E30 as a daily driver?.

[jimmynoglue79]

Hello, Iam looking to buy a 318is or a 325 sport maybe to replace my current car,I have a few questions! will a 318is return 30 ish mpg? could I rely on one to start on a cold day? will 2k just buy me a ton of rust?.What do they handle/ drive like? are they comfortable on long journeys?, are they easy enough for a semi competant home mechanic to work on? are service parts cheap enough and still avaliable? Thanks for taking the time to read this post.

[spook]

Ive more or less used a E30 as a daily for over Ten years, from a 316 to a 2.7 auto, all fine, reliable
easy to service cars

[Cloggy Saint]

Hello, Iam looking to buy a 318is or a 325 sport maybe to replace my current car,I have a few questions!

will a 318is return 30 ish mpg? If driven normally, yes

could I rely on one to start on a cold day? If it's been well maintained, yes

will 2k just buy me a ton of rust? Very possible, shop around and check all likely rust areas

What do they handle/ drive like? Pretty good considering their age but can always be improved on

are they comfortable on long journeys? Speaking personally, no, but my back's knackered at the best of times.

are they easy enough for a semi competant home mechanic to work on? Definitely, I'm an incompetent home mechanic and I usually get by. Everything's accessible and compared to some cars they're a doddle.

are service parts cheap enough and still avaliable? Surprisingly cheap and readily available either from the dealer or various motor factors

My 320 touring has been my daily for 12 years and has been by far the most reliable car I've owned

[Rtaylor2208]

It depends on what your used to as a daily. If you drive anything and I mean pretty much anything younger than 5 years old the e30 whilst a good car has very little equipment in comparison, never mind the safety aspects should you be in a crash.

Don't get me wrong I love mine but as a daily the 325i is pretty thirsty especially if your town driving. A modern hot hatch will leave almost all IS's and bog standard 325's for dead if speed is your thing.

If you can afford to, run a 325 as a weekend toy and something newer as a daily.

Service Parts are fairly cheap but some bits are NLA or dealer only. To put it in perspective you can replace the disks and pads all round on a e30 for about a third of the price of the same on a 2007+ civic.

[harry_p]

If looked after properly they'll be perfectly reliable, and of course they'll start on a cold morning.

They did have sub zero temperatures in the 80s you know.

We're talking 20 year old premium German cars not 70s British crap

[Kos]

2k will buy a very reliable very comfortable & economical Mk4 golf which is a better daily than any e30. they handle well and the tdi's are a fairly quick

an e30, as every one has said is a reliable car, but dont expect 30mpg from anything unless its a 318is or 318i/16i ( and i'm talking about the later ones ) unless you are driving at a constant steady 60mph on the motorway

e30's are best left as weekend cars imho

[suchy]

2k will buy a very reliable very comfortable & economical Mk4 golf which is a better daily than any e30. they handle well and the tdi's are a fairly quick

an e30, as every one has said is a reliable car, but done expect 30mph from anything unless its a 318is or 318i/16i ( and i'm talking about the later ones ) unless you are driving at a constant steady 60mph on the motorway

e30's are best left as weekend cars imho

I'll second that. Far better to live with the quirks of a 20yr old car as a weekend toy. Do enough miles and it is actually cheaper to run another more economical second car than a 325 as a daily (especially around town)

[capri_rob]

Havent had an E30 as a daily for a good few years.

Re the OP

the answer to all your questions apart from what do they drive like is yes - although for £2k you would expect less rust to deal with than on a cheaper car.

But as said for £2k there are much newer/better spec cars out there which will be just as reliable.

For example the first generation Audi A4 TDi in SE spec will have zero rust unless its been crashed, will do 50+MPG without trying, is well built, well specced with A/C etc as standard, easy to work on , handles well and is plenty pokey enough. You can get practically everything from GSF and ECP and you can pick a very good one up for well under £2k.

I agree with Kos and Suchy on this - times have moved on and E30's are much more fun as a weekend car.

[B7]

2k will buy a very reliable very comfortable & economical Mk4 golf which is a better daily than any e30. they handle well and the tdi's are a fairly quick

an e30, as every one has said is a reliable car, but done expect 30mph from anything unless its a 318is or 318i/16i ( and i'm talking about the later ones ) unless you are driving at a constant steady 60mph on the motorway

e30's are best left as weekend cars imho

I'll second that. Far better to live with the quirks of a 20yr old car as a weekend toy. Do enough miles and it is actually cheaper to run another more economical second car than a 325 as a daily (especially around town)

I'll third that (or even 4th or 5th it)

They are just too old now to make sense as a daily driver. Yes they are great cars but for the money, it's a no brainer to drive something better equipped and more reliable for the money.

IMHO, the e30 is now firmly a weekend / fun car.

[darkchild]

Mine's my daily driver at the moment. It had been my second car for years whilst I owned both E36s and E46s. Now I'm doing less miles it made financial sense for one car to go so I sold my E46 whilst it still had a value and used the released funds to pay a chunk off my mortgage. No point in having a depreciating asset sitting unused on the drive!

A good E30 is a perfectly fine everyday car and mine hasn't let me down yet (unlike my E46 which was forever needing maintenance). Mine is a 320i and fuel economy around town can be quite savage but it will return 32mpg on a run which is not bad at all for a 6 cylinder lump designed 35 years ago! A nice late 316i/318i Lux or a 318is is probably a better bet than a 6 cylinder if you're doing a few miles. What do I miss about my E46? Air-con, MFSW and its refinement but not much else - failed sensors, rusty front wings, oil leaks, knackered door seals you can keep! I'm lucky in that my E30 was a very cherished example when I purchased it which had led the life of a pampered garage queen and so far its cost me nothing other than regular servicing and tyres in 35,000 miles. Most will require a lot of money to overcome a previous owner's lack of preventative maintenance and bodged repairs now.

[mcbonio]

E30s make great dailys, of course the start on a cold day, they have a modern fuel injected engine. They are comfortable on long journeys, I have cloth sports interior. Very comfy.!

Mines a 325i cab, its a bit heavy on the juicy but I travel under 10 miles a day, my work isn't far. They are really easy to maintain and service parts are in abundance and are still manufactured my many companies and are cheap as chips.

Just be weary of ones that have been thrashed, look for rust and don't get one thats been lowered too much unless you're familiar with the replacing sump pans.

[pacerpete]

E30s are great daily drivers, BUT even the newest ones are 20 years old. Most are foooked/worn out/ rotten / bodged up scrap

As ever, if you want to enjoy using your car as against enjoy fixing it, buy the best one you can afford, do an 'autopsy' and address the issues straight away rather than waiting for them to bite you on the 4rse at 3 am on the M6.

At the risk of sounding like that other miserable old cooont In over 20 years of owning E30s, I have never once been stranded .

As for those who champion VAG TDI tackle(I am one) as the answer to the daily driver dilemna, remember that 10 tear old leggy diesel scrap and the lure of 50 mpg is all well and good but there is a whole load of expensive parts that are ready to expire, and it may well happen on your watch

I do agree that unless you are mechanically handy and / or buy a really nice proper car , getting the average tired / neglected /worn out E30 up to a good standard is a very expensive exercise that will seldom be returned if you were selling and that is why I do not use them as daily drivers anymore.

This is also why there are very few left in daily use by non 'enthusiasts'

[Speedtouch]

If looked after properly they'll be perfectly reliable, and of course they'll start on a cold morning.

They did have sub zero temperatures in the 80s you know.

We're talking 20 year old premium German cars not 70s British crap

Hey, I resemble that remark! My 1970 Minor Traveller is an excellent starter in cold weather, certainly far better than a Tech 2 Sport I had with Megasquirt fitted by its previous owner.

[pacerpete]

If looked after properly they'll be perfectly reliable, and of course they'll start on a cold morning.

They did have sub zero temperatures in the 80s you know.

We're talking 20 year old premium German cars not 70s British crap

Hey, I resemble that remark! My 1970 Minor Traveller is an excellent starter in cold weather, certainly far better than a Tech 2 Sport I had with Megasquirt fitted by its previous owner.

Ah ,the joys of BADLY modified cars

[harry_p]

This must be the only thread I've ever seen where 'mk4 golf' and 'handle well' have ever been used in te same sentance

[Cypriotgeeza]

As much as i love my E30 and miss driving it as my daily it just isnt an economical daily driver unless you dont travel very far to work..
i used to work 6miles away from my house and my 318is wasnt too bad on fuel...now i travel 20miles each way which involves a bit of stop start traffic and my god does it drink petrol like an alcoholic on a saturday night..plus the clutch is a bit heavy for stop start driving..
i still class my E30 with its sport seats as being comfortable though but thats just me..

I recently bought a corsa cdti and its just what you need as a daily to keep the E30 fresh and still fun to drive on the weekends..

But i have to admit i still miss the looks i get when i was in traffic in my gleaming E30..but im just crazy lol

[kieran325]

I use my 1993 316 touring as a daily and I tip toe around in it doing mundane jobs, I like it

The E46 is used for long distance work when it comes to more sensible mpg return but I happily torment the streets in my touring.

[Green]

I was using my E30 as a daily driver until the MOT ran out so I can get some work done on it. But despite it being a bit juicy on fuel sometimes it was more then up for the job.
Currently I'm in a P reg 1.4 Civic, it returns good mpg, not particularly fast or speedy off the line but it does the job as a daily... but I can't wait to finish off respraying it and sell it for something a bit more classic...

I would say if you want to run an E30 as a daily you really have to love the car, and want people to know you love being it. I've not had that feeling since mine's been off the road.

[polsta]

a 318is is a fine daily driver i think, a 325i definatly not so unless you like fuel bills,then again would all depend on your milage and town/open roads, but any nicer e30 isnt an ideal winter daily, where they are older putting them through harsh british winters may decrease the life span, but fun to drive and greqat pleasure and satisfaction from owning, which you wont get from a corsa or some other modern shite !`

[47423]

If looked after properly they'll be perfectly reliable, and of course they'll start on a cold morning.

They did have sub zero temperatures in the 80s you know.

We're talking 20 year old premium German cars not 70s British crap

LOL, you owe me another keyboard!!!, this ones got tea on it

[Andyboy]

My 320 touring has been my daily for 12 years and has been by far the most reliable car I've owned

And for what that thing owes you, you could have bought something that's worth more than £800.

[jaymos]

get a nice e36 for less than 2k

[Cloggy Saint]

My 320 touring has been my daily for 12 years and has been by far the most reliable car I've owned

And for what that thing owes you, you could have bought something that's worth more than £800.

Agreed value of 9500 euros . It only owes me what I choose to spend on it, not what I have to spend on it.

[anothere21323i]

Getting back to the original question, if it helps any I commute 50 miles a day, 5 days a week in my 325i Touring without any dramas, summer and winter, come rain hail and shine. Yes, there are more economical cars out there, and quicker ones, and better specced ones, but I'm very happy with it and can honestly say if you want to use an E30 daily then go for it

[Nobby_N]

This must be the only thread I've ever seen where 'mk4 golf' and 'handle well' have ever been used in te same sentance

My mk4 handles a dream and puts a smile on my face when i here the turbo whistle!

[Andyboy]

My 320 touring has been my daily for 12 years and has been by far the most reliable car I've owned

And for what that thing owes you, you could have bought something that's worth more than £800.

Agreed value of 9500 euros . It only owes me what I choose to spend on it, not what I have to spend on it.

Agreed value is meaningless. It just means the insurance company will give you about 5 times what it's actually worth.

[Cloggy Saint]

And for what that thing owes you, you could have bought something that's worth more than £800.

Agreed value of 9500 euros . It only owes me what I choose to spend on it, not what I have to spend on it.

Agreed value is meaningless. It just means the insurance company will give you about 5 times what it's actually worth.

Strange comment, how can an agreed value be meaningless??

[Gavla]

Hello, Iam looking to buy a 318is or a 325 sport maybe to replace my current car,I have a few questions! will a 318is return 30 ish mpg? could I rely on one to start on a cold day? will 2k just buy me a ton of rust?.What do they handle/ drive like? are they comfortable on long journeys?, are they easy enough for a semi competant home mechanic to work on? are service parts cheap enough and still avaliable? Thanks for taking the time to read this post.

ch

I bought my 325i cabby in September last year. I knew that I would need to spend a bit on it, currently a bit too much. I also knew that a 26 year old 2.5 would not be economical at all, and it is not. But I cannot stress enough what a pleasure it is to drive everyday, it starts first time every time (touch wood) and the smile it puts on my face when I have the opportunity to put the pedal flat is priceless.

In a nut shell, if you can afford to throw some money at it every now and then, work on what you can yourself and are willing to accept that it is not the most economical car in the world, then go for it mate, you will not be disappointed.

[Andyboy]

Agreed value of 9500 euros . It only owes me what I choose to spend on it, not what I have to spend on it.

Agreed value is meaningless. It just means the insurance company will give you about 5 times what it's actually worth.

Strange comment, how can an agreed value be meaningless??

Because nobody in their right mind would pay 9500 euros for a welded up, repainted 320i touring!
An agreed value would simply reimburse you the amount you spent on what is still a £2000 car in the real world. The 9500 euros you bandied about buys a perfect, unrestored, low mileage 325i, not what you have.

[Cloggy Saint]

Agreed value is meaningless. It just means the insurance company will give you about 5 times what it's actually worth.

Strange comment, how can an agreed value be meaningless??

Because nobody in their right mind would pay 9500 euros for a welded up, repainted 320i touring!
An agreed value would simply reimburse you the amount you spent on what is still a £2000 car in the real world. The 9500 euros you bandied about buys a perfect, unrestored, low mileage 325i, not what you have.

So if it gets written off I'll get 9500, hardly meaningless. You say welded up and painted (welding was very minimal), I call it restored .When was the last time you checked E30 prices in the Netherlands? Thought not.

[Andyboy]

Well, as long as it satisfies your desires!

I can only imagine what a 325i is worth - 20'000?

[Rigamortiz]

I daily my 318 Touring, have done since I bought it. Practically every time I've put petrol in, I've brimmed the tank - To work out my MPG. I'll regularly do 300+ miles before filling up, and I ALWAYS average between 34-35mpg. It doesn't matter if I rag it down some country lanes, or drive fairly economically to work and back (around 20 miles each way on fairly quiet A roads) I always end up averaging just over 34mpg.

Having been previously dailying a 1963 VW Karmann Ghia, I was used to about 35mpg, except now I can constantly cruise at the speed limit, with music, in comfort and not worry whether I'm going to get to my destination or not, because so far the BMW has not given me any trouble at all, and it was an £800 ebay buy.

[Morat]

Hello, Iam looking to buy a 318is or a 325 sport maybe to replace my current car,I have a few questions! will a 318is return 30 ish mpg? could I rely on one to start on a cold day? will 2k just buy me a ton of rust?.What do they handle/ drive like? are they comfortable on long journeys?, are they easy enough for a semi competant home mechanic to work on? are service parts cheap enough and still avaliable? Thanks for taking the time to read this post.

A nice 325 sport is realistically out of your budget, unless you find a bargain. In your position I'd look for a 318i with as little rust as possible and spend the rest of your budget on getting it fully serviced by someone who knows these cars and replacing the suspension and tyres.

After that you should have a nice reliable car with good handling. If your budget stretches far enough (and that really depends on what your car needs and how much you can do yourself) then an LPG conversion on a 318i should give you a frugal commuter as well.

[Morat]

Thread cleaned. Kos, Daimlerman - just leave each other alone. Please.

[parkin10]

mines a daily 325 touring its jucy but theres no monthly payment and its not some ordinary modern
in the car park its the only one(or is it that i`m the only one daft enough to keep putting fuel in it)