There are probably numerous "early vs late model differences??/" threads, and there are definitely a few web pages dedicated to the topic.However, none of them really touch on everything at once, so it's hard to get a clear understanding of all the changes.
That said, I'm curious to know not only the differences, but what can and can't be reasonably changed out on these cars. For instance, right now I'm looking to get my first E30 with as little money as possible. Just something with a straight, mostly rust-free body that I can fix up over time as money comes around and be left with a sense of accomplishment and a car that's truly perfect. Because my priority is that the car be dirt cheap, I'm not as concerned about getting one that's just right. At the same time, I really prefer the look of the early tail lights, but what if those come at the price of crappy engine management or a single trunk gas shock?
However, there are some things you can't reasonably be expected to change. It's easy enough to trim the plastic bumpers for a pre-facelift car, but rear wheel arches, tail lights, and things like that are beyond what a lot of people are willing to do. Motronic 1.1 to 1.3 is possible, but also pretty involved and it would be nice to avoid having to do it yourself.
So, what are all of the changes between model years of the E30, and which ones are nontrivial to retrofit onto a "wrong" model car? Personally I only care about the 325/i/e, but a lot of others are probably interested in the other models as well.
That said, I'm curious to know not only the differences, but what can and can't be reasonably changed out on these cars. For instance, right now I'm looking to get my first E30 with as little money as possible. Just something with a straight, mostly rust-free body that I can fix up over time as money comes around and be left with a sense of accomplishment and a car that's truly perfect. Because my priority is that the car be dirt cheap, I'm not as concerned about getting one that's just right. At the same time, I really prefer the look of the early tail lights, but what if those come at the price of crappy engine management or a single trunk gas shock?
However, there are some things you can't reasonably be expected to change. It's easy enough to trim the plastic bumpers for a pre-facelift car, but rear wheel arches, tail lights, and things like that are beyond what a lot of people are willing to do. Motronic 1.1 to 1.3 is possible, but also pretty involved and it would be nice to avoid having to do it yourself.
So, what are all of the changes between model years of the E30, and which ones are nontrivial to retrofit onto a "wrong" model car? Personally I only care about the 325/i/e, but a lot of others are probably interested in the other models as well.
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