THANK GOD I DRIVE A E30

[Hyperion]

I must say besides the fact that we dont have Cupholders!?! i am pretty damn happy with my car. i have even sent it sideways into a wall once(a while ago) and all i had to do was turn the key and drive it home, bloddy brilliant.

But besides that the reason for this post is the fact i was thinking of getting another BMW a dah dah daaahhhh e36!! a M3

But after doing some research on the models, all i can find is stories about engines that get eaten away by the petrol they use, exploding 6 gears, funky VANOS problems, 3.2's less reliable than 3.0 ltrs....

Damn i still would love a e36 M3 but i think i'm gonna do some serious thinking before i put down any money on one.

Hmmm e30's gotta love them, badass IS's , Cabrios , M3's

E30's built like a brick shit house!!!

[TOURINGDADDY]

they rock mate

[tommo320i]

Best car ever made, bar the M635 Csi, oh if only I had the money

[Adammcf]

Im seriously thinking of getting a 3.0 E36 M3. Im fed up with these crappy 325 engines.

[Hyperion]

Im fed up with these crappy 325 engines.

[bmwe30mtech]

Why not get a m3 e30? They look so much better in my opinion.

[Sjoerd320i]

Why not get a m3 e30? They look so much better in my opinion.

was just about to say that mate

[Zayyan]

Im fed up with these crappy 325 engines.

Adam hasn't had the best luck recently

325i engines are a bit crappy though.

[Zayyan]

Why not get a m3 e30? They look so much better in my opinion.

was just about to say that mate

Because it's very difficult to find a RHD one and LHD is impractical?

Because they're slow by modern standards?

Because he wants a usable everyday car and the E36 M3 is much better at this than the E30?

There could be any number of reasons, my guess being the last of those above.

Looks aren't everything (well to Sjoerd I suppose they are hence my lack of surprise at him suggesting the E30 ).

[Sjoerd320i]

I'll get me coat

[Hyperion]

yeah a E30 M3 would be the ultimate cool.
But Im from South Africa we never got the M3 or Touring over here

[Fushion_Julz]

Im fed up with these crappy 325 engines.

Adam hasn't had the best luck recently

325i engines are a bit crappy though.

really? why do ya say that?

what other motor can produce 170+bhp reliably from 2.5litres with the longevity of the M20 and the simplicity of only 12valves?

Only ones I can think of are (relatively) modern japanese motors...
Remember the M20 is an old design...Originated in the 1970s and ceased production in early 90s....

Sure, more modern engines (including BMWs own M50 etc) can produce more power per litre, but the M20 is a superb piece of engineering.

I've driven or owned cars with 200K+ miles without ever having more than routine maintenence done!

[Zayyan]

the longevity of the M20

The M20 2.5 (and M42) have the most serious problems of any of the E30 engines.

Hence they are a bit crap in comparison.

[320Touring]

the longevity of the M20

The M20 2.5 (and M42) have the most serious problems of any of the E30 engines.

Hence they are a bit crap in comparison.

tbh at least on the m20, from what i'm lead to believe-the problems with 325 heads can be reduced by changing antifreeze every 2 years,

however 731 heads are the daddies

and Zay, dont froget that the m40 suffers badly from cam wear

I prob wouldnt have a m20b25 unless it has had a new head, esp due to the number of zoners that have experienced problems recently

[Zayyan]

and Zay, dont froget that the m40 suffers badly from cam wear

I was going to mention this but instead I used the word "serious" before "problems"

You can still drive for as long as you like with a worn cam

[Hyperion]

Hmmm things getting hectic over here.
Well i havent hand any problems with my 325i (touch wood), I think its pretty bullet proof. Starts up every morning, summer , winter you name it. Engine has never been opened, in 14 years. It has always been serviced at a BMW agent, and i get really anal about the mechnics of the car everything must be sweet. Its body has had a few bumps and digs but i will wait till they add up and then get them fixed one time.
Cheers dudes

[320Touring]

and Zay, dont froget that the m40 suffers badly from cam wear

I was going to mention this but instead I used the word "serious" before "problems"

You can still drive for as long as you like with a worn cam

"drive" is a subjective term

worn cams dont allow for muchos spirited driving

[Zayyan]

Can't drive spiritedly at 91.9p a litre.

Getting between 43 and 47mpg I can live with.

[Fushion_Julz]

wot poo...

I've had a huge list of different cars over the years (I ain't young ;) )
and BMW motors are, in general, the most long-lived of all the engines I've owned....
Including:

Alfa twin cams
Nissan S13
Ford Pinto
Ford Cologne V6
Citroen flat 4 (Visa) and inline 4 (DS)
Mini
Porsche 944
Golf GTI 1.6
Rootes 1725

In fact the only other engine I've owned that has lasted as well as a BMW is a Datsun 260Z engine which, by coincidence, is a pretty similar unit (inline 6 with decent power/torque from around 2.5litres)

I also find the BMW units easy to work on, in general, and fairly well designed...

I've gone through a few BMWs, too...a couple of M10 engined cars (1802 and 2002 racer with 198bhp...reliably), a couple of older M20 cars (E30 320i and E28 520i...which had 280K+), and a couple of M30 engined cars (E28 525i 240K+ and E34 530i 250K+) non of which had any major engine issues....
One cracked head (on the 520i) and a head gasket on the 1802 were the only major non-service related bits needed...Obviously the racer had a couple of top-end rebuilds in over 4 years of my use, but that was mostly damage caused by racing (over revving or oil starvation) whilst still developing the car...It ended up being very reliable and is still going in a road car with, AFAIK, no major rebuild...

[Zayyan]

Well that may be the case, and most people won't have a problem, but it's fact that M20 2.5s are unreliable in comparison to other E30 engines.

[Adammcf]

The M20 is a bag of pish. Cant take any abuse without breaking or over heating or cracking a head.
Take a look on here in the technical forum at the sheer number of 325 problems. Its rediculous.
My 1990 Honda CRX vtec revved to almost 9000 revs and loved every second of it and came back for more.
My Astra GSI with Redtop engine was the same.
These old M20 engines just cant hack it any more.

Im putting a good M20 engine in mine if I can find one and then Im selling it. It will sadden me to see it go as the engine is the only bad point of the car but I just cant face anything going wrong with it again.

[6potWil6pot]

Always thought the M20 was quite a good engine Guess older engines are going to have problems regardless of build quality if theyve been mistreated during their lives.

I quite like the M20 as a engine tho, not too revvy but nice all the same. Not as good as a multi valve 6 cyl tho Personally would like an e36 328i 3/0 M3

[GDBN]

Hi Adam ...wht happened to the engine ???
Mine is fine still but still being gentle !!

G

[johnono]

it went pete tong mate

why dont u put a 24v in the e30.. not purist, but none of em are really factory anymore are they

[6potWil6pot]

Yes i advise that too, 24v it up. Abuse the power then get irritated by the refinement and sell up for a modern car like i did

[johnono]

yea will , u went too far dude

24v 2.5.. extra 20 odd hp for the same size engine, and no worry of busted heads! still sounds like a 6Ԛ´er and looks a little more refined ( cheers will for that one) under the bonnet!

lads, u know it makes sense

[Zayyan]

Does 4v/c rather than 2 not mean better economy as well?

[6potWil6pot]

The powerplant itself was fantastic, it was the rest of the refinement that let it down

But it was no more economical than the M20s ive compared notes with. Infact the last m20 325i i drove did 28mpg including the rolling road and some spirited driving. My own 24v never did that but i think it was running a tad rich

[johnono]

yea, matey said his drinks too, so i dont think its much on the short term saving department... but potentially long term

[Fushion_Julz]

well my 325i gets driven spiritidley (fast) and hasn't missed a beat in over 10,000 miles since I've had it...

gets good oil and regular "on the light" or 6,000 mile changes (all my vehicles do) and decent maintenence all round...

It isn't especially economical (around 23-24mpg) on mainly back-road or town driving with the odd longer motorway trip.
But it's a little better than both my 525i or 530i were (got around 21-22 out of those) and about the same as my M3..

It also is happy to cruise at 4500rpm, 3-up and lots of luggage, at 110-120mph for nearly 1000miles and hardly used a drop oil..well about 100cc!

I still think that the M20 might not be a "boy-racer" engine (not revvy enough and not "class looking" (bling) enough), but it is a superb bit of classic engineering!

[6potWil6pot]

yea, matey said his drinks too, so i dont think its much on the short term saving department... but potentially long term

M50s one of the last petrol BMW blocks before they switched to all ally, so its probably tough as anything. Timing chain, self adjusting tappets, no dizzy etc so low maintence too

[johnono]

well im convinced!

its the next block for me

[6potWil6pot]

Just wondering what the reliability of the m52 is at high mileage/old age. Its got alot more power and is far lighter, the install is the same too except for the EWS. Apart from the alloy block i think the rest of the oily bits are near enuff the same. Except strangeled inlet etc...

[johnono]

what was that nikasil thing though

[SwirlyE30]

Zayyan, why do you always go on about Economy?.......Everytime i read a post you put how many MPG your getting....dude....stop being so dam tight!