should I buy the 325e, opinions please

[WORLDCITIZEN]

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/5545982296.html

So Ive been looking for about two months for an e30 I would prefer a 325i or 325is obviously but theyre are hard to find in my price range and if they are they are salvage title or really beat inside. I want something with seats in good condition. I know the 325e is not fast but it sounds like I can make it fast. Im a part-time college student, i have a job that pays well but I want a car to stance and clean up this summer and buy it for as little as possible to save money for all the goodies to put on it. I plan on painting it myself. is the E worth it? I also like the idea of the better fuel economy since im always complaining about gas haha

Heres an example of a 325i that I usually see in the area, and if they arent salvage they are usually high miles and overpriced:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/5616830608.html

[hwy84]

I'm also a bay area guy, and I know clean cars go for big money here.

I don't know anything about that Eta aside from what's in the ad - but I'll say this:

I've had every motor in an e30 except an M10. Eta, i, M42, S14. I LOVED my Eta. Every time I drove it. Every time I autocrossed it. Every season I won my class in autocross in it. At the track. On the street. Just a fun, torquey car. Seriously - Etas are a blast.

If you want to make it "feel" fast, just chip it to raise redline and make more power, and swap in a 3.64 or even 3.73 differential. They are easy to come by, and absolutely transform a chipped Eta into a torque monster that's fun and quick below about 70 MPH, and no slouch above that.

If the timing belt was really changed 1K miles ago - and they have documentation that proves it - that's a big plus. Lots of other things can go wrong of course, but it's nice to get an M20 that doesn't need a belt first thing.

Good luck!

[WORLDCITIZEN]

I'm also a bay area guy, and I know clean cars go for big money here.

I don't know anything about that Eta aside from what's in the ad - but I'll say this:

I've had every motor in an e30 except an M10. Eta, i, M42, S14. I LOVED my Eta. Every time I drove it. Every time I autocrossed it. Every season I won my class in autocross in it. At the track. On the street. Just a fun, torquey car. Seriously - Etas are a blast.

If you want to make it "feel" fast, just chip it to raise redline and make more power, and swap in a 3.64 or even 3.73 differential. They are easy to come by, and absolutely transform a chipped Eta into a torque monster that's fun and quick below about 70 MPH, and no slouch above that.

If the timing belt was really changed 1K miles ago - and they have documentation that proves it - that's a big plus. Lots of other things can go wrong of course, but it's nice to get an M20 that doesn't need a belt first thing.

Good luck!

Hey thanks man! I almost threw them completely out of my list when I realized they only rev to 4k!!! :|
But If you chip it to raise the redline do you have to swap out the gauge and how much does that usually cost? am I wrong about the 325i's in the bay area? Should i bother waiting to see if I can find one? thanks!

[tomstin]

I've only been in the E30 game for a year. My question is: How much work are you willing / capable to do yourself? These are 30 year old cars, they will require a lot of attention. If you are mechanically inclined, they are fun to drive.

[Rob Daman]

be sure it's smogged before if you take it. lawfully it's the seller's legal responsibility to do it. if he wanted to sell without a cert then i'd ask for even a lower price as that could alone be a money pit to fix.

price wise if it's mechanically sound and you know how to wrench yourself, it may be fun project.

[WORLDCITIZEN]

performance?

what about performance is it a pain to get them like a 325i?

[estoguy]

You had a thread on BF as well... seriously, I'd go for it. The Eta can be plenty fun. You don't necessarily need HP for fun. I've had my Eta out on cruises with much newer BMWs, and I can keep pace... and my car is stock. For an immediate jump in performance, look into a chip, they are cheap. Beyond that, do some research... stroker, engine swap, turbo, etc.

I'm thinking of going stroker, as I do have a line on a Stroker that needs to be put back together.

[e30onBBSs]

should I buy the 325e, opinions please

Going from an i car to an e car underwhelmed me. Its not terrible but I would hold out for an i car. The top 20% of th m20b25's rev range sounds so good its worth it just for that IMO