honeymoons over!!!!

[steelynorm]

Spent years looking for my e30. Picked it up 3 months ago and the smile on my face is slowly disappearing.
Alpine white sedan manual fairly clean body and interior.
So many nagging issues is taking the joy out of ownership.
Electrical issues, water leaks front and rear, noisy throwout bearing, overheating, the list could go on these are major ones.
Did I get a lemon or are e30s just old Cars that are going to cost a lot of time and money to maintain?
I am thinking of selling!!!!!!!!!!!

[ak-]

Well, for me it's sort of a labor of love and a pleasure to drive.
Fix it all up before you allow yourself to enjoy it.

[abrokenframe]

Sounds like an old car to me! But these cars a case by case study. It's impossible to estimate what it should cost you without knowing some history.

For me, I've had my car since July and have replaced the timing belt, water pump, fan, radiator hoses, thermostat, distributor rotor & cap, control arms, control arm bushings, tie rods, valve adjustment, air intake boot, ODO, with plenty more planned.

My point is if you don't like working on cars, an e30 probably isn't a good choice. The newest e30 is almost 25 years old. Once the work's done, you shouldn't have to do it again for a looong time.

I love doing the work on mine though, because you actually can.

Ryan

[cabin]

They are old cars, of course they are going to need things. All of my E30's have been money pits to some degree but I still love them.

[samurai pizza cats]

or are e30s just old Cars that are going to cost a lot of time and money to maintain?

nope, they are old cars that never require any work, just like every other old car,old Porsche, old ferraris, old Lamborghini's, non require any work ever. your car must just be a lemon :roll:

[long tall eta]

i have 2, an 86 and an 87. both are 2.7 es's. the 86 has over 400k on it and other than general maintenance, they both drive wonderfully. they have never let me down. you just need to be patient and find one that has been maintained.

[gtdragon980]

Dude, you picked up a 20 year old car, do you expect it to run like it is brand new? It needs maintenance like crazy. Until you get these things done, it will constantly break down and nag you to dump money into it. If you are not willing to pay the costs to maintain it or completely refurbish it, get rid of it. It will only cost you more money down the road. Do not expect that this thing will keep going if you neglect it.

And yes e30's do cost a lot of time and money, but once you invest that into it, it will continue to put a smile on your face every day forward.

[rturbo 930]

I really don't understand people that buy old cars expecting them to need just oil and gas. By the time I'm done with mine, I will have replaced just about everything on underside of the car. The PO of my car wasn't very mechanically savvy though, so it was pretty neglected.

[BLACKCHARM88]

Lol you bought an E30 thinking stuff wouldn't break or need to be repaired

[ButtJuice]

Wanna know why my e30 is sitting in the garage completely stripped of it's drivetrain and suspension? Because it's old as fuck and needs new everything.

Frankly, half the part of being an e30 enthusiast is putting blood, sweat, and tears into it to make it your own and give it a new lease on life.

[BLACKCHARM88]

Wanna know why my e30 is sitting in the garage completely stripped of it's drivetrain and suspension? Because it's old as fuck and needs new everything.

Frankly, half the part of being an e30 enthusiast is putting blood, sweat, and tears into it to make it your own and give it a new lease on life.

Very well said!

[lukeADE335i]

As everyone else has already said, once they're sorted (or if you buy a very well maintained one, which it sounds like you didn't) then they're very reliable.

Problem is, at their age, many have been neglected, so of course they need work when you get them.

I actually find fixing my car's nagging issues therapeutic :)

Had the car almost 6 years now and have replaced most things on it over the journey. Still - I wouldn't call it a money pit. The costs of ownership & maintenance have still been lower than the depreciation over the same period on my wife's new Kia.

[95BMWIC]

Old cars do take maintenance but by no means is an E30 compared to a VW.

I owned a VW golf and every week it was something different. Im so glad I got rid of it..

E30 BMW parts are durable and the parts do last plus E30s are fairly easy to work on...

I should know I own 3 of them - IS, IX, and IC

[TimeMachinE30]

30 year old cars. They tend to age. Like us.


Even if you spent 10k to make it new...refreshed. .you're still better off.

[BillBrasky]

Have you done any maintenance on it??????????
These cars are almost 30 years old..........
It's not a brand new car!!!!!!!!!!