E30 Zone

Hi Guys,

Having left the fraternity 6 months ago, I bought the 321bhp, M3 Evo, manual. I thought I would let you know how it compares to an E30 325i touring interms of running costs.

Fuel: 6 month running average, same driving
E30: 24mpg
M3: 27mpg (34 on a run!)

Insurance:
E30: £500 (28, full NCD, fully comp, business, 10k.year)
M3: £800 (same deets)

The Performance:
Clearly its quick, but the delivery is more top end than the 325i, it appears to have less low down torque (i know it doesnt) but you have to really thrash the M3 to get it to go.


Parts:
Sure some bits are more, like tyres etc, but your service items are pretty similar, a clutch kit was only £201!!

The Engine is a joy to work on, knife edged ports and tubular manifolds, its epic.

Item Type Source Cost
Engine oil Silkolene Pro S 5w-40 Ester Synth Oil Opie £43.00
braided clutch hose HEL eBay £20.00
Air Filter UFI Brand Opie £6.40
Belts 2 aux £15.00
diff oil 75W140 Castrol Syntrax (OEM spec) Opie £12.50
brake fluid Motul RBF 600 Racing Opie £25.00
Vanos Filter Bolt and washer BMW £12.00
BMW oil filter kit OEM BMW £20.00
Spark Plugs NGK PKR7A eBay £50.00
gear oil Dexron II GSF £10.00
Coolant Blue GSF £10.00
Hoses oil seperator x2 BMW £50.00
Tires Falken FK952 Camskill £380


The car is incredibly smooth, quiet and refined, with super comfy seats. A clean,M3 can be had from £4.5k now and I cant recommend it enough. Clearly I am going to get some stick here, but having owned 2 E30s, I just wanted to give the E36 a thumbs up as a daily - I am however on the look out for a clean e30 as a track car!

I didnt rate the M3, the drivability wasn't there for me, i like handling and light chasis of the E30.

I sold mine after 1 month, however i did prefer the m3 on the motorway that the e30 because it was much more responsive and smooth.
But for me the e30 325i sport was much more enjoyable to drive a//b road driving

All I would say is, just like the E30 (maybee more so) M3s vary a lot and I drove 5 before buying mine, the difference between them was incredible, all similar money, but the speed and handling of them all was so varied.
The E30 is more nimble and chuckable - you can take big liberties with it, the M3 does want to kill me and despite being newer, feel it stands a better chance (no traction control either)

You do get used to the speed though, and you dont get to use it like you do in an E30 - there just isnt the room!

I think brake paraphernalia are much more expensive on the M3, as are wheel bearings, and just about every other part, beyond fluids, filters and the odd tube etc..

Was very disappointed when my mate took me out in his - I told him it was a barge and said he should defo come for a ride in the e30 325i!! he promptly sh4t one grabbing onto the door handle and seat bolster, he was utterly petrified..

so much so, he now owns an e30 325i

Please understand that I never intended to come onto an E30 forum and say thast an E36 is better - it isnt, just different, I wanted to just share my first 6 months experiences.

You are right, brake discs are circa £150 a pair for vented brembos but £250 for OEM BMW ones (floating discs) This is big bucks!

Sorry, I wasn't slating your clear enjoyment of the beast that will still remain in BMW M history as a fine fine machine.. It's just testament to the fact that an e30 is such a hard act to follow - for actual driving pleasure. I feel a lot safer in the e30 - as you say, the e30 is chuckable

E36 M3 > 325i.. End of. Better handling, quicker, newer etc..

Oh no, dont go there!!!

It's true.. E30's are fun, but the E36 is better.

Barx325i wrote:I think brake paraphernalia are much more expensive on the M3, as are wheel bearings, and just about every other part, beyond fluids, filters and the odd tube etc..

Was very disappointed when my mate took me out in his - I told him it was a barge and said he should defo come for a ride in the e30 325i!! he promptly sh4t one grabbing onto the door handle and seat bolster, he was utterly petrified..

so much so, he now owns an e30 325i

there was obviously something very wrong with that m3 if he shat himself in a car with half the power.

fuzzy wrote:

Barx325i wrote:I think brake paraphernalia are much more expensive on the M3, as are wheel bearings, and just about every other part, beyond fluids, filters and the odd tube etc..

Was very disappointed when my mate took me out in his - I told him it was a barge and said he should defo come for a ride in the e30 325i!! he promptly sh4t one grabbing onto the door handle and seat bolster, he was utterly petrified..

so much so, he now owns an e30 325i

there was obviously something very wrong with that m3 if he shat himself in a car with half the power.

It's the lack of crash protection that does it..

Its not the 0-60 speeds I think people compare these too cars with, its the sheer fun factor that you can have in a well sorted e30 325i sport compared to a m3 evo. The e36 is a better car in terms of newer, refinement,space but lack that enjoyment that you feel when your driving a sorted e30.

I have had more smiles in my sport than when I had the e36 m3, so on that basis the sport is a better car for me, but it always goes back to the old saying "what ever floats your boat".
Also depends on what perspective your comparing the both cars with, if its with drivability, then e30 everytime if its the refinement and space then the e36.

I was comparing the both cars with ant @ atech when i was selling the m3 and he said "am not suprised your selling, they dont do it for me either"

I've only ever driven one M3 - a P Reg Evo Coupe when it was new - Absolutely loved it but wouldnt want one as a daily hack especially if any of your commute involves stop-start traffic - the clutch was evil - Definately not easy to drive - but on the open road it was immense

ive never had en e36 m3 but my mate did, it had nearly the same power as my cosworth conversion but felt no where near as fast . i put that down to a mix of the weight, a couple of hundred kg's lighter id guess with my touring at 1320kg plus a decent sized turbo is a much more sudden kick up the 4rse type power delivery.
a 325 with m3 bhp is a real handful.

fuzzy wrote:

Barx325i wrote:I think brake paraphernalia are much more expensive on the M3, as are wheel bearings, and just about every other part, beyond fluids, filters and the odd tube etc..

Was very disappointed when my mate took me out in his - I told him it was a barge and said he should defo come for a ride in the e30 325i!! he promptly sh4t one grabbing onto the door handle and seat bolster, he was utterly petrified..

so much so, he now owns an e30 325i

there was obviously something very wrong with that m3 if he shat himself in a car with half the power.

I doubt it, he runs a certain forum & has had 17-18 e36 m3's so far plus, he's just a straight line homo

and yeah, the fact the only thing between passenger and the outside world is a few mm of steel

There are 14 bushes between the rear wheels and the car on an e36, not including the arb! they're getting to the age where they're going to start needing replacement no matter what the mileage.

There's also quite a lot of tracking adjustment at the rear, so there's a lot more potential for things to vary between cars.

I love mine, but I'll admit it doesn't quite have the e30 magic, it's just a bit too competant for it's own good, similarly the engine, it might feel a bit torque light, but they're certainly not, it's just that the top end is awesome which makes the mid range feel a bit normal in comparison.

An e30 m3 is quicker than an e30 325i and my e36 will destroy my e30 m3 any gear, any speed it will just walk away from it, and use less fuel whilst doing it

this is the thing, by the time I wound an s50/2 up in the e36 shell I'd be no where near as confident down here



as in an e30..

harry_p wrote:An e30 m3 is quicker than an e30 325i and my e36 will destroy my e30 m3 any gear, any speed it will just walk away from it, and use less fuel whilst doing it

Lets try it, you're only up the road from me

Demlotcrew wrote:

harry_p wrote:An e30 m3 is quicker than an e30 325i and my e36 will destroy my e30 m3 any gear, any speed it will just walk away from it, and use less fuel whilst doing it

Lets try it, you're only up the road from me

^^^
This.

i think you'll find most keep the E30 nice for good times and abuse an e36 for a daily - to which they are a better car in almost every respect bar the mondeo spec interior build quality.

Jhonno wrote:It's true.. E30's are fun, but the E36 is better.

This is fact.

Ive had an e36 of some varient as a daily for the last 5years, previous to that was a 2 door e30 325i and now im using a m50 e30 touring. All I can say is that a well specced e36 is far better as a daily with more mechanical grip, more comfortable and quicker.

Demlotcrew wrote:

harry_p wrote:An e30 m3 is quicker than an e30 325i and my e36 will destroy my e30 m3 any gear, any speed it will just walk away from it, and use less fuel whilst doing it

Lets try it, you're only up the road from me

I'm talking standard vs standard. My e36 probably cost less than the induction and ecu setup on your s14 powered hybrid ;)

harry_p wrote:

Demlotcrew wrote:

harry_p wrote:An e30 m3 is quicker than an e30 325i and my e36 will destroy my e30 m3 any gear, any speed it will just walk away from it, and use less fuel whilst doing it

Lets try it, you're only up the road from me

I'm talking standard vs standard. My e36 probably cost less than the induction and ecu setup on your s14 powered hybrid ;)

It probably did, most nails do. So thats no then?

Jhonno wrote:It's true.. E30's are fun, but the E36 is better.

more fun = better in my book

Whenever I see an E36 M3 I think "That's one that Dezzy or B7 haven't got hold of yet"

Demlotcrew wrote:

harry_p wrote:

Demlotcrew wrote: Lets try it, you're only up the road from me

I'm talking standard vs standard. My e36 probably cost less than the induction and ecu setup on your s14 powered hybrid ;)

It probably did, most nails do. So thats no then?

That's a bit harsh.

RotE30 wrote:Please understand that I never intended to come onto an E30 forum and say thast an E36 is better - it isnt, just different, I wanted to just share my first 6 months experiences.

You are right, brake discs are circa £150 a pair for vented brembos but £250 for OEM BMW ones (floating discs) This is big bucks!

You're right, of course, but compare like with like and compare an E30 M3 with your E36 M3 and you'll find very similar prices...

Front OEM discs for an E30 M3 are circa £180 a pair and OEM wheel bearings are hugely expensive, even from aftermarket suppliers...

IME anything that is "M" unique on any BMW M car will carry the dreaded M-tax.

The good thing about E36 M3s is that all body parts are shared with the lesser models as are many of the suspension and electrical bits...This isn't the case with all M models and it is those special bits that cost a lot to replace...

I just sold them both and bought a 320d for the mpg.... kidding!

I would love a go in an e30 M3, but the fact is i sold my touring to a guy in australia for 30% more than i paid for it and only invested £1500 to buy the M3 (they have never been cheaper) - just wished it looked as cool; I have the best looking M3 you can get, diamond black, coupe, sunflower wheels, very very good condition, but i still preffer the look of a clean E30 all day long.

In contrast to the ironically named E30 'comfort' leathers, that used to give me back/ball ache. The vadar leathers are incredibly comfortable, its like being hugged by a firm, sexy, stocky athlete (maybee a professional female wrestler)

i think top sum this thread up

E30 chassie with a s50 = WIN

djsimmy wrote:i think top sum this thread up

E30 chassie with a s50 = WIN

I am biased, But i would have to agree!!

a standard E30 chassis is rubbish TBH, with nice springs shocks and ARB they are fun but in IMO inferior in every way to the E36 Evo. In the last 5 years since driving an E36 Evo and E30 325i sport in std and modded form i wouldn't even want to swap a S50 into an E30 anymore might as well keep the superior chassis with it.

which is also rather dull compared to the e30, they just aren't that involving when pressing on. Very polished but wheres the fun in the E36? I like both but if i get the chance on a back road, the e30 is the one i want to be in

The E36 chassis has higher grip levels and is a lot more composed which means rapid progress is easier than in an E30.

The E30 chassis is cruder and has lower grip levels but this is what makes is fun, concentration and skill is needed for rapid progress and this is what makes them fun!

I like them both, and E46's for that matter!