How much has your e30 cost you?

[E30ruben]

Current DD 91 318i..
Car: $720
Radiator support pulled: $100
Sportmaxx XXR 002 wheels & brand new tires: $460
Paint for hood and bumper: $100
Hood off of parts car: $0
Valence/fogs painted: $0 (guy i bought the car from gave them to me)
Headlights off of parts car: $0
Fan clutch: $20
Lowering front end: $0
Lowering rear end: $40
iS spoiler: $45
Reg/transfer/smog: $150
Total: $1635 give or take a few.

[BigBoySwag]

Car:950

thats it.

[ECVCHAMP]

I do not want to know so I don't have to lie to the wife

[stamar]

Hey if you do it for fun etc then youre where its at.

Trying to sell a car for above kbb happens all day, thats why its an average. But in the internet age it gets less and less realistic. The main thing I wanted to show with the current kbb, is that in a year the value has gone down the tank, and its very realistic to think that within a few years all e30s will be worth under 1k.

Im sure a lot of people check kbb of their car but then never do again until they sell it.

If youre doing it cause you have fun thats excellent.

I think the op was attempting to seperate wear and tear that you would have to invest in any car like tires and oil, and what you had to invest to get your car up to speed, how you wanted it etc.

So all cars break down, replacing the alternator happens to any car lets say. But my car came needing a paint job? Yet if I shelled it out, it would exceed what I could realistically sell it for. I mean but maybe make me happier and I dont intend on selling it anyway. But its important to think about its value... when its important. These are not porsche 911s and honest truth, I see e30s for sale in california all the time for 1500 $ or less that people dont even bother to come look at.

Ya every car has a different pocket book. Ive done personal courier work with my bmw and with other cars so I always have a ledger of what it cost per mile. Ideally I also sell them for what I got them for unless I really like them and hold onto them until they are too old.
Thats about where all of our e30s are right now imo.

[gtdragon980]

Wow, I have invested maybe....

Tires - 400
Suspension - 700
Wheels - 900
Front end rebuild - 400
Misc items - 300

Probably around 2700 bucks!

[F34R]

About 19k to date, I stopped adding late last fall before I undertook the motor rebuild/turbo path. So I am guessing around 23kish
I know I will never be able to sell for what I put into her, but I know it is better than a new car and faster than what I will ever need ;)

I know my suspension is about 3,500 alone...more than most total priced in here

Sure I could have had a e46 M3...but I don't think about it xD

[blueapplesoda]

From the point I purchased my current car (not including my first e30), as of now probably somewhere upwards of $28-32k over 6 years. Tons and tons of experimentation with different parts and everything you can ever imagine. I'd say a little less than 3/4 of that is on the car, the rest went to "e30/automotive education fund" aka learning how to build e30s and the garbage bin full of junk parts that we all spend too much time acquiring. For instance, an e36 5 lug swap with non-m parts, which eventually got replaced without ever being installed, and stuff like that.

My motor alone cost me about 5 to build it plus my time, then the turbo parts another 3, ems, 5 lug swap, coilovers, suspension bushings and upgrades, wheels, tires, interior bits, cages, gauges, seats, paint, cosmetics like headlights and things, custom bits I've made/had others make, Lots of stuff. Not to mention maintenance...

Cars are money pits. At least I like throwing money at it. I'm rewarded everytime I pass a newer sports car down the street or the freeway; I love the look that guys have on their face, after spending $70-120k on their brand new whatever, just to have their ass handed to them by a 25 year old box of bolts. It really is satisfying.

Derek
DedericMS

[F34R]

Cars are money pits. At least I like throwing money at it. I'm rewarded everytime I pass a newer sports car down the street or the freeway; I love the look that guys have on their face, after spending $70-120k on their brand new whatever, just to have their ass handed to them by a 25 year old box of bolts. It really is satisfying.

Derek
DedericMS

^this right FUCKING there! That is my answer to all my moron friends with new cars. Why did you not just buy a NEW car blah blah blah. That one will never be good LOL wait till the haters cannot keep up with a flying brink from 87 xD

[Vegas227]

1984 318i- $1300
Ansa muffler- $100
Straight pipe 2 inch- $80
then the guy that did work to it screwed it up to the point where the piping cracked all over and was not really worth fixing so I got another straight pipe put on.
Straight pipe 2.5 inch with Z3 muffler- $100
CAI- $100
Brake pads- $50 IIRC
Stereo + door seals + ashtray + speakers= $50
Glovebox lock- $25
Shift boot- $8 (POS)
Fog lights- Oreily fog lights- $20
2 new high beams- $15
Timing chain- $15
Timing chain cover- I think my dad found it for like $80?
New Idle Control Valve- $110
Idle Control Module- $200
Thats all I can think of that I have done to it...

Total- $2253 give or take some change..

[Rsully70sev]

You seem to be seriously delusional. do you think we put this money into our cars as an investment? Did you actually think you were gonna make a profit from these cars, or even make your money back. Hahaha. We don't do this for money, we don't do this for an investment, we do it because we love the cars. While other people blow their money at the bars or on drugs or parties, we spend our weekends shoulder deep in our motors replacing a part neglected for years. Why? Because we are e30 owners, we are not rational money mongering old farts, well some are, we are drivers, racers and backyard technicians we do this for the love of the car, not love of our wallet.

AMEN. Great response

[jasonbk]

For last seven months:
$4000 for 91 316i german import (PO spent $$$ in stealership to fix everything after I put deposit though)
$5 for brake bulbs
$2 for citylight bulb
$20 air filter
$150 nardi steering wheel
$80 nardi boss
$25 shift boots, ebrake boots
$15 leather ebrake lever
$30 wood&leather shift knob
$10 new rear centre console
$10 new gas filler cap
$100 inspection, fluids, oil flush before the winter
$25 rubber mats
$5 neck pillow
$20 butt warmer

[e30lov]

91' 318i 4 door - $800 - Thelma build thread
10 iS lip clips - $9
2 qt oil - $7
Shop Supplies - $14
-
My Labor - 12 hrs so far.

[JeremyE30autox]

About 7k and countless hours of my time in the year that I have owned it. But its mainly my race car, that I drive pretty much daily right now.

Worth all the blood, sweat, tears and every penny

[JeremyE30autox]

I know my suspension is about 3,500 alone...more than most total priced in here

Sure I could have had a e46 M3...but I don't think about it xD

Word.

Not quite that deep myself yet, but by the time I am done with the SM build I will be there.

[Jand3rson]

You seem to be seriously delusional. do you think we put this money into our cars as an investment? Did you actually think you were gonna make a profit from these cars, or even make your money back. Hahaha. We don't do this for money, we don't do this for an investment, we do it because we love the cars. While other people blow their money at the bars or on drugs or parties, we spend our weekends shoulder deep in our motors replacing a part neglected for years. Why? Because we are e30 owners, we are not rational money mongering old farts, well some are, we are drivers, racers and backyard technicians we do this for the love of the car, not love of our wallet.

A man after my own heart.