Some 24v swap questions

[matt]

Well, maybe. There are always tradeoffs... you'll have the oil pan, but you'll need motor mount arms and a different radiator. If you get an e36 325i, you'll have a radiator to use but you'll need an oil pan and pick up.

The best parts car is the one that's cheapest and runs the best and provides the best combo of parts for the price.

[Turf1600]

In all seriousness... there are trade-offs to EVERYTHING. I can tell you the best way to do a swap, but what I'm really telling you is either A) this is how I did my swap and its great or B) this is how I did my swap, but if I did it again, I would change X, Y, and Z.

Answers are no substitute for understanding.

My swap is a practice in economy and reliability. That is all. I want a more modern motor with equal or greater power and better fuel economy. I've been working on a buddy's s52 swap so I understand the details. I just want to buy the most beneficial parts car. Which seems to be a 93-95 525i.

[Turf1600]

e46 M3.

Yeah - I'll go buy the lowest mileage example I can and part it out for my $1100 e30.

[matt]

In all seriousness... there are trade-offs to EVERYTHING. I can tell you the best way to do a swap, but what I'm really telling you is either A) this is how I did my swap and its great or B) this is how I did my swap, but if I did it again, I would change X, Y, and Z.

Answers are no substitute for understanding.

[matt]

e46 M3.

[Turf1600]

Searching is not difficult, it's time-comsuming. Go put your time in like everyone else and come back with specific questions, not "give me a complete parts list". All the info is in the stickied thread or the wiki.

Every thread is a freaking argument with no straight answers. Even the billion page comprehensive 24v swap page is full of bullshit. I can easily find 3 or 4 different conflicting answers to the same question. Don't automatically assume I haven't searched and spent a lot of time reading.

Easy question: What's the best available parts car for a 24v swap?

[madjurgen]

Searching is not difficult, it's time-comsuming. Go put your time in like everyone else and come back with specific questions, not "give me a complete parts list". All the info is in the stickied thread or the wiki.

[Turf1600]

Say I was to buy a complete parts car - what is the best one to get?

95 or so 525i?
Would a later 5 series work? Like a 528?

Also, what is the main difference between the performance of vanos vs non vanos? Difference in fuel consumption?

If I was to purchase a 92-95 525i - what else would I need to make it fit and run in an e30?

I know all of this info is out there - but most of the threads are non technical and scattered with misinformation. Therefore searching is difficult.