Extremely underwhelmed - Are e30's not for me?

[mikebloco]

My e30 wasn't that great at first. I didn't like the seating position either. Once I changed to race seat and a different steering wheel it was way nicer.

[estoguy]

I daily an E30... 86 Eta. I know there isn't as much love for the Eta, but for a six, it is still a capable and fun machine to drive. I just did a cruise with a bunch of BMW owners this past weekend, and despite my car being the oldest and most stock of the bunch, I was able to hang in well enough with the newer models and had an absolute blast doing it.

As stated previously, try a well sorted 325i... you'll change your mind I think.

[varg]

I love how revvy the M42 is when needed

I don't find the M42 particularly "revvy." The stock limiter is pretty low for a 1.8L I4 with any sporting intentions and the throttle response is average at best. You have to wind it out, sure, but you don't get much reward for it and it comes to a rather abrupt end.

my limiter is set to 7,500rpm

[CarsonE30]

I personally daily a '94 E34 540i just for the fact that, like it's been said already, it's super quiet, comfortable, and has no problem cruising at 90-100. The E30's though, 89 325is and 91 318i, are just an amazing driving experience. I live in Salinas CA and Laguna Seca is about 6 minutes from my house, the airport that hosts AutoX is 10 minutes away, and arguably the best driving road in CA, Laureles Grade, is 3 minutes from me. The 540 gets me to and from work but if I personally had to choose one over the other to keep forever, the E30's would definitely stay. As for 325 and 318, the 325 obviously delivers it's power a bit better and sounds heavenly where as the 318 is most happy above 3500 so you have to DRIVE that car harder in order for it to be "fun" which is no problem for myself as I love how revvy the M42 is when needed. Bottom line, if you're looking for a "comfy" DD, an E30 is a no go as they are basically a practical miata with more power and love to be pushed. I can vouch for the E34 540 as it pulls hard up to 110 and has no problem staying there for long periods of time, but if you find that you do want something more "sporty" yet still "comfy", hate to say it, but the E36 may suit you better.

EDIT: Read before posting kids, disregard everything I said, beautiful looking car, glad you found "the one!"

[Cephas]

He's right... I just parked my 89' 325i, and replaced it with an 06' 330i (E90).

Just going by the seating position alone, I could never get truly comfortable in the E30. Sitting close to the wheel, my legs we're bent up too much, and I would always get some low back pain after a while. Move the seat back some to make it easier on the back and legs, and I have to almost "reach" for the steering wheel and shifter. I can never really get the top half and the bottom half of my body to be comfortable at the same time. For short drives, it's not a big deal. But a 40-60 minute commute in traffic becomes uncomfortable.

I' m about the sam size as you and think the e30 seat position, while not perfect because of the non adjustable wheel, is very good. Do you have sport seats? The key is to angle the whole seat bottom so that the bolster under your legs is facing up a little. Then extend the knee bolster out a bit and adjust the seat back to your preference.

Try it, you will like it.

[straight6pwr]

car looks great! glad you are enjoying it.

as you found out, there is a great difference between a properly maintained and a poorly maintained e30. glad you found a good one.

[brandonbio]

A few months later....

I've fallen in love with tossing money at it, here is a an updated picture. While sometimes I do regret not getting that touring, this car puts a smile on my face every day.



Here are a couple more photos.

[2mAn]

more pics.

[lukeADE335i]

Just one of the first shots of the car after washing it.

Great work - Alpine White is a great colour.

The sound deadening & smoother engine in the 6 cylinder cars makes a world of difference vs. the 4 - even the M42.

[itsonlygeorge]

What rims are those? They look sweeT!

[Wh33lhop]

Couldn't disagree with you more on that first part.


I can barely fit/ hate the driving position of a stock e30 with sport seats and wheel.

Toss a small wheel in there with a spacer and nice buckets? I've never felt more at home in any other care.

I think the column needs to be dropped 1" or so to be about right. Mine with an SPG and small mt2 still has a bit of a bus wheel feeling as does an e36.

[JAshley73]

Extremely underwhelmed - Are e30's not for me?

I find this interesting. Anyone else care to elaborate on this statement?

He's right... I just parked my 89' 325i, and replaced it with an 06' 330i (E90).

Just going by the seating position alone, I could never get truly comfortable in the E30. Sitting close to the wheel, my legs we're bent up too much, and I would always get some low back pain after a while. Move the seat back some to make it easier on the back and legs, and I have to almost "reach" for the steering wheel and shifter. I can never really get the top half and the bottom half of my body to be comfortable at the same time. For short drives, it's not a big deal. But a 40-60 minute commute in traffic becomes uncomfortable.

I'm 6'0" BTW, and have a 32-33" inseam, so not really built like a freak. I daily'ed my E30 for 4 years, and after just a week in the E90, it's much more comfortable to sit in. The low-back pain is gone, and I can comfortably drive for long periods just fine. I think being able to raise the seat height, and telescope the steering wheel make a big difference there.

[FunfGan]

If u don't like the driving position, then no model e30 is going to feel rite. I was a fan of the driving position until I started driving more newer(e90 chassis) bmw, and realized that they offered a much better driving postion for daily use. I still love my e30, but its a garage queen/toy to best on, stuff like driving position no longer matter in this situation.

Couldn't disagree with you more on that first part.


I can barely fit/ hate the driving position of a stock e30 with sport seats and wheel.

Toss a small wheel in there with a spacer and nice buckets? I've never felt more at home in any other care.

[econti]

The 318is I drove apparently was chipped and was on some fancy aftermarket setup. It just wasn't the one for me.

And yep, I'm super happy with the car I bought.

I guess it also comes down to what you're used to.
I learnt to drive on various Mini Mokes (same drivetrain as classic Mini) so am very used to, and comfortable with, low power and amazing handling and having to drive hard to make the most of the power.
My previous car was a MA70 Toyota Supra, which was totally wrong. Fun, but wrong.
Whereas the 318is is almost a progression from the Mokes and suits me well.

[BobombETA]

Looks nice man. Love alpine e30's.