The problem lies in that fact that you think it's going to be cheaper to swap in a LS than to mod and maintain your current engine. It's not. It sounds like you aren't doing the work yourself. After spending 10k on maintenance and repair on your current X (which by the way, you need to find a new shop), I'd be cheaper to mod your current engine.

LS swaps can be retarded expensive. I know a kid who dropped upwards of 60k to have a shop put a LS3 crate engine in his E30. Yeah, he got robbed, but that's what some shops do. It's easy to quickly find yourself in over your head.

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03 3.0i mt
89 325is