Will people ever stop molesting E30s en masse?

[ZeKahr]

With the amount of E30s that have been/are being turned into drift rats or are engine-swapped on the market today, it seems like the E30 is turning into the German equivalent of the S14 with unmolested examples getting harder and harder to find. Do you guys ever see this trend reversing at some point in say the next 10-20 years and the ratio of unmolested E30s to molested E30s on the market will be higher than it is today?

[Nowayman]

I hope so. I’m over here trying to save em all, like busted up Pokémon’s

[e30davie]

Probably never. Around here you can still get something half decent for quite cheap, cheap enough to have fun drifting it that's for sure. I don't imagine the boring 318i cars will ever become some uber protected species, always going to be used and abused.

[ZeKahr]

I hope so. I’m over here trying to save em all, like busted up Pokémon’s

I'm using my one and only unmolested 325e as a daily driver (and am driving it with reasonable care). Scooped it up for $1800 even though it needed a lot of mechanical work because it was unmolested and had comparatively little rust, and I plan on keeping mine unmolested. I'm looking to get a second unmolested one to ease the fear of someone crashing into my current one and leaving me E30-less. With the way prices are going, idk if that will be a possibility in the next 5 years because I sure as hell don't have the money for a second E30 right this minute.

Probably never. Around here you can still get something half decent for quite cheap, cheap enough to have fun drifting it that's for sure. I don't imagine the boring 318i cars will ever become some uber protected species, always going to be used and abused.

Yes, that's the problem. These cars are still affordable enough for young kids who like to tear them apart, modify them, and drive them hard. Admittedly I'm within that peer group (I'm 24), but I'm not the type to molest my cars. The 318i cars I don't care too much about; the lack of low-end torque makes them terrible for laid back cruising, which is my primary driving style. The 325e on the other hand, I'd like to see enough unmolested examples for sale in the future so that I can buy for a reasonable and drive them for as long as I am able to drive.

[Stanley Rockafella]

I hope it never stops.
When it does, it means that people stop enjoying e30's in their own way.

But when it does, it just drives the price of nice examples through the roof.
....which I'm perfectly content with.

[SkiFree]

I'm with Stanley, hopefully it'll never stop. E30's were made to be hotrodded and personalized, not kept completely stock. As values rise, there will be a continueously louder group of gentleman who turn up their noses at such riffraff and proclaim "what a waste!".... As they buff their E30's paint with baby diapers while it slowly dies in their garage (only to be taken out to cars and coffee [like a real enthusiast]).

[Stanley Rockafella]

[digger]

Tastefully done and well executed is ok but you see a lot of trash. Seems to be a lot harder to find parts which sucks.

[MR E30 325is]

I doubt it. It;s much harder to do than it was back in 2004, but it still happens. Seems like a lot of it went to E36's, with some moving to E46's (an e46 325i is dirt cheap nowadays).

I am still looking for one to molest, though tastefully of course.

[moatilliatta]

Yes, go back to VWs!

[RobE30]

I'm with Stanley, hopefully it'll never stop. E30's were made to be hotrodded and personalized, not kept completely stock. As values rise, there will be a continueously louder group of gentleman who turn up their noses at such riffraff and proclaim "what a waste!".... As they buff their E30's paint with baby diapers while it slowly dies in their garage (only to be taken out to cars and coffee [like a real enthusiast]).

Cars and coffee is life man. Where's my cup holder?

I have no issue with people who make their E30 the way they want it, I only cringe when they wrap it around a tree or similar. Drive the damn things!

[wworm]

I hope it never stops.
When it does, it means that people stop enjoying e30's in their own way.

I'm with this POV. Half the fun with these is how easy they are to mess with

[MrBurgundy]

Never going to stop.

Plus side is my OEM+ car stands out a lot more

[roguetoaster]

To stop this we should create an E30 molester registry or something.

[cheffy30]

I'm feeling good about my oem then. it's definitely a head turner. sent from hell using tapatalk