Need Help! Yearly Maintenance costs?

[TobyB]

You really should learn to work on cars if you're going to own an e30

^

You should be comfortable going to junkyards and buying things on Craigslist/here/etc...

Also, don't overlook the importance of a PLACE to work on it- a quiet carport's enough,
but on the street in LA is going to suck.

t

[Swendog]

Hey...I'm probably an OLD FART by R3v demographics (53 with 2 kids in college, 1 in HS) but this is by FAR the best forum for enthusiasts that I've been on. I'm relatively new to BMWs getting my first one, an E36 M3 back in 2007. Excellent advice above. I am fortunate to have a garage at my house to work on my E30 and it's not my DD, so I can fiddle with it in my limited time. Having a decent set of tools, a good quality jack, and jack stands is a MUST. When I was 17, I lost a good friend when he was crushed by his car- he was 16- because of crappy/poor use of jack stands. So please BE CAREFUL. But wrenching on my E30 is therapy- the sense of satisfaction and getting to know your car is the best. These cars are very easy to work on. In addition to a good set of tools and jack, PB Blaster and a MAPP torch are necessity when working on rusty bolts. Make sure when using a torch to be extra careful and ALWAYS have a fire extinguisher nearby in a well ventilated area. And of course the REAL fun is DRIVING IT! Welcome to the family! Swen.