WTB: An E30 for my Girlfriend!

[Black325e]

Hey everybody,

I have had my E30 for a few months and within that time, especially after seeing the cars at the BBQ tonight, she is dying for one! She is looking at ones at 4k or less, and she says she wants a 5-speed (I'm proud :D). It must be a 2-door, as well. Any color at this point. We have constantly checked craigslist, but all the ones on there at that price range are abused and ruined. We don't care if there is some minor exterior damage, with some wear and tear, but it must be in mostly good mechanical condition. If anyone has an E30 they want to sell, let me know! It'll be good to get her into one. :)

[Wschnitz]

4k can get you a clean ass E30 if you take your time and look. If your using craigslist always search for miss spellings and for every name you could call an E30 possible, sometimes searching just BMW brings up some that dont have e30 or any of the models (325is) in the name.

[JinormusJ]

Word of advice (and along the lines Wschnitz already posted)

Do not search "e30" on Craigslist, or at least, not exclusively. Anyone who sells an "e30" on CL knows what it is and is charging the e30 tax accordingly.

Instead, search your desired year and BMW, ie: "1988 BMW" "1984 BMW", etc. you will get the occasional e24, e28, or e34, but it's better than sifting through mountains for useless ads and overpriced buckets.

I found my 325iS by searching under "1988 BMW" for $700 in a posting describing "1988 BMW Silver - $1500" with hardly anything written and no pictures about a year and a half ago: I didn't even know if it was an e30 I called the guy about, but they said it was a "special sport package", so it was worth an inquiry

Granted, it was a piece of crap when I bought it, it was a 1989 325iS in my favorite e30 color produced (Lachssilber). I was more then content and very happy


Good luck man; market is slim picking these days, but deals are still out there if you know which rock to look under. I saw a couple late model 5-speeds for sale in the classifieds for roughly around your price range (give or take $500)

[MT325is]

Good luck! It's tough finding a good one. But they will pop up. Just don't rush it.
When I bought my second one I made an ad on Craigslist "wtb:1984-1992 bmw 3 series"
And about two weeks later this older guy called. I picked up a really clean car that needed a clutch and suspension bushing work for 1800. I was the third owner. A stack of receipts dating back to 1994 when he bought it.
So they are there, but if you search e30.. Then people that have modified them and killed them will most likely be the ones selling.

[TKuhl]

I just listed mine this weekend :(

http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/cto/4543441898.html

[MPLFoster]

I just listed mine this weekend :(

http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/cto/4543441898.html

i was checking this one out a couple days ago. looks good and seems to be taken care of...(although the filter on the MAF isn't CAI, would be better off with the OEM airbox). 5-speed too. Looks like just the ticket for the OP's girly... :up:

[Andy.B]

Welcome to the club. My GF got an e30 in the spring. The single best thing about her owning an e30 is she knows she gets my hand me downs when I replace parts...
When I swapped in coilovers, she gets my ST springs. When I buy new wheels, she gets my old Ronals. I have a much easier time selling her on my spending money on car parts...
The only downside is that now I get stuck repairing two of them.

[kye]

I like the wtb idea. I search BMW and browse the whole west coast by region when I have down time. Don't forget the best ones are gone within the hour most of the time so you have to search often... I'm still waiting to find the cheap e30 m3 unicorn.

[TKuhl]

i was checking this one out a couple days ago. looks good and seems to be taken care of...(although the filter on the MAF isn't CAI, would be better off with the OEM airbox). 5-speed too. Looks like just the ticket for the OP's girly... :up:

ah that is true. its one of those "it was there when I got it, on the list to deal with, but haven't got around to it yet" things....

I like that comment about it being easier to convince the GF to let you buy parts...maybe I should re consider and teach mine to drive this thing!