How much have u guys spend on ur E30? [updated with pic]

[mrcheezle19]

I totalled my slips last year and thought of how I could own a clean e30 M3 with that money. I guess you just form a bond with what you build and endure with mistakes and broken bits along the way.

Stuck Fur Stuck

yeah that's what I thought about the other day to. I could have saved the money I spent on my current e30 and all the money I've dropped into my turbo build. I couldn't be happier with my current e30 though. I'll hold onto it forever.

[hkloverinus]

I haven't find any rust yet, I am still not sure yet. Just bought it one month ago. So far I really love this little car (I know is big for most of you out there since there is a lot of love out there including me) I know the sale market for this car is very small, no one will like to sell there E30 once they get into it. This is just too classic and fun to drive with. That is a bump for me when the mechanic tell me about the leaking. I think I will buy another E30 after this if I sell it. But the market is way too small for me to find another one.

[Jean]

These are 25+ year old cars, of course they are going to need work or you'll be paying top dollar for an example where everything has been done.

[JinormusJ]

Not that anyone cares to see a complete breakdown, but this is straight from my clipboard

E30 BUDGET
--------------------------------
$700 - Car
$115 - Battery
$30 - Blower Resistor
$15 - Wrinkle Paint
$185 - Timing Belt + Parts
$60 - Cluster Rings x2
$25 - Trunk Liner
$20 - 318 Harness Cover
$20 - Valve Cover Gasket
$20 - Basketweaves Caps
$80 - New Bumper/Backseat
$10 - Tools
$80 - Smog/Registration
$50 - Exhaust
$50 - Lachssilber Paint
$40 - Sport Seats
$15 - Front Tow Hook Cover
$30 - Airbag Bolster
--------------------------------
$1495 TOTAL
--------------------------------

So far into the iS $1.5k with the initial buy, but planning to Benito it $4-5k by the end of the year with an iS lip, 5-speed swap, wheels, and lowering.

[hkloverinus]

I got this little boy for 2.6k. It is just none out here in North Cal bay area with 5 speed manual with a better condition

[K1CKBAC]

Planning to drop 7k more into my car in two weeks so about 10k total.

[hkloverinus]

$22000 on my mtech2
$18000 on my '89 325i
$16800 on my '90 M3

there is nothing like a 100% refreshed M20b25, it all the power you need to have fun. it's not fast, it's pure fun and then you add on the sound it makes and you will smile forever.

Damn bro, you have way too much E30 haha, so how much will that be if i want to swap with b25? did you swap one?

[Van Westervelt]

Doing a stated value policy on my projects from now on. The receipts from years of parts and building are staggering. No labor included.

Its pretty easy to have 30-40k into your car. 50-75k if you are doing the entire car as a restoration and paying for labor.

After hearing and experiencing some losses, I wont put a project car on the road unless its insured for replacement value. Period.

All that said, if you cant wrench on one of these after reading on here and getting a good set of tools and a Bentley, and you cant afford to drop it off and have it maintained, sell it and get a Japanese car.

[e30trooper]

You guys are crazy.

my 327i
1000 car
600 I head conversion
75 LSD
all new mounts/seals/sensors 200?
remus exhaust 50
OZ wheels 200
150 for tires
thats about it :D
so what maybe a total of 2500 at max.

My newest e30
1500
new wheel/strut and used front tires 170
new control arms,cabs,sway bar links, tierods etc 350ish?
2100 give or take

My total spent net worth for both cars are about 5k. Cars/parts worth maybe 6.5k

However Ive been pretty lucky on sourcing cheap good parts :D

[obes]

ALOT has been spent LOL

[hkloverinus]

Doing a stated value policy on my projects from now on. The receipts from years of parts and building are staggering. No labor included.

Its pretty easy to have 30-40k into your car. 50-75k if you are doing the entire car as a restoration and paying for labor.

After hearing and experiencing some losses, I wont put a project car on the road unless its insured for replacement value. Period.

All that said, if you cant wrench on one of these after reading on here and getting a good set of tools and a Bentley, and you cant afford to drop it off and have it maintained, sell it and get a Japanese car.

THANKS FOR WAKING ME UP. I have been driving random car for a long time, most of them are japanese car. That's why I get to this point, too sick of driving those totally "not fun to drive" car. Even like Lexus IS, still not giving me a JOYful feeling, even tho is fast enough for me. But after I got this E30 I have been happy since. Thanks I think I save some money and fix it up

[F34R]

You guys are crazy.

My wheels alone cost more than most e30s on here. I mean...I have more in my two front inserts than JinormusJ or my sister(same price) up there with the 700.00 e30.
You can build it cheap and right, but to build it for other reasons really adds up fast. I do all my own labor, right down to custom fabrication. You learn as you go and it is wise to listen to sage members that have been there and done that. I did not listen when I did my first coilover kit and bought Bilstein sports, just total shit of a insert and shock(same design since the 80s).

I am now going another route and selling off my UUC BBK and Massive booster delete kit. Full under dash triple MC wilwood setup with IE BBK F/R that is better suited to my planned 550hp goal.

I spent 250 on the rolling shell.

[e30trooper]

Yeah I know it grows fast. I have over $400 in a set of headlights... Yes Headlights

When I first built them 2 years ago. For the first time since them I took them off the 327i because I thought I was going to sell the car their now sitting in a box lol.



$150 Bosch smileys
$100 fx-r's
$100 new pair of philps bulbs
$50 on used bulbs
$60 on ballast
$30 in parts and tabs to make the retro fit work
and it keeps growing. They need a over haul lol

[mrcheezle19]

My wheels alone cost more than most e30s on here. I mean...I have more in my two front inserts than JinormusJ up there with the 700.00 e30.

You can build it cheap and right, but to build it for other reasons really adds up fast. I do all my own labor, right down to custom fabrication. You learn as you go and it is wise to listen to sage members that have been there and done that.

I am now going another route and selling off my UUC BBK and Massive booster delete kit. Full under dash triple MC wilwood setup with IE BBK that is better suited to my planned 550hp goal.

I spent 250 on the rolling shell.

I'd love to grab a wilwood pedal setup, those look fuckin nice. Too bad the turbo build is taking all my money. No matter what whenever you say I'm done there is always 1 more thing. I must digress.

[F34R]

Spending money on my e30 is a no brainer, I never even think twice when buying parts. But little things like a drink or dinner out, movies etc. All little meaningless things just eat me up. That is a chunk of these parts I need, or that is a bit in the turbo fund jar. I have been throwing any and all spare cash at this car since late 2010. I am on my third engine path and 3rd set of wheels and 3rd redesign of suspension.

Each and every step was respectable and great, but not perfect.

Things I have left before I can call my e30 perfect to myself:
4" GC special order rear spring(lose that 1/2")
20mm spacer in the rear to lose that 5mm of offset
IE WILWOOD 310MM front and 290mm rear(Not 100% sure on 310mm as I am mulling over 6UL 15x10 wheels for SCCA)
Wilwood triple underdash mount booster W/ pedals
6pt cage
fuel cell with all new SS fuel lines (255 pump)

Comp CT43 turbo
MS2/MS3x
dual tail 38mm WG
and all other needed bits for turbo action.

That above is easy in the range of 6-10k

Long term is to follow Boomer and do a C4 rear conversion on the suspension.