Anyone want to buy a rare 1986 E30 M3 for $1600

[Fanzotti]

Bro my only point is build your car your way and let others build cars there way. If some shithead wants to stick m badges on his car...who cares. The gear head in me would drop an S54 into an M3 but the purist in me would keep the S14 for a day when I wanted to put it back in, I think it's foolish to seperate the two. I believe someday most will wish they kept theirs...maybe I'm wrong? Not here to argue, I'm sure your car is great and I'll bet your putting it together real nice...Enjoy it, that's all that really matters.

[LINUS]

I guess I should say I'll respond in detail later when I have the time. I have no problem with what your doing, it's your car do what you want. All I'm saying is that it's lame to rip on some guy for modding his car the way he likes to when your doing the same...pretty passive aggressive.

If I bought a E30 M3 I'd swap an S54 into it right away. The difference is that S14 would be sitting in the corner waiting. But that's my decision it has nothing to do with what you decide.

Don't rip on some kid that mods his car if you can't handle comments about modding your car, sit quiet in the corner, but if your gonna open your mouth and de-grade someone's vision be ready to have yours degraded as well.

Who's ripping on who? I think you have me confused with someone else. I don't think fake M badges fall into the same catagory as motor swaps - one is clearly false advertising, and the other is a matter of choice in powertrains/economics.

The only nod I give to the whole "it's not an M" discussion is that since I am running a US spec S52, I don't have the dedicated throttlebodies like any Euro S5x motor or a S38 - and I agree. Sadly, Joe didn't have a Euro S5x motor laying around, or I'd have one. Yes, I'm changing a lot of the balance of the car, but I'm not swapping because I want 1/4 mile speed, just the bare bone fact that S52's are quickly becoming dime-a-dozen, and I can rack up a ton of miles, then throw in another shortblock and have cheap $$$-per-mile operating cost. Then again, I ditch the A/C (if I wanted to), slap a VIS hood on it, and maybe a few other things, and that weight thing gets pretty minimal.

Sadly, the fact of the matter is that if you can find a blown motor M3, it's cheaper to buy it & swap in a S5x motor, than to part & piece together the 5 lug, brakes, & suspension - and in the process you get a cool body.

Yeah, better take some time and explain yourself, because you aren't making any sense - I can't even follow your thinking as fast as you change gears about the whole "S14 purist" to "I'd have a S54 in there" - that's a pretty big flip-flop. Look, I don't even care at this point - you do what you want, I'll do the same.

In the end, I doubt most rational people would have a problem if stuck a M badge on the back of my car, but I don't want 'em. And since it's not an issue for me to sell my car, I am free to build it exactly as I like for the long haul.

But I think that's a lot different than just taking $20 and 3 minutes to stick a couple M badges on a standard E30.

[Fanzotti]

If we're going purist... Paint you can re-paint, finding your long lost motor is much harder.

I guess I should say I'll respond in detail later when I have the time. I have no problem with what your doing, it's your car do what you want. All I'm saying is that it's lame to rip on some guy for modding his car the way he likes to when your doing the same...pretty passive aggressive.

If I bought a E30 M3 I'd swap an S54 into it right away. The difference is that S14 would be sitting in the corner waiting. But that's my decision it has nothing to do with what you decide.

Don't rip on some kid that mods his car if you can't handle comments about modding your car, sit quiet in the corner, but if your gonna open your mouth and de-grade someone's vision be ready to have yours degraded as well.

Oh and a friendly tip... I'd paint at least the engine bay the car's future color before dumping that motor in there, it'll save you money in the long run.

[LINUS]

If you want some more ammo, my paint is going to be flat black for a while.

OMG! - It won't be a stock color!!!! - How can I be such a non-purist!!!!

[LINUS]

Passive agressive much?

Reply later, but try and take a jab at me now? Cute.

I never gave the finger to anyone. I gave the finger wag when I still had my S14 under the hood, but my car hasn't been on the road since the motor came out, if that makes things better to a S14 purist like yourself.

I'm just saying that your close-mindedness is lame. And even more so when you use your close-mindedness to judge things that aren't even your property.

[Fanzotti]

I'll respond later. No time now. for the 100th time, I have no problem with people modding their cars it's up to you. I think you have to look further down the road than just present thrills with the M3. Truth is if that kid wants to put M3 badges on his car it is him modding his car the way he wants, that's what you said people should do. I just wonder why your giving him the finger? he's guilty of nothing worse than what you are guilty of...irony.

[LINUS]

I don't need to own, ride in, or even ever have seen a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB to know that dropping a Lamborghini motor in it and selling the Ferrari engine is a dumb idea, the fact that you CURRENTLY own half an M3 and I don't is about as meaningful as a dead mosquito on a sidewalk.


And I think you calling this kid out when Ironically your pretty much doing the same thing is gay. I'm sure your car is great and it'll probably be way more fun than a stock M3. I just feel once you've modded your car that way you don't really have anything to say about someone else modding their car, your in the same league, Irony's a bitch.

Fanzotti - this is really mostly directed at you, since nearly everyone else here gives their opinion on the whole S14 debate in a civil manner, but you just don't seem to have that in your tone - I may be wrong, but just what I get when I read your posts.

I never called anyone out - I have no idea where you got that idea. And to some, I can see where my car might not be "M3" - but aside from a lower miled powertrain, I still have the brakes, 5 lug, and whatever else makes it M3, just with a powertrain more suited to ringing up another 175K, like what the other one was when it came out. What I started with was a 8 owner, 2 Maaco paintjob, no records, 170k car. It cost me a staggering $5500. To a lot of folks, it would have been a parts car, but I'm fairly skilled in a lot of different things, so I chose to use it as a canvas to build a car that would have decent performance, look good, and generally be what I wanted, regardless of what you think of it. I could care less if you call it a fake M3, nor do I care in the least for resale value, as I don't buy cars with the intent of selling. Ever. I have a Landcruiser I will drive for at least the next 10-15 years, and a BMW that will sit right next to it, unless God forbid it gets wrecked.

I don't care at all about badges, in fact when done the roundels will be the only badges I care to leave - but only for the reason that I think it will look cleaner without anything else, not some deluded idea that I don't deserve to run them.

What makes me think you're a kook is the idea that because I came into a relatively low production car, that I'm some sort of curator of a museum piece, or that I am held accountable to some "higher calling" because they are relatively rare. I say relatively because anyone with 15K can have one in their driveway within a week here in the US. Also, it's just plain my car - do you want me looking over your shoulder and armchair quarterbacking what you do to your car - me either, so take the S14 attitude over to S14.n - and leave me be here on R3v where there is the best 24v swap forum on the web.

I would never tell any E30 M3 owner what to do with their car - it's theirs. If I ever come into the point of life where I could purchase a nice E30 M3 (we all know that's a $25K+ car at the moment), I sure as heck would leave the motor in it, but for my own reasons, not because I get told to by armchair E30 M3 owners.

I agree that a quality E30 M3 should be left as it is, but if you took the time to get to know me & my car, you would see why I did what I did. But you didn't, you just spouted the canned "save the S14" catchphrase, when in reality I basically saved/am saving what would have been a good parts car.

About the original posted car, it was a 318 with M badges - would you stick M badges on your car? Honestly, a tasteful (if there is such a thing) little tri-color would be fine if what was under the hood was any M variant motor, but blatently fake advertising is pretty lame. That's if you need badges, and you already heard what I think of them. Heck, look at Vlad's car - I don't think he's got badges either. If you even try and tell me you think he made a mistake, I call full BS on you.

Open your mind a little. Close-minded cookie cutter thinking is lame. I bet you think the only wheel I should run is Style 5's as well. I wish there was MORE creativeness & originality around here, but quite a few here seem to shoot down anything that doesn't fit the "euro" mould. There's a few creative people here, and it would be a lot cooler if they would post more without getting hit with closemindedness like yours.

[Massive Lee]

Just to add my grain of salt, the fame from the e30 M3 comes from its racing pedigree over about 6 year period. It even became the winningest touring car of the automotive history. Those victories came from that great chassis, but also from this enduring 4 banger derived from The M88-S38 and F1 background.

Remove a crucial element (the S14) from the recipe (the e30 M3) and the plate won't just be the same. Remove the banana from the Banana Split and you end up with a plain three-flavours Sunday. A Ferrari with a swapped Mustang engine ain't a Ferrari anymore. Those with e30 M3 bodies and anything but an S14 under the hood may have all the fun and be even faster on straight lines, but they sure ain't driving a real M3 anymore. Sorry, that's my point of view. And putting an S14 in my 1969 2002 racecar won't make the 02 an M3 either.

[equate975]

Anyone got the pics? Car was pulled.

[Fanzotti]

Il Duce had a leg to stand on since he was a prior owner, but if you're calling me out, be a man and simply ask me for pics of my car.

I had my first E30 in 87, a 84 318 and my first M3, a 89, in 91, when did you guys get yours? I should of made it clearer, I don't want pictures of your car I want pictures of the bastardized E30 "M3" but I can see where you would get confused.

You can preach history all you want, but once you own one you'll learn that economics rule over history. And in all reality, unless it's a pristine example - all we have here are US models, and they weren't nearly as cool as the Evo 2 & Sport Evo, so I'm fine when people play with US issue E30M3's.

Tell that too the owners of base model 60's Ferrari in any condition, or pretty much any 60's sports car and they'll laugh in your face.

And this isn't S14.n - so why don't you go hang over there if you are so militantly S14 purist as to tell me how I should maintain/change/not change my car.

S14er's are right. I do think you should modify your car anyway you want, it's your car, shit weld a fish tank where the rear window use to be, your choice, I still think not being able to un-do the mod's is a bad idea. I firmly believe that an S5X swap is the smart thing to do in an M3, beat on the S5X and save the S14 for when the time comes that your boy racer days are over and you appreciate the lineage of the car and want to bring it back. It's those guys that sell their motors that I think are dumb. Go ahead and change the frame on the Mona Lisa, cool, Paint over it and your not so smart.

You sound pretty enthusiastic about these cars, so how about giving me crap about my car once you have one in your driveway? - until then, I give your opinion about as much creedance as a mosquito buzzing by my ear.

I don't need to own, ride in, or even ever have seen a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB to know that dropping a Lamborghini motor in it and selling the Ferrari engine is a dumb idea, the fact that you CURRENTLY own half an M3 and I don't is about as meaningful as a dead mosquito on a sidewalk.

I'd have got out to my garage to take pics for you personally if you would have just PM'ed me, but now by calling me out I just think you're queer.

And I think you calling this kid out when Ironically your pretty much doing the same thing is gay. I'm sure your car is great and it'll probably be way more fun than a stock M3. I just feel once you've modded your car that way you don't really have anything to say about someone else modding their car, your in the same league, Irony's a bitch.

[LINUS]

Does anyone have pictures of this thing?

Il Duce had a leg to stand on since he was a prior owner, but if you're calling me out, be a man and simply ask me for pics of my car.

To answer your question, there aren't pics of my car as the motor isn't in yet. I got hurt at work and I have a lot going on before I get to finish my car.

You can preach history all you want, but once you own one you'll learn that economics rule over history. And in all reality, unless it's a pristine example - all we have here are US models, and they weren't nearly as cool as the Evo 2 & Sport Evo, so I'm fine when people play with US issue E30M3's.

And this isn't S14.n - so why don't you go hang over there if you are so militantly S14 purist as to tell me how I should maintain/change/not change my car.

You sound pretty enthusiastic about these cars, so how about giving me crap about my car once you have one in your driveway? - until then, I give your opinion about as much creedance as a mosquito buzzing by my ear.

I'd have got out to my garage to take pics for you personally if you would have just PM'ed me, but now by calling me out I just think you're queer.

[Fanzotti]

sorry dude, if your car had an s14 it would be a real M. you've just defined irony perfectly, thanks!

This is true. In some ways this guys car is an M3 like your E36 is an M3

I don't claim mine an original 100% showpiece, but I can switch back in less time than you could come up with the cash, cutey-pie.

This is only true if you kept the motor with matching serial numbers, which most don't.

but even then I agree with J that S14 owners get overly exuberent, even over cars that could be swapped back with no hint of ever being anything but S14 powered.

Once again, only true if you kept the original motor. I think swapping a S5X into M3's is a great idea, save the S14 and have fun with the S5X. Trouble comes into paradise when you sell that motor. Cars without matching Numbers are like cars with the wrong engines.

Death to S14 purists. I don't buy that shit for a second. No one throws a fit when people put S14s in other BMWs, the "rules" don't make any sense.

This makes me wonder how much you know about cars? There's alot more to them than glueing and painting, like their place in history. I'm sure there's an ETA purist or two out there but let's face it people fight to keep the M's stock for a reason, there rare. Someday all E30's will be rare, even ETA'S but it may take till like 3065 for those to be rare enough for people to fight for them.

but I do get tired of the S14 nazis, especially since this isn't S14.net

If that is true than don't be one by making statements such as this....

Aaaawwwww.....isn't that cute? It's even got ///M badges. I just love poser owners, especially rolling past them in a real M and just giving the index finger wag --- they know they ain't foolin' nobody.

You can't be half a Nazi half of the time. Pick a side either you are or you're not. If you mod your car with a S52 and still call it a M3 can you really rip on this guy for modding his car.

Truth is once you start changing your car it starts to become more like this guys car. Now I think there's nothing wrong with modding your M3. But if your gonna be a Nazi and criticize him at least be able to change it back...most can't

Does anyone have pictures of this thing?

[LINUS]

Hey Ben, your swap sucks :P

Very funny ::flipoff:: ....but you're allowed seeing as you & Swale were the reason I got into these things.

Had to after the bath I took on that dang Co, Co, Corrado. I can't even say the word without stuttering. I hope nobody in the PNW ended up with that thing.

[cramer]

My bad then, just a knee jerk reaction to defend my choice - I catch plenty of isht from people who don't even own one, so statistically a swap hater hasn't owned a real one, let alone give me crap about my own car.

Hey Ben, your swap sucks :P

[Old'n'Slow]

The E30 M3 is still a mystery to many people, most people don't know anything about it and have never ever seen one in person.

I was at the dealer yesterday picking up some exhaust brackets, and one of the mechanics walks by and says "is that what I think that is?" I told him yes, in fact, it was the real deal, a 1988 M3, and he says "wow! I've never actually seen one!"

So I guess even the dealers hardly ever see them anymore....