Everything seems so big!

[Foe]

Not really noticed it before, or maybe I have, but on parking in the IKEA car park today, I took the kids and strolled in bought a load tat, as you do, and on returning to the car; I suddenly realised how small my turd is compared to modern cars!
It might have been that there were a few more estates, X3 and x5's, then most car parks, but still!
The Kia Ceed I was next to was massive!!
WTF?
I wish I took a picture, I'm sure it was down to the small under ground carpark, or lighting, down draft?

Are our turds, really that small?
When did other makes inject steroids into their cars?
E30s were quite bigish cars a few years ago and now the seem so, well dainty!!

[paultv]

No it's just the new style... huge high truck style cars...makes the driver feel safe to be above everyone else... look at the mini...mini?? Its more like a maxi its bloody huge.

Funny thing is, getting inside one of the plastic monsters, the cabin space is pathetic...

My in laws have some oversized Audi ... much smaller inside than my Cabby!

But yes, it's a bit odd being surrounded by these modern behemoths...makes the E30 look tiny.

Paul

[Foe]

Yeah, your right! You can't even work/service modern day cars now anyway!

[Gert_8]

All modern cars are much bigger than older ones. I think they have done this to accommodate new safety features, but people are generally larger too.....

I have a new 5 series - it is F***ing huge and I will not take it into certain carparks as the entrances are a frightening squeeze. The parking bays themselves, are also very tight.

[Satan]

Weigh a lot more as well with the safety features, if they weighed less we'd use less fuel so saving the planet, if there was a crash more people would be killed so a double saving as less of the worlds resources would be used up, win win situation in my opinion.

Also a lot of people want a "BIG" car as they feel safe and don't care about others, I say life is more fun with a few risks.

Drive this in London and you will know what I mean,

[martauto]

Most of that "Type" are generic training shoes, which look decent at the time , will not last and have no real quality at all.
I drove a mini cooper for a few months and it looked big but was so small inside and had bigger tyres than my Baur !!

Mart.

[Tzantushka]

I know - when my E30 is in the carpark at work it looks like a noddy car compared to modern cars.

Like people, cars get fatter as they get older.
Take the humble Honda CR-V for example.



Yep middle age spread.

It's also about visual height.
Many of the newer cars have high belt lines, with big doors and small windows.
Whereas I love the E30 with it's large glass and fantastic visibility.
Just keep the 'shiny side up' especially with a cabbie!

[Foe]

Yeah agree about how well you can see out if the E30!

[Satan]

Yeah agree about how well you can see out if the E30!

Especially a cabriolet with the roof down.......

[Foe]

Yeah agree about how well you can see out if the E30!

Especially a cabriolet with the roof down.......

Couldn't agree more!

[DHFiS]

Weigh a lot more as well with the safety features, if they weighed less we'd use less fuel so saving the planet, if there was a crash more people would be killed so a double saving as less of the worlds resources would be used up, win win situation in my opinion.

Also a lot of people want a "BIG" car as they feel safe and don't care about others, I say life is more fun with a few risks.

Drive this in London and you will know what I mean,

IMG_3029.jpg

Nowdays the Elise at 930kgs is considered light but the Elan weighed only 680kgs when Chapman was in charge, it's even 120kg heavier than a Mk1 golf GTI

[Satan]

Weigh a lot more as well with the safety features, if they weighed less we'd use less fuel so saving the planet, if there was a crash more people would be killed so a double saving as less of the worlds resources would be used up, win win situation in my opinion.

Also a lot of people want a "BIG" car as they feel safe and don't care about others, I say life is more fun with a few risks.

Drive this in London and you will know what I mean,

IMG_3029.jpg

Nowdays the Elise at 930kgs is considered light but the Elan weighed only 680kgs when Chapman was in charge, it's even 120kg heavier than a Mk1 golf GTI

The S1 is 730kg's

The Golf is 810kg's

[Captain_Birdseye]

The problem with the 'safe' exterior of modern cars is it turns a lot of them into kites when hit by the nasty side-winds of the M5. Although our e30s are light, their height & metal exterior renders them mostly impervious.

[Bonymaenjack]

The problem with the 'safe' exterior of modern cars is it turns a lot of them into kites when hit by the nasty side-winds of the M5. Although our e30s are light, their height & metal exterior renders them mostly impervious.

The height of a vehicle does often contribute to many vehicles you see overturned along with the centre of mass, the width of the axle track, steering sensitivity, and increased speed having contributory factors

[OldEnglish68]

I've just put the E30 away for winter and am driving an i3 daily. It's like driving a van compared to the perfectly-proportioned E30!

[coopman]

The E30 looks tiny in the average Australian car park, surrounded by SUVs and utes. My wife's car is a new style X1 - a "small" SUV - it feels very, very spacious compared to the E30 and looks about three times the height.

[Satan]

I suppose cars are a reflection of society, the woman are getting larger so need a larger car to haul their fat lard arses....... ;o)))

[brutus]

yeah & an escort mk 1 is even smaller...
just like the old jeeps !
real men drive with out airbags !
lol.

[HJ1981]

I drive my E30 325i every day, i have zero issues parking or "squeezing" into spaces.

At my local gym, i noticed even how the Polo is taller and wider than the E30. Like seriously, a good 15cm lower and much narrower.

[ocde30]

It is the small width of the E30 that allows me to keep it in a standard single garage and still have room for some racking and a bit of wriggle / work room.

I have no chance of getting my Audi A4 in and as for my wife's ML , not only is it too wide and long but it is mighty close to scraping the top of the garage door aperture !
Funny but when I had these E30's new I don't remember thinking that I had a small car - just a lovely car !
I proudly took my old dad and an uncle out in my brand new E30 on the first day I got it.
My dad was very pleased that I had a great car but all my uncle said was " it's nice, a bit like a poor man's Mercedes" - BUMP

[Foe]

So true about parking spaces and fitting in garage!
Nice garage pic.

[boiliebasher]

Agreed. All modern cars are just getting ridiculously oversized.
I've recently bought a range rover classic and when I was younger, I remember thinking they were enormous compared to other cars on the road. These days, to me it just seems almost average sized compared to the sea of bland, pointless and incapable SUV's we see everywhere on roads today.

The E30's do look and feel rather small compared to modern cars. However, to me they're just perfect. My family members have bought modern Mondeo's and I swear that dash is so vast and unnecessary, it reminds me of something out of the star ship enterprise!

[coopman]

Big fat X1 bullying the little E30.

At least the E30 tucks nicely under the pipes.

[OldEnglish68]

Big fat X1 bullying the little E30.

At least the E30 tucks nicely under the pipes.

First look, I thought the X1 was a Q7 - looks enormous!

(Great reg number for an E30 too)

[Satan]

Big fat X1 bullying the little E30.

At least the E30 tucks nicely under the pipes.

First look, I thought the X1 was a Q7 - looks enormous!

(Great reg number for an E30 too)

You haven't seen mine,

[Ukhozi]

Apart from starting to all look the same they certainly have got bigger, I am sure an original Mini could darn near fir IN a new 'Mini' countryman. and as for the Fiat 500, bloody massive.