E30 BMW M3: Most Overhyped Classic? - AFTER/DRIVE

[carfantiti]

^ you have to understand something magical ,mythical ,amazing about a car that does not have to be huge HP to just make you love it!!!!I love fast cars ,I love the never ending need for speed.the e30 m3 satisfies me in a way no other car has even if the other car had 500hp!This might be one the most special things about this car.Just all put together in one little package.The high revving beautiful sounding s14 .the feel when you drive it.Funny you are hauling ass in this car at the stop light .It is a little taste of what the race car drivers must feel every day I step in the drivers seat.it is just true love for me I plan to be cremated and put in the gas tank:)

[BlackbirdM3]

What I find most interesting is the fact that of the big 3 front runners in DTM,WTCC ect from back in the day the M3 is the most valuable even though it was the middle priced car (between the 190 Cosworth, and the Ford Sierra Cosworth) The 190 was what, $80K new? Now you find them for $10-15K if not less. The Sierra is pretty rare and obscure here in the US (unless you call it a Merkur XR4Ti) so I'm not even going to consider it. Even so, an XR4Ti can be found racing 24 hrs of Lemons.

Yes, an E30 M3 is not cheap to keep on the road, but no limited production performance car is.

Will

[Herr Faust Schinken]

You know the e30 M3 going up in price just makes me happy to be honest.

Many many years ago someone on this forum, I forget who, told me that i wasn't a "true e30 m3 enthusiast." I think today I finally agree with him. I utterly love the e30 M3 styling, but never really cared enough about the drivetrain like a true die hard.

I am utterly obsessed with the e30 in general, and am perfectly happy experiencing it with a power plant different than the S14. If I so desired I would feel totally fine replicating the styling of the M3 on a 325i body, and let the "collectors" snatch the actual examples off the market. As unfortunate as it may be.

However, I think the part that makes me happy about all of this is simply where the normal e30 will go from here. I think as prices keep rising on the M3 so will the prices on the normal e30 models. I think this will eventually out price the youngsters, and the more mature enthusiasts that have some coin to spend but don't want to necessarily spend thattt much on an M3 will become more prevalent in the scene.

What's wrong with youngsters? Its not like all of us go around slamming our cars to the ground, a lot of us have tons of blood sweat and tears into our cars and trying to make them nice, I don't think any of us younger guys love our e30s anymore or less than older members do, I am a bit happy that prices have gone up in my area though even if it is for purely selfish reasons

[Thizzelle]

that car in video sounds like a ricer :(
I'm glad I got in at the right time, first car I bought right out of college and every upgrade was already in it from an old lady, she tracked it twice then gave up lol.
2 are cruising around my town an old man and old lady drive them. the old man has his so perfect but the other isn't, i left my# to call me if she ever wants to sell, we will see.

[pandaboo911]

The guy said the m3 is more "balanced" than the standard 325. I hope he wasn't comparing it to a stock 325 because that is totally inaccurate. The suspension is fucking identical, minus the front sway bar mount. The only difference is the spring rates.

I don't see anything wrong with replacing the s14, it's expensive and slow

Also they seem like total hipsters, and I quote, hipsters ruin everything.

/rant

[FredK]

It's a small distinction, but the front sway link position gives the M3 more leverage up front, and it has a slightly larger bar out back. Bone stock for bone stock, an E30 M3 rotates easier, and feels racier because of a faster ratio rack.

Now, the number of people that leave an E30 M3 bone stock is few, but it comes set up from the factory to be more neutral than an 325is.

[Kevinl]

The guy said the m3 is more "balanced" than the standard 325. I hope he wasn't comparing it to a stock 325 because that is totally inaccurate. The suspension is fucking identical, minus the front sway bar mount. The only difference is the spring rates.

I don't see anything wrong with replacing the s14, it's expensive and slow

Also they seem like total hipsters, and I quote, hipsters ruin everything.

/rant

but it has a 4 cylinder so it has better weight distribution that is the argument the M42 guys use

Having driven a E30 M3 and a 325is there is not a lot of difference in the performance

[blyguy]

There's not a whole lot of difference on paper, but it's more than 'fucking identical, minus the front swaybar mount'. If you drive a STOCK 325is back to back with a STOCK E30 M3 it's very noticable, especially at the track. Weight balance is similar, which is what makes the E30 a great car and the E30 M3 a great E30. I just sold my 318is and that car turned in quicker than any E30 I've driven, but at track speed the E30 M3 feels so much more planted and predictable. Ive never driven a modified 325 on the track so can't comment on that

I tend to agree with you on the hipster thing, I question the '$12k' motor rebuild myself.

And s14 makes plenty of power, and the delivery is fantastic even stock. There will always be faster and cheaper motors, but pulling an S14 out because of that reason is plain dumb.

differences:
swaybar mounting on the strut housings, (spring rate unaffected by suspension travel)
strut housings and steering knuckles with more caster
quicker steering rack
larger hubs and bearings

Bryant

The guy said the m3 is more "balanced" than the standard 325. I hope he wasn't comparing it to a stock 325 because that is totally inaccurate. The suspension is fucking identical, minus the front sway bar mount. The only difference is the spring rates.

I don't see anything wrong with replacing the s14, it's expensive and slow

Also they seem like total hipsters, and I quote, hipsters ruin everything.

/rant

[pandaboo911]

but it has a 4 cylinder so it has better weight distribution that is the argument the M42 guys use

Having driven a E30 M3 and a 325is there is not a lot of difference in the performance

The weight balance actually almost the same. The 325 has a whole lot more trunk tar than the m3.

I'm just saying the guy's statement that a standard e30 has snap oversteer and doesnt handle like an m3 is not accurate.

[QUKBMER]

If i could afford one right now i would pick one up. My dad had to choose between owning his 88m3 or his 67 camaro rs. Guess which one hit the chopping block. ............The m3.:( His still says that it was the best non us made car he has driven on the street. And he is not talking about straight line either. This coming from my dad who is 75 years old and raced a m1 pro cup car back in 1983 for Cenurty motors bmw in alhambra(he was the asst manager there in service).:up: These are not over rated vehicles by far at all. I wish he still owned it.

[word is bond]

School me if I'm wrong, pandaboo, but isn't the M3 more balanced? Weight is about the same, but I believe the weight distribution is slightly better, and it's got a wider stance.

Personally, I don't understand swapping out the S14. If you're gonna do a swap, why the hell would you start with an M3, or anything with an S-engine?

And yes, that guy is trying way too hard in the hair/clothes department.

[mikeedler]

I love my M3, but I would trade it in a econd for good 67 camaro a 70 442.
And I think my 325 feels nothing like my M3 when I am driving the 2.

[JRKOUPE]

That was a good review of the M3. I still can't think of another car I'd rather drive that was built after 1974.

Will

Will ..

your comment made me think ...post 74..thats a significant era of bad cars, post 74...

but here are a few..

MB 500E..built by both MB and Porsche

e28 and e34 M5....



some 911 variants...78-98 to start...sc, carrera, 964, and 993....

anyhew.....I never have fallen in love w/ the e30M3......Ive only driven 1..and it was very rough. But they do always seems to leave me on a track...lol

[King Mufasa]

I love the e30 m3 too but I'd trade for a supra or a Porsche in a heart beat

[89AlpineM3]

Driven back to back a stock M3 is a far better then the 325 was, as good as it was. The M3 was the purpose built bad boy to the everyday driver in the standard E30. I've driven BMW's for 17 years, and father 35 years. Of all I've own, even my DINAN S2 E46 M3 the E30 M3 is the best overall drivers car.
Now I am swapping in an S54 into the car but have the S14 being rebuilt aswell and well find its way back in down the road.