E30 Zone

I'm thinking about getting a touring in the summer but I'm wondering....do they actually hold lots of stuff?

I.e. would it happily contain a family of 4 plus swallow 2 weeks of luggage for said family? Or is the hatchback more for show than actual function?

Tourers I've seen in the flesh look a bit small in terms of luggage space to be honest (compared to other estates )

I find mine to hold a fair bit of luggage when required.

tourings might have small boot space but you can load it a lot higher than a e30 coupe or 4 door for that matter, i went down the caravan in north wales with me, the mrs and 2 kids.... dog in the boot and lugage for all 4 of us for a week

OK so compared to modern hatches and estates they aren't huge, rear wheel drive taking up some space, but I'm sure you'll agree that's worth the sacrafice!
The point is the boot space is square so you can stach stuff up and get stuff in much easier than the saloon and also the seats fold down so you can have a large space.
I quite want to trade up to one, cos at themo when I move stuff to uni I can only just get my computer in its boxes on the back seat, and that would just slip in to a touring.

For an estate car, they are not brilliant, but still much better than a saloon, especially an M3, ever tried getting anything in an M3 boot!?

Compared to some newer estates, such as E36, volvo V40 they are much the same, it's just the fact that the taillights are fixed on the E30, and this does restrict the size of a load you can get into the back of an E30 touring.

If you want an estate, go and buy a new Passat or Pug 406, if you want something stylish, and practical, get an E30 touring!

Simon wrote:For an estate car, they are not brilliant, but still much better than a saloon, especially an M3, ever tried getting anything in an M3 boot!?

I've never even seen an M3 in the flesh

Considering there hasn't been a huge amount of praise for the E30 Touring's load space in this thread I think another old estate might have to be the way to go on this one

Looking at an early mark 3 Astra estate at the moment

mate.. I'm sure you can fit a shed load of stuff in a touring.. Like any car.. it depends on how it's packed more than teh space. I managed to fit 4x15 bbs with tyres into the back with the seats up. Try that in a sedan!

Ive just bought a Touring, because my Ren 21T is no longer a daily drive visit Asda option - the real snag is the boot opening - the lights are light that on the Pug 309, they dont move, so its nowhere near as good as my Escort estate for carrying big bulky items - I once got a fridge freezer in that. However, its perfect for luggage etc Ive got a Vibe box in mine, and today I got my jump start pack (boxed) in, 5 football kit bags, 5 rucksacks and a pillow all in, and still had the seats up so the kids could sit in the back.

Plus, when they're out, you can go sideways

just bought a touring myself. girlfriend, 2 kids, another on the way and a dog. couldn't think of a better car to go for. who wants a boring front wheel drive estate when you can have a 170bhp rwd motor that looks and drives this good?

Just to add, I dont actually have 5 kids lol - he had half the team over to stay

daveyw wrote:who wants a boring front wheel drive estate when you can have a 170bhp rwd motor that looks and drives this good?

I should've noted that I'll still have 2 E30s (albeit each with a bit less than 170bhp); I was just wondering if a Touring would be a practical addition to the family.

Though with the lack of space and the rear lights in the way it doesn't look like the right option for what I need it for to be honest

As Iv'e (Tonight)just bought one,

And I am more used to convertible boots with half the boot space taken up with electric hood motors. The touring boot looks Huge!!.

Cheers Gareth

I'll have to hope there's a tourer at Aces for me to look at I think.

Though looking at other old estates it looks like I can get something which would swallow a lot more luggage for 3 or 4 hundred quid, so I reckon I'm unlikely to be swayed now

Still, can't be sure until I've given one a proper looking at in the flesh

Congrats on your new purchase by the way

You can have my 1994 L Reg Escort 90bhp Turbo Diesel Estate for Ԛ£400 if you want?

Tax till March, Test till End of Sept - its the latter intercooled Endura DE engine, air bag, p/steering etc etc very tidy inside, 1 dent by filler cap and a bit of rust on rear arch - needs a pair of front legs IMO.

Just had both timing belts changed, oil pressure switch, fan belt, glow plugs - using Ford bits.

Zayyan wrote: Or is the hatchback more for show than actual function?

Hatchback - wash your mouth out with soap and water.

You can get a fair bit in them if you use the space above the luggage cover but the boot bit is smaller than a normal E30 boot

It does struggle with big thinks like fridges and cookers because the rear lights protrude into the loading area

But they do look good

gazza325cab wrote:As Iv'e (Tonight)just bought one,

And I am more used to convertible boots with half the boot space taken up with electric hood motors. The touring boot looks Huge!!.

Cheers Gareth

Kept that one quiet... bringing that one to the meet on Sunday...?

Which one would you bring Giles ?.

Cotty180 wrote:

Zayyan wrote: Or is the hatchback more for show than actual function?

Hatchback - wash your mouth out with soap and water.

You can get a fair bit in them if you use the space above the luggage cover but the boot bit is smaller than a normal E30 boot

It does struggle with big thinks like fridges and cookers because the rear lights protrude into the loading area

But they do look good

I've got 2 E30s already so a good-looking car isn't needed

The space above the luggage cover is unusable really, I can't risk suitcases killing my passengers when I brake.

la21t, thanks for the offer but I just don't do Fords. Not gonna be buying until the summer anyway

Given the weather... the Touring. But if you wanna bring the MotorSport, that's fine with me. Or you COULD bring the GTi... wouldn't mind looking at that too.

Or do you now also have an M3 hiding somewhere...?

Thats the Macau one in Ireland or c76Jon's. Then Il'l be happy!.

Zayyan wrote: The space above the luggage cover is unusable really, I can't risk suitcases killing my passengers when I brake.

I know what you mean and even the dog guard wouldnt stop a suitcase in an imergancy stop

zayyan, with the read seats down in my 320i touring 2 weeks ago, I mandaged to fit in 2 freezers (the gap between the lights is wide enough to slide them through!)

as fo seats up storage-me and a mate are planning to rag my touring through europe this summer-and we've done some measuring

It'll more than happily take 2 weeks worth of luggage/tent/presents, and all below the rear seat if you stack it properly!

Added bonus is the load cover keeps prying eyes at bay!


go on, get a real car-alpine white 5 door rightness!