BMW commitment to Classic Group parts

[roguetoaster]

A clock in a vehicle is never useless, unless you can't read it, looking at you tiny, shiny analogue units. Good thing the entire country has perfect cell coverage so we never need to leave the comfort of our tiny screens, ya know? Yes to the rest, with the cassette being the possible exception if I still had any to play.

[digger]

yeah analog clock is very useful for me and i always wear a wrist watch to. Its a huge fine and demerit points for even touching your phone while driving here so you shouldn't be doing that as i think paying attention is better.

[rturbo 930]

Some examples of features that are useless in the E30 (at least in my eyes) are:
- the digital/analog clock on the lower trims. Back when the E30 was new it made sense to have one in the car because it saved you from buying a wristwatch to check time while driving (heh). These days I can just check the time on my iPhone. I just consider the clock a cool looking piece to have in the interior.
- the power antenna and AM/FM functionality on the radio. I never listen to music on radio and just play everything through YouTube on my phone.
- the cassette deck in the radio. Not useless, but overly complex - the complexity also makes it prone to breaking. I can't find one resource online on how to fully repair these old cassette decks.
- the car phone (mine came with the antenna for it but I got rid of that - thought it looked a little odd)
- the service interval indicator. IMO this was really only intended for the first buyer (who was probably a car noob) back when the cars were new. These days, E30s are enthusiast owned and enthusiasts tend to stick to specific maintenance schedules without the help of the SI system.

The rest of the features are still useful to this day.

1) Looking at a clock in the dash is easier than having to mess with your phone, and also safer.
2) Probably in the minority, but I do still use the normal radio. Still useful.
3) Admittedly obsolete, but most cars, including mine, have aftermarket headunits.
4) Granted, but not standard equipment.
5) It's a couple lights in the cluster, who cares.

Given that your initial assertion was that these cars have "quite a lot of unnecessary extra parts, lots of plastic pieces, and outdated (in terms of how it functions), overly complex gizmos" I'd have to say your list there doesn't really substantiate that at all. We have a clock (not complex or unnecessary), two items relating to the head unit which is easily updated, a phone that was an option or dealer aftermarket (not sure which) that many E30s didn't get, and a simple service warning light.

I don't like the amount of plastic in the E30, but only real solution to that is to get something older.

[nando]

We've got an E46 in the family as well bud - a 2005 325i. You are correct that there are lots of stupid little things that break on these cars and the E46 will throw a lot of dumb error lights. I gave up trying to kill the dash lights on mine. That said, the interior is still in really decent cosmetic shape despite being 16 years old plastic. Mine doesn't have iDrive or navigation though so I don't have to deal with that. Personally after owning 3 different BMWs, I've given up with the idea of trying to keep my BMW perfect and just want to keep it nice enough to be a useable daily.

The E46 is 22 years old now, I don't consider that to be "newer", lol. iDrive isn't even optional past 2010 or so.

[TobyB]

Hopefully that's sarcasm, as the technology is already here for that.

Yup, and I did it. 2 each of the Motorsport colors, and they fit real good.

So light, though, I had to 3d print the rods, to get it to balance

I figure it might break the 200rwhp barrier, NA, with the cam I've printed up.

All stock, otherwise.

t
just PLAying.

[Staszek]

We've got an E46 in the family as well bud - a 2005 325i. You are correct that there are lots of stupid little things that break on these cars and the E46 will throw a lot of dumb error lights. I gave up trying to kill the dash lights on mine. That said, the interior is still in really decent cosmetic shape despite being 16 years old plastic. Mine doesn't have iDrive or navigation though so I don't have to deal with that. Personally after owning 3 different BMWs, I've given up with the idea of trying to keep my BMW perfect and just want to keep it nice enough to be a useable daily.

Some examples of features that are useless in the E30 (at least in my eyes) are:
- the digital/analog clock on the lower trims. Back when the E30 was new it made sense to have one in the car because it saved you from buying a wristwatch to check time while driving (heh). These days I can just check the time on my iPhone. I just consider the clock a cool looking piece to have in the interior.
- the power antenna and AM/FM functionality on the radio. I never listen to music on radio and just play everything through YouTube on my phone.
- the cassette deck in the radio. Not useless, but overly complex - the complexity also makes it prone to breaking. I can't find one resource online on how to fully repair these old cassette decks.
- the car phone (mine came with the antenna for it but I got rid of that - thought it looked a little odd)
- the service interval indicator. IMO this was really only intended for the first buyer (who was probably a car noob) back when the cars were new. These days, E30s are enthusiast owned and enthusiasts tend to stick to specific maintenance schedules without the help of the SI system.

The rest of the features are still useful to this day.

I own several newer BMW's G12 750, F15 X5 and an E93 M3(although that one seems really old now), I constantly use the clock, its probably one of the features I use the most in all of the cars.
While I never use AM/FM a lot of people still do especially if you are in a very rural larger city you can get so many stations.
Agree on the cassette deck although it was fun breaking out old tapes sometimes, I removed it and put a BT board in so I can stream. I removed my power antenna and replaced it with the M3 version so if I wanted to listen to the radio I still could. Also there are still a lot of drive through attractions (especially with Covid) where you need to tune to a radio station to hear the announcements/music. We did it this year at a drive through Christmas light show.
Car phone I also agree with but it does look cool. I have seen many E38 guys gut theirs so they can use for other purposes but still have it for looks.
I'm on the fence with service intervals, I get your point but its still useful.

I will say this with the iDrive, I have 3 different versions of it, the G12 obviously has the newest latest one and the M3 the oldest one, except for the pre 2011 versions of iDrive which did not do a lot of things(had it on an E90 330i) most of them work really well. My M3 has updated maps, the voice control works fine, sirius, BT streaming with app control etc. And there are many aftermarket companies that you can upgrade the software on them to give them features they didn't come with like Carplay. They are not as obsolete as many think.

Hell you can even get a kit to upgrade it to the latest ID7 version of idrive, now its not cheap but it looks completely stock and you get the latest tech.

Some people hate iDrive but to be honest after driving just about everything in the industry is by far one of the best out there especially in the newest iteration.

[Vincenze]

I wonder what inexpensive parts should I buy now while they are available.

I think many rubber and plastic parts may deteriorate.

[jgilber0]

I’m surprised that BMW still offers parts at all.

As with other marques, aftermarket suppliers will step in and make reproduction parts as demand warrants. Other items will continue to be available as used, refurbished, rebuilt, and remanufactured. Most collectible cars have parts support of some kind.

As an example, nearly anything you need for Corvairs is available from Clark’s Corvair Parts. Before the Internet existed, I used to buy a paper catalog from them every few years and pour through printed price lists to order specialty items via phone. It worked and you could maintain your Corvair without any GM support.

It will be the same for us with e30s. There are enough e30s and enough interest in them to drive a healthy after-marketplace.