE: Again, not sure what the code means



LCM: Known issue. Gauge cluster shows the bulb out, but if you flick the indicator stalk for about a second it'll quick flash like a bulb is out and then function as normal. Most likely a failing socket in the front driver's side indicator.



IKE: This one be my own fault, I messed with the service interval value (went from 25,000 km to 12,500 km) but it doesn't seem to like that for some reason. Anyone know why?

[Oli77]

Isn't the first one Oxygen sensor related?

[BMWCurves]

Isn't the first one Oxygen sensor related?

That's what I assume, but really don't know.