Reality check

[blocke]

So I decided to sit down last night and make an excel spreadsheet to track all the money I've spent on my E30 in the 14 months since I bought it.
Just including the receipts I had in my file ( I know there are a handful more stuffed in my glove box and my toolbox drawers) I am upwards of $6000.

HOLY SHIT.

I had no idea I was spending that much. Lots of little charges here and there for oil/fluids, various cleaners and one-off tools I needed to accomplish maintenance jobs.
But there is also the major purchases: Tires, new fuel pump, Miller Gen3 MAF, E46 seats, H&R Sport, Billy Sports, all new suspension bushings and bits, New clutch kit, 323i Flywheel, Ellipsoids w/HID, Fogs w/HID, color matched bumper and valence etc etc...

Keep in mind I bought this car not running, shopped around for everything, and bought what I could used from the forums..and did all the work myself. All this money and I still feel like the car is nowhere near complete.

Is this typical for E30 ownership? Divided up monthly that's around 400ish a month on upgrades and maintenance.

[george graves]

I've stopped adding. I occasionally post the spread sheet of my M30 swap and people reactions are "OMG - you spent that much, you suck!" - they don't realize all the little things add up.

Then there are a few of us on the board that like to do things once, and do them right. That cost extra, but I think you actually make it back if you are keeping a car.

I'm looking forward to having the e30 car DONE. Next might be a kit car, and that will be cheap in comparison. Less upgrades to be had.

[StereoInstaller1]

No, you are blowing tons of money on useless crap. These cars were perfect just they way they came, no need to modify anything. BMW makes flawless cars, right?

Do yourself a favor and quit counting.

GL!
Luke

[blocke]

No, you are blowing tons of money on useless crap. These cars were perfect just they way they came, no need to modify anything. BMW makes flawless cars, right?

Do yourself a favor and quit counting.

GL!
Luke

Exactly like George Said, I'm totally the kind to do it once, and do it right. But I'm going to do myself a favor and stop surfing the "for sale" section for hours on end while at work.

[StereoInstaller1]

I just do not understand guys who think they need to do a full rebuild on an old motor, or replace every damn component in the car.

If you fix it as it comes up, you will still end up replacing the whole car anyway...I mean like who would be dumb enough to put new shocks under 150,000 mile RSMs, right? The point is to use your money wisely, and not just wholesale replacement of everything under your car.

Good = good, worn out = bad

[blueapplesoda]

Ive owned e30s for 5 years now and i've spent somewhere around 20,000+ on 3 e30s. the first one cost about 3000, then I crashed it and parted it. The second one (my current) is where I spent the rest and the 3rd is just a pile I used all the crap from the first and second one to make a good 3rd one.

Majority of my monies was used buying tools and buying random turbo parts that ended up not working and found its way into my storage shack.

I stopped counting a long time ago. I put my money into e30s because they are my hobby. Thats why we make money in the first place, is it not?