Autocross suggestions

[Nextenerationx1]

Hey what's going on!
I'm not so new to the e30 world but it's been awhile. I used to have an 87es and an 89is and I must say I missed these cars, more so the is though.

I've been autocrossing back in NY for a couple years in my mazdaspeed 6, which was built with 400awhp making power from 4k+ and recently moved out to LA and I'm looking to get back into the car world and I really miss the e30s.

I'm looking on Craigslist and I see a clean ES and a clean 91 318is.
Both underpowered cars but that doesn't matter, but the power delivery is very different between the two. I never driving the 4 cylinder models ever so I don't have much to go by. Which would be better to autocross. I would rather much have the 325is but to get a real clean one will be very costly.

In my head right now, the 318is will Def be a momentum car since I'm assuming it's little power it creates is up top. With my experience on my speed6 with having power and dealing with a turbo and making power at 4k and on, on tighter courses it was hard due to the size of car and etc but on bugger courses this car was amazing.

Would it be better to have the 318is or and es and having that low end power for autox

[TobyB]

I suspect an es will win outright, but the classing is everything.

Yes, the M42 makes power starting at 3500, and pulls hard at 5k.

t

[ahrensNW]

Lmao, the es wouldn't stand a chance against a chipped m42. I've had three m20b25 cars and I think my m42 car is just as fast.

[e30_302]

318 no question

[TobyB]

I think my m42 car is just as fast.

hee hee hee... I thought a mullet looked good back in the '80's...

lap times or it didn't happen!

t

[stonea]

318is, if you find its not enough do a M42b21 stroker!

[klodkrawler05]

I think it depends a lot on the types of course you'll be running too. Some of our small local events I'd rather have the lighter weight of a 318 for the slaloms and switch backs, some of the bigger national style courses I think the power of a 325 would be more beneficial.

That said as I'm sure you know since you've autocrossed before, at a local level it's about 95% driver, 4% tire and 1% car. So get whichever you find a cleaner better example of in your price range and have fun!

Both cars can be s52 swapped down the road when you want more power ;)

[Nextenerationx1]

I think it depends a lot on the types of course you'll be running too. Some of our small local events I'd rather have the lighter weight of a 318 for the slaloms and switch backs, some of the bigger national style courses I think the power of a 325 would be more beneficial.

That said as I'm sure you know since you've autocrossed before, at a local level it's about 95% driver, 4% tire and 1% car. So get whichever you find a cleaner better example of in your price range and have fun!

Both cars can be s52 swapped down the road when you want more power ;)

Thanks for the friendly reminder that its pretty much all driver.

Maybe at the time of the post i didn't know how to ask what i was really feeling. With my speed6, i had decent mid-range and top end power and of course 300more awhp compare to the e30s. And i love that power experience but sucked when i messed up and i'm low in my revs.

i've never driven on a course with a low power but low weight car as well, lets say momentum cars like the miata and or e30s. so i wonder do i want to go that route, or have a little heavier e30 with the m20b27 motor that has a nice low end and mid grunt, or do i want a lighter car with little power. in a perfect world i'd get a 325is, but we all know those in great condition is expensive now a days!

[agent]

There's a guy who ran at the local club AutoX here - not SCCA - when we used to run them. He had an ETA on R-Comps and he was quick. I'd give tires a lot more than 4%.

[hwy84]

I have had and autocrossed whole seasons in every e30 except an M10 318i. All E30s on good suspension felt the same to me as far as getting close to the cones, modulating the brakes, and mid-corner speed.

Short version: Get the eta. Drive the torque.

Long version:

I won the most races, and seasons, in a 1985 325e sedan. Chipped, with a 3.25 LSD, on Ireland race springs, bilstein sports, and R comps. That car was wicked fast and super cheap. Much of my driving style was about getting the car rotated and getting on the gas early, and the torque of the eta felt like a perfect match.

I also campaigned a couple different 325is - and I honestly feel like they were no faster than the eta. Horses for courses, but I like torque.

I also drove 2 seasons in an M3, on ground control with Konis - fast car, great handling, but not nearly as forgiving as the eta. Had to make sure I didn't overbrake for corner entry. Tough car, classed hard, too.

I autocrossed my 318is as well, and while fun, it was slow. Real slow. Sure it's light, and it's nimble, balanced, whatever - I couldn't can't tell the difference mid-corner, and I COULD tell a huge difference when exiting slow turns in second.

My swapped car? Probably much faster in the right hands. But those aren't mine... I spend way too much time trying to catch the rear, and generally laughing in my helmet.

In any case - you'll have fun in either car, but you'll likely have faster times in the eta.

[agent]

Short version: Get the eta. Drive the torque.
....
In any case - you'll have fun in either car, but you'll likely have faster times in the eta.

Good post.

[Ronan]

May be a little late to chim in but I autox(bmwcca) a 318is with an engine that I rebuilt(M44 bottom end, m42 top end) and a chip. I have all of the spece30 suspension and I am consistenly in the top 3 of my class(won 3 out of 4 this year) and place in the top 3 of the class up from me. Since getting wheels and rivals I haven't lost and have had at least .5 second gap to 2nd(2nd is usually a e30 325is or a 330zhp). Just my experince. Love all of them though haha.