Engine/Transmission Swaps - Thoughts

[bimmerR75]

Curious as to the general opinion behind M20 engine swaps/auto to 5-speed transmission swaps. As I have been searching around for a car I've noticed a lot of the cars on the market today have had one of the two (if not both) of the aforementioned things done to them. Is this generally something thats viewed as "okay" within the community, or is it usually much better to have a car with original motor, transmission considering most are 100k+ miles? Considering factors between two vehicles.

[Panici]

Curious as to the general opinion behind M20 engine swaps/auto to 5-speed transmission swaps. As I have been searching around for a car I've noticed a lot of the cars on the market today have had one of the two (if not both) of the aforementioned things done to them. Is this generally something thats viewed as "okay" within the community, or is it usually much better to have a car with original motor, transmission considering most are 100k+ miles? Considering factors between two vehicles.

I can't speak for the community, but I do see a lot of modified and swapped cars here on R3Vlimited.

I think it depends on what you want out of the car. If your plan is to resell it down the road as a classic, chances are an original unswapped and unmodified car will be worth more.

That said, I swapped my E30 from Auto to 5-speed. I'm also going to repaint it in a different color at some point in the future. Both of these will drop the resale value of the car from a collector's standpoint. In the end, i'm building the car how I want it, for ME to enjoy, not some potential future owner (I plan to never sell it).

Motor swaps can be a little more dicey. IMO it depends on how well the swap was done. I personally wouldn't have a problem with a well documented and well done swap, but I would have a problem with a job where corners were cut.

I'm personally on the fence about whether to eventually motor swap my car.
The M20B25 in mine is low mileage (100k miles), and that was behind auto trans.
I do have an M52B28+ZF320 out of an E39 sitting in my garage, the original plan being to build and boost that motor for the first E30 I had. (long story)
Now I am not so sure. Obviously a boosted M52 would be awesome and a lot of fun, but I don't want the car to loose "the feeling". The M20 gives the car a certain character. How it looks under the hood, how it sounds through a modified exhaust, and how it feels to drive.

I've got a lot to get sorted before I think about a motor swap though. I'd want the car to be perfect everywhere else, and i'd potentially strip the car down to a shell and get it repainted while the motor was out. Hopefully I'll have the space to keep this M52 kicking around until I have to decide. Moving in less then a year, we'll see how it goes.

[bimmerR75]

I can't speak for the community, but I do see a lot of modified and swapped cars here on R3Vlimited.

I think it depends on what you want out of the car. If your plan is to resell it down the road as a classic, chances are an original unswapped and unmodified car will be worth more.

That said, I swapped my E30 from Auto to 5-speed. I'm also going to repaint it in a different color at some point in the future. Both of these will drop the resale value of the car from a collector's standpoint. In the end, i'm building the car how I want it, for ME to enjoy, not some potential future owner (I plan to never sell it).

Motor swaps can be a little more dicey. IMO it depends on how well the swap was done. I personally wouldn't have a problem with a well documented and well done swap, but I would have a problem with a job where corners were cut.

I'm personally on the fence about whether to eventually motor swap my car.
The M20B25 in mine is low mileage (100k miles), and that was behind auto trans.
I do have an M52B28+ZF320 out of an E39 sitting in my garage, the original plan being to build and boost that motor for the first E30 I had. (long story)
Now I am not so sure. Obviously a boosted M52 would be awesome and a lot of fun, but I don't want the car to loose "the feeling". The M20 gives the car a certain character. How it looks under the hood, how it sounds through a modified exhaust, and how it feels to drive.

I've got a lot to get sorted before I think about a motor swap though. I'd want the car to be perfect everywhere else, and i'd potentially strip the car down to a shell and get it repainted while the motor was out. Hopefully I'll have the space to keep this M52 kicking around until I have to decide. Moving in less then a year, we'll see how it goes.

Thanks, seems like you definitely have some fun projects on your hands. I am definitely not looking to eventually resell (at least the moment), particularly because an E30 has been somewhat of a "dream car" of mine since I was a kid. That being said though the only main reason why I am concerned particularly is due to the fact that I plan to use the car as a daily driver. So from a maintenance stand point, definitely want to make sure everything on a swap would have been done to the T correctly so I don't have to fumble around trying to find the missing link to any problems in the future.

Looking right now at a fairly original (minus some exhaust upgrades, sound system, the "usual suspects" being replaced in a timely manner) 325is with 100k someodd miles but mostly in original condition. 2 owner car and a 1 owner 325i that has had both the engine and the transmission swapped.

decisions decisions