Why di you buy an E30
- Thread starter mikev
- Start date
So far its a dead heat, 1 vote for each. Im getting a 325ic because it is the best looking convertable I can afford. Also I hate common cars, I dont want a civic that everyone has.
I actually almost got an 1981 Mercedes 540sl. It is a convertable with a built in soft top and removable hard top, power everything, and it had the huge engine which is hard to find, but low gas milage. It was a great car but while I was driving to the guy to pick it up (30 min away) he sold it to someone else. It was worth several thousand more then he wanted for it.
The BMW was more pratical, newer, better gas milage, mutch cheeper to service, and its a BMW the Ultimate driving machine.
I actually almost got an 1981 Mercedes 540sl. It is a convertable with a built in soft top and removable hard top, power everything, and it had the huge engine which is hard to find, but low gas milage. It was a great car but while I was driving to the guy to pick it up (30 min away) he sold it to someone else. It was worth several thousand more then he wanted for it.
The BMW was more pratical, newer, better gas milage, mutch cheeper to service, and its a BMW the Ultimate driving machine.
Why I bought
It's a rear wheel drive #1. Compairing parts to a H*nda Accord, all common replacement parts were much cheaper. Mines a 2-door, has all the "I" accessories like sport seats, OBC, power sunroof, windows, central locking system, cold A/C, a six cylinder 5-speed and it's a black car.
I've added stress bars front & back, a K&N air filter, swapped transmissions, replaced just about every rubber part on the car, made teflon shift linkage bushings myself. Basically I do all my own vehicle maintenence, I won't own a car I can't work on. Until you've put a head gasket on a Qaud-4 Olds engine while it's still in the car, you can't appreciate how easy this 3-series is to work on. When I replaced the transmission a stranger stopped (I live on a corner lot) and asked how I managed to remove the starter bolts. I showed him a 17mm Snap On wrench and a 8mm allen wrench. There is a trick I'll admit. The nuts are accessable from under the hood, trying to remove them, the allen headed bolts spins. To hold them from turning while doing this by myself. Again I must tell you, you cannot see what your doing here, it's all by feel (I like feeling) anyway, with the transmission mount removed, lower the transmission so you can reach your arm on top. Take the allen wrench in hand and reach all the way on top (drivers side) and stick the short side into the bolt head. Make sure it sits in there and pull your arm back out. Now jack the transmission up against the floor pan so the wrench is pinched, it can't fall off now. Then all you have to do is remove one nut and do the other side the same way. With help it's much easier to have a guy under there with a allen socket and a long 3/8 extension while you hold the nut with a 17mm open end. Fortunately these Bosche starter motors last well into the future. Another reason to own a BMW. They have their little quircks. German rubber is a bit soft & has a tendancy to wear out fast. I say this with subframe bushings sitting here on the desk.....
It's a rear wheel drive #1. Compairing parts to a H*nda Accord, all common replacement parts were much cheaper. Mines a 2-door, has all the "I" accessories like sport seats, OBC, power sunroof, windows, central locking system, cold A/C, a six cylinder 5-speed and it's a black car.
I've added stress bars front & back, a K&N air filter, swapped transmissions, replaced just about every rubber part on the car, made teflon shift linkage bushings myself. Basically I do all my own vehicle maintenence, I won't own a car I can't work on. Until you've put a head gasket on a Qaud-4 Olds engine while it's still in the car, you can't appreciate how easy this 3-series is to work on. When I replaced the transmission a stranger stopped (I live on a corner lot) and asked how I managed to remove the starter bolts. I showed him a 17mm Snap On wrench and a 8mm allen wrench. There is a trick I'll admit. The nuts are accessable from under the hood, trying to remove them, the allen headed bolts spins. To hold them from turning while doing this by myself. Again I must tell you, you cannot see what your doing here, it's all by feel (I like feeling) anyway, with the transmission mount removed, lower the transmission so you can reach your arm on top. Take the allen wrench in hand and reach all the way on top (drivers side) and stick the short side into the bolt head. Make sure it sits in there and pull your arm back out. Now jack the transmission up against the floor pan so the wrench is pinched, it can't fall off now. Then all you have to do is remove one nut and do the other side the same way. With help it's much easier to have a guy under there with a allen socket and a long 3/8 extension while you hold the nut with a 17mm open end. Fortunately these Bosche starter motors last well into the future. Another reason to own a BMW. They have their little quircks. German rubber is a bit soft & has a tendancy to wear out fast. I say this with subframe bushings sitting here on the desk.....
Eh, I'm probably one of the young'ns here on the board, but I've love the E30 since I was... erm... 4 or 5. Not sure why, it's always been the BMW that I took a liking too. I always had the toys and what not.
So once I got my 325 iC I was in heaven. I mean it's not in the best condition, but it's like I'm crossing off one of the cars on my huge list of cars to drive before I die. Haha. [fake]
So once I got my 325 iC I was in heaven. I mean it's not in the best condition, but it's like I'm crossing off one of the cars on my huge list of cars to drive before I die. Haha. [fake]
![[:D]](/images/smilies/biggrin.png "Big Grin [:D]")
) the Bmw is one of my list to. (now i need the M ![[hihi]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_hihi.gif "Hi Hi [hihi]"){kind=icon}
) but unfortunatly then it goes into the supercar league but if i start saving now i could have a McF1 when im 102 ![[mad]](/images/smilies/mad.png "Mad [mad]")
![[driving]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_driving.gif "Driving [driving]"){kind=icon}
![[rofl]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_rofl.gif "ROFL [rofl]"){kind=icon}
Well, eat your veggies 
I bought my BMW becuase i was sick of being without a car for 4 long months after i smashed my 1981 Toyota Corroded (highschool beater) . i came down to visit my parents and my dad told me that our neighbor had one sitting in his garage he wanted to get rid. He had jsut bought a 5 series and didn't need it anymore. So i picked it up for cheap and drove it 8 hours home.
Came with an extra set of rims too.
Came with an extra set of rims too.
Bought my first one in July of 1985, a 318i 4 door, brand new for $17,200. Loved its reputation for solid construction and superior handling. Sold it earlier this year with 205,000 miles on it. In Oct of 1997 I bought another E30, this time a 325i, 2 door, with 39,000 miles on it for $10,500. At 119,500 miles I still have and I love it. It now has Borbet alloys, Conforti chip, Bosch Platinum +4 spark plugs, H&R springs, Bilsteins all around, Convertible (325ic) rear shock mounts, Offset control arm bushings, Eibach sway bars w/urethane bushings and Eibach front strut brace. SS brake lines, ATE slotted rotors using PBR metalmasters, DTM front spoiler, custom fabric interior with new M-technic steering wheel, Stellar keyless remote entry, Sylvania silver star bulbs, Low temp aux fan thermostat, synthetic fluids, etc. No plans to get rid of it. It runs better than new and I do almost all the work on the car that has to be done.
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![[thumb]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_thumb.gif "Thumbs Up [thumb]"){kind=icon}
My first BMW was (is) an E21 that I bought late at night in a hurry because I needed transportation the next day and luckily I had enough in my checkbook (long story behind this). I didn't even really know what color it was until the next morning. But wow, did I ever fall in love with the handling! The best was to come as I started paying attention to BMW's and decided the E30's were even more beautiful and handled even better! So then I had to add two E30's to my "collection". I've driven brand new BMW "loaner cars" but they don't feel the same .... too much yuppie for me; they don't slide sideways around dirt road corners as well as my regular toys. However, I must mention that I haven't yet driven an M3 and I hear it's like heaven .........
