How did you get into E30's?

[K1CKBAC]

I was looking for a car to drive to work and would not care that much if it got stolen. That opposite happened haha, I started to care more if it got stolen as time passed.

[ZekeTheSneak]

I was wandering through a weird road in my neighborhood and saw my buddys room mate had a red 325is sitting out front. I immediately wanted to know what it was and what he was doing with it. I was probably 14-15 at the time and immediately went home and started researching e30s. I remember watching turbo s50 e30s on youtube way before most even knew what an e30 was. Since then I always had a dream of owning one but my first car ended up being a mk2 GTI, then a mk3 GTI. Eventually my buddy bought an e30 and it was downhill from there since we always had matching cars haha. I'm glad I finally bought one and mine has been seriously modified all on my own learning everything I can.

[S62]

My dad had 3 e28s (533i,535is, an M5) and I grew to really like them. That led me to start looking at E30s which I pretty much fell in love with,that simple yet everlasting style and that silky smooth six that bmw built its company upon.

[salvuhdor]

I was 15 years old.
My Father was the president of Board directors here in the Condominiums we live in.
This guy named Jeff had 2 cars and one of them was in a car cover.
My Father said the car that is coveredd needs to move b/c its been sitting for too long.
Jeff said he needed a mechanic to fix that car, He bought it off his friend for only a couple thousand.
Then at the time I was getting my permit, I told my father if he can offer him some cash for that car.
My Father offered him $200 initially and Jeff being lazy as it is was quick to accept only needed an Oil pan to get it up and running. This car had virtually no records then it was like tortured with Cut springs and modified parts that were unnecessary and mickey moused. I never wanted to put to much into it b/c the front end was welded on and could never get perfect alignment so I told myself in the future when I get a car I will put my last penny into it.
After further negotiation and when it saw the car I loved it, we bought the Car for $100 flat and it was no lie, we slipped in the new Oil pan and it was my daily driver for 4 years strong, Only needed to replace the transmission about 2 years back.
Later when doing paperwork I found it was 1984 325e Hennarot.
I fell in love with this car I didn't even know what I had! It was an e30 all my friends kept saying "dude nice e30!" I replied "it's not an e30 its a 325e."
That car is now in Mexico. While I just recently bought a very clean 91' 318is.

That's my story now and I'm 20. I am sure I wont drive anything other than BMW's or similar.

[Vivek]

I was looking to get my first car so I explored all my options. Originally I wanted an e46 but I realized that they were getting to be too much money for 14 year old me at the time (big surprise). I always liked bmws so I didn't really consider any other car companies. I never liked e36's so the logical thing to move towards was an e30.

[EatsHondas]

I DD'd my parents' 93 Mazda 626 all through high school and my first year of college while I saved up to get my own ride. I overheard a few of my college buddies talking one day and they kept using the term "E30." I had no idea what they were talking about at the time, so they told me it was the chassis code for the 80's 3-series BMW's. I didn't think about it for awhile, but as soon as I started Googling around, I fell in love with the look. An E30 front end is so damn perfect you know? Boxy and aggressive, like it's trying to eat the road in front of it when it's sitting still. Due to the age of them now, insurance is dirt compared to newer cars, they're relatively simple and easy to work on (minimal electronics, fantastic design for the most part), extremely durable when taken care of, and you get points with older enthusiasts and strangers who appreciate classic/older cars.

Before buying mine, the most I had ever done to a car was change the air filter, oil, monitor tire pressure, and fill it with gas. Now that I have a car of my own, I've been able to teach myself much more in-depth maintenance and general car know-how.

My E30 isn't just transportation for me. We have that relationship that a non-car person would never understand. I can't even walk away from my car without glancing back fondly a few times.

[decay]

something like 10 years ago i got bored of 240sx's and set criteria for my next car:

less than 3000lbs
rear wheel drive
six cylinder

that made for a short list; wound up with an '89 325is.

[JasonC]

I was looking for a cheap daily driver. And was told about some BMW. Went and looked at it, an 1985 325e. I liked the boxy look and price of $400. So I picked it up and drove it for a while. Then got another one since the 85 was getting wore out. They where both my first foreign cars. I'm heavy into domestics, and still have domestics and no foreign cars. I like them, but not in a rush to get back into one...

[lambo]

Friend had an '88 ix in high school. I loved the look of it so I decided that I wanted to get an E30 too.

[shameson]

Looking for a 3 series to dd, learn stick, and teach myself to work on cars. Ended up on the e30 and was hoping to find a 325is. Found one on CL for $1500. Went to check it out without driving it. The PO drove me around. Got back, offered him $1050 and he took it. Picked it up the next weekend with my roommate who drove stick. He drove it out of town then we swapped and I drove it back. I forgot there were these things call lights. All hell broke loose once we got to the exit. Killed it multiple times, held up traffic, etc. All while driving without a plate or registration. Just a piece of cardboard that said "applied for plate" on the back. We made it back and I spent the weekend driving around the neighborhood until I had my "ahha" moment with getting the car to move while in 1st.

Two years later and another e30 later I'm still in love.

Ya learning how to drive stick was certainly a fun experience for me too haha

[enigmaticdream]

Looking for a 3 series to dd, learn stick, and teach myself to work on cars. Ended up on the e30 and was hoping to find a 325is. Found one on CL for $1500. Went to check it out without driving it. The PO drove me around. Got back, offered him $1050 and he took it. Picked it up the next weekend with my roommate who drove stick. He drove it out of town then we swapped and I drove it back. I forgot there were these things call lights. All hell broke loose once we got to the exit. Killed it multiple times, held up traffic, etc. All while driving without a plate or registration. Just a piece of cardboard that said "applied for plate" on the back. We made it back and I spent the weekend driving around the neighborhood until I had my "ahha" moment with getting the car to move while in 1st.

Two years later and another e30 later I'm still in love.

[flyboyx]

when i was in college in 89/90, i had a roommate in the dorms who was from the canary islands, spain. his dad had an 85 320i. it was a pretty simple car and i am sure the euro bumpers didn't mean anything to him, but that car was so nice.

back at school, we used to get all dressed up in kaki's, button down shirts and ties. we would go down to the local bmw dealership in kalamazoo michigan and test drive all the 3 series cars. i really don't know if we fooled the dealer into thinking we were something other than dirt poor ass college students, but they always let us test drive whatever we wanted. we drove 91 m3's, cabrios, 318is's and ix's and would beat the crap out of them. at one point we even drove an e34 m5 , 850ci an a 750i. this is how i became hooked.

i made a promise to myself that i would one day build a car that was the best of an ix, cabrio and an m3. today, it probably sounds even crazier that it did then but that is the the project i have in my garage and am slowly working on while i drive my mtech 2 cabrio in the meantime. that reminds me, i really need to update my sig.

[flyboyx]

It's such a versatile car that its perfect for a lot of things. I love those classic euro and also am an American muscle/classic fan. Always wanted a 1955 Chevy Nomad wagon. Then again, if I could ever afford one, I couldn't have as much fun with it as I do with my e30

my neighbor has a rust free drivable 55 nomad that needs full restoration. it is for sale i guess but he really doesn't want to sell it. the price is 30 grand. it is a powder blue with white accents. i think the interior is white.

i grew up with 60's mustangs. when i was 16, my dad and i restored a 67 coupe that i drove to school and such. in parallel to your nomad, my "other love" would be a 67 fastback with rack and pinon front suspension, lincoln mark 8 independent rear suspension, and a late model dohc cobra engine/trans.

my dad still has a 67 convertible mustang to this day. i keep trying to get him to buy a cabrio e30, but just can't seem to push him over the edge.

[EREKSHUN]

My dad has owned 3 E30s growing up. So i have had fond memories in those vehicles. i remember being a passenger in his alpine 325 sedans taking weekend drives through angeles crest. what a drive and superior handling this lil car had. but in all honesty i was a huge American muscle fan (still am). im 29 and i have owned over 20 vehicles. about 2-3 years ago i bought my dads 3rd E30 for $1000. i am what you call a fanatic now. im on R3V EVERYDAY. reading everything and anything i can to further my E30 knowledge. i own a 2012 GT 5.0 which i love and a Cherry 79 Bronco but my 89 E30 is my absolute biggest obsession. i cant tell you how many nights including last night that i just lay there fantasizing about what parts i need to get and how my baby is going to sit so low and nice. yes i wish i dumped a couple grand into her before i bought my stang but i cant turn back time. i will take my build slow and low. i vow today here in front of all my R3V brethren to forever own a E30!

[fronton]

My dad bought my mom a slicktop 318is in 1993 when I was transitioning from micromachines to appreciating real cars. I in turn learned to drive in that car at 14, then drove it through college, and have been hooked since. We still have it in the family and daily drive it with over 300,000 miles on the original engine, paint, and interior. My oldest brother keeps meticulous care of it, along with my old e34 540i/6.

E30s never fail to deliver nostalgia and smiles. They also just never seems to fail.