So long e30 M3s...

[Farbin Kaiber]

M3 owners are like liberals, you can mod your car as long as your mods fit within the framework we have deemed acceptable.

I say do whatever the hell you want, all you are doing is actively seeking your happiness while making the purists cars worth more money, the only purists that should be crying are the ones that don't own an e30 m3 or three yet.

If an e30 m3 Europameister or Cecotto was swapped, I might cry like the purists, but the others, there were more than 16,000 e30m3's produced, we are not talking about a Maserati Ghibli II of which there were less than 2200 produced worldwide.

[ravenlord89]

No point in really caring what someone does to an E30 M3 when they own it. Unless it happens to be crashing, poorly maintaining, or driving on wonderously salted Canadian/ North eastren USA roads.

I like the S14, and if I find my dream M3 it would probably remain in it. But an S54 powered M3 would be a ton of fun. Then just to annoy BMW people take the S14 and modify a Ford Fiesta to be RWD and drop it under the hood.

[reelizmpro]

I didnt say MORE desirable than a bone stock car,.. A bone stock car will always be worth more. But there is a buyer for everything. in 20 years guys will still have boners for(enter your choice of motor here)powered e30m3s .

It doesn't have to be bone stock. Let's remember these cars were modified from the factory. Having a car full of Evo parts, VAC/Turner 2.5L kit, etc will increase value so being bone stock never was an issue...it's having the "right" mods and having a car that's "all there." I think people have boners for the E30 M3 body no matter the engine but I would argue that in 20 years those guys with boners for engine swaps would have moved on to the next latest and greatest chassis/engine. I've seen this time and time and time again. The inherent "problem" with engine swaps besides completely changing the characteristic of the car is that there is no limit and as technology evolves, one would always look for more power and better engines, then the next owner is forced to do the same and so on. I've seen this with the first M50 swap, S50/S52, Euro S50B32, S54, S60/LSx,....??? If one needs to chase power like that, it may never end. It's a slippery slope. Remember Uwe's story?

This. Why does what someone else like factor into how you want to do things? Lots of people here are butthurt fags over stretched tires and lowered cars, but what do I give a fuck? I might goof on someone's car if it's real dumb (GL-E30) but why should anyone care what I say about their car?

Wheels can be changed in minutes and most of us have several sets. You can change them like shoes, you can't just change your heart that easily though. It's apples and oranges. It's just an opinion or friendly advice if you will. If you choose not to follow it, that's fine...it's your car. I think we can agree, we don't care much about what engine is swapped into a regular E30, in fact it makes sense going 24v. But 318/325's aren't known for their engine like the M3 is.

[cwatt]

I'm in Canada where there are equal parts salt as there is asphalt on the roadways. You're in California where your winters look like our summers.

I understand people wanting to get more power out of a car by swapping motors, but why do that to a car where part of what makes the car special in the first place is THE MOTOR?!?!?!!?! M20 powered cars aren't special, technically M42 powered cars aren't that 'special' either, but S14 powered cars are. You want to swap in a LSx? Go spend less money on a non-M and have more money to spend on the rest of the upgrades to keep up with the V8. The brakes on the M3 aren't up to snuff for that amount of power and speed, so you'll need to upgrade them. The suspension will be wrong, so that will need to be upgraded to something adjustable. For the wider wheels/tires needed to accommodate the grip needed for this set-up, just get the wider fiberglass or CF fenders that are out on the market, since they'll be evven wider than the factory M ones and easier to deal with adding (assuming you'll need the extra width BEYOND that of the M3's). Again, I can understand someone wanting to accomplish what they have envisioned as their 'dream car', but financially it makes more sense to use a non-M for the base of a swap (LSx, S38 or S5x), as well as making a run-of-the-mill non-M car that much more special by having done something like that to it. Doing that swap to a M3 just makes it less special.

This is gospel. Hallelujah. Seriously, I couldn't have put it better myself.

[cwatt]

opposite of a shame to me.
if you buy a car love it, drive it, maintain it.

I'm in Canada where there are equal parts salt as there is asphalt on the roadways. You're in California where your winters look like our summers.

[lambo]

The butthurt is strong in this thread

[keefy6]

Personally, I cringe, SMH and quickly move to the next car, page, video or whatever I'm doing at the time if an E30 M3 doesn't have an S14 in it.
(An S38 gets a pass, just looks sexy)

Everyone is entitled to do what they please with what they own, as much as I am entitled to my opinion.

[uberpanzer]

I understand people wanting to get more power out of a car by swapping motors, but why do that to a car where part of what makes the car special in the first place is THE MOTOR?!?!?!!?! M20 powered cars aren't special, technically M42 powered cars aren't that 'special' either, but S14 powered cars are. You want to swap in a LSx? Go spend less money on a non-M and have more money to spend on the rest of the upgrades to keep up with the V8. The brakes on the M3 aren't up to snuff for that amount of power and speed, so you'll need to upgrade them. The suspension will be wrong, so that will need to be upgraded to something adjustable. For the wider wheels/tires needed to accommodate the grip needed for this set-up, just get the wider fiberglass or CF fenders that are out on the market, since they'll be evven wider than the factory M ones and easier to deal with adding (assuming you'll need the extra width BEYOND that of the M3's). Again, I can understand someone wanting to accomplish what they have envisioned as their 'dream car', but financially it makes more sense to use a non-M for the base of a swap (LSx, S38 or S5x), as well as making a run-of-the-mill non-M car that much more special by having done something like that to it. Doing that swap to a M3 just makes it less special.

But what do I know, I'm just one of those 'M Purists' that may have been spotted yesterday blasting down the highway behind the wheel of a S14 powered Alpine White car with a big wing and flares....trying to sort out why I changed out to heavier wheels.

[word is bond]

This. Why does what someone else like factor into how you want to do things? Lots of people here are butthurt fags over stretched tires and lowered cars, but what do I give a fuck? I might goof on someone's car if it's real dumb (GL-E30) but why should anyone care what I say about their car?

Everyone has every right to do what they want to their car, but don't I also have the right to voice my opinion on those choices? They don't have to, and probably shouldn't care what I think, but I can still think it.

[Roysneon]

Life is short. Do what makes you happy. If an LSX in an m3 is what you want then stuff it in there. I dont think twice about modifying anything I own. I want to build as many cool cars and drive the shit out of them while I still can and I want to do them the way I want them. If a bone stock e30m3 is what turns you on , I totally get and respect that too. but in 20 years a well built modified e30m3 will be desirable as well.

This. Why does what someone else like factor into how you want to do things? Lots of people here are butthurt fags over stretched tires and lowered cars, but what do I give a fuck? I might goof on someone's car if it's real dumb (GL-E30) but why should anyone care what I say about their car?

[spdracrm3]

My opinion is, "there are 2 sides of the coin."

THIS: The only reason the M3 was made was to race; It was only put out to public because in MOST race leagues you must use a "production vehicle", not to mention a certain amount being sold in order to participate, I believe the Lemans was 1,000 units in order for any given Race car to qualify as a "production based race car"

Shelby had to do the same thing when he brought the Cobra over seas to face Ferrari, Thats why there are only so many Real Cobra units left, Ford only had to sell so many in order to meet requirements for the lemans series.

For this reason I consider the e30 m3 in most cases a thoroughbred race car, which deserves to be where race cars belong.

AND


THAT: Just like the Cobra, now that they're gone everyone is freaked out like we started off with 100,000 units and now we have xxx units left. The M3 will reach that point, and everyone is going to bummed. That is why preserving the history as we have been doing for thousands of years is important.

Buy two m3's

1. Race e30 m3 #1
2. Preserve e30 m3 #2
3.
4. Profit

thats why i have two....and a source for 2 spare motors and about 10 gearboxes

[rturbo 930]

opposite of a shame to me.
if you buy a car love it, drive it, maintain it.

I would normally agree with you, but road salt will destroy that car.

[GillesBigCowboy]

Race is the best use.

[blunttech]

Going to have to disagree with you on this.

I didnt say MORE desirable than a bone stock car,.. A bone stock car will always be worth more. But there is a buyer for everything. in 20 years guys will still have boners for(enter your choice of motor here)powered e30m3s .

[E30 Wagen]

in 20 years a well built modified e30m3 will be desirable as well.

Going to have to disagree with you on this.