lookin at buying a e30 cab ( help)

[ant1985]

hi chaps

im looking at buying a e30 cab 318 320

me and my dad will be driving it both in to bmw ( i own a e36)

we have loved the e30 cabs for ages and looking to buy one

looking at a 318 or 320

ideally red with a light beige leather and no extras really just a minter totaly stock

i have been looking around

anything i should look out for

also there is a lady at the top of thr street that has a neon blue one i have heard they have made 200 was it just the colour that was rare ?

thanks ant

[AlexBaur325]

Any reason why a 2.5 is not an option? insurance i guess.

[ant1985]

ye just insurance and some thing not to thirsty

will be on classic and limited milage insurance summer and weekend driver my project etc

[Nelly]

The ladies one your refering to is (i'm guessing) a 318i Designer cab

200 made in Neon Blue

200 made in Neon Green

The colour and interior design make them rare, every thing else is as stock.

With ref to your future purchase, i'd go with a 2ltr, at least then you'll have the sound of a straight 6 under the bonnet.

[ant1985]

cheers

ye the neon blue one is a 318 cab bbs rims etc black hood i have found they had machine colour trim

are they worth buying ? cause there rare

or should i just look for a cab with beige leather

and specific things i should look out for

other than the usual anything specific to a e30 cab maby

[Nelly]

I'd personally stay away from one with an electric roof - they notoriously go wrong.

Leaking roofs where the top corners of the wind screen surround meet are common but can be over come with new seals and even a hard roof added at ruffly £700

Due to the weight of the cabs, check all suspension parts - ie;

Sub frame bushes, shocks + springs - drivers side rear spring does snap at the base of the pig tail commonly if original springs are still there.

Apart from that the usual rust places are - both rear arches, base of the from wings, scuttle panel corners

I'm sure others here will add some more.

Neil.

[Chase007]

What patteren comes with these cabs is it like the wave pattern with the colour in it to match?

[Nelly]

^^ yep not to much liking for most but, if a designer cab is kept original, it'll fetch more money on the resell

[aceraf]

Not many cabs came with beige leather as standard, so you'll be looking at buying a modded one (something you've stated you're not looking for) or you're looking at getting a super rare Calypso Red motorsport....

see here...

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... highlight=

[ant1985]

well some thing like a bright red / royal blue / silver and maby neon blue

some thing like that sort or colours

[Nelly]

Look for cabs from 'H' reg and above, the better colours came out in the last years of production to catch the eye of the buyer and start clearing them from the forcourts.

[AlexBaur325]

With regard to thirst a 320 will be near as damn it just as thirsty as 25, especially with the weight of a cabby. Not putting a downer on things, just letting you know

[cliffybabe]

yeah true the 320 is as thirsty as a 325i without the extra power, u have got to get a 6cylinder as they sound awesome

[DaveD]

get one that's the spec and colour you want (i prefer 325) as cheap as you can then spend the cash getting it right.. don't be afraid of electric roofs as they do work and wont break if you look after them ...the main thing to look out for is the usual ...rot ...and how good is the roof , a £500+ replacement...best of luck

[B7]

As above the 320 is actually more thirsty than the 325, it produces far less power although is actually the sweeter engine of the two.

If insurance is the main issue, go 318. I've driven a few and they drive really well.

Best bit of advice though is buy the best you can afford with as much history / paperwork you can. Do not let colour or spec drive you into buying a shed (and there are loads out there believe me it's a minefield). Spec can come later. Sourcing leather trims, OBC's etc is the easy bit. Buy the cleanest most original car you can and then if you wan't to modify then go ahead but you know you've bought the best you can. They rot everywhere a saloon does plus some! Rear arches, front wings, bulkheads, scuttles, rear panels, inner rear arches etc. are all points to watch.

Speak to ChrisW on here, he gets a few going through and can advise on every thing you need to know.

[aceraf]

Couldn't you get a 325 and then get classic insurance...shouldn't be too expensive.