Be realistic: What IS a car that is a good replacement for a E30?

[redsubdivisions]

E21? Its what got me into BMWs.

I'd rock an E21 for sure.

[varg]

First off, what objective characteristics make the E30 desirable?
-Relatively light
-Pretty reliable
-RWD
-Good handling
-Good quality
-Easy to modify
-Large aftermarket
-Relatively simple to work on
-Pretty cheap to buy and maintain
-Strong drivetrain
-Good engines (Minus the M40 and M42)
-Decent fuel economy
-Practical

Subjective characteristics?
-Good styling that ages well
-Nice interior

What else meets all of those? I'm kind of stumped there.

Well, when I was looking for a new project before I bought my E30, I was looking for fun and easy to modify, but limited by budget. I was looking at lots of cars, for example;
FB/FC RX7s (lighter and better handling, but not as reliable, lower quality, really poor fuel economy, impractical)
Z31 300ZX (heavier, worse handling, harder to work on, lower quality, far less reliable, worse aftermarket, impractical)
MR2s (lighter, better handling, decent drivetrain, pretty reliable, but a pain in the ass to work on, almost impossible to find in decent shape, probably the most impractical car you can buy, small aftermarket)

And a few cars here and there that would be disqualified for one reason or another, some were mentioned here already like Datsuns (can't find one that isn't mostly rust), RWD Corollas (can't find one for a sane price that isn't scrap), Miatas (I don't like the styling, don't like convertibles, and they aren't practical at all), E36s (seemed like the lowest quality BMWs I've ever looked at, don't like the styling, not a fan of the M50, most of the cheap ones are cheap for a good reason; they're junk), Porsche 944 (not very reliable, expensive to repair, most are falling apart, a pain to work on), S-chassis Nissans (finding one that isn't beat to shit and isn't expensive is like winning the lottery).

There are some that are mentioned here that I never even considered, mostly because they're FWD. Yeah, I get it, FWD cars can handle well and be fun, but if it isn't RWD, I'm not buying it.

[jalopi]

First off, what objective characteristics make the E30 desirable?
-Relatively light
-Pretty reliable
-RWD
-Good handling
-Good quality
-Easy to modify
-Large aftermarket
-Relatively simple to work on
-Pretty cheap to buy and maintain
-Strong drivetrain
-Good engines (Minus the M40 and M42)
-Decent fuel economy
-Practical

Subjective characteristics?
-Good styling that ages well
-Nice interior

What else meets all of those? I'm kind of stumped there.

240sx matches near every one of those requirements. before anyone starts ranting about how their enthusiast tax has made them overpriced, may i direct you to this thread

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=356907

[Joe G]

I <3 my 944. Great looks, fantastic handling, but its SLOW. Picked mine up for $5400 from the second owner with 55k on the clock.

[varg]

240sx matches near every one of those requirements. before anyone starts ranting about how their enthusiast tax has made them overpriced, may i direct you to this thread

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=356907

240SX is an S-chassis Nissan, no?

And sure, E30s are getting expensive, that's lunatic fringe pricing though and isn't really indicative of the overall market. It won't be long before finding a decent E30 for a low price is as rare as doing the same with the S-chassis cars, with all of the drifters smashing them up, stancekids scraping the bottoms up and rusting the body panels, and collectors looking to "invest."

[Dj Buttchug]

daily drive an e34 and love it

[anabolice30]

I have a 99 a4 quattro. It's not an e30, but it's a blast to drive, especially does well in bad weather.

[Stanley Rockafella]

I have a 99 a4 quattro.

sorry to hear that

[jalopi]

sorry to hear that

+1

[DrJosh]

How about a Toyota Starlet

[jalopi]

where can you even find those anymore though? parts availability can't be great

[agent]

No one mentioned any of the Toyobaru variants...?

For a fun, fairly new and relatively inexpensive front-engined RWD two door, I'd be giving one of those a serious look.

[varg]

No one mentioned any of the Toyobaru variants...?

For a fun, fairly new and relatively inexpensive front-engined RWD two door, I'd be giving one of those a serious look.

It'll be a suitable E30 replacement in 25 years when the same people who buy E30s now can afford toyobarus.

[Bejoe16]

What about a Datsun 240Z? I haven't had experience but know people that have them and love them. Other than it being prone to rust. It ticks almost all those boxes.

[Wh33lhop]

yep, S30 would be a great replacement (but parts are harder to come by... crack free dashes are like a grand)

I'd also agree that an S2k or FRS are similarly focused, light, rwd, extremely fun cars... but a bit more expensive and 4 bangers. I would buy an s2k today if I had space and money for another car.

I feel an old 911 is also a great car with a similar appeal, but again, pricier and more focused.