So long e30 M3s...

[reelizmpro]

Fusion, at least it was driven to a carshow and enjoyed. I know of several m3's that have been stashed away long term, some have even been in pieces for years because the owners are so anal. A couple of guys don't drive at night because they believe the risk of having an accident is higher. It's crazy but then they also have the most immaculate cars. They don't care about bragging rights or notoriety. They covet the car.

Great deal Steve...$4500??? Wow, it is nice to be in the business. No need to explain yourself. Do what makes you happy. The thing is if everyone did swaps...we wouldn't have any s14 powered m3's left and that's a shame. A Mc Henry once stated, don't worry there will be plenty of (s14 powered) M3's left...swapping a few wont make a difference. Fast forward 10 years and we are seeing the effects. Over half the m3's for sale now are swapped with different engines.

[blunttech]

Steve,

the fortunate thing is you and a few others have worked in your favor. Which is great to your company and wallet.

good for most

Not sure if you know the full story on my car. I had 4500 into it total...
sold the s14 and tranny for 7100 bucks (separately) So I have negative 2600 bucks into my car. I can now afford to throw some money at it and make it the way i want to make it.. May make some angry along the way to cut it up but its mine.

[LowR3V'in]

Who else would put in an old carbed v8 or honda 1.5L just to piss of the forums? :)

[M-technik-3]

Well, a US E30 M3 isn't really an M3 because it doesn't have the proper tranny ;)

ok,then we will take our 5K out of circulation to make the rest worth more.

[Fusion]

Haha...

awdbob...

I dont know that it makes sense to import a car that can be found here for the same money, fully loaded, and less headaches.

Just trolling.
If it were up to me, I'd only swap in any M-engine. S14's probably usually sell to people refreshing neglected M3's anyways.

Either way, any E30M3 roaring on a track brings a bigger smile to my face than one parked at a car show.

[M-technik-3]

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.

Steve,

the fortunate thing is you and a few others have worked in your favor. Which is great to your company and wallet.

good for most

[reelizmpro]

Well, a US E30 M3 isn't really an M3 because it doesn't have the proper tranny ;)

Haha...

awdbob...

I dont know that it makes sense to import a car that can be found here for the same money, fully loaded, and less headaches. The evo and verts are a different story but then those will be a lot more expensive as well.

[kingston]

If I had an E30 M3 (and I don't, and I'm openly jealous of those who do) I would mod the brakes. And the suspension. And possibly the steering. Because those things would make the car even better, and that is all I care about. I want things to function as well as possible. So I'd be looking at the same types of mods the E30 M3 racers used. Because those sure as hell were not bone stock, and they damn sure are still 'real' M3s!

[e30m3s54turbo]

:popcorn:

[AWDBOB]

They just hit the big 25 years old mark. I'm surprised there hasn't been more talk of importing.

[Fusion]

Well, a US E30 M3 isn't really an M3 because it doesn't have the proper tranny ;)

[uberpanzer]

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

It isn't that you HAVE to stay in a certain framework of 'acceptable' modifications, it is that one you have swapped out the motor, brakes, dash cluster, suspension, wheels, wing, front valence, and seats, you have an e30 chassis with a rear roof extension and metal fender flares (assuming you haven't already replaced those after smacking something with the side of the car from being too sideways). At which point, is it REALLY still an e30 M3? You've replaced almost all the parts that made it a M3. So why bother tarting up a rare, more expensive version of the car when you can do the same thing to a less expensive, easier to find version? If you want to still, fine. But as is it isn't really an e30 M3 anymore once you've done all that to the car. You can still do it, it is your car in the end, but we'll all be laughing at you when you try to resell the car (which you will) and you can't get what YOU think the value of it is.

And for anyone that thinks that doing ANY mods to an e30 M3, including cage parts, lowers the value of the vehicle, tell that to Mariano's face. I dare you. I want to be there to see his reaction. I'm sure we'll be talking about that over beers for YEEAAARS to come.

[ST1G]

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

This.

[reelizmpro]

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.

Sorry, that's how it is when it comes to special models. Don't like it? don't buy one. If you buy one and mod how you like it...keep it! but most people don't. 17k worldwide is a small number and 25 years of bad weather and race car owners have taken it's toll. Have you been following what M3's go for in Europe? We got 5k here in the US but how many are left? of those, how many are in excellent shape? and of those...how many have not been bastardized? and of those, how many aren't rusted away? Look at the bigger picture.

[blunttech]

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.

Car aside, I just hope i can still get a boner in 20 years