E30 Zone

Hi guys, i have at the moment an 1993 E36 316i (M40 saloon) and have this urge to become an E30 (M10 or M40 316) owner.

Main reason being that an equivalent E30 316i 2 door is 200kg lighter than and looks cool/retro against the rather bland E36.

I am currently looking as spending some more cash on the E36 to upgrade the tired bushes and dampers etc. and don't really want to spend anymore unless I'm going to keep it long term.

If any of you own both models (in the same engine size), is the weight difference that noticeable (200kg is like having two fat geezers sat in the back seat 24/7) and is the handling different, or more satisfying due to the simpler rear axle design.

Fixing stuff is not a problem, fuel consumption is as it will have to be the daily drive, hence not looking at 325's at the moment.

Anyone want to pass on there wisdom or am i just looking over the fence at the greener grass and wont really gain anything?

i have a 2.7 alpina e30 touring and a 328i touring. e36's feel a bit heavier but nothing to write home about, they feel much bigger and when you get in the e30 i always think i've got the door not shut properly but really its the fact an e36 is much more refined! the 328 is sadly a better car in most aspects bar the looks imo.

i had a 1992 M40 316i e36 saloon it was the cheapest car i've ever run and should of kept it! skinny steel wheels in the snow made it good there also! Possibly the cheapest and most reliable bmw to own i think. One with a 1.8 M43 would be the ultimate

in my opinion (which will be shared by most) the e30 is a much better car than the fatter e36 equivilent, the weight difference will be noticeable, just think to a time when you have had a full car then dropped your passengers off and all of a sudden your car feels noticably quicker and more agile.

im e30 hardcore, absolutely love them, although ive only ever had the 6 pot versions but at the end of the day the e30 will always be faster even with the 1.6 engine in comparison to the 36, power to weight is everything!!

as for maintanace the e30 is such a simple car to work on, the way they come appart and go back together makes total sense.

it isnt that the 36 is a shite car (its made by bmw) but if i ''had to'' have one i would only ever touch the m3 versions.
i personally reckon if you were to park a real smart e30 next to a real smart e36 most would pick the e30 as the better car

aerodynamics, gearing and BHP, z-axles also make a difference.

like the e30 for what it is and lets not rubbish e36's for silly reasons

i have driven my uncles 2 door e36 323i when mine was an m20 325i and his felt more clumbersome and to be honest slower than mine. okay i will agree that his felt slightly more refinned but appart from that it didnt blow me away!

i dont want to 'rubbish' the e36 in any way, just telling how it is

feeling slower and being slower are 2 different things. A e30 is like a brick you don't notice the speedo swinging so much in an e36 due to the refinement.

Once your get over 80mph my 328 would slaughter my alpina mainly because its not a brick on 4 wheels. they're very close in ponies and torques terms also. I drive my 2 back to back everyday and they are chalk and cheese.

Wise words from Simon there ;)

I agree that the 1.8 M43 is it's a great engine and good combination with the E36

I'm on my second M43'd E34 and it does perform really well, in the E36 (with less weight and bardgeness would be spot on!)

Be nice to have an M43 in an E30 just for speed/economy

These days it's e36/46 for your daily and an e30 for play time.

I own an E30 and the Mrs has an E36 323 coupe

E30 is brilliant, we all know why.

E36 I was pleasently suprised by when I bought it (as usual she spent all her cash on sh7t we didn't need) I was hankering for an E34 but she spotted this one so I went for a look and a test drive. Yes its 323 so its a bit lazy and the suspension is a bit boat like seeing as it isn't a sport model but for what I paid for it I was more than pleased.

IMO you can just tell BMW knew the faults (or the improvements needed) in the E30 package and went ahead and sorted it. Only problem is they are probably the most boring looking 3 series out there!

On the plus, scrap yards are littered with them so parts are cheap!

Simon13 wrote: I drive my 2 back to back everyday and they are chalk and cheese.

What he said, but they are both good in different ways

I was thinking of driving my moredoor to the weighbridge and get myself a little compact.

a nice well sorted e36 is a very good car. as daily e36 wins.

spend some real seat time in either and you will feel more comfortable in an e36. also, they are still a good car to drive in an enthusiastic way, yes the e30 is a touch raw but an e36 is more direct with far more grip.

i've had e30's e36's and e46's as daily drivers and in 1.8 specs with either an m40 or m43 and the one i like the most was the e46.

the e36 is still user friendly in terms of DIY maintenance and so is the e46 to a point. if anything having electronic diagnostics makes it easier to fix some problems !

I currently drive an E30 1.6 and I obviously love it loads. Me and my brothers have had a lot of experience with all types of E36's and in short they are brilliant cars. The E36 is much more refined and is brilliant as a daily runner and with a good engine can be just as fun as the E30's. One major difference between the two are the interiors. The E36 has a brilliant interior which would stack up well against far newer cars....it was a big bold modern shape when it was released and I still feel it is a great car. They are lovely to drive and far less problematic.

Having said that, if I had a choice between the two I would definitely choose the E30.....but I am biased

P.S a good E36 M3 Evo is great bang for your buck!!Stunning cars.

The m43 is much nicer than the m40 in the e30, timing chain and roller rocker top end that simply doesn't wear. Far better than the cambelt and chocolate topend of the m40.

These days you'll get a much nicer e36 for your money too.

Personally I'd swap for a 1.8 m43 engined e36, a bit more grunt and probably similar if not better economy as the engine will be more suited to the size of the car so you're not driving it foot to the floor 99% of the time!

I think the e36 is a great car and you geting alot for your money atm .
But as said abovei think if a nice e30 is sitting next to a nice e36 i would choose the e30.

Not perhaps the best place to ask the question for an unbiased answer, but in the real world, as an everyday, day to day car for work, shops, tip, pub etc. the E36 wins hands down. It's also getting very close to the point that the E36 is cheaper to buy and maintain than the E30. There's a really good looking 328i convertible on eBay just now for £1500! If you stay away from the four door saloon, a compact, coupe, convertible or a touring all look OK.

However, they just look like old BMWs, the E30, particularly in pre facelift guise does look like a classic car and a car that you've deliberately chosen to buy rather than just a cheap, old car.

M40's are not as bad as people say. They just won't last if your not regular with the oil changes.

the 316i i had had been in my family from about 2 years old and it had over 170,000 on it without the top end death rattle that most have, because it regualr oil changes, thats all it is. I've seen and heard M40's with well over 200,000 on them.

i used to get at least 35mpg from my 1.6 M40 and 40 on a run and with it in an e36, scrapyard running costs!

I have an E36 328i saloon as my daily drive and previously had an E30 325i saloon...

The E36 is a lot more refined, larger inside and feels a lot more modern and safe. The E30 is a bit more raw and fun, but the E36 isn't any slower...Not a lot of difference in the running costs, tbh, but it's easier to get E36 parts...

something like a e36 328I coupe with manual transmission is pretty much better in every way than any E30 from the factory. But i still don't want one! Probably because the E36 seem a little plain and seems to lack a bit of character, you get to know your E30 intimately after a while. I don't get that feeling when driving an E36 even an M3 EVO despite being the superior machine.

Before I start, would just like to point out my e30 is a 325 and far from standard (caged, stripped etc) so I can't comment on using it as a daily.

However, I picked up an e36 316i with very little service history, 100k on the clock (a LOT for a Jersey car) and rusted to hell as a daily pootle to and from work rather than sharing the missus' fiesta. Got to say, I have fallen in love. Cost me £370, has full leather and is a really nice place to be in. Handling wise, it feels 10x more planted at speed (on slightly twister than what you would call a b road i think). The only time I notice the extra weight is in the really tight green lanes we have. But that is a compromise I am happy to live with considering how much more confidence it gives me.

In terms of really having a bit of fun and sliding about, I can do laps of a roundabout with one hand on the wheel instead of the frantic slapping the indicator and wipers on and off of my e30. Shocking "infinity" tyres help too mind.

Got to say, a couple months ago I would have said go for the e30, but now having an e36 as a daily I am not so sure. It depends what you are after really. Something a bit more hard edged that requires a bit of effort to take to the limits or something that can be driven hard and still install confidence.

Could you maybe borrow or drive an e30 and see what you like the most? Could probably pick up a snotter of a 316 with a couple months t&t on it, if you don't like it frag it and stick with the e36?

E30 for fun, E36/46 for refinement, comfort and actual speed - even if you don't notice it as much. You can daily an E30 with ease (especially if you have interesting roads on your regular routes!) but fuel consumption is not as good, nomatter how hard you try.

Simon13 wrote:M40's are not as bad as people say. They just won't last if your not regular with the oil changes.

the 316i i had had been in my family from about 2 years old and it had over 170,000 on it without the top end death rattle that most have, because it regualr oil changes, thats all it is. I've seen and heard M40's with well over 200,000 on them.

i used to get at least 35mpg from my 1.6 M40 and 40 on a run and with it in an e36, scrapyard running costs!

the one i had was whisper quiet

howevr m43's can also become noisy and kill head gaskets

but i've never had any bother with either donk

Right now, especially in this weather and cold, I'd rather have a E36 316i. Thats coming from a 325i cab.

e30-dk wrote:it isnt that the 36 is a shite car (its made by bmw) but if i ''had to'' have one i would only ever touch the m3 versions.
i personally reckon if you were to park a real smart e30 next to a real smart e36 most would pick the e30 as the better car

Same with E30's. The M3 and 325i are the only ones really worth having. I wouldn't have a lesser one as a toy because they're not particularly great to drive. They're just old.

E30 318IS FTW

Same with E30's. The M3 and 325i are the only ones really worth having

well ive had 3 e30's now, my first 2 were 325i's but were rotten and my current one started as a 320i but i only bought her for the shell, she now has had an m50 transplant so this will make her a lot more fun, so my opinion wont be swaying towards e36 just yet

Thanks Guys, i read all the comments, i think the way forward is a late model compact with a M44 16 valve, more power, less rust and the exciting rear axle.

I will still stick around, nice forum with guys dedicated to fixing stuff, just want i need for some light reading.

The M3 and 325i are the only ones really worth having

the majority of us are just wasting our time then? , i agree with the m3, but anybody who ever sees my car always asks me is it a 2.5.. no

common as muck

Thought this site was designed to cater for 'BMW E30' enthusiasts...

it is, but it doesnt mean everyone has to constantly wear e30 blinkers and think the e30 is the bestest car of all time ever.

there are lots of people who have spent a lot of time and money on their e30s but aren't scared to voice their opinions of different makes and models.

i love my e36, but not like my e30's

harry_p wrote:it is, but it doesnt mean everyone has to constantly wear e30 blinkers and think the e30 is the bestest car of all time ever.

Exactly, I prefer e21 but that's not to do down e30's merely my own personal preference.
If I were going for an e30 it would be either a 318is or 325. Neither would stay standard for long.
As for e36, I would go for a Compact as I like the styling and lesser kerb weight. Ideally I would drop in an s14 although I think it's hard to beat a 6 pot. I love m20 engines. There are much newer, better alternatives I know, but if ''newer & better'' were my only motive for choosing things I'd have a brand new 135i instead of a 323/2.7.