I thought I'd post some info about my car as I've had it 6 months now.
I bought it on Friday 13th April from Evans Halshaw in Leeds.
The car was generally pretty nice, but it had a missing service book and no documents. It was a bit of a gamble but I went with my gut that it was a generally sound car that just needed TLC.
I also liked the Tornado Red in 4dr, and this model seemed quite a well specced car, just 49,500 miles, and was nice and local.
The weather had been miserable all week, and on the day I picked up my R32 and got home it was foggy and raining and about 8pm, so no opportunity for any decent pictures.
IMG_2191_web.jpg 78.06KB
6 downloads
And the weather continuned to be grim for a few more days. The BMW Z4 was up for sale, and went a couple of weeks later.
The R32 got priority on the drive, but the wife's car still has top priority in the garage haha.
IMG_2206_web.jpg 80.43KB
6 downloads
Then it got sunny.
IMG_2208_web.jpg 143.02KB
6 downloads
And I started to see this!
IMG_2217_web.jpg 65.59KB
6 downloads
And then you see this sticker which says it all.
IMG_2327_web.jpg 106.15KB
6 downloads
A few things on the car that I just checked over. A tiny bit of bubbling on the rear panel seam where it rubs the bumper. Leaky 3rd brakelight. Pitted exhaust. Camshaft Adjustments seem in good order, assuming I did it right.
IMG_2235_web.jpg 68.87KB
6 downloads
I'm a keen car cleaning person, but I generally just like to maintain an ok finish, rather than bring something like this back to life, so I paid a local detailer/valet chap to come work on the paintwork all day and it improved things a great deal.
All the paint was reading in the right ranges, a bit thinner on the rear 3/4 behind the rear door glass, and the back bumper had had some paint at some point. Upon inspection it seemed like a light bump that'd been repaired cheaply.
IMG_2320_web.jpg 114.53KB
6 downloads
It was a nice evening so I took a quick photo. Every time I clean the car it's too late to go out for a nice photo shoot somewhere so this is as good as it gets.
IMG_2443_web.jpg 93.4KB
7 downloads
New numberplates stuck on with quality velcro. Evans Halshaw had put on their own plates which are like 1mm thick aluminium, and at the front they'd not supported each end so the plate was flat rather than curved, with edges stuck out like blades right at toddler face height!
Plus I just find plates with adverts on them a bit naff, especially for dealerships that haven't done the best job.
IMG_2628_web.jpg 55.53KB
6 downloads
I found the R32 way too refined, you can't even hear the engine inside the car as standard at low rpm. So flapper mod done quickly and then the bonnet liner removed. I gave under the bonnet a quick clean too.
I'd also noticed the bonnet closing a bit poorly at the very bottom, so gave all the hinges a good grease and re-sat the foam pads at each side (one had moved a bit), and things now seem normal.
IMG_2847_web.jpg 55.63KB
6 downloads
And whilst I was there I spotted the oil was overfilled. So I bought one of those oil suckers and ended up taking out 600ml to get it at the right level. Another quality bit of Evans Halshaw work on the car there.
It looks pretty black too. I'll be getting a full service again soon as it has it's annual anniversary around Sept/Oct time, so it'll be nice to get it's servicing back on track each year now.
IMG_2849_web.jpg 33.99KB
6 downloads
Giving the interior a good clean top to bottom. I'd noticed patchy colouring on some of the plastics, but it's like someone has put 'back to black' on lots of the plastic in the past?
Either way it came off without too much effort and looks a lot better. However there is still some in the boot plastic that is stuck on much better!
IMG_2865_web.jpg 57.67KB
6 downloads
The car has had a windscreen at one point. The MOT's suggested as much. But I think whoever fitted it didn't do the best job with the scuttle.
A good clean out and re-seat and it looked a lot better. However there is still a slight dip for a few inches. I think someone has tried to push the scuttle down into a blocked groove at this point and it's bent the metal groove support down a bit.
An area to return to at some point to fix using appropriate tools.
IMG_2936_web.jpg 62.63KB
6 downloads
IMG_2949_web.jpg 56.14KB
6 downloads
Edited by Mr Whippy, 16 October 2018 - 01:44 PM.