How much has your e30 cost you?

[mtechnic]

Including the price of the car, I am probably over $12k. I don't want to think about it right now...but at the same time, I am not complaining. I expected it. You have to pay to play!

[Ninz30]

I've lost track and I d like to keep it that way :)

[nando]

I don't get why being an M3 matters. M3s are cool - but I want to drive my car. I'd feel really bad about dding an E30 M3 that I'd put $40k into restoring/modding. besides - performance wise there's nothing really that special about a stock E30 M3. The chassis is a little stiffer and you get slightly wider fenders, but the stock motor is still anemic and the suspension is still 4x4 1980's. a $40k E30 might not be an M3 but with a euro S50 it's going to spank pretty much any road-going M3, unless it has a similar swap.

I wouldn't mind having an M3 to resto-mod, maybe I will if I get bored of my car, but I would be totally afraid to drive it to work every day (and I certainly wouldn't drive it in the rain, or snow - which is like 6 months of the year here). at least I know my current car is worthless, if it gets wrecked I can fix it or take off the cool parts and put it on another E30. :p

Bigger things I've paid for:
$1000 for standalone stuff
probably $1000 for dyno time
$1500 for custom exhaust
$5000 for the bottom end and headwork
$900 for a quality CF hood
$3500 on a shitty paint job (paid for by insurance, but still...)

I've also had 7 sets of street tires and 4 sets of race tires, plus 6 sets of wheels. that shit adds up!

hell, I've spent almost $4k on a current project and I don't even have the biggest part yet. :| but if it makes you happy, what's the problem?

[Swamp Eagle]

Including the price of the car, $2283.00.

Purchased at the end of September.

$1000.00 - 1985 325e
$221.00 - TT&L
$400.00 - 318 Slicktop (donor car) - mint dash, weaves, bottle caps, (with tires), IS window trim, IS trunk w/tail fin), mirrors, valence, plastic bumpers, floor pans.

Remainder - Sport seats, rear seats, carpet, door cards, steering rack, console, waterpump, timing belt (and all that goes with it), ellipsoids, exhaust, power steering pump bracket, alternator bracket, new belts and hoses, antenna.

I'm sure I missed a few bits. About half these parts won't go on until spring. Money was made back from the donor car. Almost a 'break even'. I still have the old sport seats and rear seats to sell.

Aside from a small coolant leak and a smidge of oil seepage (oil pan, or cam seal), all that will be left is, body work + paint (something reasonable: budgeted $1500.00 approx), sound system, AC, LSD, and new tires.

Nice to have: An M50 swap. Not dying to have it. (Will depend on the deal.)

That's about it for me. Just goes to show, if you watch the spending and do a fair amount of 'wheeling and dealing', you can get into a decent little e30 without breaking the bank. My car isn't pretty...yet, but with the odometer broken at 194k miles, I've been putting 250-300 miles per week on her and it's a smoothing running, peppy little ride.

Didn't mean to be so long winded. Wow, there is some serious coin being dropped out there. My hat is off to you folks.

Take care,
Matt

[AsharC]

about $2000 just to keep it alive. I dont have the car anymore.

[mtechnic]

i hope to god you know ferraris' engines are behind the driver.

There are/were many front engine Ferraris.

[QUKBMER]

I have never thought about it. Lets look over the last 11 years.Mmmmm i don't care she's mine and thats all that matters. If i did i would probably break down.

[Bryan///]

...3000 for the car...
Euro headlights and grills
Head unit
Suspension
Recaro's
Maintenance
Dssr
Spoiler
Obc
Shift knob and mech wheel
...probably more but those total about...2500

So 5,500 spent since December 3rd when I bought it..

Could have bought a dented and trim missing bronzit off Craigslist from some older Hispanic guy who replaced the engine but he wouldn't meet me closer and seemed a little shady with a price of 2200...instead I bought a worse condition brilliant rot from a mini dealer for 800 more...

If only he would have met me a little closer.....

[csermonet47]

Approaching 20k I would say ...

[M3TROY]

I don't get why being an M3 matters. performance wise there's nothing really that special about a stock E30 M3. The chassis is a little stiffer and you get slightly wider fenders, but the stock motor is still anemic and the suspension is still 4x4 1980's.

yea i think people tend to not realize this and put the M3 on a pedestal that's not really realistic.
yes its won tons of races but just as many could have been won on the basic e30 chassis with the s14 motor in it in my OP.

that being said i love the e30 m3 and either that or the 2001 Mz3 coupe will be my next project ;)
but to be honest no matter what else i buy (new or old) the e30 vert has my heart.
as i said before ive had 3 e30 m3s over the past 7 years, sold them all but never once during all that time did i ever consider selling my vert...EVER!

[Joe G]

6 years, a pint of blood, 3 gallons of tears, 41 sleepless nights, countless sexual encounters with an angry girlfriend, oh yea, and about $17,000.

[OniKyan]

yea i think people tend to not realize this and put the M3 on a pedestal that's not really realistic.
yes its won tons of races but just as many could have been won on the basic e30 chassis with the s14 motor in it in my OP.

Not in a Convertible, which is by far the worst of the E30's.

Some n00b decided the E30 chassis wasn't floppy enough so they chopped the damn roof off. Awesome idea.

[Ian Bowers]

I think that's why he said 'basic' E30 chassis.

Btw omg E30m3 /fapfap.

[TrentW]

Coincidentally, I just added the M Tech 1 rear spoiler I bought and was adding it to my running total today and it's at $13,355.61.

Originally paid $400 for the car. ;)

[SimplyDope]

Over $15k and I still have an m42 ;)