Buying an E30 Sport 2 door

[brown29]

Hi Peeps,

Going to be buying an E30 sport in the next fe months. Going to spend about £3000 - £3500.

Just need some advice so I don't get a white elephant...

What sort of things do I need to watch out for??

i.e rust? where do i need to check, any knocking noises?? thsat sort of thing?

Can someone take us through all the checks? Would hate to get it back home only find out in 10 months time it's going to be a rust bucket.


Thanks.

[Liam554]

Rust - EVERYWHERE

Sills
Front & Rear arches
Sunroof
Boot floor
footwells
Around & behind the bumpers

to name a few..

Though I thought for that sort of money the car would be pretty decent. (supposedly)

[magpie]

open the sun roof and check in there.rear inner arches are the worst killer.

be aware when buying any old car with a body kit about the horrors that may lerk beneath it's plasticity.

[brown29]

yeah that's it... will go for the mteck 2 or 1 dedending but your right, don't want that to be hiding any horrors...

What are sills?

[leeparkes]

What are sills?

Under the side skirts...

Pull the carpets back in the boot, inner arches are a favorite.

[magpie]

beneath the doors,like where you jack the sucka up from if they can hold it's own weight.

by the sounds of things i'd ask for help viewing a potential money pit from someone who could advise on the spot with any said turd in hand.

your budget is decent ish and i hope you don't get stung!

[brown29]

yeah sould be able to pick a nice one up...

Been thinking about buying one for about 6 months now, so now going to do the research and hopefully I won't get a car that looks decent from the outside, but is rusted.

What I can pick up from you e30 drivers will be of great help as you drive them...

Anything else to look out for?

[csl]

Anything else to look out for?

Yes. If you want a Sport,and are paying Sport money,make sure its genuine.

Take chassis number to a BMW dealer for them to confirm.

[Felix79]

Best advice is don't go and rush out and buy the first one you see, get a guage for what is out there.


Also I would go for one that has lots of bills and recipts backing the condition of the car up.

[B7]

Front arches? Around and behind the bumpers? If they've gone there walk away its a breaker.

Surprised no ones mentioned:

front scuttle in the corners below the corners of the windscreen,
below the fuse box in the bulkhead,
below the washer fluid bottle
and the rear towing eye.

All in addition (as already mentioned) to:

Rear Arches
Corners of the floor pan where what looks like a jacking point is (this was purely for moving the shell about in the factory NOT for jacking)
Outer rear aches
Inner rear arches (get the seller to remove the boot trims to eather side and look for rust staining on the inner arches)
Sills mainly where they meet the rear arch.
Rear quarters, could be classed as rear arch but they rot out further forward a couple of inches just up from the sill.
Sunroof tray. This is the hardest one to see. Shine a torch ito the roof looking back with the sunroof on tilt. Shine toward the back corners. Thats where you'll find it
Sunroof panel.


I reckon the zone should have a sticky or a wiki with classic photos of common rust spots. When a new guy like this asks, we can just point them in the right direction. Shots should be of areas that can be seen with no parts removed so they know what "signs" to look for. Then we could show how bad those "signs" could be with shots of the areas removed ??

[adit]

I reckon the zone should have a sticky or a wiki with classic photos of common rust spots. When a new guy like this asks, we can just point them in the right direction. Shots should be of areas that can be seen with no parts removed so they know what "signs" to look for. Then we could show how bad those "signs" could be with shots of the areas removed ??

i don't think we'll be excatly short of examples for pictures Trev

[paps78]

I think what b7 said is very sound. i am a newbie and through reading the posts by many experiend zoners on here have learnt a lot, but i still couldnt figure out where some of the points of the above list are! so pictures with captions would be highly useful.

[Jim320i]

Basic places to start... Inside the boot, lift the carpets like suggested, but check in both sides of the wells... You can look underneath for this too, have a poke... If its rust and your fingergoes through, you know theres a bit... But everything can be fixed remember. But for your budget, you should get a nice one...


Where you based? I'm in Leicester so if your local or looking at one local, i'll come along and give you a hand... By no means an expert, but know what i'm looking for in general.

[kieran325]

Scuttle panel -



This is mine and it was smaller than a 5p piece, beware and don't cut corners.





Front mounts where they move the chassis in the factory -











Rear valance -







General area's to check -







How sad -



Just because it might look nice, still look closely.

This is mine before the bodywork -

[Gert_8]

Was that Expensive Kieran?

[magpie]

this is the worst scrap i've broke



removing the side skirts was revealing !!




mot'd by mr magoo!!




drivers foot well

middle floor

filler neck bracket mount.


rear n/s wheel arch



hmm!

drivers side bulk head

some previous handy work!!!





off to the scales.

[brown29]

Front arches? Around and behind the bumpers? If they've gone there walk away its a breaker.

Surprised no ones mentioned:

front scuttle in the corners below the corners of the windscreen,
below the fuse box in the bulkhead,
below the washer fluid bottle
and the rear towing eye.

All in addition (as already mentioned) to:

Rear Arches
Corners of the floor pan where what looks like a jacking point is (this was purely for moving the shell about in the factory NOT for jacking)
Outer rear aches
Inner rear arches (get the seller to remove the boot trims to eather side and look for rust staining on the inner arches)
Sills mainly where they meet the rear arch.
Rear quarters, could be classed as rear arch but they rot out further forward a couple of inches just up from the sill.
Sunroof tray. This is the hardest one to see. Shine a torch ito the roof looking back with the sunroof on tilt. Shine toward the back corners. Thats where you'll find it
Sunroof panel.


I reckon the zone should have a sticky or a wiki with classic photos of common rust spots. When a new guy like this asks, we can just point them in the right direction. Shots should be of areas that can be seen with no parts removed so they know what "signs" to look for. Then we could show how bad those "signs" could be with shots of the areas removed ??

sticky or a wiki with classic photos of common rust spots is a great idea!!

Am not going to rush out and get the first one... going to take my time, will get one in Feb...

Just need to learn what I need to look out for, the list is quite extensive.

[nickso]

i was going to make up a wiki page some time ago with all of the rusty bits on it. needed pics of a car from all four sides, top and bottom too. mine is no use as it has the daft arches on it.

anyone want to donate their car as a model?

[brown29]

Basic places to start... Inside the boot, lift the carpets like suggested, but check in both sides of the wells... You can look underneath for this too, have a poke... If its rust and your fingergoes through, you know theres a bit... But everything can be fixed remember. But for your budget, you should get a nice one...


Where you based? I'm in Leicester so if your local or looking at one local, i'll come along and give you a hand... By no means an expert, but know what i'm looking for in general.

Yeah sound bud, am in Leeds but am willing to travel all way around the UK for the right one.

If it turns out that is in Leicester then i'll give you a shout

[B7]

Front arches? Around and behind the bumpers? If they've gone there walk away its a breaker.

Surprised no ones mentioned:

front scuttle in the corners below the corners of the windscreen,
below the fuse box in the bulkhead,
below the washer fluid bottle
and the rear towing eye.

All in addition (as already mentioned) to:

Rear Arches
Corners of the floor pan where what looks like a jacking point is (this was purely for moving the shell about in the factory NOT for jacking)
Outer rear aches
Inner rear arches (get the seller to remove the boot trims to eather side and look for rust staining on the inner arches)
Sills mainly where they meet the rear arch.
Rear quarters, could be classed as rear arch but they rot out further forward a couple of inches just up from the sill.
Sunroof tray. This is the hardest one to see. Shine a torch ito the roof looking back with the sunroof on tilt. Shine toward the back corners. Thats where you'll find it
Sunroof panel.


I reckon the zone should have a sticky or a wiki with classic photos of common rust spots. When a new guy like this asks, we can just point them in the right direction. Shots should be of areas that can be seen with no parts removed so they know what "signs" to look for. Then we could show how bad those "signs" could be with shots of the areas removed ??

sticky or a wiki with classic photos of common rust spots is a great idea!!

Am not going to rush out and get the first one... going to take my time, will get one in Feb...

Just need to learn what I need to look out for, the list is quite extensive.

Another thing to remember, depending on where you live, there are Zoners aut there alays willing to cast an eye of a prospective purchase.

[E30BeemerLad]

Anything around the Leeds/ York area and I'd be happy to come and take a look at any potential candidates with you

[kieran325]

This might be available in the new year -





Based in Manchester.

[jaymos]

Here is my contribution.

[dimebag_from_hell]

Make sure shes not a boiler, take it a good drive until its well warmed up, keep a keen eye on the temp hand espically when you have it sitting at idle.

[brown29]

This might be available in the new year -





Based in Manchester.

Yeah no worries, will be having a proper look around first though...

Ideally looking for a manual 2 door e30 sport.

Black with black leather interior.

Around 100k on the clock, drives well with no knocks or strange sounds.

No rust or at worst something that can be repaired.

And some 17" alpines... if original wheels then would keep them.

Give or take in some areas but this is what am looking out for...

[CaesarBob]

This might be available in the new year -



Based in Manchester.

Bit more than £3.5k's worth tho surely?

[brown29]

Anything around the Leeds/ York area and I'd be happy to come and take a look at any potential candidates with you

yeah that would be great, if there one going local then i'll give you a shout...

would be greatly appreciated.

[pony]

the photographs of where to look for common rust areas on a E30 325i Sport should be make as a sticky Wiki article.

this is a great educational post by the way.

Good luck in your search for this BMW Classic model.

[kieran325]

This might be available in the new year -



Based in Manchester.

Bit more than £3.5k's worth tho surely?

Indeed, but spend that bit more and it needs nothing

It's a well documented car and a mint one at that.

[magpie]

is that beardy matts previous one?

[kieran325]

It is Mick.

His girlfriend is expecting and looks like the car might have to go.

I might have this myself but room dictates at the minute

[mabz]

door shuts especially on coupe's(caused by body flex??) check behind wing mirror covers on inside of the door they rot very easily.rear number plate lights also suffer bad,above the rear light where it meets the body have had one with rust there.also check all of the common rust places with a magnet to see if its hiding filler.any around this way mate i will gladly help

[brown29]

Thanks for all the information so far, is a great help...

What do people normally do about insurance? I heard there's a classics car one? and this is meant to be good.

Does anyone have any information on this?

[kieran325]

Thanks for all the information so far, is a great help...

What do people normally do about insurance? I heard there's a classics car one? and this is meant to be good.

Does anyone have any information on this?

Funny you should say that, my ins is due on new years day and I've been doing some quotes.

Lancaster came back at £167 - classic policy, 3k a year, guaranteed value of 10k and £50 excess.

My M3 is similar to above and is £236 with my 28 yr old (27 at the time) girlfriend as a named driver.

I also had to give proof of my main car.

[mabz]

sureterm are pretty good to be honest i pay 112 a year on my merc 190e 2.3 16v cosworth.the car is garaged im 27 with 0 no claims bonus,well worth a punt,also lancaster give good prices too as kieran said above