I totaled the amount I spent restoring my e30 and I'm shocked.

[89_325i]

It is what is is. If you want an E30 that looks and behaves as it did when new, I would say $20-25k is around the correct number.

[roguetoaster]

All of these posts are precisely why I keep mine as stock as possible. Honestly, all I spend on the car is just oil and gas. I'll keep this baby going for as long as I can, put the top down whenever the temp goes up to 60F, and have a smile on my face. Well, I did replace all the suspension parts for about $250.00 this year.

All the suspension parts for $250? Hope you didn't buy one of those safety hazard ebay kits.

[dnguyen1963]

All of these posts are precisely why I keep mine as stock as possible. Honestly, all I spend on the car is just oil and gas. I'll keep this baby going for as long as I can, put the top down whenever the temp goes up to 60F, and have a smile on my face. Well, I did replace all the suspension parts for about $250.00 this year.

[zwill23]

I've chosen to spend most of the money I've put into my E30 into performance related items because a fun and reliable cruiser has been priority #1. I've been quite good about finding deals and sourcing quality used bits and the number is still pretty damn high... I can't imagine how much it'll cost to fix up the outside aesthetics of this machine, but I'm confident I'll be into it for a similar cost as you if and when the time to spruce up the exterior comes.

In my head, the way I justify the cost is by driving the car. When I first embarked down this route I had a fairly new Subaru Legacy as my daily that I was making car payments on. I figured, If I can spend $250 a month on a car payment for 7 years then I could budget the same into maintaining and modifying my E30. I sold the Subaru and the car carried me for four years and 40k miles while I continued modifying and making it my own. Given the circumstances, daily driving and maintaining an E30 or driving a boring but inherently reliable Legacy for the same price point... the E30 wins hands down.

[e30austin]

man, if you think that's bad, don't ever go buying a neglected/basket case M-car. you're in for a bad time. ask me how i know. ha.

[cory58]

At least it's red - maximum smiles/$!

I've been SCCA club racing for 26 years and learned a long time ago to never add up the costs. I once made the mistake of telling my wife the cost of race tires, but that's a different story...

The other thing that racing taught me is great rationalization skills, which I now use for BMWs too. Example #1: No doubt I will be into my Touring for close to $30k when it's done (are they ever really done?), but never actually adding up the cost and knowing I will be enjoying the car for many years makes it worthwhile. Example #2: All four of my older BMWs are increasing in value! No need to worry about the annual appreciation never covering the cash outflow.

Cory

[agisthos]

Here's an example of what can happen.....

I rebuilt the engine so was painting, cleaning, rebuilding and reconditioning all the engine bay bits, like starter motor, alternator, brake cylinder e.t.c
Decided to replace those old yellowed fluid containers. Coolant, wiper and clutch containers were all like $20 each. Cheap I thought. Only one more to go (the brake fluid container).
How much? $160 USD.

And for the 323i there was only about 48 left in the entire world, and I doubt they would make more of them.

So what should a guy do? Have 3 nice white containers and 1 old yellow one in the bay? Nope. cha-ching!

It just keeps going like this.

[Staszek]

Its only too much if you're not enjoying it.

Its expensive to do it right, its expensive to do it twice.

If it puts a smile on your face and you enjoy where its going, keep going.

There is another thread going mentioning how much people have in their E30's, most all these cars in the 1-5K range are close to needing a full rebuild to make them proper again, and its happening and the market price is reflecting. Its still cheaper to buy a car that is done right than to build one. Whats the fun in that!?

I hear ya! I actually tried to forget what I spent and just enjoy the car:) Hope I can get 2/3rd of my money when I sell it one day, but we will see.

[moatilliatta]

Its only too much if you're not enjoying it.

Its expensive to do it right, its expensive to do it twice.

If it puts a smile on your face and you enjoy where its going, keep going.

There is another thread going mentioning how much people have in their E30's, most all these cars in the 1-5K range are close to needing a full rebuild to make them proper again, and its happening and the market price is reflecting. Its still cheaper to buy a car that is done right than to build one. Whats the fun in that!?

[Jordan]

I remember when I was * only * 27k deep into my E30, well over twice that now...

[89_325i]

I've added up my intended spend on my rebuild and I'm at around the same. Thats why I'm stretching it over 5 years.

I spent over 12K on a bike restoration a couple years ago. Restorations in general are expensive.

[MrBurgundy]

Make a real build thread you hoe

[nocrashnofun]

Let's see it!! Where did you get your bumpers? I'm in the market for a set for my 84.

I'll show more pics when I get it together.. It literally just got out of the paint booth yesterday. I got my euro kit from https://www.classiceuroparts.com/

I'm planning on uploading a bunch of pictures of the whole process lol. It just got out of the paint booth today so it's not completely together.

[nocrashnofun]

Yeah it’s normal. Generally speaking, the newer the classic is the more expensive its going to be to restore because there are more parts and subsystems to maintain. An E30 will probably cost twice as much as an 02 to restore (not rebuild) simply because of all the extra little things - like more sound deadening, extra clips and brackets, trunk liner, toolkit, trim, etc - that they put in these cars and want an arm and a leg for a replacement. And then there are also extra subsystems that eventually break and need maintenance like AC, power door locks, power windows, emissions equipment, cruise control, airbags, ABS, sound system.

Yeah. I spent $500 on the oil pump alone.. The parts are becoming more and more difficult to find as the years go by. Some parts aren't even made anymore and you have to find a donor/scrap car. There actually aren't many of them left in great condition. I consider it a learning experience and I don't regret. Plus it looks sexy :D

[ZeKahr]

Yeah it’s normal. Generally speaking, the newer the classic is the more expensive its going to be to restore because there are more parts and subsystems to maintain. An E30 will probably cost twice as much as an 02 to restore (not rebuild) simply because of all the extra little things - like more sound deadening, extra clips and brackets, trunk liner, toolkit, trim, etc - that they put in these cars and want an arm and a leg for a replacement. And then there are also extra subsystems that eventually break and need maintenance like AC, power door locks, power windows, emissions equipment, cruise control, airbags, ABS, sound system.