Daily drive

Post Wed Jun 02, 2021 1:07 am

I probably know the answer to this, but due to a change in work circumstances I'll soon be commuting a total of around 50km a day, instead of the current ~50km a week. What do you guys reckon - use the E30 as a proper daily drive, or keep it for special occasions and get something else for the commute (which would make us a three-car household - slightly embarrassing for someone who works in public transport)? I bought it to drive it, but as we all know good E30s are getting rare and expensive, so now I'm more inclined to wrap it in cotton wool and give it an easy life.

Post Wed Jun 02, 2021 5:04 am

Driving it everyday will make it happy...you'll be on top of any litttle issues....I do 100km a day...and I give it a good blast at 160kph on a stretch here...I'm very sensitive to the feel of the car .... and it's been super reliable considering the distances I drive...much better to use it and not keep it mothballed.... it's a car...it loves to be driven.

Paul

Post Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:10 am

use it as thats what it was built for,

before i pulled mine off the road for the engine conversion i was using it every day, driving 100 miles a day for work, then here there & everywhere in between, never let me down either,

i will never understand these folk who they can only drive a car on certain days while keeping it locked away.

Post Wed Jun 02, 2021 10:01 am

steve_k wrote: ↑
Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:10 am
use it as thats what it was built for,

before i pulled mine off the road for the engine conversion i was using it every day, driving 100 miles a day for work, then here there & everywhere in between, never let me down either,

i will never understand these folk who they can only drive a car on certain days while keeping it locked away.

LEZ

Post Wed Jun 02, 2021 5:03 pm

paultv wrote: ↑
Wed Jun 02, 2021 5:04 am
Driving it everyday will make it happy...you'll be on top of any litttle issues....I do 100km a day...and I give it a good blast at 160kph on a stretch here...I'm very sensitive to the feel of the car .... and it's been super reliable considering the distances I drive...much better to use it and not keep it mothballed.... it's a car...it loves to be driven.

Paul

Listen to this guy !!!!
He thinks nothing to doing a 2000k trip in a week and driving it hard in Europe too.
He also looks after it very well indeed, but I bet it costs him less than a newish car to run

Dont forget the cost of something else which you will never get back but in an e-30 ????

Mart.

Post Wed Jun 02, 2021 10:18 pm

If its a nice example I'd say get something cheap and cheerful to get about in mate.

Of course they are reliable but with it being a 30yr old car with parts getting harder and harder to come by why take the chance.

I drive mine every chance I get but I wouldn't daily it, I couldn't imagine how much fuel id be going through. I remember I was doing £60 a week in my old 318is mainly in traffic and that was years ago! It would probable be closer to £80/90 a week these days!

I bought a vauxhall corsa to take the daily grunt of abuse and use my E30 for fun.

Weigh up the pros and cons and do what's best for you mate

Post Fri Jun 04, 2021 5:06 am

Fortunately petrol is cheaper over here than in the UK (I think) - the equivalent of about 70p/litre. As for reliability, we've had one breakdown this week and it was the 2016 BMW, not the 1989 BMW.

My biggest concern now is the sun, which is brutal over here (I'd be parking outside). But I do feel a bit ridiculous worrying about driving my car because it's too sunny outside!

Post Fri Jun 04, 2021 6:42 am

coopman wrote: ↑
Fri Jun 04, 2021 5:06 am
Fortunately petrol is cheaper over here than in the UK (I think) - the equivalent of about 70p/litre. As for reliability, we've had one breakdown this week and it was the 2016 BMW, not the 1989 BMW.

My biggest concern now is the sun, which is brutal over here (I'd be parking outside). But I do feel a bit ridiculous worrying about driving my car because it's too sunny outside!

This is what the E30 does to you..

Sorry I didn't realise you wasn't in the UK..

It might not be that bad as a daily without the UK traffic involved

Post Fri Jun 04, 2021 8:15 am

Same as Cypriotgeeza I wouldn't want to use the E30 to just sit in traffic, but if you have reasonable roads on your trip to work then just use it

You will probably already have a 'dash mat' if you live in Sydney, as for the paint you can get some ceramic coatings that give UV protection

There is a company here in the UK that make clip on window shades which help protect the interior, I fitted some to my track car years ago they really help keep the light out

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