What would you consider a major fault with the E30's

[rturbo 930]

That. I am unaware of a modern ('80s-up) manual trans car with a worse shifter than 80s-90s BMWs. I have worked at two BMW performance shops and have lot driven A LOT of modded E30s/E36s/E39s/etc. and only a small handful had shifters that didn't feel like shit. I was so dissapointed when I spent the money and time rebuilding my E30 shifter just have it feel almost as bad as it did previously, I'd get a short shifter but I don't feel it will help the slop and may even make it feel more vague. I don't like having a car I can't powershift.

What's wrong with your shifter? I did the bushings and whatnot, and I think it's decent. Not amazing, but pretty good and definitely a hell of a lot better than it was. Although it seems to shift much smoother with the car off, but I think my trans may just be due for a rebuild (~270k miles).


Anyway, for me, shifter bushings and odo gears. I know it's kind of a small detail, but I've never had a car where the odo just dies on you. That's one of those things that just shouldn't be a problem.

[BobombETA]

M20.

Hands down the biggest fault for North American cars.

M40 for everyone else....followed closely by the M20.

Quick, someone post that Mobil 1 video with the million mile M20 ;)

[slammin.e28]

M20.

Hands down the biggest fault for North American cars.

M40 for everyone else....followed closely by the M20.

[DrJosh]

I'd say the shifter assembly. Aside from that, I can't think of anything.

[Vincent Brick]

Shifter slop.

That. I am unaware of a modern ('80s-up) manual trans car with a worse shifter than 80s-90s BMWs. I have worked at two BMW performance shops and have lot driven A LOT of modded E30s/E36s/E39s/etc. and only a small handful had shifters that didn't feel like shit. I was so dissapointed when I spent the money and time rebuilding my E30 shifter just have it feel almost as bad as it did previously, I'd get a short shifter but I don't feel it will help the slop and may even make it feel more vague. I don't like having a car I can't powershift.

[BobombETA]

Rear shock mounts breaking.
Shifter slop.
Battery tray rust.

Then all the problems remedied by installing e36 components:

Slow steering rack
Timing belts breaking
Periodic valve adjustment
4 lug

Overall, no major faults like DSM and Chrysler crank walk, Dodge truck rust, Tacoma frame rust, Subaru head gaskets, VR6 timing chain guides breaking, etc...

[UlrichFennec]

Either oil leaks or rear subframe bushings shitting out.

[Red_liner740]

Most cars have them, that one negative thing that they are known to everyone.

VW TDI's of late 90's early 2000s are known for their timing belts snapping.
240sx's are known for strut tower and subframe rot
Chrysler is known for, well, pretty much everything.

I brought this topic up because my daily driver, a 2008 Grand Cherokee diesel just sprang a fuel tank leak and apparently its a well known issue. They used a steel tank and put it inside a steel armor craddle that basically acts like a large cup, holding salt, sand and dirt in a nice cocoon around the tank. I mean, if you were designing a vessel to corrode metal i cant think of a better way to do it.

Dealer wasnts $2K for the tank and nationally they are two thousand units back ordered. So now only do they ram a dick up your ass due to bad design, they also use no lube.

a 6 year old vehicle, 150k on the clock and the fuel tank looks like this



Anyways

What would you say is E30's known "shtick"??