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

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

    I bought a 1986 325e alpine white e30 that was in moderate condition. Had some rust, ran okay. The body had some hail damage and some dents and dings and had a semi-crappy paint job. This seemed like the perfect starting point for my project car. I sourced an m20b25 off Facebook market place and went from there. I completely built the engine, turbo, megasquirt, I did all the work myself but had a shop do custom dyno tune, had all the hail damage and dents pulled, had all the rust cut out, new panels fabbed and had it painted last month. I decided to stress myself out and see how much I have spent on the car to this day. The total was $27,702 including the $4,000 I spent on the car. I obviously went all out by doing euro bumper kits, euro side skirts, mtech valances etc. The paint/rust work alone totaled (inside/outside/jams etc) $6,000. Is this a crazy amount to spend? How much did you spend restoring yours?
    Last edited by nocrashnofun; 01-20-2021, 06:56 PM.

    #2
    Yes, this is a crazy amount to spend on an regular two-door E30. Especially since you restomodded your car, or at least that's how the market would likely view it. Which isn't to say that it's a bad thing to modify an E30, just so long as you don't expect ROI for doing so.

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      #3
      Originally posted by roguetoaster View Post
      Yes, this is a crazy amount to spend on an regular two-door E30. Especially since you restomodded your car, or at least that's how the market would likely view it. Which isn't to say that it's a bad thing to modify an E30, just so long as you don't expect ROI for doing so.
      Yeah, it's just expensive for everything. I replaced all the windows, weather stripping, gaskets, seals, new emblems, you name it. Just the front and back windshield gaskets alone are like $500 lol.

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        #4
        It just adds up really quickly. That's normal for restoring old cars.

        I don't even want to give a figure for my car, but I just had my M20 engine custom rebuilt, using all the good bits, plus did the entire suspension and brakes, back to front, new fuel tank, E36 rack conversion, custom PS pipes for that rack, all new gaskets/strips for both windscreens, and on and on
        Parts cost alone is hitting 15k and the labor added a lot more as I do not do the work myself apart from small stuff.

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          #5
          Originally posted by nocrashnofun View Post

          Yeah, it's just expensive for everything. I replaced all the windows, weather stripping, gaskets, seals, new emblems, you name it. Just the front and back windshield gaskets alone are like $500 lol.
          Yep, the cost is what the cost is. I still think it's funny what we (all automotive hobbyists) spend on cars that are neither rare, nor particularly special in an historical context. Imagine spending $50,000 restoring a base model slant 6 Falcon, and in the end you still have a base model slant 6 Falcon that's now worth 15K instead of 5K.

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            #6
            Let's see it!! Where did you get your bumpers? I'm in the market for a set for my 84.
            sigpic84 325e

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              #7
              Originally posted by roguetoaster View Post

              Yep, the cost is what the cost is. I still think it's funny what we (all automotive hobbyists) spend on cars that are neither rare, nor particularly special in an historical context. Imagine spending $50,000 restoring a base model slant 6 Falcon, and in the end you still have a base model slant 6 Falcon that's now worth 15K instead of 5K.
              I’d say the car is historically very much special. Just not rare in terms of production. In a way, just like a vw beetle.

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                #8
                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.
                Last edited by ZeKahr; 01-20-2021, 09:44 PM.
                1986 325e Schwarz (sold)
                1989 325iX Alpineweiß​ (daily)


                Greed is Good

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by ZeKahr View Post
                  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

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by 808ETA View Post
                    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.

                    Click image for larger version

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                      #11
                      Make a real build thread you hoe

                      Originally posted by wholepailofwater
                      Q
                      :devil:


                      WTB: Dove Grey e36 Front Door Panels (2 door)

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                        #12
                        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.
                        "Dolphins aren't so smart, they can't even engineer an E-diff"

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                          #13
                          I remember when I was * only * 27k deep into my E30, well over twice that now...


                          E30 ABS Pump Refurbishment Service
                          https://mtechniqueauto.com/

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                            #14
                            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 was up above it, Now I'm down in it ~ Entropy - A Build thread.
                            @Zakspeed_US

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                              #15
                              Originally posted by moatilliatta View Post
                              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.
                              Euro Delivery Thread///E30 Project Klaus///COTM August 2021

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