Might have to sell...

[bemmerguy714]

Off topic, but what are the wheels on the e46 pictured? Size? Specs? They look awesome.

[bimmer2288]

OP: You need to take charge of your own life and make independent decisions. I imagine there is a history we don't know about which would explain why your parents feel the need to make these decisions for you, but at some point you have to take charge of your life.

Mom and Dad shouldn't be paying for anything for you on a car. Get an income independent of any allowances from them (you're in college now?), and take responsibility for yourself and your cars. Drive whatever you want, but you need to take care of maint. E30's are not really money pits to keep running, there's really only a few things that I think you'd need to do on most of them to keep them running well.

[Mad Chemist]

Definitely stay away from e46s. I have spent a lot of money on mine. Search vanos, disa valve, oil nut, ccv, rear diff bushing, and coolant system. All of these are weak areas on the vehicle. I've replaced all of them and then some minus the vanos fix. Just my two cents. Best of luck

[MNE30]

OP: You need to take charge of your own life and make independent decisions. I imagine there is a history we don't know about which would explain why your parents feel the need to make these decisions for you, but at some point you have to take charge of your life.

Mom and Dad shouldn't be paying for anything for you on a car. Get an income independent of any allowances from them (you're in college now?), and take responsibility for yourself and your cars. Drive whatever you want, but you need to take care of maint. E30's are not really money pits to keep running, there's really only a few things that I think you'd need to do on most of them to keep them running well.

I'm in high school, but I work at a BMW dealership and i dont depend on them for any money. They both just don't like the E30, same reason I couldn't get an R6, my mom is avidly against it. She wasn't happy when I got the E30 but I did anyways since they can't tell me no. But they are getting pissed about it for some reason. I'm bringing the suspension up this week and I Found a silencer that should make it a bit quieter

[lcoleman]

I have to laugh at this thread, because I got my e46 when I was 17 and my e30 when I was....19, I think. Even if you bought a total wafflesing turd, it will still be WAY cheaper to maintain than an e46 of equal value. E46s have a few more years of depreciating before they bottom out, e30s are on their way back up.

If you can't do work on these cars yourself and money is tight, you probably shouldn't have bought a BMW in the first place.

[Mad Chemist]

If you can't do work on these cars yourself and money is tight, you probably shouldn't have bought a BMW in the first place.

Now that is the truth.