New to E30's but not for long (Hopefully)

[JonTheHero22]

Hey guys, I'm new to r3v, but I've read a lot of threads and learned a lot of information off the forums. I've been wanting to get an old Bimmer for a long time now but haven't been able to follow through because I was always worried of getting a bad deal/ getting ripped off. I'm a fairly mechanically inclined person. I worked a little in a family mechanics shop and have a little experience but I'm hoping to soon own and fix up an e30, e28, e21, or an e34 wagon, But since this is r3v I was wondering if you guys could give me any tips on what to look for in an e30. Like, where's the best place to look to buy one, what's a fair price, good model and year to get for beginners and so forth. If you could post which model and how much you guys paid that would be a nice benchmark. Thank you and I hope get to know all of you here at r3v.:-D:-D

[moreoff]

i'd go for a late model e30 w/ plastic bumpers. seeing as you are in california, you may not need to worry about rust so much. but be sure to check the battery pan area for rust. make sure to find out when the last time the timing belt was changed along with the water pump. if the previous owner cannot tell you, use this to your advantage when haggling the price lower. then do this maintenance right away after you purchase the car.

get a 325i or 325is to get an m20 motor which can be quite fun mildly modded or really quick turbo'd.

expect to spend around $5k for a clean running late model e30.

[JonTheHero22]

Is there any specific reason to get the later model other than cosmetics?

[moreoff]

Is there any specific reason to get the later model other than cosmetics?

it will also be newer. therefore hopefully less miles and wear.

[JonTheHero22]

Understandable, There have been a few early models with fairly low miles (70,000-90,000) but I missed my opportunity and they were sold. Currently there is this:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/4430726383.html

Which seems like a decent price, but what is your opinion based off the add?

[moreoff]

Understandable, There have been a few early models with fairly low miles (70,000-90,000) but I missed my opportunity and they were sold. Currently there is this:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/4430726383.html

Which seems like a decent price, but what is your opinion based off the add?

seems to be a fair price. the cupholder is nice. personally i would want a 2door and a 5speed though. don't you want a manual transmission?

[moreoff]

get this

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/4440784589.html

[moreoff]

LOL @ inline v-6

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/4438744366.html

[JonTheHero22]

I definitely want a manual, but I want a four door. I have a two door Civic atm and I just want something 4 door. I'd go for an Integra but I've been dying to get my hands on an e30 for too long now. The auto trans is main killer for me but I could do a swap. If anything I'd use it as a base to learn from because my GF also wants a "new" car and she could use this e30. I've read around that the best method to do a auto to manual trans swap is to just get a parts car that is a 5 speed. Idk what the best method would be, Should I just wait until the right e30 (4-door, 5-speed) and try to get that?

[JonTheHero22]

If I had 12k just lying around I'd definitely get that e30 m3 but that's too rich for my blood. LMAO I saw that inline v-6 post and just died

[moreoff]

I definitely want a manual, but I want a four door. I have a two door Civic atm and I just want something 4 door. I'd go for an Integra but I've been dying to get my hands on an e30 for too long now. The auto trans is main killer for me but I could do a swap. If anything I'd use it as a base to learn from because my GF also wants a "new" car and she could use this e30. I've read around that the best method to do a auto to manual trans swap is to just get a parts car that is a 5 speed. Idk what the best method would be, Should I just wait until the right e30 (4-door, 5-speed) and try to get that?

i would just wait for a 5-speed to pop up if that is what you want.
what is your color preference? and what is your price limit?

[moreoff]

this one is 5speed and 4doors and has quite a few tasteful additions.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/cto/4441142978.html

[JonTheHero22]

Color I really don't have any real preference. Most e30 colors are really nice. Price if it's in really good condition with low-ish miles and good service records, about 5k but I'd want to spend less and get a fixer

[JonTheHero22]

I've seen that, but with all the mods and such done to it already, I'd rather find a cheaper one and get parts I want than settle with it and pay more. Realistically I'd rather spend $1,500-$2,500 and get a decent e30 and make it great. Is that a noobish thing to say/want?

[fiveightandten]

$1500-2500 will, in no way, get you a decent E30. Unless by "decent" you mean, needs many many hours and thousands of dollars worth of work and parts.

Don't worry about late model and early model. Just buy the best example you can find within your budget and the amount of time you want to spend looking.

I searched for 6 months for a late model coupe without rust and wound up "settling" on an early model. Early models look just as good. I get people giving me thumbs up almost every time I drive the car. On multiple occasions, strangers have rolled down their windows and approached me in parking lots to tell me how good looking the car is. Outside of R3V, noone cares about early/late model.

Pics:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2096901-1986-Alpine-white-325es-a-few-pics

The other thing you should know is that almost noone gets the crazy asking prices you see these days. FS ads make it appear that way. But I went to see multiple $7-8K cars where the sellers came down in the $4-5K range after some talking, and I still walked on them. They sell the $7K car for $4K, and put sold on the FS ad. Everyone thinks it went for much more. That being said, pay what you think the car is worth. Overpay if it's truly a nice car and it's what you want. You'll be upside down on it no matter what you pay for it.

Also, nearly every E30 you go to see will be in significantly lesser condition than it is being described and/or how it is being presented in the FS ad. If you think, "oh the seller is so honest....look how he's pointing out all the flaws"...you're really only being shown 25% of them. You'll see the rest when you go to see it. "The car is XX years old, what do you expect?" will be the reasoning behind *anything* you find wrong with it.