How do you drive your E30?

[Nick_S]

7K rpm every drive. I don't take it above 3500rpm till it's nicely warmed up but I don't baby it. I also don't have to daily mine anymore and even when I did I really didn't drive it any easier.

[ForcedFirebird]

I don't think you're doing your car any favors by driving it slower than my grandma would. I let mine warm up but then i'll take it up to redline nearly every time I drive it. There's no point in driving slow now so you can drive slightly faster later. Just drive it hard and maintain it well.

I can't tell you how many times I have installed an engine that has been sitting for some time and have a bad tick and/or misfire - rev them up to ~3k for 10min and it goes away. Slow moving engines build sludge! Bimmers like to be beat on!

[redsubdivisions]

I can't tell you how many times I have installed an engine that has been sitting for some time and have a bad tick and/or misfire - rev them up to ~3k for 10min and it goes away. Slow moving engines build sludge! Bimmers like to be beat on!

This is pretty true. After a solid highway run in my M20 turbo and beating on it pretty good, when I come to a stop it seems to be very calm and content. lol

[AngeloF10]

So, you're one of those people who starts a thread about how to bypass an E30 ignition switch, right?

Yes. [emoji849]
Ease up.


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[TFJR]

For the first 15-20 minutes of driving I try to not go over 3500rpm. Once the car is fully warmed up to operating temperature, I have no problem visiting anything up to 6K RPM. I maintain my cars very well, and endorse giving it a good "Italian tuneup" on a consistent basis.

[JasonC]

Mine is my daily driver. I kept the 4.10 rear when I did the 5 speed swap. So my rpms usually are up there and sounds like I'm running faster then I really am. 70mph I'm around 3600-3700rpm. I take it to redline about twice a month to keep the cobwebs cleaned out of it.

[Stanley Rockafella]

If I wanted to cruise, I would have bought a GM or Ford Product from the 80s.
Since I enjoy spirited driving, I bought an e30.
Been driving it spiritedly since 03 in stock form, and have yet to have a failure from anything related to the powertrain (engine/trans/diff).

[mbonanni]

Like a boss

[lukeADE335i]

LOL, you're not going to break the transmission with an M10.

Agreed - I've been running an M10 transmission behind my 3.5L M30 for 7 years (so double the power and torque twisting on it vs the M10) and it's still alive.

The transmission had done unknown kms before I fitted it, and it had a bit of noise in 4th gear at low revs right from when I installed it, and the noise has never really got any worse and the transmission is running fine.

[ButtJuice]

Isn’t the purpose of e30 ownership to enjoy the car? Even after all the time and money I put into my car I drive it like it’s my last day on earth (but without being a waffleswaffleswaffleswaffles to other people on the road)

[Nairb]

After 10 year of ownership, I drive it like I own it for sure. However, in my area in Florida, "the twisties" aren't really a thing. Lots of really smooth, flat, straight roads everywhere.

The m42 loves to be revved out, you're not really even in the powerband until about 3500-4000RPM and then it really comes alive. I drive on the highway between Sarasota and St. Petersburg often (over the skyway bridge) and this car LIVES at 80-85mph. It really has a sweet spot that it just hums. 4k RPM in 5th gear at 85-90mph (which is considered slow on the interstate here in SWFL) and you can just roll on the throttle and it will go go go. I do "hill climbs" up the Skyway Bridge and the thing eats it up. I can see why they are so often used in Europe for hill climb events. You can feel the lightness in the car, and it is so surprisingly stable at those speeds. Never, ever do I feel unsafe in my e30 when driving. I am a fiend for changing oil and filters and stuff like that, so I really don't worry too much about the engine in that regard, I drive it like an old woman compared to most people.

I honestly don't like throwing the car around when turning corners and stuff, I rarely rip it into a 90 degree turn or anything like that unless it's a controlled, throttle-on kind of turn. I like controlled driving, and I feel that if you are constantly ripping it around your suspension/tires and shit is gonna wear out really quickly, and I cherish how smooth my e30 drives.. I don't want to risk fucking up that smoothness. Powerflex bushings help a lot, highly recommend powerflex everything. IMO the N/V/H for the standard powerflex compared to stock rubber shouldn't even be a consideration for anyone! Just get 'em.

[Juganator]

I rev my M20 out and take it on plenty of long road trips. If It was going to die it probably would have many times by now.

[amcp]

Mine was a track car, taken to redline constantly. Never had any issues with that car.

[E30_Narek]

I don't really drive mine as often as I used to now that I have a daily but when I do, I do drive it pretty hard lol. No point in me having spent all that money on it if I don't get to enjoy it, right?

[roguetoaster]

Not like my brother.