Is an E30 prestigious?

[bmwstephen]

no, not prestigous, and I don't want it to be. never did.

I'm waiting for the day when E36s and E46s are the $1500, entry level BMWs (E36s are already there), and the people who just want a BMW badge move on to them simply because they're "newer", leaving mostly enthusiasts with the older cars. Kinda how nobody who just wants a BMW would drive a 2002 or E21..

it's strange though, I used to get all sorts of different attention (good and bad) when I first got my car. After 5-6 years, when the E46 was in it's prime i went totally unnoticed. Now that it's really getting older people stare at it again, but now i'm getting more bad attention than I ever did (from cops, wtf, I'm in my 30s, I don't pull a tenth of the stupid shit I did 10 years ago).

Last time I crossed the border, the guard asked me how long I've had my car.. I told him I bought it in 2002. He said "oh, you bought it new huh?". uhh.. no. this was with a set of beat to hell bottlecaps/snow tires, and I hadn't washed it in 2 months.

Ever notice how new BMW owners completely ignore old ones? they really are yuppie mobiles, they don't care about old cars because they aren't new. It's no wonder they've become fat, heavy, bloated, shells of what they once were. I swear the E90 is as big as an E39.

If it makes a difference... I sold my e46 for an e30... (and picked up a new civic as a daily driver) I was so in love with them that I paid 600 over KBB value for one. My friends family calls me nuts but I dunno... aside from the lack of modern safety equipment, my e30 is just 10 times more enjoyable, comfortable, reliable, than my e46 ever was. OH and I don't get the bad kind of attention while driving it either. I'm definitely pissing more money on restoring the car than making the payments on my civic too... =(

[evil_twin]

threads like this are a reminder that I'm wasting $

hahaha I'm with you there, worst investment evAR.

But all in all, I like to say at the end of the day that my car runs better that most of the same aged cars on the street now. I don't mind it being old, I do like how it's easy to find most of the parts. All in all, its just about the same thing as a Civic, 240sx, or whatever car (ie motor swaps over just as easy as doing a k20 motor, or sr20 motor, all the parts fit some how or another).

[onaquest]

I just don't care about owning a new car. My parents were poor and so were most of my neighbors. None of them ever had a new car.. so that meant taking care of your old one. My step dad drove the same 1977 F150 pickup for almost 20 years. He finally had to get a different truck because it was rusting through the floorboards.

My father on the other hand, also had old cars, but he beat the shit out of them. They were always dirty and full of garbage. I don't know how many $500 cars he went through, where my family would have the same $1500 car for years and years.

I'd rather put that $500 a month towards retirement savings and not be living in a trailer eating ramen noodles like the rest of my family in retirement. If I spend $1500 in mods/upgrades/repairs on my E30 a year, big deal. :)

I don't think owning a new car means anything except you know how to waste money. Just look at the current state of our economy to see where that mentality gets us.. of course somebody has to buy new cars so I can buy them cheaper when 2/3rs of the value has depreciated. ;)

well said dude.

[QWKE30]

When I had my first e30 17 years ago they were pretty prestigious.

Even now, I drive through Miami Beach everyday racing 911s, e46, e90s, ferraris, amgs.. you name it. These more 'prestigious' cars are always trying to get me to race, I guess they think it's easy prey, till I blow em away in traffic or in the tight stuff.

People are always turning heads to see the catless red e30 screaming through millionaires row echoing off the buildings, weaving through traffic the way some of these other cars never could.

I guess it depends how you define prestige.

[Jonny Cash]

^ Did i see you at the AAA on friday night? Red e30, black wheels?

[nando]

When I had my first e30 17 years ago they were pretty prestigious.

Even now, I drive through Miami Beach everyday racing 911s, e46, e90s, ferraris, amgs.. you name it. These more 'prestigious' cars are always trying to get me to race, I guess they think it's easy prey, till I blow em away in traffic or in the tight stuff.

People are always turning heads to see the catless red e30 screaming through millionaires row echoing off the buildings, weaving through traffic the way some of these other cars never could.

I guess it depends how you define prestige.

I can't drive like that. Ever. I got the shit tailgated out of me by a local cop last night. He followed me 2-3 feet behind my bumper for 2 miles. I was going the speed limit the whole time. It was pissing me off..

[ALYKZANDYR]

If the asshole is tailgating you like that, you could just pull off into a parking lot, and if he follows you, and wont leave you alone, can you get him for harassment?

[FredK]

^ yes.

[FredK]

In Soviet Russia, you pull cop over.

[Jand3rson]

If the asshole is tailgating you like that, you could just pull off into a parking lot, and if he follows you, and wont leave you alone, can you get him for harassment?

Definitely. Here, I think it's only 4 miles that they can follow you before they have to turn off and take a different route.

[nando]

I could but I didn't want to deal with it. Plus why should I have to go out of my way if I'm not doing anything wrong? he had plenty of opportunity to pass me as well. It was obvious he was just fucking with me. I could have followed him to the police station (that's where he was headed) and asked him what was up.. but I was tired from doing yard work all day and just wanted to go home.

that's the second time the same cop followed me like that too.. or at least I assume so, not like a city of 7000 people has very many cops. ;)

[Wh33lhop]

I just don't care about owning a new car. My parents were poor and so were most of my neighbors. None of them ever had a new car.. so that meant taking care of your old one. My step dad drove the same 1977 F150 pickup for almost 20 years. He finally had to get a different truck because it was rusting through the floorboards.

My father on the other hand, also had old cars, but he beat the shit out of them. They were always dirty and full of garbage. I don't know how many $500 cars he went through, where my family would have the same $1500 car for years and years.

I'd rather put that $500 a month towards retirement savings and not be living in a trailer eating ramen noodles like the rest of my family in retirement. If I spend $1500 in mods/upgrades/repairs on my E30 a year, big deal. :)

I don't think owning a new car means anything except you know how to waste money. Just look at the current state of our economy to see where that mentality gets us.. of course somebody has to buy new cars so I can buy them cheaper when 2/3rs of the value has depreciated. ;)

Come on dude, you're going to say that getting a car that nobody else has touched or driven (besides maybe a test drive or two) is worthless? You seriously can't see the appeal in that?

Financially, it's a bad idea of course, but there's undeniably something to be said about a car that out of the box there are no weird rattles, noises or problems, guaranteed, and it's not going to break down on you unless you seriously mistreat it. You've never gotten sick and tired of some shitbox breaking on you?

Buying new is always a waste of money. Buying used is always a gamble.

[hoveringuy]

I can't drive like that. Ever. I got the shit tailgated out of me by a local cop last night. He followed me 2-3 feet behind my bumper for 2 miles. I was going the speed limit the whole time. It was pissing me off..

Maybe he likes your car or thinks you're cute?

[E30 Wagen]

I pretty much agree with scabzzzz on all points.

A clean e30 will draw looks from everybody, whether they are driving a brand new Audi S4 (in which the guy gave me a thumbs up), or a Toyota tercel.

The roundal in itself does hold some prestige; it says that this car was expensive in it's day (which it very much was). However, if some idiot kid thinks it's just a toy for modding, then they do start to look like expendable, old shit, what with sportmaxxes, rollcages, and gay as fuck stickers.

When I had my old e30 cleaned up, I felt like a gotdamn millionaire out for a relaxing Sunday drive.

[BillBrasky]

I just don't care about owning a new car. My parents were poor and so were most of my neighbors. None of them ever had a new car.. so that meant taking care of your old one. My step dad drove the same 1977 F150 pickup for almost 20 years. He finally had to get a different truck because it was rusting through the floorboards.

My father on the other hand, also had old cars, but he beat the shit out of them. They were always dirty and full of garbage. I don't know how many $500 cars he went through, where my family would have the same $1500 car for years and years.

I'd rather put that $500 a month towards retirement savings and not be living in a trailer eating ramen noodles like the rest of my family in retirement. If I spend $1500 in mods/upgrades/repairs on my E30 a year, big deal. :)

I don't think owning a new car means anything except you know how to waste money. Just look at the current state of our economy to see where that mentality gets us.. of course somebody has to buy new cars so I can buy them cheaper when 2/3rs of the value has depreciated. ;)

Nando, thank you for replying to 90% of the threads exactly as I would. It keeps my level of productivity up while I'm at work.