The real cost of BMW engines

[e30onBBSs]

Christ, I've given away complete M20s because the space they took up in my shop area was more valuable than the M20.....and it's my personal shop area, not a business.

My friend had trouble ditching his M20 for $50. Finally someone came along a picked it up.

Fact is, if it's someone's car because it's a car, and the belt pops, they junk the car. Replacement isn't worth it to them. "Enthusiasts" are more apt to remove them M20 in favor of something else....sometimes driven by the above, or similar scenario. If they do pull the M20 and it's good, there is where you'll find your engine. Usually by the time the swap is done the M20 is long gone to the next member who, for some unknown reason, wants to swap that turd back into his/her car instead of installing a real man's engine.

Do yourself a favor....give a M30 a home between those strut towers.

I see lots of negativity towards m20's, why don't you like them?

[reelizmpro]

M20's are great as long as you maintain them. I have seen less and less of the older BMW's in the yards though. Now, there are several M50 powered cars littering the yards. One can now pick up a much newer engine for the same price.

[george graves]

I wouldn't pay more then $200 for a stock, long block m20.

[lemansguy]

Christ, I've given away complete M20s because the space they took up in my shop area was more valuable than the M20.....and it's my personal shop area, not a business.

My friend had trouble ditching his M20 for $50. Finally someone came along a picked it up.

Fact is, if it's someone's car because it's a car, and the belt pops, they junk the car. Replacement isn't worth it to them. "Enthusiasts" are more apt to remove them M20 in favor of something else....sometimes driven by the above, or similar scenario. If they do pull the M20 and it's good, there is where you'll find your engine. Usually by the time the swap is done the M20 is long gone to the next member who, for some unknown reason, wants to swap that turd back into his/her car instead of installing a real man's engine.

Do yourself a favor....give a M30 a home between those strut towers.

Well the next time an m20 is in your way, go ahead and shoot me a message and ill come move it for you!

I get what you are saying though. and maybe its because im in northern Virginia, but ive never seen an m30 for sale. maybe an entire car with a supposedly "great running engine" that hasn't been started in 5 years. and they guy still wants 3k for the entire car. most of the junk yards around here have been picked clean of good motors, and if you do find something decent, they want twice what I believe they are worth.

I have nothing against running another engine in me e30, and ive heard great things about all the engines. this all started cuz I figured if I could pick up a half decent m20 for 100-200 bucks, Id put it on a stand a slowly do a build on the motor for a turbo application. but if im going to spend anything close to 1k for a motor, then ill save a little more and go s5x. the prices of all the motors just seem to be all over the place.

[gtdragon980]

I wouldn't pay more then $200 for a stock, long block m20.

This is what I was thinking...maybe even 300 if condition calls for it.

[brbahner]

i sold my 300k original miles m20 for about 200 a year ago. it needed a rebuild but the deals are out there if you find someone doing a swap. try your local bmw motor sports mechanic who is always doing swaps for people.

[Axxe]

SpecE30 is sucking up the M20's, there aren't many left as most tossed them out so it's a simple supply / demand thing.

[whitebulat22]

Most of what I'm seeing is people having trouble giving away M20s... especially etas. The whole package is usually at most a few hundred around here. I don't see why finding a minty one would add much to the value because they're all good for 100,000s of miles and cheap to rebuild, which one would presumably do before putting it in and boosting.

My friend got an M20 + G260 for 200 bucks recently (from another friend) and that seems to be the normal price for the eta engine without tranny. A block should be basically free outside of shipping, and everything you need to dress it up I'm sure you've seen in this for sale section.

Turbo M20 vs turbo M50 IMO is the same, both easily make as much power as is possible to actually get on the road, M20 is ~20 lbs discount and M50 has technology benefits.

[Vincent Brick]

If we are doing a market analysis here..... I paid $650 for a 200k mile complete M20B25 with even 150psi compression in December, included manifolds, exhaust, harness, DME, radiator and all accessories, no trans. Sold off $350-400 in unneeded extra parts and I have maybe $250 into my long block. I sold my bad B25 long block with unknown loud tapping noise for $100. In my recent search most B25s were $400-600 but I had to look at a few before I found one that wasn't actually junk.

To me M50 swaps don't seem worth it unless you start with a 4cyl car or have the parts lying around or otherwise cheaply accessable.

[G FORCE]

I sold a running M20 out of my parts car locally for $150. Had EVERYTHING on it. I'm sure you could find one on a state-wide CL search and an additional $125 for shipping wouldn't be bad if that's what you want.

[marshallnoise]

Pick'n'Pulls on a half off weekend and you are out the door like $90 bucks.

[estoguy]

Not in Canada unfortunately. E30s are pretty rare in the pick and pulls these days. :( :( :(

[marshallnoise]

Sucks man.

[KIRIEIW]

You can sell M20s?

I guess I need to stop just dumping them at the scrapper....

That's what I did with my original!

[brshelton]

Christ, I've given away complete M20s because the space they took up in my shop area was more valuable than the M20.....and it's my personal shop area, not a business.

My friend had trouble ditching his M20 for $50. Finally someone came along a picked it up.

Fact is, if it's someone's car because it's a car, and the belt pops, they junk the car. Replacement isn't worth it to them. "Enthusiasts" are more apt to remove them M20 in favor of something else....sometimes driven by the above, or similar scenario. If they do pull the M20 and it's good, there is where you'll find your engine. Usually by the time the swap is done the M20 is long gone to the next member who, for some unknown reason, wants to swap that turd back into his/her car instead of installing a real man's engine.

Do yourself a favor....give a M30 a home between those strut towers.

What idiot bought that m20?