E30 in the next 5-10 years?

[87mtech27]

where do you guys see the E30s (non-M3s) in the next 5 and 10 years?
a classic in their own right or living under the shadow of the E30 M3.

what you guys think of the price of a tech 1 and a tech 2 in 5 years time and in 10 years time?

[bss325i]

Classic status is growing for them all the time. Values will only go one way now especially for interesting models such as sports, cabrios, alpinas, hartges etc.

In 5-10 years time there will be alot less E30's about due to rust and people breaking them up.

[daimlerman]

I have almost finished re-building/M50 instalation on my project touring,this car has been built with the aim of running it for at least 10 years,or into our early retirement,age wise. Probably too many E30's running with too good a parts supply to ever make the car a 'classic' in the same way as,say,a MK2 Jaguar,but my feeling is that the cars are good to drive,reasonably cheap to fix and run,and have a first rate parts availability.I intend to run a pair of 'em for as long as I feel this way about my motoring needs.

[Gert_8]

Hi,

In my opinion, for what it's worth the E30 is a style icon. In my case, I'm re-owning one simply because they are so beautiful.

If the prices go up, then all the better, but drive and own it for the love of it!

[Morat]

The M3 will always be worth more than the other E30s...
but yes they will gradually be worth a bit more as they become rarer, unless some legislation comes in which bans them or makes them cost a fortune.

[Rav335uk]

I'm hoping the prices will be up in that time

[Cloud]

I'm hoping the prices will be up in that time

hopefully Jeremy Clarkson will be prime minister by then

[Nay]

I reckon a good 325i will be hard to find in 5-10 years. Let alone the amount of searching required for a good sport or M3.

I'd like to still have mine when its 50 years old!!!

[Cloud]

I reckon a good 325i will be hard to find in 5-10 years. Let alone the amount of searching required for a good sport or M3.

I'd like to still have mine when its 50 years old!!!

I would too. I don't think I'll be alive to see that though...

[cypriot_boy_2k7]

Clarkson oh Clarkson

[georgen]

I believe that the prices will only go up for good condition E30's, and I mean that for all E30's, be it 320i's, 325i's or whatever. I nearly sold my touring a few weeks ago, but had a change of heart as I feel that they're too rare a sight on the roads nowadays, and anyway I just love the thing !! Who knows, in 5 years time it may be worth the double of todays price if the Caithness sea air hasn't eaten it alive by that point.

I think that anybody with a very good condition E30 would be crazy to get rid TBH.

[GBE30]

Classic status is growing for them all the time. Values will only go one way now especially for interesting models such as sports, cabrios, alpinas, hartges etc.

In 5-10 years time there will be alot less E30's about due to rust and people breaking them up.

What about the little old 318IS, what kind of devilry is this!

[B7]

All being well I still hpe to be around the e30 scene in 5-10 years time. I reckon the modding scene will die off and only the original standard cars will remain in force.

[Cloud]

All being well I still hpe to be around the e30 scene in 5-10 years time. I reckon the modding scene will die off and only the original standard cars will remain in force.

You might have said the same about the 2002,
but the last few nice ones of those are being modded.

[bss325i]

Classic status is growing for them all the time. Values will only go one way now especially for interesting models such as sports, cabrios, alpinas, hartges etc.

In 5-10 years time there will be alot less E30's about due to rust and people breaking them up.

What about the little old 318IS, what kind of devilry is this!

Anything interesting. Even mint low mileage 4drs.

[bss325i]

All being well I still hpe to be around the e30 scene in 5-10 years time. I reckon the modding scene will die off and only the original standard cars will remain in force.

I recon E30's will always be modded, they are that sort of car just like mk1/2 escorts but i recon the bling/tacky modders will be virtually non existant. They have mostly moved onto E36/E46's all ready anyway.

[Cloggy Saint]

[quote="87mtech27"]where do you guys see the E30s (non-M3s) in the next 5 and 10 years?
quote]

Mostly landfill

[djk]

'Classic' is such an emotive term - one man's meat is another man's poison.

I am certain values, and hence a credible classic status, will increase as the car becomes 'old enough' in the eyes of the wider classic fraternity. Demand is sure to increase, just as supply starts to freefall - only the best cars will remain, and restorations will become less of a financial folly (although nearly all pukka restorations of any car far exceed in cost the likely value of the finished vehicle).

It's already difficult to find sub-100k, historied e30s of any description and these cars will command ever higher premiums. Someone mentioned mkII Jags - they went through a phase of being ridiculed for their anachronism but now command ever stronger money and remain reasonably abundant. A 240 will never be worth anything approaching a 3.8, nor be as desirable, but they have found their place in the market just as 'lesser' variants of the e30 will in time. I suspect the values of original e30 M3s will rocket beyond the pockets of most enthusiasts before too long.

Classic cars are about nostalgia (which ain't as good as it used to be you know), many a classic owner gets into it because they want the car their dad had or hankered after - my e30 ownership came about basically because of this, but I'm younger (26) than most are when the thirst for nostalgic motoring takes hold. As my generation gets older there will be more and more genuine appreciation of 80s classics. Mk1 Golf prices are already rising apace, Porsche 930 values were rocketing before the credit crunch tempered things, mkIII capris are starting to command proper money - e30s will follow this trend.

And just think of some of the old shite that people take to classic meets across the country of a summer weekend - TR7 anyone? Rubber-bumper MGB in Babysick Beige? Austin Princess? If these things can sully the pages of the classic specialist press, decent cars like the e30 must surely jump ahead at some point.

[bss325i]

And just think of some of the old shite that people take to classic meets across the country of a summer weekend - TR7 anyone? Rubber-bumper MGB in Babysick Beige? Austin Princess? If these things can sully the pages of the classic specialist press, decent cars like the e30 must surely jump ahead at some point.

Totaly agree with this!

[darkchild]

where do you guys see the E30s (non-M3s) in the next 5 and 10 years?

Making up the majority of appliances in your kitchen!

An E30 is a fairly rare sight on the roads today and will be practically non-existent in 10 years time. To most people they're just a cheap old BMW that will be on the scrap heap when they're deemed uneconomical to repair.

[madaboutthe30]

To most people they're just a cheap old BMW that will be on the scrap heap when they're deemed uneconomical to repair.

Yh thats true, because theres still a few rottens in the bunch. In ten years time the only ones that will be on the roads will be the cherished and pampered ones.

[Cloud]

To most people they're just a cheap old BMW that will be on the scrap heap when they're deemed uneconomical to repair.

Yh thats true, because theres still a few rottens in the bunch. In ten years time the only ones that will be on the roads will be the cherished and pampered ones.

I still can't agree, because theres a lot of uncared for 2002s being beat about on the roads.

[march109]

To most people they're just a cheap old BMW that will be on the scrap heap when they're deemed uneconomical to repair.

Yh thats true, because theres still a few rottens in the bunch. In ten years time the only ones that will be on the roads will be the cherished and pampered ones.

I still can't agree, because theres a lot of uncared for 2002s being beat about on the roads.

Where?

[Blitz]

Do you think the rotten ones will be restored?

[Speedtouch]

Possibly - all manner of cars, some ostensibly quite undesirable/low value, e.g., Morris Marinas, Hillman Avengers, etc. get restored at great expense because they may have sentimental value, or their owners may be defiant oddballs who wish to be different - the classic car world is full of such eccentrics!

[Cloud]

Although, with the 2002, as has been said with regard to the E30 M3 and 325 Sport, the elite ones, the tii, the Turbo, and the grrrrgeous Touring, are fetching a frickload of money nowadays, the same kind of figures they were commanding when they were new.

[DavieP]

There's a near pristine Austin 1800 in the driveway of a house that I pass on the way to work. Now that car is a million miles away from my idea of a true 'classic' and I've never been an admirer of Austins, but it's nice to see it looking so well and obviously cherished. It is a classic albeit a very humble one. If such an ignominious car can survive and be cherished, the outlook for even the most humble of the E30 marque is pretty bright.

At the moment there seems to be several classes of E30 owners and possibly the loudest voices come from teenies and just-about-post-teenies who look upon it as a cheap, easily modded car at the bottom of their rung on the ladder to supercar motoring. Many will no doubt move on in the search for a bigger fix. The cars remaining, hopefully unmolested and devoid of unnecessary frippery and power boosting stand a very good chance of achieving classic status regardless of model.

Don't get me wrong, I'm full of admiration for those who can put together a well set-up M50 E30, but there's plenty of room for the straight cars as well.

[murran]

e21s are unloved bmws, not even a classic really, commanding low prices.
the amount of interest i get using mine every day. when i park somewhere or at petrol stations etc the amount of conversations ive had with total strangers while leaving my car..... anyone would think i could sell it for 5k! but no.

[Jesus325iTouring]

Possibly - all manner of cars, some ostensibly quite undesirable/low value, e.g., Morris Marinas, Hillman Avengers, etc. get restored at great expense because they may have sentimental value, or their owners may be defiant oddballs who wish to be different - the classic car world is full of such eccentrics!

Quite right,for example................

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1984-SKODA-RAPID- ... 240%3A1318


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TIMEWARP-COND-BAR ... 240%3A1318

I rather like the Skoda

All being well I still hpe to be around the e30 scene in 5-10 years time. I reckon the modding scene will die off and only the original standard cars will remain in force.

Thats your Cab off to the scrappy then,what with your 2.7 'Pina engine going in! Non original scrap.

[djk]

e21s are unloved bmws, not even a classic really, commanding low prices.
the amount of interest i get using mine every day. when i park somewhere or at petrol stations etc the amount of conversations ive had with total strangers while leaving my car..... anyone would think i could sell it for 5k! but no.

Just never caught on did they. They should have kept the twin pipes either side for the e30 though, they look quality.

[Jesus325iTouring]

e21s are unloved bmws, not even a classic really, commanding low prices.
the amount of interest i get using mine every day. when i park somewhere or at petrol stations etc the amount of conversations ive had with total strangers while leaving my car..... anyone would think i could sell it for 5k! but no.

Just never caught on did they. They should have kept the twin pipes either side for the e30 though, they look quality.

I remember these as a wee lad,oh and a number of Jags,twin pipes Rule OK

[madaboutthe30]

I remember these as a wee lad,oh and a number of Jags,twin pipes Rule OK

There we go, some of the nostalgia you guys keep going on about

[Jesus325iTouring]

Ok then,while we're on the subject,i remember seeing,as very wee lad, a BMW Alpine I guess my reading skills back then were not up to much.

And the school yard love of the Capri twopointeightinjection More twin pipes

[Bob_S]

dead, I'm probably going to rape my 24v for all it's worth soon as much fun as it is having 3 road worthy cars and a 4th on the way is taking the piss my drive is full now and want the room for re-building one of these turds

[87mtech27]

does it necessarily have to be a original car to fetch a high price, i mean in the states muscle cars of the past seem to have new hemi motors, large wheels and flamboyant paints which sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

'classic' cars of britain also have modifications done to them such as a more powerful engine, better seats etc. also every 3.0 csl feature i read also seem to have a 3.5 litre engine along with the 5 speed gearbox from e12s put into them, still worth a bomb.