Bring a Trailer Auctions, E30 edition

[ForcedFirebird]

https://e39source.com/archives/1848

[Staszek]

^ Yep - additionally off the top of my head:

2000MY vs 2001MY(+)
Pre-LCI vs LCI
Halogen headlights vs auto-leveling HIDs
Rectangular fogs vs round
Yellow markers vs clear
Yellow rear turn signals vs clear
M52TU vs M54 for I6 models
2.8L vs 3.0L (I6)*
GM transmission vs ZF (I6)
Style 5s vs Style 42s for Sport Package (I6)
Minor HVAC control differences


* remember when model numbers actually corresponded to displacement?

True! But not always the case on displacement even back then.

2000 323i had a 2.5L
2001 540i and 740i had a 4.4L

There are a bunch of others as well, these two just stick in my head since I owned those cars.

They started going crazy with wrong displacements in the E60/E90 series and got way worse from there.

The turbo problem is the real issue, so many of these cars all have the same engine in different states of tune. The F30 320i and 328i are both 2.0turbo (exact same engine) with a different tune.

I am thinking to fix it go with 320 and 330 on the new cars its the right displacement and maybe bring back the whole e or es end to them.

[agent]

Yeah in hindsight I should have used "generally" there.

[Mouse]

The 4.0/3.0 e34 530i was the one I hated the most. Badge and chassis could be identical(save for wheels and small stuff) and have a completely different drivetrain.

[2mAn]

Yeah in hindsight I should have used "generally" there.

I love my 327e :p

I think they always did it when it was convenient and ignored it when you couldve had something awesome like a 327 BMW lol

[ForcedFirebird]

...to split hairs, even going back to the e30 era: 325e and 528e both are 2.7l. :P

[2mAn]

jinx

[ForcedFirebird]

jinx

Haha. With all the e39 facelift talk, I just went out and looked at the new daily. Being an m-tech and 6 speed 540, the lights really don't bother me, but I do like the facelift bumpers better. Mine need painting anyways (has parallel perking rubs on both), makes me wonder if a swap is worth it.

[Staszek]

Haha. With all the e39 facelift talk, I just went out and looked at the new daily. Being an m-tech and 6 speed 540, the lights really don't bother me, but I do like the facelift bumpers better. Mine need painting anyways (has parallel perking rubs on both), makes me wonder if a swap is worth it.

Swap it! And the lights:)

Although the front lights dont bother me as much even though the new ones are way better, the back orange tails are the thing that always dates the E39 for me.

[mforrest100]

Ok, I'll bite. I'm not into the 5 or 7 series. What's the issue with a 2000 vs later?

The biggest issue from my time researching when looking to make a purchase is oil burn. Any car produced before Jan/Feb 2000 has an oil burn issue in which you can go through a quart every 1000 miles. My car was produced Nov 1999 and I went through a quart in 900 miles. Also, vanos makes a little more noise than the post 2000 models. I completely redid my timing and vanos when I purchased and the noise completely went away.


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[MrBurgundy]

2001 and up use different rings and a different VANOS accumulator, which addressed those probz

[bluebenz]

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1992-bmw-325i/

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1988-bmw-325i-touring-6/

Wow!


The convertible sold for $32 000!
Surely a new record for a non-M3 e30 convertible!

[2mAn]

I think the Touring was a great deal, will look 100x better with ANY silver wheels. Shame its a few more Gs to make it legal in CA. I would love to have a Touring one day, but that would likely have to wait until my wife says the E30 sedan is too small lol

[CorvallisBMW]

Wow!


The convertible sold for $32 000!
Surely a new record for a non-M3 e30 convertible!

Ya, $32K is a jaw-dropper

[reelizmpro]

I mean, it is a facelift vert with only 50k miles but $32k??? they must really like everything about that car. Good for the seller.