Do I want an E30?

Ok, so I know what all you enablers will say.

Seriously, though, I need to think about this a little and hope that you all can help me organize my thoughts. My race car is sold (to a GRMer so it is in good hands) and I need a car for my fiance (read automatic) & I to use as a grocery getter and weekend fun car.

I just looked over an '87 325 base model that needs, well, everything... and still kind of liked it.... It is simple and solid but a little neglected but ticks off all of the right boxes for us. Asking price is challenge friendly and seems fair for a rust free and running car of almost any type.

Would bringing this car back from the brink be a feasible and rewarding experience or just and inheritance of previous owner's problems?

My thoughts run like this:

'87 325 w/ 135k ~ 1500 New windshield ~ 250 brakes ~ 250 wheels/ tires ~ 700 tune-up ~ 250 exhaust ~ 200 posi diff ~ 250 chip ~ 200 misc ~ 100 - 200

maybe $4k total to have a good little ride and then move on to suspension refresh later?

Part of me sees this like a fun project since I can no longer race. Part of me sees this as a pointless exercise where something will always need attention and I will never be satisfied because there is always another better part to install...

Should I just take it as a glass being half full situation or pass until I am sure it is a good fit for me? I think it could be great fun; they do not make 'em like that anymore and good foundations are hard to find... I just am wary of getting in over my head.

Thoughts? Thanks for listening!

The auto requirement makes me say no to this. I just don't see it being much fun with a slushbox.

icaneat50eggs wrote: The auto requirement makes me say no to this. I just don't see it being much fun with a slushbox.

Fair answer and I appreciate it. This point, however, is non-negotiable with SWMBO and not many cars ARE fun with a slushbox.

In city driving the low end torque mated to the auto didn't feel horrible to me but I am actually somewhat accepting of those tragic mystery machines with only two pedals...

right, but if you have to go auto, I'd rather have an old fox body or camaro, or something with lots of torque. But that's just me. also, i live in the absolutely flattest part of the country, with only long straight roads. So a good hanlding auto car loses lots of appeal to me.

icaneat50eggs wrote: right, but if you have to go auto, I'd rather have an old fox body or camaro, or something with lots of torque. But that's just me. also, i live in the absolutely flattest part of the country, with only long straight roads. So a good hanlding auto car loses lots of appeal to me.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I prefer a balance of power and agility for my needs; lots of traffic and short trips around here in the center of a very large city...

A 4 door sedan is an easier sell to SWMBO, for some reason they are her preferred style of auto.

The E30 automatics aren't particularly robust (read: garbage), plus they are made by ZF, so $$$$$$ to fix when they go bad...and they all seem to by 150k. If you chip it and put an LSD in, your days are numbered, to say the least. If it has to be an auto BMW, hold out for something newer with a GM transmission. They are much tougher and your local trans shop won't tell you to f*ck yourself if it needs a rebuild. $4k will get you a lot of BMW, I have seen plenty of E36, E39 and even the odd E46 in that range.

FWIW when my girlfriend was looking for a new car after we started dating, I told her if she had to have an automatic that she could also pay someone else to work on it. Two years of driving stick later, she too hates automatics.

SlickDizzy wrote: The E30 automatics aren't particularly robust (read: garbage), plus they are made by ZF, so $$$$$$ to fix when they go bad...and they all seem to by 150k. If you chip it and put an LSD in, your days are numbered, to say the least. If it has to be an auto BMW, hold out for something newer with a GM transmission. They are much tougher and your local trans shop won't tell you to f*ck yourself if it needs a rebuild. FWIW when my girlfriend was looking for a new car after we started dating, I told her if she had to have an automatic that she could also pay someone else to work on it. Two years of driving stick later, she too hates automatics.

Excellent info! I had no idea they were so bad and probably do not want that kind of headache!

My fiancee would gladly pay someone else to work on any of our cars! She prefers to hire trained professionals whenever possible. I tried to teach her to drive stick once... anymore she makes it clear that we will not "go there"!

My wife is the same way. Even in things that it wouldn't matter if she broke. I think it's her way of maintaining some semblance of control over my automotive ADD.

I can't really comment on one with a slushbox. E30 is a nice driver and well-balanced, with a decent interior (for its age) and a cavernous trunk.

your parts prices are high....e30 parts are freaking CHEAP compared to any other car I've ever owned, for the most part. And there is a strong swap-meet-mentality among e30 owners it seems....so you can pick up used parts for cheap in the right places.

toss out that "$700 tune-up" (I mean, you can buy two running M20 engines for $700 around here) and spend the money for some Bilstein HDs and new bushings all around, which will be much more pleasing than an "engine tune up" (unless the engine runs like crap right now).

irish44j wrote: I can't really comment on one with a slushbox. E30 is a nice driver and well-balanced, with a decent interior (for its age) and a cavernous trunk. your parts prices are high....e30 parts are freaking CHEAP compared to any other car I've ever owned, for the most part. And there is a strong swap-meet-mentality among e30 owners it seems....so you can pick up used parts for cheap in the right places. toss out that "$700 tune-up" (I mean, you can buy two running M20 engines for $700 around here) and spend the money for some Bilstein HDs and new bushings all around, which will be much more pleasing than an "engine tune up" (unless the engine runs like crap right now).

I agree with you about the nice interior and ample space. Looking around, perhaps I should not settle for the base model interior though, it is not quite as nice as some of the better trim versions.

The numbers got messed up by the odd forum formatting. I figured more like 250 for a full tune up... the 700 was a quick estimate for 15's and new star specs

tb wrote: ...My fiancee...

So it's not too late, yet. Get 3 pedals, apologize later.

if i had to have a bmw slushbox i'd try to find an e36 M3 auto. it's a close ratio 5sp trans with enough power to not be a huge penalty, plus everything else is an M3 already. just budget for the whole cooling system and some of the common bushings and likely struts/shocks and have fun.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

tb wrote: ...My fiancee...

So it's not too late, yet. Get 3 pedals, apologize later.

A few more weeks... May 11th to be exact

Actually, I need an automatic myself these days due to a nasty neurological disorder and nerve damage in my left leg. I just mostly say it is for her.

Gonna look at an E34 tomorrow and possibly hand in my enthusiast card for good, though...

WilberM3 wrote: if i had to have a bmw slushbox i'd try to find an e36 M3 auto. it's a close ratio 5sp trans with enough power to not be a huge penalty, plus everything else is an M3 already. just budget for the whole cooling system and some of the common bushings and likely struts/shocks and have fun.

Pretty good idea actually, I see them for $3-4k with some regularity around here.

WilberM3 wrote: if i had to have a bmw slushbox i'd try to find an e36 M3 auto. it's a close ratio 5sp trans with enough power to not be a huge penalty, plus everything else is an M3 already. just budget for the whole cooling system and some of the common bushings and likely struts/shocks and have fun.

I have had my eye out for a good one locally but have only seen BEAT examples go for stupid cash so far...

At this point, I am exploring many possibilities and appreciate all the input!

I've owned multiple E30s, if a slushbox was a requirement, I'd pass.

I'd seriously. We are already talking about a car with less grunt and hundreds of pounds heavier than a modern Miata.......with a much more cruddier suspension.

However, if it's a weekend fun car, why does the wife have to be able to drive it? Or is this a blackmail on her part about you spending money?

SlickDizzy wrote:

WilberM3 wrote: if i had to have a bmw slushbox i'd try to find an e36 M3 auto. it's a close ratio 5sp trans with enough power to not be a huge penalty, plus everything else is an M3 already. just budget for the whole cooling system and some of the common bushings and likely struts/shocks and have fun.

Pretty good idea actually, I see them for $3-4k with some regularity around here.

The few that I have seen in that price range around here mostly have R titles and mad tyte accesories, Yo!

tb wrote:

WilberM3 wrote: if i had to have a bmw slushbox i'd try to find an e36 M3 auto. it's a close ratio 5sp trans with enough power to not be a huge penalty, plus everything else is an M3 already. just budget for the whole cooling system and some of the common bushings and likely struts/shocks and have fun.

I have had my eye out for a good one locally but have only seen BEAT examples go for stupid cash so far... At this point, I am exploring many possibilities and appreciate all the input!

Just depends on what level of a project you are OK with. Since I sold my last one ~3 years ago, the 318is I sold for $6k would likely be a $9k car now.......yes with the stock M42 with a chip.

z31maniac wrote: I've owned multiple E30s, if a slushbox was a requirement, I'd pass. I'd seriously. We are already talking about a car with less grunt and hundreds of pounds heavier than a modern Miata.......with a much more cruddier suspension. However, if it's a weekend fun car, why does the wife have to be able to drive it? Or is this a blackmail on her part about you spending money?

It seems like that might be the popular consensus!

We live in center city Philadelphia. 1 car is actually a luxury and 2 is out of the question... plus my health is not so good and she needs to be able to take care of me... spending money is not an issue for either of us, really

My old 318is, god I kick myself everday for selling it.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=162395

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=164608

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=158541

tb wrote:

z31maniac wrote: I've owned multiple E30s, if a slushbox was a requirement, I'd pass. I'd seriously. We are already talking about a car with less grunt and hundreds of pounds heavier than a modern Miata.......with a much more cruddier suspension. However, if it's a weekend fun car, why does the wife have to be able to drive it? Or is this a blackmail on her part about you spending money?

It seems like that might be the popular consensus! We live in center city Philadelphia. 1 car is actually a luxury and 2 is out of the question... plus my health is not so good and she needs to be able to take care of me... spending money is not an issue for either of us, really

I'm truly sorry to hear about your health...............maybe figure out a way to convince hear to learn to drive a stick?

z31maniac wrote:

tb wrote:

z31maniac wrote: I've owned multiple E30s, if a slushbox was a requirement, I'd pass. I'd seriously. We are already talking about a car with less grunt and hundreds of pounds heavier than a modern Miata.......with a much more cruddier suspension. However, if it's a weekend fun car, why does the wife have to be able to drive it? Or is this a blackmail on her part about you spending money?

It seems like that might be the popular consensus! We live in center city Philadelphia. 1 car is actually a luxury and 2 is out of the question... plus my health is not so good and she needs to be able to take care of me... spending money is not an issue for either of us, really

I'm truly sorry to hear about your health...............maybe figure out a way to convince hear to learn to drive a stick?

Thanks.

The learning to drive stick will just not happen.

It sounds like if I am going to pick up another project that I should shop for something a little nicer than a beat up e30...

Don't get a beat up one. Just spend that $4k all at once and get a nice E30. Or don't. I hope there are clean cheap shells in the future.

$4k buys A LOT of E36. But then you have an E36.

Yeah, $4k doesn't buy a lot of E30 nowadays.

Is this thing a 325e, 325i or 318? Only the middle choice is worth doing, IMO.