E30 Zone

IM in need of a new car, and with budgets being what they are, have about £1500 to spend. Looking at an e30 as theyre a bit different, and at least as reliable as anything newer for that price I imagine.

Basically, whats the model to go for? I'm thinking 325, but i dont know if i want the convertible or not. Are they any worse to drive? And whats the lid like in the winter?

Also, what kind of mileage can you expect out of the engine? I dont mind getting my hands greasy, so I'd probably be capable of overhauling it/changing cams etc. Is one with 100k on it going to be reliable enough to use every day? (c. 250/300 miles/week)

Also, are there any buyers guides knocking round highlighting things to look out for? Or is it just rust thats an issue?

Thanks

There is a "Sport" model buying guide on this site. even though it is specificly for sports, it will give you a good idea of what to look for.
Main thing to look for is rust matey.

Convertibles fetch more money so you may struggle to get a really nice one for £1500 but its entirely possible.
most e30s have done over 100k and most are driven everyday Mines done nearly 150k.

welcome to the site

Welcome to the zone For £1500 you could get a nice 325i but not a nice sport for that kind of money. A 318is may be a better bet if fuel econ is a concern and these are availible in this price range. I would choose a 325 every time though bu thats my opinion.

BMW Car (June edition) just did an ultimate guide on the e30, which was spot on. It mentioned all the things which can go wrong on each type of engine, and I can vouch for that, just changing the xhaust manifold at the moment on a 320 convertible with 135k

When I looked at 325i they were all well abused, torn leather interior, or some bloke saying "yeah lose of power its the air flow meter, honest cost you a couple of quid, did some investigating, and someone said it could be a crack engine, or at least something serious.

use mine on a regular basis, and only once called the breakdown guys, after my son managed to lock the keys in the car.. dohh!

rust on wheel arches, but all cars get this, so use common sense, parts cheap and ebay a good venue for picking up bargains, just watch on ebay for a month, prices for steering wheels were expensive £30 + two months ago, now down at £10 or less, so think in advance.

They do have the added benefit of being sporty but not saying come break into me, little git. I would suggest not getting BBS wheels, they have a tendency to get nicked, just the centre cap, as screw on only by hand, and then sold on ebay.

There are good bargains out there, and depending how mucky you want to get, some great projects out there which can still be used daily, whilst work continues on them. Good Luck

Doing a little more diggin seems like a 320i is a good trade off between speed and price. Shame all the convertibles on autotrader seem to be autos or white, but I aren't in too much of a rush.

herulach wrote:Doing a little more diggin seems like a 320i is a good trade off between speed and price. Shame all the convertibles on autotrader seem to be autos or white, but I aren't in too much of a rush.

It's a good job you're not in a rush if you're considering a 320!

my 325 gets used and abused regularly and is coming up on its 165k. oh and...

320=uses same fuel as 325, slower than my gran.











sorry all you 320 owners

not finding my 320 touring that slow to be honist. quicker than the 2.0 mondeo we have and in my hands keeps up win my mates focus st170 (but he is a pussy and i am the stig )

in my hands keeps up win my mates focus st170 (but he is a pussy and i am the stig )

rear drive and a white helmet go a long way.lol

just my opinion, but if your gonna use the same fuel as a 325, why not go like one, saying that 320s still have that luuuurvly six burble

Yeah i need to speak up for the 320i The note that comes off that 6 cylinder...with the help of my full scorpion exhaust and big filter is f**ckin amazing !!! I can still get 120 mph from mine and thats fast enough for me...for now !!!

a 320 makes for a very easy 2.5 conversion as well.

engine.
ecu.
clutch.
brakes.
sometimes exhaust.