Looking into getting my first e30

[Carnifex]

Title says it, looking to buy my first e30, currently DD my mom's e36, as i still don't have a car, been looking at e30s, and i found a 325e, i believe it's an 87. The guy is asking 1200, and the only thing wrong with it is the tachometer doesnt work, or the blinkers.. No biggie.

But, i really don't want something this underpowered. I looked into the 2.7i stroker, but i think that'd be more work & maybe even more expensive than just buying an m50 swap. Basically , i want to build something that i can eventually turbo, or supercharge later on down the road. Not much mechanical experience, but i do want to learn, i also have a close family friend mechanic who could probably help me with the swap/stroker. I just don't know which would be more practical, leaning torwards the m50 as they're easy to find and i heard they're more reliable boosted.

[AdironRider]

327I is easy and cheap. With used parts you can do the whole shebang under 500. Good luck getting any decent M50 in there for that price, and its not really worth it compared to the stroker.

That being said, with little mechanical knowledge Id either start with a car you like the power of first, or focus on the maintenance before getting ahead of yourself.

[squidmaster]

Its faster than a miata

[Carnifex]

327I is easy and cheap. With used parts you can do the whole shebang under 500. Good luck getting any decent M50 in there for that price, and its not really worth it compared to the stroker.

That being said, with little mechanical knowledge Id either start with a car you like the power of first, or focus on the maintenance before getting ahead of yourself.

If it's easy, and cheap, then that's probably do-able. The thing is, i really want an e30, I've just narrowed it down to the 325i, 325e, or 318is.

325i would be my first choice, but its too hard to come across a decent one for the price..

And i don't think an m50 would cost me any more than 600? It sounds like a pretty simple swap too. Idk, just trying to pick one that would be better in the long run. I'm also not going to swap the engine the first thing i do.

[Carnifex]

"I don't want [my first car] to be this underpowered." that's the key sentence, you should get a 318i.

Not my first car, i have a miata right now, lol. and what would that solve?
Are you talking about the m42 or the 80's model?

[AdironRider]

You just said you don't have a car and are driving Mom's E36....

[Carnifex]

You just said you don't have a car and are driving Mom's E36....

Oh right, forgot i mentioned that, haha. Miata hasnt been running, really just lost interest in it.

[JasonC]

The 2.7i isn't as hard as it sounds. Seeing you're not even changing the stroke of the engine at all. Its just a top end swap. So I don't know why people call it a stroker anyways :???:

[Carnifex]

The 2.7i isn't as hard as it sounds. Seeing you're not even changing the stroke of the engine at all. Its just a top end swap. So I don't know why people call it a stroker anyways :???:

Idk, i'm just following after them :P

I think the harder part will be finding all of the parts ._.

[squidmaster]

The 2.7i isn't as hard as it sounds. Seeing you're not even changing the stroke of the engine at all. Its just a top end swap. So I don't know why people call it a stroker anyways :???:

I think we had this conversation about it being a new rev law to refer to the 885 top swap as a 327i or 2.7i

[Carnifex]

Its faster than a miata

I know this :P