One of the best and least appreciated parts of running an E30 is the almost negligible depreciation. Yes, as 20+ year old cars they do need some attention to keep them at their best, but build quality is legendary, driving one is usually a pleasure, maintenance is easy and parts are plentiful.
A well looked after E30 will run and run; providing the rust doesn't take hold and provided you can do some if not most of the work yourself you'll almost have a car for life.
The only niggles I can concede to are: poor fuel economy if driven hard; engines, though refined are sometimes noisy; and poverty spec is depressing. But these issues were acceptable in the 80s and early 90s.
Go get one before they're all gone.
Why is a e30 so good ???
Moderator: martauto
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pony
- I have been misbehaving and am sorry !
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+1e30-dk wrote:every1 has pretty much covered what i see in my e30, so i have to echo whats been said... ive owned so many cars its unreal, from sri's, gti's, gte's, turbo's ect ect and 3 e30's, by far the most satisfying car ive owned for so many reasons, they feel raw to drive and make you feel conected to the car and what its doing underneath you, with real naturaly aspirated grunt and a soundtrack to die for!! a hands on car that doesnt take rocket science to work on.. i always get out of my car at the end of the night, walk to my front door light a cig and just stand there and look at her, makes me feel proud to own 1 of these legends. some1 said earlier in the thread that this is the car that made bmw! i totaly agree..... if you say ''think of bmw'' to any1 i bet they think of these!! that squared off look and quad headlights with the kidney grill. i was driving down the road and a small group of like 8 yr olds on bmx's heard then saw my car and when i came back around the roundabout (drivers window open) i hear 1 of them say '' whattt, look at that baaad beemer''! 8yr old kids know what a 21 yr old beemer is!!! ., class.... i love em and wont be changing any time soon, no mater how much tinkerin i have to do to keep my beast running sweet!!
- do-drift-1
- E30 Zone Newbie

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ookk ultimate chav basher, im a noob to the bmw world but nothing satisfies me more than leaving a poney chav behind, there all the same from the maxpower geeks to the fastcar fopars there all usuall scene queens with there 50g's poured into there clitroens, pah i picked mine up sunday and with all her little niggle she has atm what can i say i had the most relaxing long journey home of my life, nothing like them in this world, and daimler man ure a legend you couldnt have said it better, they really dont build em how they used to, e30's a mans car, and as youun as you get the propeller badge under ure belt thats it, all i can say is im hooked 
- donnyboiler
- E30 Zone Newbie

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And don't forget it's a great package. All of the above, plus you can use it every day, it has a massive boot, seats five (just), is more refined than most 80s cars, and is very reliable.
Every inch of an E30 is charming, right down to the way they come apart and go back together. Every part of the ownership experience is satisfying.
And they are almost entirely classless. A really nice E30 will get you respect from almost anyone. And everybody "knows someone who owned one once".
Another funny thing about the E30 is it's faults. Very little legroom in the back, insane bump steer and traction in the wet, and it pretty much no point during it's history was it the best specced, fastest, grippiest or roomiest car in it's class. It was always too small to be a true family car but people did it anyway.
By the time things like the Peugeot 405 and Vauxhall Cavalier came along it looked and felt like a car from a whole different era, but still it won group tests, seduced owners and sold by the truckload - because it was classier, better made, more involving to drive, and just more appealing in every way.
Every inch of an E30 is charming, right down to the way they come apart and go back together. Every part of the ownership experience is satisfying.
And they are almost entirely classless. A really nice E30 will get you respect from almost anyone. And everybody "knows someone who owned one once".
Another funny thing about the E30 is it's faults. Very little legroom in the back, insane bump steer and traction in the wet, and it pretty much no point during it's history was it the best specced, fastest, grippiest or roomiest car in it's class. It was always too small to be a true family car but people did it anyway.
By the time things like the Peugeot 405 and Vauxhall Cavalier came along it looked and felt like a car from a whole different era, but still it won group tests, seduced owners and sold by the truckload - because it was classier, better made, more involving to drive, and just more appealing in every way.
Its a four door estate car, how is it too small to be a family car?donnyboiler wrote: It was always too small to be a true family car but people did it anyway.
I have had five adults in it and often stuffed tons of gear in for camping trips.

yeah lol, ive got 2 fusion 12's in the back and still have room for a body!!! infact when i had a blow out i pulled the spare out to stick on the car and just plonked the wheel in the boot (17' at that)!!! if i had another car in this class it would be on the back seat haha
A 2 door e30 with 8 cylinders, what could be better

yeah tell me about it..mine dont help having 17s and being lowered 50mm but damn it looks good fully loaded...had numerous comments whilst out saying"is that on hydraulics" im like no...thats what two subs a months worth of shoppin and a two 17 kg bags of dogfood does to it ha ha and it still didnt scrape or bottom out!!!damn i love these cars!!
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sarkie83
- E30 Zone Newbie

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mine makes all sorts of weird squeeks rattles, and odd noises!daimlerman wrote:My tailgate has started squeaking like aCotty wrote: Well made,so the thing does not squeak and rattle,but easy to pull apart and fix when(if) it goes wrong.
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Ajsingh
- E30 Zone Addict

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When i look at my e30, and sit behind the steering wheel.. I think back to when i was a young'un and my dad bought an E30 brand new!
It brings back memories of driving that car to scotland from london n from london to black pool and then once every month to birmingham
i have spent most child hood being driven around in an e30 320i and today i feel so proud to have one myself.. These cars were built never to fail, like the m3 was the best in racing
also i love the respect u get from other people who no wat an e30 is!
I love my pride n joy no matter hw rust the rear arches get or the amount of times it hasn't ticked over in minus 6 degrees (problems now fixed loll)
it makes me happy n boy am i one proud owner of my Delphin 320i
It brings back memories of driving that car to scotland from london n from london to black pool and then once every month to birmingham
i have spent most child hood being driven around in an e30 320i and today i feel so proud to have one myself.. These cars were built never to fail, like the m3 was the best in racing
also i love the respect u get from other people who no wat an e30 is!
I love my pride n joy no matter hw rust the rear arches get or the amount of times it hasn't ticked over in minus 6 degrees (problems now fixed loll)
it makes me happy n boy am i one proud owner of my Delphin 320i
and sculpted into a work of art, it's hard to believe the mtec2 kit is an aero package, the e30 is giant mechano kit, for grown upsmrLEE30 wrote:EXACTLY what i was going to say.Ask a child to draw a car - what do they doodle on that sheet of paper?
Its shaped like a car.
excellently put lol, it all makes sense the way it comes appart and thus goes back together. i thought before i owned 1 that beemers would be hard to work on but this is not sothe e30 is giant mechano kit, for grown ups
A 2 door e30 with 8 cylinders, what could be better





