On the hunt for my first E30/car.

[Atillia]

At this point I dont really care. I cant even drive a manual yet. Obviously Id learn, but at this moment in time, I cannot. ;)

[eric (^__^)]

I remember telling my mom the same thing when I was looking for a car. She told me the same thing I will tell you now: get a stick, you'll be glad you did!

If you can walk and chew gum at the same time you'll learn to drive stick in a day or two.

[Atillia]

After giving up my E30 hunt for about a month, I took a gander at cars.com today, and found one at a dealer right near my house. Im going to go take a look at it tomorrow, and if all is well, hopefully Ill get it. Im going to finance it with a loan and pay 125 a month for 36 months. Im only 17, so that means Im going to need to find a job soon :D

Heres the car.

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp;?tracktype=usedcc&searchType=21&pageNumber=0&numResultsPerPage=50&largeNumResultsPerPage=0&sortorder=ascending&sortfield=YEAR+ascending%2cPRICE+descending&certifiedOnly=false&criteria=K-|E-|M-_5_|D-_31_|N-N|R-30|I-1|P-YEAR+ascending%2cPRICE+descending|Q-ascending|Z-11746&aff=national&paId=136233709&recnum=1&leadExists=true

Hopefully we can talk that price down to about 5000.

[E30Kaiser]

Looks nice, and if you can talk him down, even better. Good luck with the whole affair.

[Jean]

Eh. you are 16, don't buy a $5000 e30 as your first car, seriously. especially on a 3 year loan.

Go buy one for $1000 or less, drive/learn on that and go from there.

[Atillia]

Elaborate please.



PS Im 17. :p

[E30Kaiser]

Elaborate please.



PS Im 17. :p

Chances are you will mess up the car, and being on a 3 year payment plan is never fun. I totaled my first car thinking I was Michael Schumacher and a tire blew going 50mph through a turn and that was all she wrote, so I agree with what he is saying. I am 19 and from experience I can say something will probably happen to your car so don't get into a loan.

[Atillia]

Money is tight. :( Cant shell out large sums of cash at the moment. Guess Ill be hitching a ride in my brothers Jeep for the foreseeable future.

[T Verdier]

that $5000 is kinda high for an autotragic 325i if it were a 5 speed 325is it would be a good price. there are two ways i would go. 1 Buy a 1500 beater and mod it a little bit to make it bearable or 2 buy a $3000 IS that is clean. only real hardcore e30 enthusiast who want a super clean body and interior spend 5 or 6k on a 325i. then we proceed to drop it and put a 4.10 LSD in it :P .

[BobombETA]

Have you considered an eta?

Given your current situation, that is what I would suggest. They are significantly cheaper than an i and faster than a 318. Its still slow, but its faster than your brothers jeep, and really, a fast car isn't what you want at 17.

You will still get the e30 feel in a 325e.

Plus these days the fuel economy will really help out. I get upwards of 34 mpg on the highway in mine, and around 24 in the city. It all depends on your right foot though.


I would look for a clean (relative term), 5 speed, 325e. With up to date maintenance.