Dump E36 M3 for E30?

So I've been thinking about selling my M3 and dumbing down to something cheaper. My M3 is a '95 Avus Blue with the super rare M-cross interior. The chassis has 200k miles on it although the engine has actually been swapped to an S52 that only has about 100k miles on it. I've put a decent amount of cash into the car. Had a complete exhaust system done, from header to muffler. I had the entire head and vanos rebuilt not too long ago (had an exhaust valve go bad on me). My mechanic said they had to shave the head a lot and that the engine would not be rebuildable further because shaving it more would render it unusable. Currently there is an exhaust leak I'm hunting down (I suspect the header gasket) and a gasoline leak somewhere (I suspect the gas tank o-ring).

The car has been great fun, but is in dire need of new bushings all over, new tires, and perhaps a new clutch soon. It has by no means been a cheap car to own, but it has been a blast. Anyways, I have my Miata as a track car, and I really dont need two track focused cars. Also, the M3 will demand a lot more money in the coming future, and on top of that might nickle and dime me with more little things. I am considering picking up this E30:

http://www.ksl.com/auto/listing/2348699?ad_cid=5

Though a bit rough, the interior was nice, the gearbox felt great, and the engine pulled nice and smoothly (although a bit noisily). I can grab it for $1000.

So would I be smart in selling the M3 now? I want to do some rallycross eventually, and the little beater E30 would work well for this I think. Certainly not my M3 because it rides so low. But the M3 is a bit special to me and has some sentimental value. The shell is rust free, and the paint is in great condition. Really, its a gorgeous car, but if the engine overheats or something again, I'd either have to part it out or buy another car. I bought it for $7500 and I am pretty sure I can get the same out of it, even though I've put a lot of money in parts into it. But maybe I hold onto it and the prices jump up? Possible?

So yeah, opinions. That E30 is a 325E and it has no power steering. I figure I'll swap a Z3 rack in. Also, I would definitely consider swapping an M50 or something in should the motor give out on me. I'm just sad its a pre-plastic bumper model. What do you guys think?

I'd never recommend you go from the M3 to something older and slower but...your car has some issues. Sounds like it may be more car than you can afford right now in a DD. The E30 is a solid platform and the eta should provide tractor-like reliability but you will have to spend money fixing and replacing stuff on a car that old. Provided it isn't rusty it would make a good driver if you're able to accept the lackluster performance.

If all you're trying to do is get something more dependable that you won't spend money modding this may not be the answer. You should get enough for the M3 to buy something newer/better without the "I'd put a M50 in it" money draining threat. If the choice is between this and a POS $1200 Focus like I drive, then E30. If the choice is this and something newer/better/less enticing to tinker with then no.

David is right. I have an 87 e30 eta and as much as I love it it is only cheap if you like to do your own wrenching. Things will break pretty regularly. If it's a common part and you do your own wrenching your golden. They are pretty service able If it's a less common part and you do your own wrenching it's not as easy. If you ever have to farm the work out hold your ankles.

Unfortunately your ac is likely to be the latter. It's probably r12 and replacing everything you need to replace to convert is $900 in parts alone. Never mind having to pull apart your dash and hope you didn't break too many plastic bits. I'd either fix the e36 and drive it till it's dead or get something truly maintenance free to dd

I'd keep the m3, ensure the cooling system is up to snuff, and drive it. You should have no worry of the engine or head going at this point, and the head is the same as the m52 anyway: so plentiful and cheap. That e30 has plenty of potential to nickel and dime you as well.

Our e36 m3 sedan as one of the best cars I've ever owned.

The thread title made me , since I read it as a filtered word and not a car model. That's all I have.

Nope. Having had both E30 and E36 the newer car is superior in every way.

You own the M3, right?

So how is going from one car that needs a lot of work to another that needs a lot of work cheaper? Unless you are using the first car to pay for the work on the second.

Oh for the love of all that is holy: NO

I essentially blame my previous history with my ex's '97 M3 with how much I disliked my E30 - and mine was a newer '88 325is version with the much better engine. I'm pretty much convinced that anyone who loves the E30 really doesn't know any better... my gawd I hated that car...

No. Roll up your sleeves and install some new bushings. They are labor intensive in some cases but not expensive.

Going from an S52 powered M3 to an ETA version of an E30? WTF? Why would you even ask that question? Did you hurt your head in the fall?

No...because you will never in history find a running E36 M3 for $1000. There's a reason for that. They will need all the same care and feeding and the parts costs are the same. No fun to have a car with sporting pretensions that runs out of steam at 4000rpm. Swapping engines and steering racks is a lot more work than fixing what you have. The E30 it a good car, but the M3 is a great car.

Sounds like you're looking at the E30 as another project car. If you need to offload the M3, get an appliance that doesn't need any heavy maintenance or repairs.

Is selling the Miata an option?

With used cars and jobs. The devil you know is almost always better than the devil you don't know.

Only you know what's in your heart. Logically speaking, everyone here is right, it makes no sense to go from an E36 M3 to an eta-powered E30. But I did it. Granted, my E30 cost exactly one tenth of what I sold my M3 for, and I was looking for a project at the time. Putting aside my regrets about buying a non-running car that needed everything and still isn't running 3+ years later, I can kinda see it. I enjoyed my M3, but I never loved it. It was quick and handled nice, but nothing about it was outstanding. The interiors are crap and the styling is boring mid-90s average. The E30 has more "personality" and pretty much everything that makes the E36 M3 great can be swapped into an E30 and you end up with a lighter package.

In short, if it's what you really want, go for it. It doesn't have to make sense.

Hahaha, this is perfect. This is why I post here because I know you guys will make me see some kind of logic.

The two biggest reasons I would get rid of the M3 is first, I know I can still get good money out of it. I don't NEED the money right now, but I just hope I can still get decent money out of it later if I decide to.

Second, I really want to do rallycross!! I could just take the Miata, it is still riding on the stock monster truck suspension afterall, but I hear the Torsen rear ends dont like dirt, and can tend to break when the car crosses from dirt to pavement and suddenly finds grip.

I would honestly just buy the E30 too if I could, but I am just a college kid renting a room in a little house. No room to store another car and frankly, its amazing the land lord puts up with as much of my crap as he does.

But I think I agree. It would be kind of silly to sell my baby and go to a junker who's history is mostly unknown. I could end up spending 5k easily just to get it up to snuff. Maybe my plan will be to go in on a car with a buddy and store it at his house. Maybe a cheapo Nissan Sentra or something.

I bought a $500 Peugeot 505, rallycrossed it one time at a national tour stop, collected my stock RWD trophy and then sold it to another forum member for $500. I got my fill of Rallycross and it didn't cost all that much.

Different strokes for different folks, but I have too much mechanical sympathy for the sport. A $1k E30 would be the perfect candidate if that's what you're looking to get in to.

I got the sense you've been paying people to work on the m3. I can see where that could get painful.

If I wanted a very light track car, just to have that kind of roots track experience, I would get an E30. But you already have a Miata. The E36 M3 really is a better, faster, stronger car, if you don't mind the weight, and most people don't.

Desmond wrote: Hahaha, this is perfect. This is why I post here because I know you guys will make me see some kind of logic. The two biggest reasons I would get rid of the M3 is first, I know I can still get good money out of it. I don't NEED the money right now, but I just hope I can still get decent money out of it later if I decide to. Second, I really want to do rallycross!! I could just take the Miata, it is still riding on the stock monster truck suspension afterall, but I hear the Torsen rear ends dont like dirt, and can tend to break when the car crosses from dirt to pavement and suddenly finds grip. I would honestly just buy the E30 too if I could, but I am just a college kid renting a room in a little house. No room to store another car and frankly, its amazing the land lord puts up with as much of my crap as he does. But I think I agree. It would be kind of silly to sell my baby and go to a junker who's history is mostly unknown. I could end up spending 5k easily just to get it up to snuff. Maybe my plan will be to go in on a car with a buddy and store it at his house. Maybe a cheapo Nissan Sentra or something.

Ding ding ding! We have a winner. Buy it for $500 or so and you can scrap it after beating it on your rally cross.