e30 status they deserv!!

[sweep]

some good banter going on here guys, i bet when the scrap was at £150 a ton e30 mot failiures sufferd!

[Rosc0PColtrane]

The reason fords are more rare is that people have the good sense to drive them into the groud and scrap them, or crash them or scrap them. Failing that, God wades in with a healthy dose of the iron oxide plague, finishing off what's left.

E30's are rusty turds too, think God hasn't forgiven the Germans for being naughty in the 40's, but I think he must have a soft spot for them because they're fooking cool and drive well. No leaf spring wrongness here!! 6 pots, the choice of the gods!!

[Cloud]

To be honest, and this coming from me may be a shock, but I don't think the E30 should have a really defined status. Take the 2002 for an example. To me, that's a cult icon, serious status. But ask your average people, or even ones that likes cars, what a BMW 2002 is, and I think a lot of them will go blank, or think of an E46 (built in the year 2002) and the same applies to lots of cars. There are people who think a Triumph Dolomite is a classic, and hold it in high regard. But do you? The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is considered the World over to be one of the finest cars you can buy, but when you see one, you don't gawk at it. It takes something really very special to be publicly accepted as a status kind of car, something that people look at. Ferrari F40s will turn heads, as will Bugatti Veyron and anything Lamborghini. Doesn't have to be fast, even a well looked after Mini will still have presense on the roads. But, alas, like the 2002, and countless other great cars, I don't think the E30s greatness will ever be recognised outside of BMW circles.

[DavieP]

The reason fords are more rare is that people have the good sense to drive them into the groud and scrap them, or crash them or scrap them. Failing that, God wades in with a healthy dose of the iron oxide plague, finishing off what's left.

Don't forget that they were literally thrown together with only fractionally more care than cars 'built' at Longbridge

E30's are rusty turds too,

Not exclusively or inherently. It depends upon how they've been kept. I know a few with barely any tin worm, but not surprisingly they are one-owner cars from new. Mine has one scab and a tiny stain on the O/S sill (had a new N/S rear arch a few months ago though) and is remarkably clean despite having been 'garaged' outside for all of its 21 years.

I think God hasn't forgiven the Germans for being naughty in the 40's, but I think he must have a soft spot for them because they're fooking cool and drive well. No leaf spring wrongness here!! 6 pots, the choice of the gods!!

Can't disagree with that, can't disagree at all

[Returnof318i]

E30s are great to drive, So controllable you always know whats about to happen, (usually a hedge).

[DavieP]

...But, alas, like the 2002, and countless other great cars, I don't think the E30s greatness will ever be recognised outside of BMW circles.

That doesn't really bother me because I keep mine for 2 reasons:
1) I like driving it - even with the slush box.
2) It's been with the family since new and there's a strong sentimental attachment. Stupid I know, but there you are.

When I went to fill up the other day, a chap with a fairly new 5 series nodded and said: "That's a proper BMW is that - built in the days when they did the job properly" That's good enough for me - I don't give a fook what some spotty scrote in a chavmobile thinks. Or that the incognoscenti born after the E30 only look upon it as an old car.

[Nay]

i'm done,,,,e30 will be an icon if not allready

The E30 became an iconic car when the M3 appeared on the touring an rally circuits back in the day! Wish i was old enough to see these cars come around!! Being an 88 boy, i was a little young

[jslot]

The visible sucess of the early escorts on the motorsport (particularly rally) circuits must have added to their popularity and appeal. Here on the isle of man there are probably 2 mk1 escorts on the roads, but when theres a local rally or hill climb event, about a dozen locally owned competetion mk1's turn up.

I also imagine that the fact that they are british vs german will sway a lot of patriots!

Also IMO, as someone said before, the Mk1 escort is a beautiful car.

I am an old car fan, and the e30 is very nearly on the cusp of me describing it as a 'new' car - probably because it was a very modern car for its era - am I right in saying that most german cars of the 80's were a lit more advanced than their british counterparts?

[Cloud]

am I right in saying that most german cars of the 80's were a lit more advanced than their british counterparts?

Too right.
You just need to look at engine power outputs to see that. Ford's 1.6 Pinto was serving up 73bhp from new. The M42, for just 200cc larger, was making nearly twice that.

[Nay]

The visible sucess of the early escorts on the motorsport (particularly rally) circuits must have added to their popularity and appeal. Here on the isle of man there are probably 2 mk1 escorts on the roads, but when theres a local rally or hill climb event, about a dozen locally owned competetion mk1's turn up.

I also imagine that the fact that they are british vs german will sway a lot of patriots!

Also IMO, as someone said before, the Mk1 escort is a beautiful car.

I am an old car fan, and the e30 is very nearly on the cusp of me describing it as a 'new' car - probably because it was a very modern car for its era - am I right in saying that most german cars of the 80's were a lit more advanced than their british counterparts?

So true. On a local rally recently there where dozens of Mk1 escorts (stunning vehicles) but all of them (as with the handful of E30s (maybe 3)) had the vauxhall engines and the same mods, Making the mk1 escort lighter and more nimble than the E30. Also, thats amature racing! In proffessional racing it was the ford rst/cossy era that were getting plowed by the M3s, untill the e36 came out !

[harry_p]

I also imagine that the fact that they are british vs german will sway a lot of patriots!

LMFAO

ford are no more british than honda or vw

[magpie]

e30,,v,,eccy mk1-2 only time can tell,,,

[Nay]

I also imagine that the fact that they are british vs german will sway a lot of patriots!

LMFAO

ford are no more british than honda or vw

Ford is/was a british and american company. The Escorts are british cars. For instance, americans made the Mustang and Cobra, we made the original GT40!

Also, i believe that escorts, sierra and capri's were british made and designed... i'll go for a check.

[Nay]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Escor ... .931975.29

[336tdse]

cant compare to mk1 / 2. comparable to an xr4i thats the equivelant car of the day and worth similar money to an e30 325i.

and as for british ford is american aint it ? but i consider my cosworth british as cosworth are in northampton

[magpie]

325i will whip an xr4I even more a 4x4 ,,,,,fact,,,i beat an xr4i in my 2ltr ghia,y reg 4 speed,,many times.#

[scootlife]

I sold my old mark 1 escort back end of 2004. was a beauty 2.1 twin 45s disc brakes all round, roll cage 2 buckets seats, ally fuel tank over axle, tax exempt !!! went for just of £2K, probably get at least triple that now, but i get just as much enjoyment from my E30 and it didint cost a packet.....well not yet anyway !!!!

[fuzzy]

cant compare to mk1 / 2. comparable to an xr4i thats the equivelant car of the day and worth similar money to an e30 325i.

and as for british ford is american aint it ? but i consider my cosworth british as cosworth are in northampton

could we consider an e30 to be the same level as an escort?are both on the bottom rung of the respective model range from each manufacturerer? the e30 3 series is but fords bottom rung would have been the fiesta?
e30 v fiesta?

[magpie]

you could tell who had money and who didn't,,,fiesta or e30
2k for a minty mk1 2.1,,,got to fetch 6k nowadays

[336tdse]

325i will whip an xr4I even more a 4x4 ,,,,,fact,,,i beat an xr4i in my 2ltr ghia,y reg 4 speed,,many times.#

100 % 325i will beat any 2.8 cologne engine ford. 2 ltr ghia sierra will not do an xr4i though if both are standard and not knackered.

anyways as i comparason i think the xr4i is the closest ford alternative of the time to an e30 325i.

[magpie]

m8 my ghia 2ltr 4 speed,,woud do my mates xr4i,,,we used to race each other all over back then till 2-3
in the morning,,,happy days..oh my motor had only 62k on the clock
you had to be in my car to believe it,,,that car was a legend,,,all the boyz wanted to buy it off me
not for sale though

[336tdse]

m8 my ghia 2ltr 4 speed,,woud do my mates xr4i,,,we used to race each other all over back then till 2-3
in the morning,,,happy days..oh my motor had only 62k on the clock
you had to be in my car to believe it,,,that car was a legend,,,all the boyz wanted to buy it off me
not for sale though

probs your car was a good un mate and the 4i was geting tired. 2 cars are never the same ive had 3 e30 325i bms and none were the same. the old pinto was a good motor thats for sure

[magpie]

yep you hear of a realy good engines at times,,mine was one,,it done 75 in 2nd,,
two engines are never the same agreed,,,they could both come off the production line fitted in the same model car,,,and one will be faster

[robbo86]

Could be tempted away from e30's by a xr4i or 4x4i