Glutton for punishment. Bought yet another BMW.

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jennyafrank
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Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2022 3:06 pm
My E21(s): 1980 320i/a manual

Glutton for punishment. Bought yet another BMW.

Post by jennyafrank »

Greetings,

As I will be using this forum way more often than I should, I thought it best to introduce myself and my car. I'll post pictures once I get some taken.

Technically, I bought my 1980 320i/a 3 years ago. It was sitting in a field, and the owner swore it wouldn't start without a jump. First time I turned the key, he fired right up and off we went (the car, not the owner). We shook hands on the price (the owner and me, not the car -- it doesn't have hands, although it does have a mind of its own).

A string of bad luck meant I could not actually purchase the car, so it sat where I had left it. After spending the last 9 months recovering from injuries I got in a car accident last Summer, I found myself with a bit of an insurance settlement so I contacted the owner and yes, my little 1980 320i was waiting for me, no one had touched him (the car, not the owner) since I had. So last week I finally paid the man and hopped in ready to drive off into the sunset.

My 320i is very MAD at me. It allowed rats or mice to build a nest next to battery, nestled between the fuse box and headlights. Turning the key no longer starts the car straight away, but a sort of sad engine turn over happens before nothing afterwards. I noticed little gnaws on other wires - one on the spark plug wire is particularly noticeable. I can only assume under the nest the wires from the fuse box are also full of little gnaw marks or severed completely. I have to arrange a tow truck to pick up my angry little car. Then I will put on my big girl gloves, face mask, and begin nest eviction and relocation.

I'm sure my electrical woes are only just beginning. This isn't my first BMW, and it won't be my last. However, it is my first E21 (previously owned a 1974 2002; 1985 318i; and 1994 325i. I have the BMW logo tattooed on my back, as if the cars alone didn't cause me enough pain.) So hello, my new favorite friends on the E21 Forum! Any advice on what I should with the electrical mess would be appreciated.


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