Are people moving on from E30s?

[Dr Firefly]

Get the feeling that there's a bit of a shift on to new things from a few of the members - Dazleeds, Zedone, Toby to name the most recent I can think of. Has there always been a bit of a turnover or has it been more in the last few months.

Just on the parts for sale I'm noticing some things aren't being snapped up like they used to - IS front lips, OBCs, LSDs etc...

Just wondering... (maybe one day it'll have to be E30&E92zone - that new 1series coupe looks like the nearest in the current lineup to an E30)

[march109]

I don't ever plan on selling the e30, but then I have a daily driver too, I could never use it as my daily its too thirsty, to unreliable, and even though I love it its not the sort of image I ant to project when working.

I think people who don't run e30s as a second car there does come a time when they need to move on for practicality reasons. So now is time to snap up the bargains!

[daimlerman]

Dunno what will follow the E30's in my garage. I can see nothing that is as much fun to drive and is narrow enough for 'er indoors to get up the drive most times without scraping the house wall.... I think I have struck a deal for the Daimler with a trader in Germany,so soon there will be cash in the 'car kitty'...ideas on how to spend welcome. I shall apply to become exdaimlerman....

[Dr Firefly]

I shall apply to become exdaimlerman....

I'm going to apply to be Dr.Firefly2005 once I've (hopefully) passed my exams in March...

Used the car as my daily driver for 2 years and had no problems with reliability yet... I suppose it does have the odd week that it has to be in the garage though, which could be a problem in the future. Next year I might be doing 25000 miles or so in it, so it's going to have to have that M57TUD30 conversion to keep emissions and fuel use down (I suppose it would only take a couple of years at that kind of mileage to pay for itself with the reduced fuel costs.)

I know what you mean about bargains March109 - the number of 325i's that look reasonable going for below £1000 is amazing. I'd like to think I'd always get around £2k for mine, even though it's a 320i, just because it's getting to the stage where it actually has no problems whatsoever, and people will no it's been really well looked after, kept fairly standard (any mods to it so far have been BMW optional extras) and garaged - think that piece of mind is worth a lot to a buyer. Maybe I'm kidding myself, but it's what it was valued at when the insurance paid out for some bodywork damage recently.

[Hakkera]

There are new people joining though, note the Newbie posts that seem to grace the forums of late

All is not lost!

[Dr Firefly]

even though I love it its not the sort of image I ant to project when working.

What do you do March? I always think a well sorted one of these is beginning to look like a classic car now... what's your normal car? Would still think this has more class than little cars like vauxhalls astras and ford fiestas/focuses, but not new Ford Mondeos, BMW, Audi, VW, Saab Passat etc.

[DaveD]

no intention of changing mine ,summer use only as its a cab, Its a fun car that I can work on myself...and mines reliable too ...there will always be a turnover of contributors to any site through a whole range of circumstances....we still get far more posts on here per day than any other e30 forum I look at including the US ones

[Dr Firefly]

There are new people joining though, note the Newbie posts that seem to grace the forums of late

All is not lost!

The new generation replacing the old guard - I suppose! I guess I've just used the forum for a couple of years now so it's bound to happen...

It'll be when Brian replaces his tourings with 3 Hyundai Getz that we know the world's gone mad...

Edit: he actually has 6 doesn't he, not just those 3 in his sig.

[Cotty]

I think people who don't run e30s as a second car there does come a time when they need to move on for practicality reasons. So now is time to snap up the bargains!

It depends how much it gets used. Mine in my only car. I catch the train to work and my E30 only does about 3,000 miles a year. I have no intention of changing and cant see anything out there that can really replace it.

[march109]

even though I love it its not the sort of image I ant to project when working.

What do you do March? I always think a well sorted one of these is beginning to look like a classic car now... what's your normal car? Would still think this has more class than little cars like vauxhalls astras and ford fiestas/focuses, but not new Ford Mondeos, BMW, Audi, VW, Saab Passat etc.

At the moment I'm sat in front of the tv, with my laptop, I'm on extended leave, but I'm usually doing IT or logistics consultancy, usually this involves selling, installing and maintaining cost, security and distribution based print solutions. Normally have a company car but hen I don't it ould be expected that I not turn up in a turd. The e30 would be more acceptable if it were older alot of people still see it as council.

For example my first company car was a xsara picasso, had it 6months from new when a client made the old french turd comment in front of my boss, came in the following week and I had a VW, the people I tend to work with and for are all about image. But it meant I was offered the picasso at half its value - and bought it!

[blitz877]

il have another car sometime soon-ish so im told and its soooooooo nice and its a bmw too

[Hakkera]

No bad thing then.

To be honest, whilst it is very different in your case, image is everything etc etc. I couldnt give a toss if a e30 is considered 'council' I love the shape and always have. But yeah, bring on the newbs. People will move on though, cant expect them to have the same car for life.

[march109]

No bad thing then.

To be honest, whilst it is very different in your case, image is everything etc etc. I couldnt give a toss if a e30 is considered 'council' I love the shape and always have. But yeah, bring on the newbs. People will move on though, cant expect them to have the same car for life.

Thats why I own one myself fella! I love them too, they just arn't suitable for every day transport for me.

And alot of people who are growing older are having families want larger safer cars, if you can't afford two cars your only choice is too change cars.

[bmwe30mtech]

E30's are getting fewer, and many/most of the ones left are rusting away . Sad truth, but people will move on to newer models more and more.

My sport is my 'daily' (more like weekly!) drive, and i will always put up with any faults because i love 'em too much!!

[e30bmlover]

i wouldnt dream of selling my baby! iv spent a few quid on her i wont lie, i wont get back the money i have spent on her either but i really dont give a hoot. i dont know what my car is worth ( about the price of a ms cam by the looks of it ) and to be honest i dont care because i wont be letting go of her anytime soon.

[Speedtouch]

Having previously owned three E30s - 320i, 320iSE, and 325iSE, there has been a brief hiatus to the E34 535iSE but for my sins, I have just purchased another E30 - 325i Sport. What have I let myself in for?

[1an]

wont be gwtting rid of my e30, due to my new job i dont have time to drive it so ive sorted myself out with a nice 1.25 fiesta to just drive to work in, save fuel, save the planet etc

and my e30 will be my toy, for nice days i may take it to work and on my days (what i class my weekend as i actually work saturday and sunday).

i couldnt get rid of my e30 always brings a smile to my face and its gonna be even better once its back.

[Hakkera]

The thing for me is I don't drive in city centres. When my e30 arrives and everything gets sorted for it it will really be used to go from city to city (via B road ) I actually prefer to walk into built up areas, mainly as I dont live that far away, quite like walking and i can spend the fuel money on beers

But yeah, that my story anyway.

However, next year the E30 will be taking me round europe.. Thats gonna be... interesting.

[JazzMan]

I've got an E46 Coupe (had an E36 Compact before) but I very much want to get an E30 cab at some point. I didn't have the touring long before I broke it for bits.

[Simon13]

i'm getting bored of the whole E30 daily thing i've been driving them for 7 years as a daily car now which is fine but it can be hard work when random things break which they do sometimes at the age they are.

I fancy an E36 328i touring next but they are a bit thin on the ground it seems

The alpina isn't going any where as it's my toy/project

[tomze30]

I tend to keep the iS on the road over winter, then switch to the cab in summer. I might be bringing the LHD 2.7 Touring back from France as I no longer really need it there. Dropping the 2.7 lump into the 320 cab is a tempting option

Whatever, even if I mothball the iS and the Cab, they'll stay with me for many years to come ... it's an addiction

[hammoj28]

Im just gonna buy more E30's! And keep buying them when i can.

Theres not another car that i feel more suited to or prefer the looks of. All my mates have changed cars to much as they get bored of them quickly. I have had E30's since i was 15 and am on my fourth now. Had the iS for a fair while now and i still get excited when i go to drive it. Just seeing it puts a smile on my face. Cant wait to get then next one......in a few months time.

E30's are with me forever.

[tomze30]

Im just gonna buy more E30's! And keep buying them when i can.

Only thing that stops me doing that is lack of space ...

[hammoj28]

Lol, not a problems for me. Got tons of space at my mum and dads. I could prob keep 15 E30's there but they prob wouldn't like it.

I think instead of a house im gonna build a huge shed. Then get a flat in the top of it and keep cars down below. Thats a bloody good idea actually now i come to think of it!

[tailoutcharlie]

I use my 325 for my 45mile round trip everyday and love it. it never lets me down and if it did i wouldn't care cos getting to work with a smile on your face makes such a diff to your day.

im gonna keep abusing it daily and when it ruts into the ground get and another one to put all the good bits onto.

repeat...

[Simon13]

Lol, not a problems for me. Got tons of space at my mum and dads. I could prob keep 15 E30's there but they prob wouldn't like it.

I think instead of a house im gonna build a huge shed. Then get a flat in the top of it and keep cars down below. Thats a bloody good idea actually now i come to think of it!

you can't live with your mum forever!

[hammoj28]

Lol, true. Got another two years there at least until i should move out. But i can still leave cars there. Heehee.

[march109]

Lol, not a problems for me. Got tons of space at my mum and dads. I could prob keep 15 E30's there but they prob wouldn't like it.

I think instead of a house im gonna build a huge shed. Then get a flat in the top of it and keep cars down below. Thats a bloody good idea actually now i come to think of it!

Like Daniels place in the fil Taxi, thats my perfect pad.

[HairyScreech]

exactaly, dont have to live there to keep cars there.

[hammoj28]

March109 wrote:

Like Daniels place in the fil Taxi, thats my perfect pad.

Yeah, thats where i nicked the idea. I would love a place like that. Didn't his missus bugger off cos he had car parts in the fridge or something.lol

[Simon13]

yeah i tried that when i moved out i left my 325i option meister at my mums and took the sport with me, after 3months they'd had enough of scrap on their drive. It was a 4 door though so i can see their point

2 E30's on the road is tough work. I had 3 at one point and 2 were on the road all legal and the other was just untaxed. That was too much effort/money and plain mad as they were all 6 pots

[Car-Nut]

I think my e30 is great and thats my daily driver.....
selling my e39 M5 to get another classic as going off the newer BMWs

Firefly you joke about the Hyundai Getz my misses has one and loves it but then it is a womans car.......

[hammoj28]

simon13 wrote:

yeah i tried that when i moved out i left my 325i option meister at my mums and took the sport with me, after 3months they'd had enough of scrap on their drive. It was a 4 door though so i can see their point

2 E30's on the road is tough work. I had 3 at one point and 2 were on the road all legal and the other was just untaxed. That was too much effort/money and plain mad as they were all 6 pots

Hehe, fair enough. Yeah, having them on the road at the same time is another point.

My dad had a Jag Mk2 which he left at home when he went abroad, came back and his dad had given it to his next door neighbour!!!!!! Bet he was well pissed.

[ric325i]

people just move on. some people learn one type of car and learn it in and out. some get bored and move on.

some people just want every car under the sun so try it!

i like trying different cars. for me the e30 is perfect as you can get them for a good price and there are still plenty around to choose from. but i know there will be a time i will move on.

right now there is nothing that can compare! im selling my volvo 343 as its too slow - got myself a 325i just need to get it back on the road - but i would go for another volvo if i can get a 1.7 340. but the drifters are grabbing all the cheap ones

people move on to experiment. i want a e28 535i at some point

[JazzMan]

Im just gonna buy more E30's! And keep buying them when i can.

Only thing that stops me doing that is lack of space ...

Same here only room for one car on the drive and one in the garage