Is buying a cheap e30 worth the fun of fixing it?

[e30onBBSs]

My e30 was bad and is still pretty bad, but I feel like I wouldn't be as happy if it was amazing "out of the box". After fixing it a lot it would be sweet to buy an e30 I could DD, but so much fun I've had with this car was when I was chilling with music and a cold drink getting dirty in the sun. Does anyone else have lots of fun knowing the car needs some care and work?

[kickinindian]

my car is just a shell after getting into an accident...realistically ive already made it nice once. i have a strong emotional connection to the car and i love the way e30s drive so its going to be rebuilt all over again. originally bought the car for $400

[UlrichFennec]

My vert is the same way. There's no such thing as a BMW without a problem, and if you think so, you're not listening closely enough.

Jokes aside, I can't do the amazing right out of the box thing. There's a sense of accomplishment when you fix something by yourself that can't be replicated when you get it fixed at a shop. Sure, it's nice that it's fixed and everything runs better if you did get it fixed at a shop, but you didn't do it.

At first, I had no choice but to take it to a shop to get my preventative maintenance done when I first got my vert. I had minimal experience working on cars besides changing a timing belt with my dad on my Sentra when I still had it and doing basic oil changes. Didn't have many tools either.

Now that most of the big issues are sorted, I take it upon myself to fix them by myself. Replaced my CPS and did my first valve adjustment recently and installed a lip and a few other little things here and there. You feel pride in doing something by yourself, and picking up something that someone would otherwise call a POS and fixing it yourself is awesome!

[AndrewBird]

I enjoy cars because I like working on them and modifying them as I see fit. Owning someone else's creation is not what I'm into. Some people like to just drive cars though and do nothing else.

[DrJosh]

If I could buy a brand new E30 I would. I much prefer doing upgrades than maintenance and repair.

[rturbo 930]

If I could buy a brand new E30 I would. I much prefer doing upgrades than maintenance and repair.

+1. Getting really tired of replacing worn out parts and tracking down noises and other issues.

[TobyB]

I wouldn't want one 'in the middle'- too nice to want to tear apart, but too ratty/the wrong color/rusty/ whatever to be nice...

Who am I kidding- if it's not a klunker, I don't buy it.

t

[wcipolli]

Here's how I like to think about it.. You hate your car when you're working on it. You might threaten to light it on fire and walk away, or drive it off a cliff. But while you're working on it you don't think of all the other bull in your life.

It's also a great car to learn on! I bought my first car for $400 and learned a lot about cars and how to fix things which is a lost art these days!

[AlonzoS]

my car is just a shell after getting into an accident...realistically ive already made it nice once. i have a strong emotional connection to the car and i love the way e30s drive so its going to be rebuilt all over again. originally bought the car for $400

So you're rebuilding it, but parting the car out? You've got your work cut out for you, sir.

If I could buy a brand new E30 I would. I much prefer doing upgrades than maintenance and repair.

One thousand times yes. Nice enough to where you know something isn't going to take a dump on you the next time you go for a drive. But wrenching is fun, too.

[uturn]

I'm getting tired of the maintenance on my fleet of E30's... there are days I feel like selling them all and buying a new car to just not deal with the hassle.

[e30onBBSs]

Nice enough to where you know something isn't going to take a dump on you the next time you go for a drive. But wrenching is fun, too.

This is the real bad part. Having so much of the car with new parts and all sorted but still not knowing what could happen with some 26 year old wiring or something

[Staszek]

I like that my car is bad, I cant wait to finish the transition and know that I did most of the work and its like new again. Although there are times I wish certain things were not as bad lol.

BTW I love my M3, and its such an awesome car in every way, but I get a ton more joy out of the E38 I restored and now the E30, which I know will be the most fun when its done.

[ST1G]

I like it both ways.

[jalopi]

OP, i know you're on the younger side and you're not exactly pulling bank at your current job, but do yourself a favor and buy yourself another car. it might not seem impractical right now, but trust me, owning and relying on only one 24+ year old vehicle definitely is not sensible.

luckily you already own a car though, which opens up your opportunity to own something on the impractical side, like a motorcycle or a truck (though the bike wouldn't fare too well in MA winters)

it's nice to be able to drive to the parts store for whatever you need while your POS is on four jackstands vs having to beg your friends/family for a ride

[kickinindian]

So you're rebuilding it, but parting the car out? You've got your work cut out for you, sir.



One thousand times yes. Nice enough to where you know something isn't going to take a dump on you the next time you go for a drive. But wrenching is fun, too.

Lol if anyone would buy my stuff. Tbh though I'm not going to a keep it the same drive train and since it won't be a DD I'm gonna ether make it a truck or try to experiment making a hatchback.