Progression

[Il Duce]

I caught myself browsing the photos I've taken of all the e30's I've had. Just thought I would share where i've been, because everyone likes pictures.


It started summer of '03. Weston (LikeCDoos) had just graduated from highschool and he got an e30. I was in the market for a car, so i talked to the same guy he bought his from and i had myself a sweet little ETA.

-1985 d-schwarz 325e/5spd. clothe sports and the works. it was clean.






after a while, and much reading, i had decided to get an e30 m3. i was in way over my head, but who isnt when it comes to us R3V'rs? (lol)

-1988 Hennarot M3 she was clean, and i'd never gotten so many looks from other drivers.







after a few months, i sensed that the engine was dying, and the e30 m3 wasnt the car for me, at that time in my life. so i traded cars w/ Bryson. (i loved the bronzit, not as much as bryson b/c it wasnt possible, but i was really really stoked on it.) we were both happy with the trade and i ended up with this:


-1989 Bronzit 325is/a (converted to 5spd) full e36 suspension!!! and it handled amazingly.






then some fat bitch decided she couldnt wait to go to the carls jr. parking lot and made a left turn in front of me. and i hit her. she had to yield to me of course, so the accident was 100% not my fault and i recieved some money for the car. luckily none of the suspension components were harmed in the accident. so i took the money from the salvage title and ended up with this: (my current car)


-1990 Schwarz 325i/2 5spd (to be converted to 5 lug this weekend)





bam. there you have it. my e30 story to date. obviously the M3 was the favorite, but at least i know it went to a good home. someday i will have an e30 M3 again, but until that day, my schwarz devil will be more than sufficient. feel free to contribute your own stories. it should be interesting.


-kevin

[permit]

You forgot to mention how GOD DAMN CLEAN THE NEW BLACKIE IS. Its fucking flawless. I love schwarz now because of Kristuphir's (??) car, Matts (minus it not running and the hood artwork) and your new car. Go Kevin Go

[MR 325]

Well here's my go at this and permit it does run and the hood art was a test, and it failed
. . . .


Like Kevin, in the Summer of 2003 is when I entered the E30 world. I had become friends with a guy named Daniel earlier that year. He had a mint 87 325iS and a 4 door auto Eta beater. Both of these cars made me fall in love with the E30. I wasn't really looking to buy an E30 right away but I saw a deal and snatched it up. It was a 1986 325 5 spd that ran pretty damn good, picked it up for $700. I had this car up until April 2005




A little less than a year later, Daniel, my friend with the E30's was wanting to get rid of his 1985 325e, he only wanted $100 for it. The car was rough as far as the interior and motor aspect of things but it had a very clean body, except the hood which was dented while not on the car. I bought that car from him with the intent of making a project out of it but realised I was in over my head with the car itself and all the back registration and smog issues. I decided to pull the header and a few other parts off of it and send it to E30 heaven 4 or 5 months after I bought it.




This leads me to my current beast which I bought 11 months ago from a friend who was moving up to an E36. I picked it up for $1500 which was well worth it for a relativly clean 1991 325i. The only downside was it came to me with about 195k on the clock and was crying for a rebuild. Over the months I have added many things to this car, I won't even get in to them but my CarDomain page can tell you more. It's been a fun road and I can't wait for more.






. . . . .

Well there's my quick E30 story. I see another Eta beater in my future, I think...

[uberpanzer]

OK, my turn. Only problem is that my e30 story starts WAAAY back in history, before the invention of (relatively) cheap digi-cams. Thus the first car is without pics. I was able to find a couple of digital images of photos of the 2nd car, bare with me on that one.

So, back in 1993 I was a freshman in college and was car-less. My parents had been letting me drive an old '84 K-Car based LeBaron convertible just before going off to school, but didn't want to let me have a car during my freshmen year (for fear my grades would suffer). However, shortly after Xmas one of my mom's clients was replacing his '87 325i/a 4dr (loaded with every option including full OBC and Premium Sound) with a new Volvo. I bought the 6 year old car for what the dealership was going to give him in trade, $9000. This might sound steep, until you realize this e30 only had 41K miles on it. The car was Delpihn Grey/Tan and an absolute DREAM to drive, when coming from the Chryslers I was used to. Nothing was ever modded on the car (although I had Dinan dreams), and everything was taken care of at the local stealership, since I knew no better. I broke this car in and it gave me just over 100K miles of great driving experience before I got rid of it in early 1996 (forced by parents not thinking I needed two cars...and they were right due to a lack of income). This is where my love affair with e30's starts, and that car will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart (thus Delphin is my 2nd favorite e30 color).

Around 1995 I had started to realize that AWD was a good thing. I had learned of Audi's exploits in DTM with the Quattro's and how much they had kicked butt. I was then longing for a way to fit AWD to my e30, thinking it would make the great car that much better. So I started to do some research on the cars (which wasn't easy due to my lack of internet usage at the time, and its lack of size), only to find that some crafty BMW engineers had come up with the same idea of an AWD BMW back when they updated the bodies. I then began hatching schemes to liberate one from Colorado (where it seems ALL 325ix cars end up), only to randomly pick up an Autotrader in the Valley in LA and then just HAPPEN to find a mint '90 325ix (Diamond Black/Black) 4 door 5 speed with 71K miles (5 years old). It was EXACTLY what I wanted in an e30, minus some extra power, suspension, and tunes. By the time I was done the car had a Dinan Stg I suspension set-up, 8in sub and Kenwood headunit and CD changer. I was forced to get rid of this car though due to my driving habits FAAAR exceeding my income (I broke too many things driving the car hard and couldn't afford to maintain it). This is a pic taken moments before handing the keys over to a Pontiac dealership when trading the car in for a brand new 1997 Grand Prix GTP (hey, it had a warranty and as much hp as & more torque than the $15K more expensive e36 M3):


The GTP lasted for about a year (was stolen and totaled while I was on deployment), and then I was over seas for another 10 months. I came back to the States on vacation in the Spring of 1999 and was itching to waste some of the cash I had been saving up. I had gone into the local BMW stealership to check out a Dakar e36 M3 that you could spot a mile away (OK, 100 yards for me actually) and was balking at the price they wanted. While wandering around the lot and mulling over whether I wanted to spend that much on a third BMW after having SOO many problems with the 325ix, I saw something that caught my eye. It looked like a white dorsal fin on a shark. I moved in for a closer look and saw that also sitting in the CPO car section was a 9 year old e30 M3, Alpine White II/Tan with 73K miles on the odo. I had the salesman grab the keys so we could take a testdrive. I fell in love, bonded with the car, and have owned it ever since. It came with a Borla cat-back and some long-gone headunit, and since it was CPO I also got a warranty that I made good use of (too many new factory parts to list/remember). Currently it has IE Stg III Race springs, Bilstein Sports, a Dinan chip, in-box K&N, some upgraded speakers and a Sony Mini-Disc headunit (damn Japanese toys I picked up overseas!!!). Here is a pic taken less than 24hrs before I grenaded the motor at Willow Springs. The car is still sitting in the garage with a foot wide hole in the block, awaiting a rebuild. The pic is dated 11/1/03. It will live again with S14 power, no mater what kind of power I can get from newer motors.


Even though this might be enough for most people, I didn't stop there. I'm e30 obsessed. I wasn't LOOKING for any other cars, but when fate hands you a sweet deal, you take it. In the Spring of 2003 I got a call from a good friend that had a line on a 318is that had some unknown engine damage. He had seen current pics of the car and the interior and exterior were to die for. The car was Diamond Black/Black, which he knew that I loved and had been lusting after since my 325ix. He asked if I wanted to go take a look at it, since the owner (friend of a friend type thing) was about to move to the east coast and couldn't pay to fix the car first or tow the car there. Figured why not, what could it hurt. When I saw the car I was again in love. That color combo has ALWAYS looked the best on e30's to me, at least IMO. Since the motor 'was toast' according to her mechanic, I bought the car for $800, knowing full well that I could part this perfect interior (no dash cracks, black sport seats) for more than what I was paying. Since I didn't have time to check the motor myself, I had it towed to my mechanic (small BMW only shop that WAS awesome) to have them give it a once over and tell me what I was looking at to get it running again. I had a motor at the time (M30 based) to throw in ~IF~ the entire motor was gone, but was hoping it was just the head. Turns out her mechanic was trying to take her for a ride, since it was just the battery. So for $880 (car + new OEM battery) I got a PERFECT stock 318is, minus the front 'is' lip with 131K on the odo. Speakers have since been upgraded, I'm running 15x7 MiM wheels care of a trade with MR325 for the stock baskets that were on the car, installed the leather shift knob/boot and e-brake covers from the M3, snagged the Smillies with DDE's from the e30 M3 as well, and am about to install stock e30 M3 springs, Bilstein Sports, Offset bushings, and a MarkD chip that I have in the garage (once the group buy on the chip is completed that is). I'm also planning on swapping in a 3.73 LSD from a 325is to get better gas mileage since it is a daily driver. Here is a pic from not too long ago, just after the wheels were put on:



So I guess that's it for now. I'll probably update this after the suspension install on the 318is. Hopefully I'll also document the S14/M3 rebuild for everyone, if not just myself. We'll see.

In the meantime, who's next with their long post???

[Joey]

God il duce, with the shiny Hennarot.
I'd be wanting that back after a week. :D

[Digitalwave]

15 years old, shopping for my first car a few months before I turned 16, my best friend's parents were selling their 1990 325i automatic because their special order CLK430 and Escalades had arrived. 90k on the clock, garage kept and lady driven all its life. Almost 5 years later still driving it, only car I've ever owned.

First day I owned it:



Lots of money and a 5 speed swap later:

[Bavarian3]

Fall 99 -Alright 15 years old looking for an E30 as well.... father found a beaut 186k Lapis Blue 325e with 186k miles on it. Super clean inside and out and four folders of repair receipts, it was a deal for $2500. Put eibach pro kit springs and bilstein sport shocks on (still on) a UUC SSK, KN drop in filter, and Jim C chip. 6 years later, she is still here. One accident (minor repaint but doesn't match, which bothers me) and the odo stop at 207k (about two years ago) same engine, burns no oil, smokes no smoke, runs like a champ.



Somewhere between 01 I think...Henna..... it was all a blur... bought the car for $9k (before Alpineweiss) was a strong motor until spun a rod bearing which (now that I can look back was 100% my fault due to not even thinking about the sound at the time was anything engine related) Sent the engine to Pete McHenry for a 2.5L rebuild..... gutted the car out and the rest is history..




Next onto the AlpineweissI M3...

10/7/03 Patrick P (all those turbo'd BMWs in Ft.Laud) Instant messaged me about if I was interested in a M3... details, he said fresh paint, 83k miles on it, just needs some work, $6k..... so I was at FAU at the time and I took a look at it and I was sold. The car had 17x8 style 5 (OEM BBS 'RS' design) which I sold for $1k.... and put some 17x8 E34 M5 wheels on.....





Now I got rid of the 17" wheels for some stock 15".... traded the Dinan springs for some rare Gruppe N Springs.....added a splitter...replaced the drivers seats for some Sparco Sprint seats...

[/img]

[BMW BMXER]

My story.

I have always wanted a 2dr blazer, always. I was looking for one when my dad took a trip to atlanta and said that my uncle was getting rid of his old 325 that I could have for free. Free is good. The clutch slave broke down and the drivers seat was torn to shit and the paint shit so he parked it and left it for 2 years for me to get it. Got it shipped to Canada. It looked like so:




Found maxbimmer, got it painted, got rims, got springs, thought about a eurostyle kit, blah blah blah now.

[kylebes1]

My story, will edit with pictures when I get home.

December 2003
Bought 1984 318i, 400k miles, Safari Biege with Brown vinyl interior.
Burned the brown seats and installed nice non-sport tan leather ones.
Minor suspension mods, brake rebuild, 3.73LSD and an m50tu.
Flipped that car.

December 2004
Bought 1986 325e, blown head gasket, blue cloth interior
full respray in Polaris Silver (original color as well)
m50 engine, 2.93 open diff.
brakes, and my tan leather interior
hit nausty pothole, then off the edge, the into embankment, then other embankment, then high centered on ditch

March 2005
Oxford Green 525ia.
Nice tan leather interior, already has m50tu, but with slush box.
Girl friend hydroplaned doing 85mph on interstate in a downpour, slid into a tree. That barely cracked the bumper, and needless to say ended her being my gf.
Car is great, but has cracked bumper

September 2005
HOPEFULLY getting a 1990 325is, swartz, with tan sport interior. JL sub, GC, all the works!

December 2011
I want to own a silver e30 m3 by this time.

[Julien]

guess it's my turn. I was 17, and i was looking at several universities to attend. I went to go visit a friend at GTech. He was busy all day, so he introduced me to a car minded friend of his, Mike McCoy. Mike was fond of BMWs and owned a pretty sweet e34 525i 5 speed that he let me drive. We found a big empty parking lot, where i drove the car, drove it some more, and drove it some more.. and yup, i fell in love. He later went on to open up The Racers Market and turbo charge a few BMWs.
318is
Fast forward a few months from meeting mike, my jeep gets rear ended and its time to find a replacement. ATM i had my mind more set on an e36.. but when i saw the right e30, i couldn't resist. 1991 318is w 130k on the odo. This is the first car i did "real" repairs and mods to:
Ie clutch:

I also added better rotors, pads, shocks and springs to her later.
She was the one that was featured in GRM august 02 issue.
(with mike whitney's ronals)

With the GRM crew:

I later sold this car to someone who had seen it in the magazine
325is
. After this i owned 3 shit cars (2 mopars and one VW) and finally got back in the scene when i picked up my 325is for 500$ from a kid who had abused it:


After a couple hundred bucks thrown in for maintenance and bumper swap, lowering, and a broken rocker arm (i could go on for days hah)
she came out like this:
at the track w/ robs old azenis:

and right before i sold her:

This was the car i probably loved will always love the most of any car. I did so much work to it, it's scary when i look back at it.
325ic
It's not my car, but i did all the work to it and am proud of it as well:
the 325ic i picked up for my mom was again in sad shape when i picked it up, but for the price we payed for it, there was no complaining to be done. after 2k$ in parts and 3 weeks of work she came out like this:
- i know it's missing a rocker trim -


324td
Lastly to the touring that i recently posted about:


and there you have it. my e30 pedigree.
Julien

[LikeCDoos]

It's weird to think that i had my car before kevin and i still have the same POS, and he has been through 4 different e30's. I haven't seen the new black e30 but will hopefully see it this weekend and help with the 5-lug swap. Kevin you need to make up your mind and stop getting in accidents!!!!

Only picture I have that is kinda stock:


As the e30 sits today, most likely alot more dirt and rock chips:

[Il Duce]

Kevin you need to make up your mind and stop getting in accidents!!!!

people have to stop causing them! great posts guys... lets keep em coming...


josh? RCWells?

[325is_e30]

My love for e30s started when my dad just went out and bought me one. I was 15 at the time and like most of my friends, I wanted a civic hatch, but my father turned me in the right direction.




I am now 18. After a lot of time and money...

[James Crivellone]

Good god, I don't even know where to start lol.

Bought the car in Early 2002, was 100% stock other then an aftermarket alpine headunit.

Shortly after purchase I came across a deal for some crappy rims with new tires for 200 bucks, so I rolled on rice for about a year.




About a year later (after installing a Full OBC, Cruise, Power Moonroof, Crappy Sport Seats, and all kinda of other interior changes) I installed my H&R Cupkit Suspension, as well as a Jim C Chip. (Also installed Euro Lights and Grills during this time)



a few months after that, Kencopperwheat setup a euro parts parcel to be sent from the UK. I got in on this and bought brand new euro bumpers, as well as a complete Mtech1 Kit (which I will mount once I paint the car)



About 6 months after this, the car went under its largest change, from an automatic to a manual transmission. Every Bushing was replaced suspension wise, as well as engine/tranny mounts. New sways were mounted as well as a new differential, rebuilt driveshaft. During this period I also installed Euro Headlight Wipers





And my horrible interior



This setup lasted me for about 7 more months, however with the engine having a large amount of miles, and me driving the piss out of it at AutoX's and so forth, it started to develop some rodknock. I was able to run 2 more AutoX's on this motor before it started to get bad. I was then able to source an I motor with around 115K on it from a friend of mine. Once again the car went under the knife, except this time it had the entire interior rebuilt

The Donor Car


Car while under the knife, 2 weeks before the e30 picnic.




After Carpet/Dash Assembly



Putting the new motor in



First time the engine started



and finally how the car currently sits.





Currently the only engine mods are a 13.5LB Flywheel, and a Mark D Chip, I think next up is paint/mtech1 kit, the car is fun enough for now =)

[Il Duce]

sexilent.



your car has/always will be one of my favorites James.