E30 Zone

Strange question this, but here goes...

I got given my iS. Its a lovely car and its been in the family since new with only 47k on the clock. Yes I am a lucky boy. Unfortunately the reason why I was given the car for free was it had been left standing for a few months and needed some TLC.

So I have never actually driven my iS. I'm just finishing getting all the parts together so it will soon be fighting fit again.

I have a concern though as my previous cars have never seemed quite right and I either got bored or gave up trying to make them something there were not.

Most of my previous cars were french hot hatches. In particular the 205 GTi was my favourite car as I have owned 3 of them. My last one I spent a fortune on with everything rebuilt and an Mi16 lump. It was a cracking car, but I was forced to sell (wife was pregnant with twins).
I've also owned a mk2 Golf 16v. Again this was a nice car and whilst good it was a bit sluggish and didn't have the light feel of the 205's. Also is it just me, but does the iS engine sound a bit like the Golf 16v engine?... Maybe thats just an old skool 16v thing....

But anyway I have never owned a RWD car before. I've driven a few and I guess the most similar thing to an E30 would be an E36 323i. I found the 323i to be a strange beast - part refined, part old fashioned. Didn't quite seem to gel for me.
Also I found the E36 to be a struggle pedal wise with them being quite offset. I have a dodgy left ankle so that is not good. Hows the E30 in comparison.

I'm not expecting the iS to be quick, but as long as its nippy and reasonable on fuel (a new found concern for me) engine wise it should be ok.

Now I know what your thinking - just get it on the road and drive it! However I keep throwing more money at a car I have never driven and I'm getting worried I might spend a small fortune and then not like it! Looks wise I really think it could do with some 15" BBS and a ride height drop....

You will enjoy ! slap some 15's on for looks it will not set the world alight performance wise but they are still greta all the same,get the sills doors and front scuttle filled with cavity wax/waxoil and the like

if the frenchies never felt right (ive had a load of em too) then the E30 will feel worlds aprt, in terms of build and rwd. i think you might like it. id rather have a slower e30 then a erm quicker 205, imo feels better built then the golf, i had a mk2 16v and just couldnt get on with it, its the whole set up too not just being rwd much more sure footed, designed to be driven as a drivers car, where as the hatches are built as family cars with hotter engines as a after thought.
anyway i think im rambling haha

a 318IS is a good way of being introduced to an E30. I think the 318 in any form is a cracking car and will give you the E30 bug.

Yup, you'll love it. Rwd makes for a more fun car, whether you're into real tail out action or not. 40mm down or so and still ARB's should see you happy.
Keep with 15" wheels too, 16's tops. And they are reasonable on fuel. Nothing special, but reasonable.

Also these days the E30 really got a cult status.The amount of people who I catch admirering my car is unreal. The other night the dominos boy tripped over his own feet staring at my cab

Felix79 wrote:Also these days the E30 really got a cult status.The amount of people who I catch admirering my car is unreal. The other night the dominos boy tripped over his own feet staring at my cab

haha cool did you pinch his pizza's

Driftnething wrote:

Felix79 wrote:Also these days the E30 really got a cult status.The amount of people who I catch admirering my car is unreal. The other night the dominos boy tripped over his own feet staring at my cab

haha cool did you pinch his pizza's

luckily for him he just given me my mighty meaty and brownies. I rarley keep my cab out side the front of my house these days but with that happening it's too much fun not too

Set your expectation right and you'll have an absolute blast. The iS is never about straight line speed, newer cars are quicker but it still has a nice bit of poke. Get the revs over 3.5k and you'll hit the power band.

I had one and I loved it, it has some fun tuning potential but if the parts are all working correctly then even in standard set up it has lovely balance and once you hit some roads with a few twisties you'll have a grin from ear to ear.

If some of the car is really knackered then OEM replacement should not break the bank, I'm thinking of the suspension and brakes here. What have you done so far by the way?

I would never have sold it if I could have avoided it but I've been in Australia for a year and it would not fit in my rucksack!

I hope it does not prove a disappointment but I know as soon as I am back I will be back in an e30....but then what do you expect from zoners!

Unless you know they have been changed I'd renew the dampers. Changed them on mine with the springs and its made the car come alive again.

Then go and look for an LSD

Enjoy

You've driven the two cars the I.S was conceived to compete against. In tests it appeared to fail. Though inspite lacking in the performace department when compared to its contemporaries, there's something about cars that are powered by the correct wheels..

I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

Do we think the dampers will need changing then? I know its an old car, but as it has been owned by a mature woman until a couple of years ago and it has done so few miles I was hoping it would be ok..

I'm hoping that an iS will be a good first time RWD car and something for me to learn with. I'm 29 and I imagine most people of a similar age or under are only used to FWD car's (unless they have got in to performance cars).

I must admit that in some ways I used to prefer the handling of my Peugeot 306 over the 205 as although it wasn't quite as sharp it was still very good and very smooth/solid feeling round bends. Well I didn't have to clench my butt cheeks round some corners like I did with the 205 anyway!

My iS is very stock right down to the steelies and hub caps! So I am not sure if I should go for 14" BBS for a factory look or the more pricey 15". Is the extra grip an advantage as sometimes it can spoil the balance of a car?

Assuming the 14" BBS are the same sizes as the 14" bottletops, I'd say go for the 15s. You get a much tauter ride even on the same suspension. Keep the 14s/steels for the winter as BBS are a bastard to clean.

The original dampers are gas/oil so can lose pressure over time.

An iS is a great fun car, in a straight line it can be passed by a kid on a tricycle but it has massive grin factor when you get on the twisties. RWD shouldn't catch you out that much in this car as it hasn't got huge amounts of power, and is only a little sketchy if you drive like a maniac or it's wet/greasy. You'll get used to it quick enough, I've only ever had RWD cars since I passed my test and I can't see myself changing that yet!

pugboy wrote:My iS is very stock right down to the steelies and hub caps! So I am not sure if I should go for 14" BBS for a factory look or the more pricey 15". Is the extra grip an advantage as sometimes it can spoil the balance of a car?

I thought the iS came with 14" BBS as standard, 15" were an option?

Offset pedals can be a problem in the iS and all e30s - even the newer e46 (not sure about e9Xs) have this problem. Same goes for a lot of other cars that are originally LHD I guess. Sierra Cosworth springs to mind. I find it a real pain but try not to focus on it and you'll soon start to enjoy the drive of the e30. I won't feel as light as a 205 I'm sure (never driven one to be fair) but it is for sure a lot more nimble and responsive than an e36 (I drive an e36 for my daily and I have had my iS, which is now a project car, for quite some time)

15inch bbs every step of the way. They are the proper wheel for the car end of discussion in my opinion.

RWD regardless of power can easily catch you out. Get it on the track/drive it hard, to get a feel for it. Take it easy in the wet (unless you want the back end out which is great fun but please be careful ).

The 318iS came on 14 inch steel wheels as standard with unique wheel trims. 14 and 15 inch BBS wheels were an option. If the dampers are not leaking oil and the car rides and handles okay, they will be fine. They do not lose pressure over time, only when the top seals have gone and they are leaking oil.

Andyboy wrote:The 318iS came on 14 inch steel wheels as standard with unique wheel trims. 14 and 15 inch BBS wheels were an option. If the dampers are not leaking oil and the car rides and handles okay, they will be fine. They do not lose pressure over time, only when the top seals have gone and they are leaking oil.

any pics of said trims ??

15inch is still the proper wheel imho

Same wheeltrims as were fitted to the later 316i 318i Tourings. Not bad looking in a perverse sort of way.

I think e30s are awesome, you get that feeling that it was made to be driven. All the switches and knobs kinda do exactly what you would want to do while driving. As for handling and stuff it quite natural, you can feel the rear tires push you forward, like a wave of thrust from the back - if it starts to go abit sideways it feels like this wave is pushing you sideways, not scary at all, very fun!

they're beautiful andy actually, kind of look like one of the more plain e36 alloys.

Andyboy wrote:The 318iS came on 14 inch steel wheels as standard with unique wheel trims. 14 and 15 inch BBS wheels were an option. If the dampers are not leaking oil and the car rides and handles okay, they will be fine. They do not lose pressure over time, only when the top seals have gone and they are leaking oil.

I stand corrected

hoshy wrote:they're beautiful andy actually, kind of look like one of the more plain e36 alloys.

Yeah, anyone know where I can get some?

ive owned 2 205 gtis one a 1.6and a 1.9 gtiS which i absolutly loved and the handling from them is insane i swopped both for my 318is just for the fact of reliabillity was crap with my 205s .........but ive put some billys ect on my IS and the handling is great, not as chuck it in the corner and it will go round no matter wot like the 205 .but it is great but a little slower and ive fell in love with rwd AGAIN

but all in all its bin a good move but i do want more power so im putting a m50 in it

if you get all that........