How bad was your e30?

[gr8skyr]

Good: only mods were nicely done suspension with Bilsteins and H&R Springs
crack free dash
All service history from 229 to 221,000 miles
3 owner car with one of those 18 years. She kept it up pretty well
$3K from private party

Bad: A/C non functioning
Power Steering fluid
Oil filter housing leak
Ripped CV boot
Original cooling system needed refresh

[GillesBigCowboy]

These bad lists are LOL

Bad:
cracked dash
rust - car lived a hard life in Ohio and Alaska
$2100
frontal impact that bent the frame and then it was bent back roughly into place
steering wheel play was similar to '72 Mustang
oil pan drain plug stripped, leaking, but held to pan by blue loctite
drivers seat leather ripped, with thready, foamy layers emanating
spoon in the spaghetti bowl shift lever action
fuel filter installed backwards
I lived in MD: bend over for inspection
mechanic: "Some cars not worth fixing."
leaking in heavy rain: wet carpets
Rusty, leaking brake lines, and fear that everything was going to fall apart if I tried to replace them is what made me park the chassis.

The good:
Strong engine with 40Kish on new head
5sp
LSD
cold AC
rwd (this was the rwd experience that converted me)
4dr - family taxi for 4 years
drifting through fresh a dozen fresh snowfalls in MD

This engine/tranny/radiator/driveshaft/pedals/etc. are now in my $450 towing auction rust free vert (no inspection necessary in GA)

[blck325is]

#1
Bad-
-Crease about mid fender down the side of the car
-oxidized paint
-$300 in back fees
-Shit ripped up interior
-sloppy shifter
-cracked dash
-trunk seal was useless
-bent valance
-no maintenance...ever
Good
-Cost $500 (well $800 with the back fees)
-Most solid m20 I've ever had, still running in a forum members car

#2
Bad
-Fuel issues
-salvage
Good
-$500
-Clean vinyl sport interior
-Pretty decent paint

#3
Bad
-Minor electrical gremlins
-bent front valance
-rips in headliner
-stains in carpet
-Had to trade #2 for it(bittersweet, more bitter at the time)
Good
-Traded #2 for it (bittersweet, pretty sweet now)
-Upgraded springs, shocks and CABS
-maintenance records(I have learned these are truly valuable)
-crackfree dash(since cracked but it was good while it lasted)

[LoukenTarzan]

Almost perfect til I got my hands on em.

[Cabriolet]

Ill play.
The good:
$400
ebay coild
sport front seats
turner chip
no rust
elipsoids
The Bad:
no interior at all past the diver's seat.
purple on top of green on top of bronzit paint.
fake mtech2 kit, broken.
no engine
crack rear subframe
crap after market exhaust
caps with flat tires and threads
cracked dash
torn seats
broken shifter
no battery
broken steering column and door locks from theft attempts
no stereo or speakers
ton headliner
A/C deleted
dented hood
dented fenders
shredded valence
hole in gas tank
peeling tint


$30k later + 2600 people hours

[e30onBBSs]

ftfy

Fine, it IS Ghetto BUT it was held on more sketchily than before! I should make a youtube channel called GCM ghetto car mods ;D

Listen to this! http://youtu.be/8Q8vpA7ZnQg
Its sketchy and has semi open headers but its a dynomax exhaust and having this sound at my foot is just uhhhhhh yeeeeesssssssssss

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Shit I just buy what I see Aint afraid of no rust. As long as it runs or can run with little work.

[flyboyx]

All I care about it a rust-free and clean body. Everything else can be worked through without too much crying.

i pretty much agree with you as long as it is priced accordingly.

[mkcman17]

All I care about it a rust-free and clean body. Everything else can be worked through without too much crying.

[flyboyx]

'92 mtech II 770 code


BAD:
homo style ghetto fucked suspension. oil pan was about 2" off the ground.
ghey "stanced" wheels.
broken oil pan because of said suspension bullshit
the fender lips were fucked by above retard trying to ghetto stance the suspension.
distributor cap had a crack all the way across the middle causing bad ignition miss.
both engine mounts were broken
brakes were all fucked up
tow in on the front wheels was -1.25"!!!!(wtf?)
one control arm bushing was missing the rubber inside causing the control arm to flop around when you drove the car.
completely fucked up ghey ass exhaust
missing front mtech II valance
metal valance all bent to hell
ghey ass "smoked" tail lights
cooling syst was full of rust because p.o. filled it with tap water
depo "halo" headlights


GOOD
pretty nice paint
pretty nice interior changed to black by p.o. (not a fan of lotus anyway)
car is an original 5speed mtech II(pretty f'ing rare!)
power top works but i never use it because i added a hard top
rust free other than a little surface rust on the floor pans from a leaky soft top
original engine with matching vin code
low miles-around 130k
did i mention its an mtech II?

I've had the car for 2 years now. since i have un-screwed everything that was screwed, its been one hell of a nice reliable dd.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

The bad:
Everything


The good:
Euro spec with rare parts.

[F34R]

I'm sure like me lots of people bought their e30 in less than great condition. What was wrong? What was good?
1. Passenger lock didnt work
2. Yellow oil light was on
3. no heat / defrost
4. no passenger seatbelt
5. No cup holder
6. No left front blinker bulb/ working connection at the time
7. No 5th gear
8. No high beam bulbs
9. cracked leather dash
10. passenger seat is (rusted?) in place
11. no power steering :)
12. exhaust IS sketchily held in place

The GOOD
1. rwd sports car
2. lots of things to fix, exciting cuz it's my first car
3. decent sound system
4. starts and runs well (so far)
5. real, old school BBS's
6. welded dif
7. ghetto exhaust that is loud but sounds great
8. already lowered to a sweet height
9. m3 wing
10. this wheel which I like more than stock

ftfy

[Pantless Spency]

bought it with a blown head stud

some time later now it has a nearly completely rebuilt m20b27 runs like champ

[Sea Aych]

Bad: Auto
Worse: Wouldn't shift out of first for 15 minutes of driving

Other bad: Frame rail hole, most likely split when bottoming out since it's still all solid metal..
Rusty sunroof
Viper alarm assembled by a chimp and half-removed by an orangutan
All audio cables disconnected/cut except for the front kick panels

Good: Solid frame for a canadian car!
Great condition interior
M50 swapping now!

[Hooffenstein HD]

Any pics of completed projects/ coming along projects? sounds like you guys have had tons of work as well!

There's a whole sub forum for that.