Thinking about an e21...

[bmwmike]

oh baby

had a chance to buy an 82 with like 60k miles or something crazy low for dirt cheap, but after driving it, i realized the e30 was so much better

[motorprestige]

Its an E21. It has rust. You just can't see it.

Nyet, I checked the undercarriage. It's CLEAN.

[bmwm3n528]

Thanks much but, I was interested in the oppinions of the people that frequent this board.

Why? LOL

[Jand3rson]

That one that Cold Accord posted is pretty sweet. Hey, if you find one in nice condition, for the right price, for a cheap little commuter car, why not?

Hell, get one with a bad engine, and swap an eta engine into it. The perfect daily! 6 cylinder torque with awesome commuter car fuel economy, while still holding onto that "old school cool" of an old Bimmer.

[asubimmer]

Wrong place to ask about e21s. If you're interested in checking out one, check out this forum, www.bmw320i.com and his other website, www.e21parts.net

haha I know the guy who runs that...he's here in boone...he develops parts and stuff for e21's


he's a great guy and really knows his stuff. You should talk to him if you want a e21...Fred's his name...PM me or something if you want his contact

[bmwm3n528]

haha I know the guy who runs that...he's here in boone...he develops parts and stuff for e21's

Thanks for the news Charlie. :D

[asubimmer]

Thanks for the news Charlie. :D

haha I know many people and have countless connections ;) why do you think I got into bmw's :twisted:


BTW he was going to come to the gboro meet but he was sick and couldn't make it

[vt.bimmer]

E21's are kinda cool looking, that's about it. The interior is very dull and dated, add to the fact that they handle like SHIT, even with gobs of money thrown under the car. Aside from that, you'll be hard pressed to find one in good shape, most are on their way to being rustbuckets or worse, or have their fair share of dents and dings. There's also hardly an aftermarket for them, just about any kind of body styling is going to be harder to find than a needle in a haystack, and most of it will either be Alpina, BBS, Zender or OEM BMW, all of which aren't easy to find. Especially in the US. Pretty much the only E21 worth throwing down the cash on would be a euro 323i, unless you're planning an engine transplant. I've seen a few with S14's, and a couple with stroked M20's. All very quick, but still just not kicking, IMO. There's just not much to them, and even more to a point, not much FOR them.

If you're hellbent on modding one, then by all means, go for it. After seeing examples like the ones you posted, along with countless others (PBMW showcases badass ones all the time), I've often been tempted to pick one up. But keep in mind, you'll be going from an old BMW to an even older one, with even more hiccups, knocks, rattles, dings and god knows how many other little issues on top of what your E30 may have had.

I just wanted to clear a few things up for anyone who may be thinking about buying a e21. First off the interior is not far off from a e30. Just about the only difference between the two are the dashboards. The e30 dash is a bit more refined but a proper e21 dash is still classy without looking vintage. The e21 cab is slightly roomier. (more head and shoulder room)
The handling is absolutely superb with the right setup and whithout throwing gobs of money down.
I do agree that finding a non rusted e21 whether its a 320, 323, Alpina, or Hartge is like finding a needle in a haystack. All the more reason to grab a good one while you can.
Parts are easy to find. There are sources for each of the suppliers you have listed above even in the US. Not to mention parts cars galore.
The euro 323 is definately a good choice but are by far more rare then US spec 320i's.
The basic 320 has a M10 engine which is easy to work on (remember there are no computers) and as far as modding the possibilities for engine transplants are endless.
As far as using it as a daily driver, I think its a great car for that, but you will need to spend money just as you would any other car to keep it running reliably.
"There's just not much to them, and even more to a point, not much FOR them"
What isnt there for them? I can get anything you need for a e21.
I'll leave you with these tidbits

[vt.bimmer]

Oh yes and my Alpina with big ass US spec bumpers.

[ColdAccord]

was that on ebay a couple weeks ago?

i swear i saw an alpina with u.s. bumpers on there within the past month

[ColdAccord]

is that an m50 in the black one with the rs's?

[Jand3rson]

Good god, those 2 are fucking badass. I love widebody cars.

[vt.bimmer]

was that on ebay a couple weeks ago?

i swear i saw an alpina with u.s. bumpers on there within the past month

Yes, that was mine. Im going to look at another e21 Alpina B6 2.8 near me if you can believe that. Of the 533 made and maybe 20 imported to the states during the grey market 2 of them have been right under my nose here in this little corner of New England.
This is what the one Im going to see should look like. Cypress green. I just hope its in good condition.

It has the euro bumpers like in the pic and also has the alpina front spoiler (not pictured).

[vt.bimmer]

is that an m50 in the black one with the rs's?

I cant quite remember but I think your right. That car was stolen and stripped.

Eurospeed: Heres a wide one for you. It has a '95 5 series motor and a M3 tranny. 285's in the front and a staggering 325's in the rear. If the flares were smooth and didnt have the cutouts in them it would look better IMO. But still this thing is crazy wide.

[Addissimo]

here is an oppinion for you:

Germans have terrible taste in music.

Dip that in some ranch.

I have thought many a time about getting a 323i and doing something crazy with it- I got an e34 540i6 instead.

-Addis