General Opinions of the E30 Current Day Non-Owners

[trojen]

Obviously E30's are great cars for those in the know, but what do modern "euro box" owners think of them?

i get a mixture of reactions,

- Not even a glance
- i used to have one of those (these almost 95% of the time say "i owned a Sport" - yea ok then)
- My Mrs reaction when i brought my home was " why have you brought a Lego car?"
- although now she does prefer to be seen in the iS rather than touring, but given the option she'd rather be in her new KA

What reactions do you get and what does the wife think?......

[Mitchen]

I've never had so many compliments from random strangers about a car I've owned before. If I pull up at Sainsburys, or a petrol station, or even quickly stopping at a cash point. and I've driven some tasty new motors in my time.

The missus thinks it's an old banger though

[jonny323i]

Funny my mrs has the same opinion and will only get in it if there is no other choice

[jimbom30cab]

same here jonny

[jonny323i]

Women have no taste at all

[jimbom30cab]

Well the thing is when i had the first e30 she was just 19 then and she used to love it. Now she hates it and wouldn't be seen dead in it.

[jonny323i]

Mine was 17 years ago she loved it then at 24 because she could smoke all the nova boy racers and wipe the smile of their faces

[jimbom30cab]

yer same here mate, her sister had a Nova and she used to drive my 318i moredoor, felt like we'd won the lottery back in those days (1995)

[jonny323i]

The only BMW she really wants back is the 530i v8 we used to have e34 but that was just just awesome

[maf260]

My wife liked mine, my kids hated it.

I had a bright red cabby until very recently, got more looks and comments than other cars I own.

I enjoyed my 5 years of ownership, especially all the fixes, mods etc. but it was time to move on to a new project. I enjoyed building it more than I enjoyed driving it!

[G-Bear]

My lady loved me in my old IS when we first met, was not so keen on the Touring purchase, and now hates it as it takes so much of my time and attention...

The touring's had more random compliments. Someone asked if it was for sale at the weekend.. It's no show car either..

[sunnysr]

I think only blokes like touring and even then the closer you get to 30 the more you like them ...its happening for me and a few friends agree.
The wife likes my e30, all my car mates like e30s most want one and my neighbors think " now what old turd is he driving around in ".

[aimlessrock]

Initially My wife hated my cabby when it arrived as a rusted non running
project on the back of a recovery truck....it was in an appalling state.

Now she has been restored the wife will happily drive it
if the sun is out..

[verde]

E21 was the best for comments. I once came out a shopping centre to find a group of 10/15 people gathered round it. People stopping and turning round in the street, taking photos.

Some women love em, but the majority dont seem overly interested, they prefer e21 to e30, e21 is " cute " e30 is not old or new enough and is just dated.

[maxfield]

My misses prefers the look of older BMWs which is a good thing. She also enjoys driving my E36, she said it feels nice to drive. She's yet to drive my E30.

I also let her drive my dads E61 530D she enjoyed driving that because it was fast.

My ex girlfriend was a different kettle of fish, she hated all the BMWs I ever owned.

[beemerbird]

Women have no taste at all

Mr Beemerbird hates my car, for that matter he hates pretty much all cars. He's either on two powerful wheels or in his rusty old Transit Van.

Men have no taste

[beemerbird]

I think only blokes like tourings.

Blimey this thread is full of classic one - liners

[povertyspec]

i always liked the E21 but never was overly keen on the E30 til i bought my first one about 6 years ago.the E36 made it seem dated overnight and that stigma kinda stuck. As other more exotic stuff went out of my price range i bought a 318i cab to smoke round in, now i love em. my missus has a 320i coupe/ black/black leather sports interior/15" BBS's as a daily driver, cheap insurance and all her mates at a trendy coffee shop she works at going "wow!" won her over , now she spends all holiday spotting e30's. this from a woman who judged cars solely on what colour they were. my kids still say "it smwlls inside" and "can we buy a RangeRover?".

[Gert_8]

I think only blokes like tourings.

Blimey this thread is full of classic one - liners

Sexist pigs! What about the blokes that like cabs..??

[Speedtouch]

I currently don't own an E30, just a 1970 Morris Traveller, but have owned four previously - 1984 320i 4-door, 1987 320iSE 2-door, 1988 325iSE 2-door (my favourite) and a 1989 Tech 2 325i Sport.

I appeciated the quality and driving experience of them, particularly that sinuous 6-cylinder engine wail.

Wouldn't mind another someday, though part of me wants to try something perhaps a little sportier such as a Toyota MR2/Mazda MX5, etc.

[jonny323i]

Wouldn't mind another someday, though part of me wants to try something perhaps a little gay such as a Toyota MR2/Mazda MX5, etc.

Lol

[Speedtouch]

Yes, they have the popularist image as a hairdresser's car, but are actually apparently rather good to drive, not that I've ever driven one.

[jonny323i]

A mate used to have an mr2 import tuned to the max said it was fun but soon got bored and ended up with a Honda s2000 so from bad to worse really lol

[Speedtouch]

Yes, OK, they're rice burners, but the mid-engined bit of an MR2 appeals, from the handling characteristics point of view, even if they look a bit naff.

[gooner1]

Yes, they have the popularist image as a hairdresser's car, but are actually apparently rather good to drive, not that I've ever driven one.

I've driven both and owned one of them, MR2 MK1.

Both fun to drive in their own way, but as a daily?
No thanks. As a weekend toy, you could do a hell
of a lot worse than an MX5.

Like a Morris Traveler for instance.

[beemerbird]

I think only blokes like tourings.

Blimey this thread is full of classic one - liners

Sexist pigs! What about the blokes that like cabs..??

Midlife crisis can do strange things to formally normal men

[Speedtouch]

Like a Morris Traveler for instance.

Mine is used daily, in all weathers. Have you ever driven one?

[sanitroc1]

I have three tourers my wife has one and my son has a two door saloon so no issues in this family . My daily is that dirty it's always looked down on by others but all the rest often get good comments .

[Gert_8]

Blimey this thread is full of classic one - liners

Sexist pigs! What about the blokes that like cabs..??

Midlife crisis can do strange things to formally normal men

I'm only 24!

[gooner1]

Like a Morris Traveler for instance.

Mine is used daily, in all weathers. Have you ever driven one?

Yes, and the Morris Oxford soft top.

Nice enough cars, but as a daily not for me.

[bmw9818]

ive got loads of comments, inc a nod and a comment in traffic which i overheard him stating thats the cleanest one ive seen!

got a few offers to buy it, showed up the m5 at my sisters wedding, majority were gathered around my car taking pics, which was pretty cool!

[darkchild]

I've only received positive comments when driving my 4 door tub but then I've never been near Iver Heath...

Most comment that its in good nick for it age or that they had one back in the 80s.

[German-Whips]

I've had quite a few nice comments on the 4 door, even had some strange man take pictures of it, with the pink bootlid n all!

As for the cab, everyone living near me probably think it's a shed! The bonnet is open EVERY day and the noisy tappets make it worse!

It's a nice car, but i preferred the 4-pot spazbox moredoor!

[pony]

I have been getting some positive comments for the Sport lately
And sometimes a few offers to buy it though usually from "bruvs" but not always

[pony]

Well the thing is when i had the first e30 she was just 19 then and she used to love it. Now she hates it and wouldn't be seen dead in it.

Probably because it showed your Yuppie status in the 80s where nowdays BMW E30s do not