E30 prices...Only going to keep going up

[brbahner]

Why is it that "Late" Models will be the expensive ones? id assume it would be the original early model euro bumpers cars rather than a plastic bumper e30

[TobyB]

...I miss the hydraulic windows...

hee

t

[nando]

Vacuum operated locks and a fuse box from 1950? Ugh.

[mkcman17]

The 190e isn't really comparable in my mind. No aftermarket, and the cars feel really outdated. Sitting in my cossie felt like being in a horse carriage that wouldn't pass smog.

[JinormusJ]

Don't buy an e30

They're stupid

[RUFFLZ]

just gonna leave this bit here,


2007 - $3k

2014 - $10k

*both examples comparable to each other



There's no doubt the prices for clean late models will continue to climb just as the 510's have been doing for the past 10 yrs now.

[Shock(/\)ave]

I actually think e30 prices are flatlining and potentially dipping back down.

I know that's just your opinion, but every reliable market trend indicator that I've seen completely disagrees with you. Demand for these cars hasn't been this strong since they were still in showrooms.

E30s rarely pop up for sale here and when they do they often need something to make them reliable, but there's always a 190e for sale (for a while there were like 4 at once) and they're all pretty solid.

I've given serious consideration to buying a 190E 2.3-16V Cosworth, but without a complete parts car they're just about impossible to maintain well enough to keep them on the road. Their lack of support by Mercedes-Benz isn't nearly as bad as Audi's lack of support for the QUATTRO, but it's bad enough to leave all but the most affluent owners scrambling for used replacement parts.

[JasonC]

and just for the record, any 60's muscle car is worth more bone stock than with "tasteful mods" - and there's A LOT of those, so get outta here with that bunk argument. :p

This is true. And the ones that have been modified, the owner usually keeps the original parts so the next person can put it back to stock if wanted.

[E30 Wagen]

I totally disagree with this. Show me any other 1988 vehicle that's still out on the road and thriving in many ways. For comparison purposes, go onto Craigslist and do a search for 1988 Mercedes 190e. Compared to the e30, there just isn't that much out there. In my opinion they just couldn't pass the test of time, unlike the e30.

Okay, I kind of take that back. However, I wouldn't say that e30's are thriving and I certainly wouldn't say that the 190e couldn't stand the test of time. E30s rarely pop up for sale here and when they do they often need something to make them reliable, but there's always a 190e for sale (for a while there were like 4 at once) and they're all pretty solid. When it comes to other '80's-'90's cars I would say the average e30 really isn't looking any better than other stuff that's on CL from time to time.

[blizake500]

I don't see why everyone is arguing in this thread. Nobody knows the future so don't act like you do.

[BenDem]

anyway, talk about missing the forest for the trees :|

the point is that for nearly everyone in this thread what they do or don't do with their E30's will make no measurable difference in the value of the car so might as well mod it and drive it to their heart's content

Amen to that.

A rare example of a rising tide truly lifting all boats.

[smooth]

anyway, talk about missing the forest for the trees :|

the point is that for nearly everyone in this thread what they do or don't do with their E30's will make no measurable difference in the value of the car so might as well mod it and drive it to their heart's content

[smooth]

and just for the record, any 60's muscle car is worth more bone stock than with "tasteful mods" - and there's A LOT of those, so get outta here with that bunk argument. :p

oh bullshit

far, far, far more 60's era muscle cars are completely worthless than the few that are worth anything at all in any configuration. a handful garage finds are worth a *lot* but that's it

but get out of your own truncated view of what's considered collectible, say anything pre-50's, and you'll find people putting updated suspension, AC, 12v systems and those cars' values don't take a shit so long as the body is good and, and this is how I've managed my mods, reversible.

[8380 Labs]

24v swaps are hardly "fad" modifications.
the debate over whether to tastefully mod collectibles or not has been going on for as long as people have been restoring and collecting cars. Very few collectibles, as in a handful, fetch stratospheric prices based on being bone stock. if you want to sell it to a museum or for someone's personal garage collection you *might* have a case but that's so far from reality for the majority of collectibles, and will be even less so for a German import, that it's not even worth worrying about.

If you're driving your e30 for transportation it'll fall apart and/or rust out before people are paying six figures for pristine bone stock specimens.

i won't argue the fad part, that's my opinion and you've got yours.

i'm not talking about (non-M3) e30's fetching stratospheric price levels - they never will. but they will continue to go up in value from where they are now, there can hardly be any debate about that.

part of my point is how many "tastefuly modded" 24v-swapped e30s are there? if this message board is an accurate sample - only a very small percentage of them would seem to fit the criteria you've outlined.

and just for the record, any 60's muscle car is worth more bone stock than with "tasteful mods" - and there's A LOT of those, so get outta here with that bunk argument. :p

[brbahner]

I think this is only true for maybe a IS and M3 Models.

Whoop whoop my IS will be worth something some day.
For real though the M3 is the only car that will be sought after as far as e30s go. drive your cars and mod them as you will.