Owning an E30. Is it worth it?...

[davidayeee]

Hey r3v,

So the basic question that I want to ask is, is owning an E30 really worth it, how has your experience owning one been?

I've been looking for an E30 on and off for about a year already and over that time I've spoken to a lot of people who've put me down about the idea of owning an E30. I've heard it all, from people telling me that they're money pits, that something always goes wrong, they aren't worth it, blah blah blah etc.

But don't worry I haven't let them get to me, maybe because I'm stubborn but who knows :p. I still want to own one and I'm getting really close to that day.

But before that happens, I wanted to hear the opinions and facts from actual owners and not just those people who hear me say "I want a 20 year old BMW" and laugh.

So if you could be as unbiased and honest as possible, please answer my question and also share how your experience of owning an E30 is/was. No offense to anyone an their E30 lol. It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks :D

-David

[Hooffenstein HD]

I think you've come to the wrong forum. Nobody here likes E30's.

[keefy6]

^:)

'worth' is relative

[Bimmer_man]

okay here is a serious answer.

My first car was an E30. I love the hell out of it when im driving it looking at it and when im done working on it. Doing work to these cars can make you want to burn them to the ground. E30s have attitude. They are defiantly not your simple honda or anything like that. Everything i know about cars i learned from my E30. I recently had to sell my first e30 that was also my first car. I loved that car so much i literally cried ( shut up men can shead a tear ). If you get one understand it will be a love hate relationship. But these cars NEVER stop making you smile.

My brother hates BMWs. He is a master mechanic. He hates how much it can cost to fix these cars.

Keep this in mind. If you have ever looked into building an american V8 like a 302. It will cost twice as much to do the same exact thing to an M20 BMW motor cause it has a BMW logo.

[TurboJake]

I can make it simple to understand.

My car is old. It is rusting out from salty winters. It looks like crap and has more sharpie signatures and drawings on it than anything else. It has over half a million miles on the original engine and body. It's hit 3 deer and a lifted truck. The interior has broken seats, and ripped upholstery (Even after fixing both twice over). It's constantly having small things here and there break because of its age. It has more worth in the rare and aftermarket parts that are in it, than as a whole car.

And I smile every single damn time I drive it, because it's still fun as hell. Even driving for months on end around the country.

Each one I've driven has a different personality. Some high strung, some lazy, some darty, some feel loose, and some feel stupid (Which can go both good or bad). Some feel clapped out even when everything is new, and some that have broken stuff feel nice and tight. As for engines, some are buzzy, some are smooth. I personally hate the buzzy M42, and love the smooth as silk M20. But even they, none feel the same compared to another. The entire family is really an interesting bunch.

Simple enough I think.

AS for is it worth it? Hard to say. Prices have EXPLODED and I don't feel they're worth anywhere near what people ask for them (Seriously. I don't think most cars for sale are worth half what they ask for). But that worth is quite subjective so I keep my mouth shut most of the time.

I'll make it even more simple. Go drive one and try to have FUN with it. That's what they're all about. Only then will you know your answer on whether or not it's a car for you.

[einhander]

Hey r3v,

So the basic question that I want to ask is, is owning an E30 really worth it?

I've been looking for an E30 on and off for about a year already and over that time I've spoken to a lot of people who've put me down about the idea of owning an E30. I've heard it all, from people telling me that they're money buckets, that something always goes wrong, they aren't worth it, blah blah blah etc.

But don't worry I haven't let them get to me, maybe because I'm stubborn but who knows :p. I still want to own one and I'm getting really close to that day.

But before that happens, I wanted to hear the opinions and facts from actual owners and not just those people who hear me say "I want a 20 year old BMW" and laugh.

So if you could be as unbiased and honest as possible, please answer my question and also share how your experience of owning an E30 is/was. It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks :D

-David

No. Not worth it. Everyone here sold theirs.

[Cephas]

While parts may be a bit more expensive, I'm constantly impressed with the simplicity of working on an e30. Things are easy to get to, layouts well thought out and the car is well engineered. If you find a well sorted one it will need hardly any work. Good luck.

[Ether-D]

It's worth it. Every time I see my car, I'm reminded of how much I love it. I just sat and stared at it for 10 minutes while it was raining a couple days ago. E30s are beautiful. They are rock solid reliable, if you maintain them and listen to the sounds of future maintenance.

[quickervicar]

Strange. I love my E30 because it's a hoot to drive, dead reliable, and super-easy to work on (granted, I have a lift). Source your parts right and the prices are reasonable (at least compared to my girlfriend's Corolla). Source your E30 right & you won't need many parts.

[NeedaE30]

My first car was an e30, my 3rd car was an e30, my 6th car is an e30.. I hate them with a passion, but i love them soo damn much, the amount of compliments and neck breakage that e30's cause is absolutely hilarious, because everyone wishes they were smart enough to buy a 20+ year old bmw instead of there $500+/month car payment lol

[ThatOneEuroE30]

They are totally worth it If you can do your own wrenching then they really arent that expensive to own.

[TSI]

I bought mine for $350, put in about $1000 in repairs, upgrades and general maintenance for each of the last three years. It is by every measure the best car I have ever had. For 10% of the cost of a new commuter econobox, you can have a car that is fun, well-made (seriously, how many 25-year-old commuter econoboxes do you see on the road?) and reliable. Most importantly, though, is that you can make it your own.

Suspension, engine mods, interior, electronics, you name it. Want more power? Turbo or swap. Want tighter steering? E36 rack. Want low? Coilovers. Want big bass? Want a racecar? Want a bloody 4.4 litre v8? The world is your oyster, and it's good-looking, cheap and simple. And you will learn a lot doing it. Almost every e30 is different, and each reflects their owner. That's the primary win for me: nobody will ever have the same car as I have, and I can change anything I don't like. And then change it again. And I will still have an e30, and feel like a million bucks with it.

[Roysneon]

Not really. But once you have one, you're screwed. Don't even go down this road.

[AndrewBird]

You will never get back the money you put into it.

So no, not worth it.

[00o00]

Not really. But once you have one, you're screwed. Don't even go down this road.

troof

but srsly, the feeling you get driving it is worth it. below is a common occurrence:

Open the fridge-> no orange juice :(... no bit deal though becuase i now have a good excuse to drive the e30 on a nice quick trip to the grocery store 10min away ;D...

... 3hrs later I've made it home with a huge smile on my face because i've driven 5 circles around my town