E30 Zone

there is always a debate as to what a good E30 is worth, having bought a couple recently in spite of a steady upwards trend i've got a lot of car for 3rd owner Kia money. just treated myself to an 80k 2.5 with pretty good bodywork and passable mechanicals for 3k. a lot more than say the alltime low prices of 2004. while looking for an Austin mini death trap for my son, a car which could lecture the rear wheel arches of a chrome bumper E30 about rust i was amazed to see a passable daily economy "city" or "bluerinse" model 80's/90's mini can be between 3k and 10k??!!. it makes the E30's in spite of millions being produced start to look rather undervalued. surely there cant be so many nostalgic baby boomers out there with cash happily willing a nasty beige mini kensington up a hill in second gear in spite of the fact that their wallets have been lightened by 7 grand than want to thrash a six cylinder convertible down to le Mans. dont be surprised if some of the rarer E30's start to really go up in 2015.

Not a fair comparison. Minis are internationally reknowned; even a Kazakhstani border guard recognised my mate's car as "Mista Beena Machina" (Mr. Bean's car), so they'll always be desirable.

A bloke over here does restos, and is trying to undercut the British market for restoring Minis. His case in point is a place in the West country that charges 20-25,000 for a bare shell restoration, and that currently has an 18month waiting list.

That's not to say E30s won't go up in price, but they're a car for car people, whereas the Mini is something recognised and appreciated by pretty much everyone.

Minis desirable ! A truly nasty sorry flid chariot favoured solely by freaks ,weirdos and those who know no better .

Minis were badly made rubbish which leaked and rusted from new, many were scrapped before they were ten years old. As a result, very few survive in relation to how many were made . The continuously perpetuated myth that they are 'cool' ensures that plenty of non car people buy into the scene foolishly thinking that sitting on the hard shoulder of the A23 in the pouring rain is a good look

The E30s biggest issue, suprisingly , is how many have survived which keeps values lower than many other cars of its era.

That's my point pete; there are more spastics out there than informed consumers, therefore cars that appeal to idiots are worth more.

Grrrmachine wrote:That's my point pete; there are more spastics out there than informed consumers, therefore cars that appeal to idiots are worth more.

Did somebody mention Escorts ?

pacerpete wrote:

Grrrmachine wrote:That's my point pete; there are more spastics out there than informed consumers, therefore cars that appeal to idiots are worth more.

Did somebody mention Escorts ?

Here bloody here

I don't know who is worse though, the classic Escort lover of which there are a few desirable models, or the Sierra (non cossie) lover of which resides in the XR4x4i. We'll not worry about Cortina lovers and deffo not mention Granadas...

And definitely not go into the pervs who like Allegros/Princess' and any other BL scrap

(or anything old and French )

suchy wrote:

pacerpete wrote:

Grrrmachine wrote:That's my point pete; there are more spastics out there than informed consumers, therefore cars that appeal to idiots are worth more.

Did somebody mention Escorts ?

Here bloody here

I don't know who is worse though, the classic Escort lover of which there are a few desirable models, or the Sierra (non cossie) lover of which resides in the XR4x4i. We'll not worry about Cortina lovers and deffo not mention Granadas...

And definitely not go into the pervs who like Allegros/Princess' and any other BL scrap

(or anything old and French )

I have nothing but admiration for those who collect off the wall oddball scrap They usually have a sense of humour and freely admit that their choice turd is rather crap/odd etc

On the other hand we have the blinkered mini / Ford types who genuinely believe that their sorry triggers broom of a turd marks them out as a connoisseur and a custodian of an important piece of motoring heritage. No tw4t, you are just another gormless peasant with limited knowledge and no imagination

At some point a man on his way to buy a BL money pit with a 0 to 60 time of 23 seconds and a 40 to 0 time of 40 seconds is going to realise the BMW section on ebay offers a 170 hp daily driver and tell his mates as well. im pretty sure even with a high survival rate were going to find prices rising steeply in 2015. my neighbour cant beleive how cheap my E30 was next to his Triumph TR6 ( 15 grand) and was straight on classic car ad's and is now thinking about buying one. a lot of people on here think their cars are worth 5 grand etc but in contrast to a peugeot GTI 1.9 or a Citroen Volcane these cars are actually cheap.

The Mini also has the "my dad had one of these" and the "I learn't to drive in a Mini" thing going for it.
I think that if someone is looking at the market for a car from the 60's and 70's such as the mini then i don't think they would see the e30 as the BMW option, surely they would look at a 2002.

What will push the e30's price up will be the purist looking for a driving experience free from any interfering aids and BMW fans who realise that BMW has already made its best cars and the new niche fillers are a load of complete rubbish

106e30 wrote:The Mini also has the "my dad had one of these" and the "I learn't to drive in a Mini" thing going for it.
I think that if someone is looking at the market for a car from the 60's and 70's such as the mini then i don't think they would see the e30 as the BMW option, surely they would look at a 2002.

What will push the e30's price up will be the purist looking for a driving experience free from any interfering aids and BMW fans who realise that BMW has already made its best cars and the new niche fillers are a load of complete rubbish

I had a similar chat with a local enthusiast. Roughly my age (20's) and has just taken ownership of a e60 M5. Yes, a fast car etc etc but considering he got one with a SMG gearbox I could only laugh when he said he wanted a car that was trouble free.

106e30 wrote:The Mini also has the "my dad had one of these" and the "I learn't to drive in a Mini" thing going for it.
I think that if someone is looking at the market for a car from the 60's and 70's such as the mini then i don't think they would see the e30 as the BMW option, surely they would look at a 2002.

What will push the e30's price up will be the purist looking for a driving experience free from any interfering aids and BMW fans who realise that BMW has already made its best cars and the new niche fillers are a load of complete rubbish

My dad had an e30 325i when i was a kid.......................

Simon13 wrote:

106e30 wrote:The Mini also has the "my dad had one of these" and the "I learn't to drive in a Mini" thing going for it.
I think that if someone is looking at the market for a car from the 60's and 70's such as the mini then i don't think they would see the e30 as the BMW option, surely they would look at a 2002.

What will push the e30's price up will be the purist looking for a driving experience free from any interfering aids and BMW fans who realise that BMW has already made its best cars and the new niche fillers are a load of complete rubbish

My dad had an e30 325i when i was a kid.......................

Imagine what a freak you would be if your childhood memories revolved around frequent hard shoulder visits in the back of a 1275 GT !

luckily they were of my dad saying listen to those 6 cylinders! Especially when he served my nob head grandads arse in his 2.8 granada that he thought was quick at the time

They're all expensive compared to Saabs!! I'd love a E30 but to used to paying less than a £1000 for almost any Saab 900, even the Turbo 16s where even a really good one is only around £2000 and is arguably a classic and in same class and age as a E30. Ordinary 900i's in a good condition is sub £500, same as E30's though the parts are worth more than the whole.
Saab 9000's are even worse, a 2.3Turbo with 200hp, 150mph, cruise control, climate control, electric, heated seats, trip computer, wood effect dash and door trim, some even have traction control can be had for under £500, I sold my auto for just over £200 and it had tax/MoT!
I'm spoilt that's my trouble, expect every other car to be as cheap as well

pacerpete wrote:

Simon13 wrote:

106e30 wrote:The Mini also has the "my dad had one of these" and the "I learn't to drive in a Mini" thing going for it.
I think that if someone is looking at the market for a car from the 60's and 70's such as the mini then i don't think they would see the e30 as the BMW option, surely they would look at a 2002.

What will push the e30's price up will be the purist looking for a driving experience free from any interfering aids and BMW fans who realise that BMW has already made its best cars and the new niche fillers are a load of complete rubbish

My dad had an e30 325i when i was a kid.......................

Imagine what a freak you would be if your childhood memories revolved around frequent hard shoulder visits in the back of a 1275 GT !

good job I was just generalising.

Simon13 wrote:luckily they were of my dad saying listen to those 6 cylinders! Especially when he served my nob head grandads arse in his 2.8 granada that he thought was quick at the time

Whats up with the Granada engine simon....

I have a Mini and an E30 I'm now confused as to which camp I should be in

I don't think it's fair to compare an E30 to a Mini in any way. Or an air cooled Beetle, Datsun, Princess, etc for that matter. I own a 1970 Mini and a 325i because they offer different motoring experiences and different ownership experiences, so I can satisfy what ever mood I'm in.

Mini - Charm, character, innovation in packaging, fond memories, fun, 'giant killing' motorsport heritage, cult status, well known worldwide, huge aftermarket industry, highly tunable, easy to personalise, vast knowledge base, large following, universal appeal. When I'm in my Mini I feel like it's a part of me.

E30 - Comfortable, practical, rugged, dependable, ruthless German efficiency-does what it's designed to do very well, symbol of 80's success and excess (double edged sword. Some people find this era vulgar and distasteful), performance, fun in a different way to the Mini. More of a niche appeal. When I'm in my E30 I feel insulated, protected and in my own little world.

The Mini plays more to peoples emotions, in a similar way to a beloved family pet. To value an E30 you need to compare it to cars more in line with it's values; Audi 80, Mercedes 190, etc. I agree that they should be fetching higher values than they are given what they offer, but until they pull at peoples emotions they will be viewed solely on their merits and therefore run more in line with similar vehicles. They're not even that scarce yet.

The day my touring is worth more than what I've spent on it, will be the day hell freezes over.

What I've noticed about these is that while there are still a comparatively large number on the road (I can think of several parked within a short distance of my house), a lot of them are modified in really bad taste, even 25 - 30 years on, and they've still got a bit of a bad image.

Until it gets to the stage that people see one on the road and think "I haven't seen one of those in ages" and the examples you see on the road and at shows are in nice original condition, and looking desirable not ridiculous and bruvved up, then classic enthusiasts are still likely to give them a wide berth and values will stay low.

slightly of topic i know but i was parked up on a side street near Heaton park in the cabby and saw this..



Sh1te decal aside (KLF?) this car was about the same age as my cabby (couldn't be precise).

Not my cup of t at all.

Well that's landfill but the plate is worth a bob or two!

@pikanibbles


I considered a mini, briefly, so I understand the reasons you listed.



My opinion might go against you, I also considered a MGB

Mgb? Obviously you'd need to complete the package with some expensive pipe and slippers a˜‰

As for mini's there'll always hold there money there an icon but there bloody horrible to drive i can't stand them.

i'm also looking at buying another e30 to replace my mk2 golf as rwd and ease of conversion is a bonus. Mk2's are going for decent money atm even the 5doors. I reckon i could get 3k for mine and put some cash into a decent e30 if i can find one with good body and paint then convert to 328i and hopefully hold the same money or more

What a spiffing idea!

I can't figure out why the 318iS is more desirable than the 325i. Can someone please explain?

Thats debatable..!
High revving 16 valve 4pot forged crank individual coils, lighter better balanced, more output per litre and rarer than a 325i, etc etc.
I am sure someone will come along and beg to differ..a˜‚
Personally luv em!

Yes, but having driven one... Underwhelming

Not over 4000 rpm their not.
Yes you have to work them a bit to wake em up, but overall think they are good fun and exellent mpg too, the smart mans E30!
I am biased though,325i's are slow and bore me too easily...a˜´

baby m3 scene tax?

I wouldn't say my old converted 318is was cheap to run and not much diffeence to the 8v it replaced which was underwhelming.
But would probably would be cheaper than a 2.5

Minis are okay as long as they are very old (pre 1970), in perfect nick and unmodified within reason.
Alas, the Mini scene (that is about as sorry as you can get) is all about later 80's and 90's scrap, bonnet stripes and having cuddly toys tie wrapped to the grille plus going to Mini meets to hook up with the other freaks. Luckily there is a following for the old and valuable stuff that distances itself from the Spanky crowd. Early Minis are great, later ones aren't.

Reminds me of a bmw meet

318is's are a cult sports coupe waiting for a market. the Saab 900 is quite a cool smoker but its not got the same leg up the automotive ladder as M division gives beemers. i still think given Mini cult status (with over 40 year olds) that good 2 door E30's should be nearer 10 grand than 5. its a bonus that so many survived because it makes spare part runs viable and that just increases desirability not makes them too common for classic car hunters. ive owned dozens of performance cars and i still get a grin from slinging my little 318i around back roads with relatively little power, marginal torque and soft springs. i aint paying 3 times what its worth to hang out with the morris owners club while they fire up their camp stoves for a brew. i got the feeling most 20/30 somethings are going come into my camp soon.

Hey, don't knock the Morris owner's club, man. First British car to sell a million units, what, what...

E30s as with everything are ony worth whatever someone is willing to pay for them, the market decides... That is the way of capitalism. E30s are niche product and due to BMW higher built quality the number of them still surviving means there are enough to go around for now.

Andyboy wrote: Alas, the Mini scene (that is about as sorry as you can get) is all about later 80's and 90's scrap, bonnet stripes and having cuddly toys tie wrapped to the grille... Early Minis are great, later ones aren't.

This is exactly why I lost interest in the scene some years ago. I haven't been to a show or bought the magazines in years. I like the earlier period looking stuff (pre-'75) but they tend to mostly attract the weirdo buffty types.

Despite the relatively large numbers still on the roads, I find the E30 still gets plenty of positive attention. Strangely though, most of that attention comes from women in their 40's and 'yoofs' in beanie hats who ask "does it drift mate?" Not while I own it it doesn't!