Rescuing and Restoring a Damaged BMW 330i E90

[@EyelessSnowy]

Pointing towards Poland....... Crack up 😂

[@KiwiCarLife]

HAHAHA

[@angelrose5080]

You are amazing, unrecognisable from when you first got it. Frankie is in love with her new car. Thank you for all your hard work handsome 🥰

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thank you my love! Frankie is going to love it!

[@ballistic0526]

Watching your videos brings a huge smile to my face, and this is no exception. I have an E90 330i so this video hits close to home. I'm so happy to see E90's being restored and not ending up in a scrapyard when there's plenty of life left in them. Honestly, your channel is one of the best on KZbin. I'm from Australia but the NZ car market is very similar.

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks man! Appreciate it and you have made a good choice in car there!

[@seajayx]

I’ve only recently found your channel but the restorations you do, are so engaging and informative to me I keep coming back for more and more, keep up the amazing content

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks man glad you're enjoying the videos!

[@toxaq]

Video quality and content just gets better and better

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks man!

[@bigmunter]

Constantly amazed at how well you and Jack being cars back from the dead ! Great videos as always 👍👌

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks man!

[@TheFatSandwhich]

Lovely restoration. That’s a devious looking Oil Changers sticker on the windscreen 👀

[@KiwiCarLife]

HAHA yes classic oil changers. I'll be getting a service done before she takes delivery too I think

[@Jayerbruh]

So inspired to start the restoration on my newly purchased dirt cheap 320i, thanks😸

[@KiwiCarLife]

Awesome man! Hope it turns out ncie

[@JimJohnson79]

E90 330i owner here, although mine is a manual 🙂. If the car ends up being a keeper you should have a look at the mr12volt ccc box. It adds wireless carplay to the existing idrive system. Really modernises the feel of the car.

[@KiwiCarLife]

I really want a manual E90 LCI 330i. But they just don't exist here. All pre-facelift and none manual. But yes aware it's possible to retrofit ACP to them. Definitely a great upgrade!

[@rainleung3753]

one of the best episodes

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks!

[@keeshectors8261]

I can’t believe how well this car has come up!

[@KiwiCarLife]

Yesssss

[@Trash-horse]

I've been enjoying these resto videos, mate.

[@KiwiCarLife]

Glad to hear!

[@Maxx-si8vq]

Really enjoying the videos mate, keep them coming

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks, will do!

[@jakeSmith-je5zi]

Wow, was my old work mates car, He was the first New Zealand owner and the car was immaculate. No silly body kits and those silly plasty dip wheels only sold a year ago and managed to end up with all that damage haha. Good to see it like new again.

[@KiwiCarLife]

Aha I was wondering when someone who owned one of these cars would pipe up haha. Yeah I don’t hate the black mirrors and spoiler, wheels aren’t the best but hey at least now it’s back to “as nice as I can get it”

[@jakeSmith-je5zi]

@@KiwiCarLifehaha was surprised to see it, had a new starter motor, ac system and all sorts of suspension components replaced in the last 2 years so that’s a bonus lol

[@keno88]

Great work with the restoration! Came out looking so good 👍🏼

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks!

[@RanenPo]

Great video, nice work undoing some of the questionable cosmetic choices by the previous owner

[@KiwiCarLife]

Indeed haha

[@nickholmes1390]

another great video liking the longer length!

[@joshklaver47]

That's what she said...

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks man!

[@spadgm]

Another great resto vid mate, keep up the good work, it looks heaps better!

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks man!

[@thatguyben3128]

_Man what a transformation 👏🏼 while the exterior was a major improvement I’ve got to say the silver inserts over the wood grain are a knockout 🏆_ … _very impressive_

[@KiwiCarLife]

Yessss glad you agree the interior looks heaps better now aye

[@joshklaver47]

I have one of these in Monaco Blue, with the beige leather and woodgrain interior, which I'm in the process of fixing up, before I trade it for something smaller, probably a Swift Sport. The reason BMW NZ only sold 206 330is between 2005 and 2011 is that they retailed for over $105k, which is about $160k in today's money. It was the top-spec 3 series before the 335i and M3 were released, so it didn't come cheap. Great cars, though.

[@KiwiCarLife]

Goodness that's steep! Yeah understandable why there's not many around then!

[@MegaRetr]

Lovely restoration 😊🎉🎉🎉. Love it😊 this video just awesome 😊

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks!

[@dannygiffels]

Love the videos, awesome restoration!

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks!

[@stefanlakomy6195]

Great video as always! From a fellow kiwi in Brisbane, Australia

[@KiwiCarLife]

Gidday!

[@mrnicktoyou]

I have a 325i with the same wood trims and I think I want to swap to the silver trim like you did too. It looks so much better in silver.

[@toxaq]

You can paint them if you don’t want to find a new set.

[@mrnicktoyou]

@@toxaq I did consider painting them, but one has a little crack so it's better to replace. Hope they won't cost too much.

[@KiwiCarLife]

Find one at pick a part if you're in NZ with the silver trims. Costs about $150 to take all 7 required interior trims

[@taipoa6510]

I love your videos man!

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks!

[@BEAMNGBROTHER]

wow you upload really quickly good on you im really enjoying it

[@KiwiCarLife]

Glad to hear! Yep not mucking around here!

[@BEAMNGBROTHER]

@@KiwiCarLife also just when your looking on turners. you should stay away from oil leaking cars?. but what would help me more is what do you stay away from when looking for a turners salvaged car? cheers

[@DrumNBassed]

Such good content !!

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks!

[@ashikabbasali1836]

Just got a 232 e92 love it

[@KiwiCarLife]

Ooh yes very nice

[@eithias671]

any chance we could get a full guide to detailing a car, specifically polishing the exterior and such? your car jobs always look so clean

[@KiwiCarLife]

Yeah I'll try put more detail into it. Tbh it's nothing particularly special. Just wash it, clay bar it with water as a lubricant, and then polish with a random orbital polisher using regular cutting compound.

[@jerrytong2209]

great job on the car nice house as well

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks! It’s my parents house haha

[@kapualaniananialauagiagi8371]

I love your videos! Do you think you could do a pricing list of everything or too much of an ask? Might be handy for those wanting to restore parts on their vehicles

[@KiwiCarLife]

Yep bear in mind I got all these parts used Radiator - $80 Bumper - $220 Headlight - $85 Mirror - $65 Interior Trims - $145 Wheel Alignment - $50 Coolant - $36

[@craigauty6756]

Really good job tidying it up

[@KiwiCarLife]

Yeah it's come up well!

[@17t135i]

Makes me miss my old E90 😅

[@KiwiCarLife]

Good cars!

[@konholio2]

Amazing car! I almost bought one but I felt it was too neglected and I was going to put as much money in repairs as the car cost probably. Otherwise great power wise, handling felt quite good, sporty yet comfortable. Plenty of grip even on crumbling tires.

[@KiwiCarLife]

Yeah that's the thing I wouldn't recommend buying a neglected BMW unless it's very cheap like this one

[@mackalack1019]

Why get a used radiator who's aged plastic is also a ticking time bomb? You'll be back replacing that one in a year or two when it fails

[@KiwiCarLife]

$80 is a lot cheaper than like $500. For a car of this age, nothing wrong with getting used parts. Happy to replace it for the new owner if it fails again

[@kendrabarham3581]

Awersome liam ❤

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thank you!

[@sebastianlane7366]

Im curious on how you start doing these restorations. I would been keen on this kind of thing even though i can't drive just yet. How do you look for cars and how do you find the right ones and do you make a profit off it?

[@KiwiCarLife]

Hey man I buy a lot of cars from Turners or local dealers. Just looking for anything that you reckon you can sell for a decent bit more than you buy it for

[@Vikturus22]

The rear passanger door has been replaced too. It’s a clear sign it’s been in a accident too

[@KiwiCarLife]

What makes you say that? I've looked round the car and see no evidence? Colour is the same, panel gap is perfect?

[@Vikturus22]

@@KiwiCarLife the left rear door is a shade darker than rest of the panels. Might have been a shadow in that shot who knows but to me that looks replaced

[@Vikturus22]

@@KiwiCarLifefor context. Look at 0:34 its pretty clear

[@HunterLord458]

Not a beamer man but this thing did come up very nice. Like you said its a shame about the wheels, BMW should've stuck to a nice 5 spoke design

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks, well when these cars were new you probably had 10 different wheel options to choose from. So yeah if I was speccing it new I would have gone with a different design

[@brandonotte3359]

So good

[@KiwiCarLife]

Thanks!

[@littlevinster2224]

Is that road the one out to Makara? Fun little sprint...

[@KiwiCarLife]

Yep haha

[@nothing8856]

Should've got rid of that black lip spoiler

[@KiwiCarLife]

I don't mind it? Fits with the black badges, wheels, mirrors etc.

[@le7456]

Could you make a video on why you dont like japanese import second-hand cars. And what the extra responsibilities of being a registered car dealer are in nz. Please thank you. Also, I love your videos.

[@KiwiCarLife]

I’ve got nothing against Japanese imports, most of the cars I’ve owned have been imports. However because I’m a bit of a perfectionist I don’t like having an aftermarket infotainment system, would rather have the factory unit even if it’s old, and most “Japanese” jap imports have a jap only Sony or Pioneer nav screen that you can’t change the language on, and they have weird spec like no cruise control, often no heated seats, often no leather etc. At least with European imports you can change the language to English and retain the factory look, otherwise NZ new means it has the right navigation, right language, and often much better spec.

[@rbproductions78]

"...I know full well I'm biased to BMW..." Oh really mate? Hadn't noticed! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@rbproductions78]

But to be fair. Every BMW video of yours fully makes me want to own one.

[@KiwiCarLife]

Haha that’s good to hear! The right ones make for fantastic cars

[@stechnicalmike3058]

Why do people not like the wooden interior parts in the e90? It's really classy, I guess with the black interior it's not as nice but on a cream colored interior it's sooo good.

[@KiwiCarLife]

Errgghhh cream on wood is the worst! So old man looking! But each to their own

[@gruntabro1]

Ha I know that car , a year ago it was immaculate , old guy owned it , has a new starter motor, looks like the original wheels have been painted black

[@KiwiCarLife]

You’re the 2nd person to recognise it! Yeah seems like an old person had it as their low k’s pride and joy for about 5 years, then they must have sold it to a young fella who painted it up

[@gruntabro1]

@@KiwiCarLifeoh it has a new AC compressor as well before he sold it .

[@92Godzilla]

Needs some silver wheels asap

[@KiwiCarLife]

I think they look a lot better once I cleaned them up, but yeah my personal preference would be silver too

[@Robertpalmer-b5z]

if you dont mind me asking what did you pay for the 330i at turners.was it a good deal...just curios

[@KiwiCarLife]

3 grand, yeah that’s pretty cheap but as you would have seen you gotta put in the work to get it sorted again

[@Robertpalmer-b5z]

cheers mate . you are good at what you do keep it i enjoy the videos

[@dcvin2]

What did you use to reglue the headliner?

[@KiwiCarLife]

Shoe glue haha

[@Keaguan]

my mate had one of these 330i with a muffler delete sounded so good! sadly we got Tboned and it got written off 😢

[@ballistic0526]

@@Keaguan was the muffler delete too loud for daily use?

[@Keaguan]

@@ballistic0526 it actually was not too bad, u could hear the exhaust pretty decently with the windows down , with the windows up there was no drone from what I can remember

[@ballistic0526]

@@Keaguan good to know, I guess it depends on the piping used after muffler is deleted.

[@KiwiCarLife]

Yeah BMW's surprisingly don't drone that much even with a muffler delete not sure how. Jack has a muffler delete 540i and there's zero drone

[@CameronGroves4332]

How much did it cost bro

[@nickholmes1390]

second this

[@KiwiCarLife]

Got it for just under 3k

[@jizzle9746]

claim to fame will always be me n KCL owned the same car 😎 (130i)

[@KiwiCarLife]

Oh yes good car that was

[@keno88]

She’s right actually, does look like a shoe 😅

[@KiwiCarLife]

lol

[@LastChanceFossil]

Kiwi how can I contact you directly?

[@KiwiCarLife]

email: [e-mail] insta: @kiwicarlife.yt

[@zeroyon4562]

Where’s the oil leaks? It is a BMW after all.

[@KiwiCarLife]

None on this one!

[@toyosuba]

This or your old accord cl9?

[@KiwiCarLife]

I'd have to say this tbh. More power, nicer interior, more features, better automatic, and RWD

[@toyosuba]

@@KiwiCarLife no vtec yo though 😁

[@jugostran]

I have an E90, though it's a diesel, the driving experience shouldn't be too dissimilar. I'd trade it for an Accord in a heartbeat.

[@mvnorsel6354]

I want to ship my ' 380 ' to you, so you can detail it.😅

[@KiwiCarLife]

Haha I really must review a 380 sometime

[@henryscarsnz]

Ah yes the wood trim car

[@KiwiCarLife]

Yessss

[@henryscarsnz]

@@KiwiCarLifecheck the sunroof seals! They failed on mine and then the headliner and sunshade liner sagged

[@henryscarsnz]

@@KiwiCarLife what hill are you driving on at the end of the video? Might need to go for a spin

[@tybgycfmb8697]

@@henryscarsnz Yeah that looks like a nice bit of road, we wont tell anyone and ruin your spot dont worry ;)

[@henryscarsnz]

@@tybgycfmb8697 They ruined the Remutakas 🥲

[@victorwilks88]

Full of wildlife lol

[@KiwiCarLife]

HAHA yeah there were bits of wood and moths all through it

[@victorwilks88]

@@KiwiCarLife hahahah you a funny guy

[@Jhonjhonray]

N47 all the way ……..

[@KiwiCarLife]

Oh diesel strong

[@Jhonjhonray]

@@KiwiCarLife I did want a 130i but had the chance of an 120d for next to nothing. Still provides plenty of smiles around the country lanes 🤣

[@mpower8832]

Poland 😂😂😂

[@KiwiCarLife]

HAHA

[@P2DAPIPE]

Sexy music ❤

[@jamburna]

facts, someone ID that track

[@KiwiCarLife]

Haha it's farewell from gran turismo 5

[@benjaminwingchun9665]

Too bad all the wagons are 325i, 330i wagon would be more fun than an X3.

[@KiwiCarLife]

Yeah the only 330i's here are sedans. I'm a sedan guy so doesn't bother me but if you wanted one that would be annoying. Saw a 3.0si X1 the other day haha. Crazy a 3.0L I6 rwd SUV lol

[@benjaminwingchun9665]

@@KiwiCarLife big open space in the back is for the kid stuff, sedans all the way💪.

[@Hari-f7k8v]

Best 3 series ever made 🫀. Non LCI 330i

[@KiwiCarLife]

You reckon? I reckon the LCI looks nicer with the LED indicators but this is still good

[@jugostran]

​@@KiwiCarLifeas far as I know, and I could be wrong, the LCIs ditched the hydraulic PAS in favour of electric. To me this is a huge upgrade as in my opinion the hydraulic PAS in E90s is too heavy at low speeds, but for enthusiasts it's a definite downgrade.