Buying an E30 as a Teenager

[Visors]

Allow me to start with my issue.

I fell in love with the E30, as most of you probably did, at first sight. The boxy design, the European-style, everything. So, when it came time for me to look into buying my first car, which is now, to me the choice was clear on what car to get.

Then I found out that buying a manual, 2-door coupe E30 was a lot harder than it looked at first.

I'm here as a plea for help, is it worth the time and effort looking for an E30 as a first car, or would the repairs, cost of replacement parts, tools, and primary price of it make it a less-than-ideal choice for a first car? Also, where should I be looking for the car at a reasonable price? I've tried ebay and craigslist, but no luck.

I appreciate all help or advice given, thanks in advance.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Allow me to start with my issue.



I fell in love with the E30, as most of you probably did, at first sight. The boxy design, the European-style, everything. So, when it came time for me to look into buying my first car, which is now, to me the choice was clear on what car to get.



Then I found out that buying a manual, 2-door coupe E30 was a lot harder than it looked at first.



I'm here as a plea for help, is it worth the time and effort looking for an E30 as a first car, or would the repairs, cost of replacement parts, tools, and primary price of it make it a less-than-ideal choice for a first car? Also, where should I be looking for the car at a reasonable price? I've tried ebay and craigslist, but no luck.



I appreciate all help or advice given, thanks in advance.

My honest advice. Nowadays get a beater for something to drive. Get that first accident out of the way. Not saying it will happen but statistics say a new driver will generally wreck there first car. If you still got that beater in a year or so and have a good job then sell it and buy the e30 or just pick one up to fix up on the side and keep the beater as a DD.

[Chessmaster]

i got my first e30 4 years ago at 16. i bought it for $800 spent $300 in repairs (normal e30 maintence items) for 2 years i owned it and sold it for 3k. ever since than ive owned 10+.

[stonea]

Brandon has a point, since I personally don't know you I'd recommend get something like a e36 and get that firs accident out of the way. They're cheap and you could probably wreck 2 or 3 for a price of an e30 in todays market. When I got first into e30s they made great first cars, but they're not the car they used to be.

[5Toes]

buy a beat ass e30. gut it. drive it. fix it. love it. Im talking about an eta with BAD PAINT and dings and unknown timing belt history.

its your first car and your friends are gonna beat on it, dont go out and buy a pristine example youre gonna fuck it up one way or another.

[roguetoaster]

Buy a sedan, maybe an early model. Learn how the car behaves before you really drive it and you shouldn't crash it unlike those irresponsible (as teenagers) above.

Avoid a rusty car, wait for the right one, be ready to pounce instantly, and budget $3500 for the car/first order repair needs.

[sonomabimmers]

buy a beat ass e30. gut it. drive it. fix it. love it. Im talking about an eta with BAD PAINT and dings and unknown timing belt history.

its your first car and your friends are gonna beat on it, dont go out and buy a pristine example youre gonna fuck it up one way or another.

^^ this. get a dumpy ass ETA and have a gang of fun. you'll learn a lot about fixing cars and how they work and how to appreciate them.

[Farbin Kaiber]

No modifications until after your 18th birthday. Only maintenance, but every maintenance item you can tackle.

Buy a Bentley Manual, read it on the toilet, put it under your pillow and sleep on it and gain knowledge by osmosis.

NO MODS!!!!!

[noid]

buy a beat ass e30. gut it. drive it. fix it. love it. Im talking about an eta with BAD PAINT and dings and unknown timing belt history.

its your first car and your friends are gonna beat on it, dont go out and buy a pristine example youre gonna fuck it up one way or another.

+1

I bought my first E30 when I was 17 (many years ago now) with my own money for $1700, it was rusted like crazy (hole in the floor, rotted fuel lines, etc).

When I took it to get it safety certified the guy told me to try to get my money back from the guy I bought it from.

But ill tell you what, with basic tools and some time I patched the holes (think rivets), changed the lines, and addressed some of the suspension components that needed to be changed for the safety. Then I proceeded to have some of the best times of my life with that car, I loved pouring nearly everything I earned at my part time job into it, speeding around the back roads, donuts, etc.

I was lucky, didnt crash it and sold it for a profit to a guy who then took it ice racing.

My friend at the time wasnt so lucky, he found a really nice example and ended up crashing it into a tree.

Now that im older, have more money, more time and more knowledge, I have a life long cali car, vin matching, accident free gem that is nearly a new car mechanically.

I attribute being able to work on my own cars to that first E30. God only knows what life would have been like if I had bought a civic or something 'safe'.

[jabroke]

I'm 18 and own my own e30.

Got it for free when I was 16 from my dad's cousin. It was non-running and sat in his backyard for about 8 years beforehand.

2 grand later and countless hours of cursing and fixing stupid shit I have a reliable DD that does mean burnouts.

Still haven't hit anything but I have had my license suspended. Get the hooligan shit out of the way with another car then get the e30. I promise you its the right thing to do because you WILL want to thrash on your new baby.

[BECKSTER]

I'm 17, I bought my first e30 right after I turned 16.
I made a lot of mistakes with that first car, but it was the best thing I've ever owned.
Every day after school I would spend countless driving the backroads, wrenching, and washing it.

I now translate all the knowledge I've received in owning that car along with the wise words of my mentors into building the e30 I now own.

[bangn]

The E30 is not a bad choice for a first car if its been maintained correctly and broken things have been replaced..however these things are now 25-30 years old. They generally need a reasonable amount of money spent on them and continuously to get them to keep serving you well.

The biggest issue ive seen with E30s is that with the cheaper ones people dont fix things that break.. They bandaid them to keep them going and this keeps happening until its run into the ground and cooked or sold onto someone with a small budget thats left holding the baby.

So it comes down to person you are.. if you're a perfectionist who wants their E30 faultless and wants to fix all the things wrong with it.. well then you have a money pit for a while.. and I mean a while because you will continually find things you want to fix/update

or you just want to drive an e30 for the sake of driving an e30 and you end up as one of these people who bandaids it until they cant afford too just to keep it going

if you're the later you are better off buying a reliable toyota and save your coin

But as a first car they're a good platform for learning how to play with cars, but generally peoples first cars that are played with get butchered along the way part of the learning process. IE.. How does this come off? "YANK" "BREAK" oh thats how it comes off!

[djjerme]

When I started driving - E30's were still new cars..

My first car was a '67 Chevy II. Which I promptly wrecked in the rain. But, I was told to "fix it your damn self" by my pops, and I did. Learned to appreciate just how shady the front suspension on those early shoebox Nova's was.

If you wreck your first car and fix it - you'll come out ahead. If you just spend your life being safe, you'll never learn anything. I know that goes against what our Nanny society wants you to believe - but it's the truth. Look at any athlete, artist..etc. They only improve when faced with failure/opposition.

Do I wish I still had some of the early cars I owned? sure. Would I change what I did in the past if I could - probably not. It's also why I truly appreciate what I have now.

It's all part of growing up.

If you want an E30 - get one. If it's a rusty dumpster fire, sounds like a good way to learn body work.

[jpod999]

E30's are good first cars, I've had mine since I was 15 (11 years later and I'm finally doing a swap).

Great cars to learn how to wrench on.

[supermansocks95]

My first car was an 05 sunfire with 63k on the clock. Paid 6k for that bitch. Less than a year later I ebraked it into a yield sign on a backroad. Mom made me report it and I had it fixed, because full coverage. Loved that little thing. My second(current) E30 got R3v'd last year. I was being an idiot and drifting in the rain and introduced my passenger side to a curb and an aluminum light pole. Haven't had time or money to fix yet. You're never too old to wreck your pride and joy, so just be careful and don't be an idiot.