How long did you take finding your e30?

[ricey46]

I didn't wait long enough, bought the first one I went to see( my sport) and it was a bit of a Lemon when I first got it, but I'm fixing it, slowly

[Jesus325iTouring]

My Touring was bought by my work landlord,who didn't tell his wife,she made him sell it when she did,my best mate bought it off him,best mate then got a company car,best made told me I was buying the Touring off him despite the fact I couldn't afford it.
He let me pay over 12 months interest free Now thats a good mate
Nearly 6 years later,and with just under 1/4 million miles on the clock, I still love it.

[capri_rob]

I wasn't really looking specifically for an E30 - more just for something as a second fun car to use at weekends as I had a diesel company car at the time. I had looked at Porsche 944's and had bid on Ebay on a couple but they got away from me. Then one night on ebay I spotted my 325i - it wasn't far from me so agreed to go and have a look the following day - and the deal was done.

I used to apply the rule never buy the first one you see, however I have gotten quite good at filtering out the crap over the years by asking plenty of questions first - so usually I only go and look at the ones I will probably buy.

Had the 325i nearly a Year now - I've improved it since I bought it but its gonna need some cash throwing at it soon - rear wheelarch surgery will be required sooner or later. I can't see me selling it though unless I get really desparate for cash

[Brianmoooore]

My sport found me!

Really? Haha how? Did it drive up your drive Herbie style and say buy me?

My very first E30 literally did find me!
Woke up one morning and it was sitting in the middle of my workshop.

[Morat]

That must have been a heavy night

[ImysE30]

I spent 2 years looking for a E30 and then the cabby on the left turned up

[E3OSAM]

I found mine when a friend of a friend, who turned out to be mates with my brother was a valeter at Bowker BMW in preston, and was known for selling a few of the good part ex's. Was introduced to me and said he had sold 1 to the mechanic and that he might want to sell it, a phone call later he came down said he wanted what he paid for it £1200.
Only problem was i had a car to sell which it didn't, but i managaed to write it off a couple of months later, another phone and it was sat on my drive i just wish i had realized how good it really was as i would never have sold it. Now i'm in the same situation can't find 1 that i think is worth the money as none of them are as good as what i had.

[R4N_S_S]

my two e30s found me.

but when I was looking for a 3dr cosworth - that was another matter. Travelled the lengh of the country to view "mint" cars only to find battered, rusty dogs.

Eventually it worked out good as patience is the key

[ChemicalAl]

I suppose like most people on here, I initially wanted a 325i 2dr or convertible, and knew I had around £3k to spend. After looking on the internet and classifieds and travelling up and down the country for 6 months and looking at some real sh*theaps. I finally came to the conclusion that engine size wasn't that important to me - I was more influenced by low mileage, full BMW service history/MOT's to back up the clocks, and pristene bodywork. I wanted a low spec chromie (the less electronic stuff the better, so that less can go wrong) and cared for example and eventually found one (316 M10 '86 Alpine White Coupe with 52k on the clock, one female owner from new and fully stamped BMW service book/22 MOT's from new).
I've now done wee bits and pieces to it, and loving the old skool look. I've had it completely restored to new and think that it should last me for at least 10 years (when i'll hopefully sell it for much more than I bought it).
As others on here have said, don't set yourself so many 'must haves' make sure that the bodywork is perfect and everything else will grow on you or can be changed! Oh and be prepared to wait for the right one!

[BadMoonRising]

my mate stopped my latest sport on the street and asked himif it was for sale, the nexy day it was mine!! but i had been looking on and off for several months


mmmmm black cabs...

That's filth!

[320Touring]

The last time I was in the market for one, i also had specific criteria which needed to be met.
1. it had to be a 2dr or tourer.
2. it must have a good solid chassis and paintwork in reasonable nick.
engine size wasn't an issue.

Nithing else really mattered as i have all the components required to make a decent tourer and can easily get hold of 2dr parts.

It took me about 4 months of looking at ads, and a couple of trips south and several thousand miles to find what i was looking for.

In the end, my mate found 1 near his place which is about 4 hrs drive away.We'd looked at 5 of them that day and went back for the 1 i currently own.

Just keep looking, decent ones are out there.

yeah that was fun!

my 320 was found when I went to an auctios to look for a runaround... one of the guys who worked there was sellin it..

the 325i popped up on the zone, i contacted andrew within 5 mins and paid deposit

both still going strong!

[Ritz]

My sport found me!

Brilliant answer Barry lol

My first E30 took a couple of weeks to find.
My Sport was owned by my neighbour so no hard work there....
My touring was spotted on Autotrader, fairly local to me aswell, probably took couple of weeks too...

Always keeping an eye out for good E30's (as well all do here) and some other possible BMW resto projects...

[Fushion_Julz]

Well, no time at all...

I used to have an E34 530i (M30 motor) that got written off...
My mate (who is a BMW specialist) had my old 325iSE 4dr and I bought it as a stand-in until I found the car I was looking for...Kept that 5yrs!

I was kinda looking for an M3, but not actively...The one I now have belonged to a customer of my friend who needed to sell it fairly urgently and we came to a deal after a phone call from my mate...
Still got this after nearly 5yrs

My old 320 touring I wasn't looking for at all...It belonged to an aquaintance who asked me for advice selling it, but it had a flat battery and no MoT and she couldn't shift it...So I took it off her hands for a very low price...also sold now after 2yrs of ownership...

[dom-1984-320i]

took me a couple of months to find mine, was pretty tough as i wanted a chromie and pretty much most were sheds. Ended up buying from a lady outside watford that had used it for a shopping trolly for 15 years and was untouched. Have spent a good bit of cash on it now mind but taking my time looking was worth it in the end. I think a good deal of luck always helps when buying any car.

[ShakeyC]

A solid shell is worth paying for regardless of engine, spec or options as everything else is interchangable at your pleasure.

There all bitz'ers

[maxfield]

I got lumbared with my E30

[initial_g]

mine was a strange one, went to a track day with trackdayz-( my cousin) had a awsome day and knew i had to sell my e36 cab as it wasnt cutting it, anyway on the way back we called in to (telski) cause steve (trackdayz) wanted the scorpion system anyways a deal was done on the complete car!

[mt1104]

I was looking at cars for mt1104 on here, with a vague idea that I'd like one at some point when I could afford one. Then mine turned up after a few weeks and I decided it was too good for him and I had it for myself .

I didn't mind that as that car *was* absolutely mint.

I had been doing road rallies for about 2 years, all the time in small fwd cars, to the point where I was confident in my skills under that particular drivetrain.

I started to think about rwd when I did a spare of the moment purchase (which is always a bad thing to do) of a volvo 360 gle, and in all honesty was a god awful car - heavy, grunty engine (when the carb decided it was happy) and a bit of a barge really. Despite this I entered it on my first national B event but pulling up to the start, the spring in the throttle peddle came loose so I had to pull the peddle back up with my feet, a few minutes in the bake vacuum hose decided it wasn't happy and so the brake peddle was inconsistent and a few more miles in the PAS belt decided it wasn't happy staying at tension and so that meant steering feel was inconsistent too. But being a poor student and due to the rally costing a fair bit to enter we got to the end, despite having a couple of interesting moments.

I soon got rid of that car and decided I wasn't going to go down the rwd route as small light rwd cars are either underpowered like the chevette, or have a huge premium like the sunbeams or mk1 mk2 escorts and so I brought myself yet another 205.

But a year or so later I drove past a e30 316 2dr coupe and it looked tiny compared to the cars around it. Did a little research on the net and discovered they didn't hold a premium were relatively available. After getting rid of the mk2 golf I had at the time I thought it was time to explore rwd again and so I started to look for some local e30s.

After going to see a gold e30 with Rich (person quoted above) which had a huuuuuuuuuge hole in the A pillar scuttle thingy, he saw a advert for a 318 in basingstoke advertised for £295 with a month or two tax and mot. Went up with a mechanic friend to see this thing, and despite needing a new engine realistically it wasn't in bad condition, very few rust spots, clean underneath. After getting the guy down to £250 I brought it.

Car went through MOT first time just needing a rear drum freed up .

I am in the process of converting it to IS spec minus interior and rear discs (drums are better for handbrake turns if you don't have a hydro one), and am fitting a z3 rack.

[Gert_8]

I bought my first one (325i SE) four door, dechromed, black leather, when it was about 5 years old from a very nice bloke in Canterbury. Kept it for about five years and then sold it, as it was sitting in the garage being unused as I got a company car - biggest regret of my life.

Had some spare cash, so decided to visit an old itch! Searched for from October 2007 and bought one in March, 2008. So, took me 6 months. Got a convertible this time, and I LOVE it!!

Needs a couple of things doing - fix the auto roof (which I broke recently) and have to get the suspension sorted. It's been lowered too far, so can break your jaw if you hit a pot-hole unnoticed!!

Joined this superb and friendly site for loads of useful info!

[asmith88]

been looking for mine since last summer, been into classics since having old minis, e30s where a class above, a modern classic.. finally managed to get some money together, and a couple of months later a gorgeous e30 siting outside my door. went the whole way to peterborough for it!!

[rob_10]

my neighbour owned my car when i was about 15-16 and i fell in love with it straight away, a mate bought it when i was 17 and couldnt insure it ( i was gutted) i searched on the net for days but couldnt insure it (325i sport and a 17 year old) then luckily my mates emigrated to australia and ran out of money so wanted the sport gone. couldnt really advertise it as his dad wasnt interested and knew nothing about it so lucky for me i got it at a good price 2 miles from home and known the last 4-5 years of its life!
i wasnt really looking for one as hadnt seen any ones i liked since seeing the one i now own when i was 15.
sold my 106 gti to a local lad and jumped in the sport!

[andyp]

mine came to me 9 years ago, i feel i am married to it now. i might file for a divorce soon

[Elecblondie]

I was looking at cars for mt1104 on here, with a vague idea that I'd like one at some point when I could afford one. Then mine turned up after a few weeks and I decided it was too good for him and I had it for myself .

I didn't mind that as that car *was* absolutely mint.

Hey it's not so bad still and it has an m42 now

I have a couple of small dents in the front wing to sort out and everything will be clean again.

[nmm1379]

I took a solid year and a half, looking at all BMWs but eventually found an 87 325es with 99k mikes - needless to say it was worth the wait. Patience is a virtue.

[KimH]

Mine took me a while and no time at all. I first noticed the White 325 Touring some 15 years ago. It looked solid, purposeful, subtle and classy. Other colours are acceptable; white is cool.
With a succession of company cars I never even considered owning one until I discovered my employer offered a liberal car allowance. Figuring that depreciation was the killer in any logical choice - like a Vauxhall”“Bland or a Ford”“Blah, and not wanting to stitch myself up with mega finance, I looked to Ebay.
I bought ”“ sight unseen ”“ an unmolested 91, 325 Touring in white from a gentleman who had not over described the car ”“ he just seemed genuine. He was honest about its faults without being over enthusiastic ”“ something just said ”aBuy me”a. And I did. That was 18 months ago. And ”“ despite a few minor problems, which are to be expected on an 18 year car, I am still smiling. Sports mirror was this weekend’s improvement ”“ Cruise control next. The smile just gets bigger.