What do I look for when buying a new E30?

[Ajay325]

ok im about to buy my first e30 and im looking for a 318is or maybe a 320i.

I need to know the common faults with e30s. like rust on rear arches etc, just so that i have an idea of what i should inspect when buying. What should i try to stay away from, i have seen a 320i SE with 140k on the clock for £795 is this worthwhile?

I know you lot will be helpful

Thanks...[/b]

[pnd]

look for rUST EVRYWHERE 320's be careful the head isnt cracked look for mayo under filler cap, dipstick oil in water. How does it drive? suspension is tired on alot of these cars also look for signs of accident damage. 318is are known to have engine problems but as Ive never owned one someone else is better qualified to talk about these. As for your 320 well thats an ok price if its got plenty of bills with it showing its been looked after but have a look at the add I put in the for sale section for a 320 auto they dont come much cleaner than that and no it isn't my car so no special pleading.

[Brianmoooore]

The 320 E30 is slow and thirsty. The extra 500cc of a 325 absolutely transforms an E30 for no higher fuel consumption.
318iS is almost as powerful as the 320, doesn't have it's thirst problem, and is a much better balanced "chuckable" car. Thrives on revs, and feels faster than it is.
The major problem with the 318iS is the "profile gasket" which was a duff design, and has been superseded by a better one. Until recently, I would have said that all these have been replaced years ago, but a couple of recent posts on here proved otherwise.
If you look at a 318iS, then try to find out if it's been changed. You may be able to find out this from BMW, if it was changed under warranty.

[gcorky]

318is is around 140 bhp.320 is 129 bhp .

the 318is is without a doubt a better car...more desirable,bit of pedigree with it....1.8 16v.
the 320 is reknowned for having a smooth engine,albeit with poor economy...6 cylinder.

1500 pounds will get a sound 318 is
750 seems ok for a 320 but expect the usual,rust on archs,ripped drivers seat,sloppy gearstick,etc as with most"budget price"e30s

avoid:rotten rear inner arches-stick your hands above rear wheels in arch and prod....
scuttle or filled scuttles-under screen ,hard to repair to a diy er
take a visual check of under neath specifically at suspension bushings,brake pipes,fuel tank...
does central locking work from All doors!!!do windscreen wipers work on all speeds!!

it will be apparent to most wether its a good un or a dog...plenty aroung so dont jump in...320 se should be nice if in good nick but 20-25mpg round town,320 powerplant is basic and easy to work on...

[snoops]

as gcorcky said look for your worst enemy...RUST, also check the oil filler cap for mayonnaise type stuff and check everything works!

[Ajay325]

Thanks guys i will definetely look out for all these things, what does this mayonaise stuff under the oil filler cap mean? And also as i am a student i dont want to be constantly spending money to repair my car, do you think this will be the case if i buy an e30 as alot of people are trying to persuade me otherwise, but my love for E30s is madddd!

[delboye30]

Mayonaise under the filler cap means your head gasket could be on its way out and this would be expensive repair due to the amount of work required.

[Brianmoooore]

Thanks guys i will definetely look out for all these things, what does this mayonaise stuff under the oil filler cap mean? And also as i am a student i dont want to be constantly spending money to repair my car, do you think this will be the case if i buy an e30 as alot of people are trying to persuade me otherwise, but my love for E30s is madddd!

Once existing faults are sorted and a little preventive maintenance done, an E30 will be as reliable as any car on the road.
Don't be too paranoid about a little mayonnaise under the oil filler cap - it can just be condensation as a result of short journeys.
Mayonnaise in the coolant tank is another matter!

[Ajay325]

ok thats reassuring then, ive been looking for an iS for about a month now but nothing that good has really come up, ive seen a few on this forum and i think this will probably be my best bet but do any of you know where else i could look?

[powelly]

I haven`t had an E30 that long but would like to share my pearls of wisdom, the car I got is I think overall pretty good, however it has got rust in a couple of very awkward places, namely the scuttle panel and boot, the scuttle panel has had 4 holes welded up, one of which was around the wiper spindle, the boot has corroded all around the n/s/r light cluster and the lip that the boot seal locates on has all but disappeared, the scuttle panel repairs required the windscreen to be taken out so it could start getting expensive, luckily I found a local bodyshop who did the work for £150 on the scuttle, they just fit it in around other jobs, what i`m trying to say is just be really vigilant for the dreaded tin worm, look in every nook and cranny.

[domross]

Agree with all that has been said b4 ,a few nuggets from my own buying experience over the years....condition is far more important than mileage, don't be overimpressed by FSH although it is desirable, but look at what has been done eg check coolant has been changed every 2 years...otherwise cracked heads can occur etc( I know this happened to me)....an FSH is worth nothing if the bottom of the car is fcuked so as everyone else has said RUST.Go and look at lots of E30's so you know what is a good and bad example they aren't as rare in most guises as sellers would have you believe(sports and is's exception to this)...finally when you're ready to buy take a mate who isn't as keen as you and will drag you away if there is anything wrong with the car or if its a dog rather than you thinking 'that'll be an easy/cheap fix.'..it won't be...