E21 opinions

Post Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:04 am

Another thread where I though I'd get some opinions before I make a decision on what to get.

Just got an insurance quote for £450 on an E21 so quite tempted.
Anyone had an E21 and got any tips or thoughts/opinions on them that they can give including things to look out for when viewing one, RUST being an obvious factor

.

Some questions:

Parts easy to get hold of?

Can I fit an M20-B25 if I wish to do so?

Are they good cars overall?
The 323i come up cheaper to insure than the smaller engined brothers. Good engine?

Cheers!

Post Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:08 am

I can say, when buying a car this old, if money is a factor, the cost of insurance should be the least of your worries.

Expect parts to be like hens teeth.

Post Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:20 am

Is a budget of around £2,000 a reasonable amount when looking to buy a car in decent condition, not looking for a mint car, but something drive-able with decent bodywork.

Or am I pretty much dreaming and should double that budget?

Money is a factor tbh, need to save up for my career

Post Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:48 am

The E21's are the same as E30's when it comes to buying them, there are a lot of painted, tarted up shitters out there, so be careful.

Post Mon Apr 23, 2012 6:55 am

Buy on body condition, parts are as easy e30.

m10, m20, m30, m42, m52 ans s50 swaps are all well documented. 2k will get you a average/projet 323i better with a 320 in better nic.
Also bmwe21.net is your friend.

Post Mon Apr 23, 2012 8:09 am

German-Whips wrote:
Some questions:

Parts easy to get hold of?

kolee wrote:

Expect parts to be like hens teeth.

i have some chicken molars available

Post Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:32 pm

German-Whips wrote:Just got an insurance quote for £450 on an E21 so quite tempted.
Anyone had an E21 and got any tips or thoughts/opinions on them that they can give including things to look out for when viewing one, RUST being an obvious factor .

Bootfloor/rearwheel arch/petrol flange in boot
Rear wheel arch behind rear seats (can be seen looking up by the rear wheels)
Sills
Front chassis rails
Front floors and "jacking point"
Fuel tanks have a habit of rusting and leaking, replacements are getting scarce

Rust is the number one problem with these cars, from my experience these are some of the most common places.

German-Whips wrote: Parts easy to get hold of?

Not as hard as you think. There is a good supply of 2nd hand parts (like me

). Dealers still carry spares and Walloth and Nesch do mail order from Europe.

German-Whips wrote: Can I fit an M20-B25 if I wish to do so?

If you buy an M20 320 or 323i then very easy, comparable to swapping one into an E30 320i. An M10 316 will need more bits (and will add considerable expense getting these bits) but it's all bolt on stuff. Wiring is easy too.

German-Whips wrote: Are they good cars overall?
The 323i come up cheaper to insure than the smaller engined brothers. Good engine?

They are good cars but good ones are going up in price. I bought loads of projects/breakers about 4 years ago for £0 to £150, now they start at £500-£1500. Jason mentions above how much better ones go for.

I've played with putting in M42s and M50s into these and it's been fun. The problem I find with E21s is the rear axles are weak. Only small case diffs and weak halfshafts as standard. My M50 runs a welded diff and very easily blew out a CV joint. Another M20B25 drifter blew out CVs quite regularly. If you aren't running a welder and don't give the axle too much abuse you will probably be fine.

Post Mon Apr 23, 2012 6:52 pm

E21s are very rare nowdays even so in the 1980s i cant remember seeing that many.
Just imagine how rare it must be to find a 323i.
The guys on here sound like got some real gd advice which is worth following

I reckon a E21 says heaps more about u than having a E36/E46/E92 (or E90/E93) in that u have very good taste and is just soooo much cooler

Post Mon Apr 23, 2012 7:18 pm

Thank you all very much for the help so far!

I've got my eyes peeled on the lookout for a nice 323i or any other variant should one become available for sale.
Older than oldskool it is!

If anyone on here is selling one, or knows of anyone who might be looking to sell one or has one for sale, please drop me a PM.

Post Mon Apr 23, 2012 7:29 pm

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=111777

Post Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:35 pm

That piccie is about twenty years old,my lad was 23 in March this year.

That E21 was rusty around the rear arches and boot floor area,I replaced the rusty front wings after the thing was backed into and one of the originals fell apart...

The (aftermarket) front bumper damaged at the same time cost more than £70 then....

Bear in mind with engine conversions that the speedo is mechanical,not electronic as in E30,not difficult to get around,but worth bearing in mind.

But,it was my first BMW,and I have fond memories of it!

Post Tue Apr 24, 2012 8:40 pm

I wonder if its still around.

Post Tue Apr 24, 2012 8:57 pm

ah wrote:I wonder if its still around.

I traded it for an E28 520i...

'er indoors insisted on a more door,and E30 more door were way beyond my means at the time!

I saw my old 320 some months later,I sold it showing 120k miles,when I saw it parked up two months later and walked around it,it was showing a strange 89k! It smoked like a teenager on 50 a day when I sold it....
I suspect it is part of my current toaster.

Post Fri Apr 27, 2012 3:57 pm

A mate of mine has a 323i with a problem with the mechanical injection distributor. He has now bought 3 second hand units and one "prefessionally reconditioned" unit and none of them work properly. Even the rebuilt one leaks at the join which is apparently gasketless.

He has resigned himself to having to buy a brand new unit.

That'll be 1,800â‚¬ please sir.....

Post Fri Apr 27, 2012 4:43 pm

Why not just put the M20b25 from an E30 into it, far cheaper and more pooooooowaaaarrr

Post Fri Apr 27, 2012 5:18 pm

Very rare for the dizy to fail as it just an electronic pulse generation that feeds an electronic ignigtion module. Who has diagnosed the problem.

You right there is no gasket but there is a rubber o ring.

Some times I feel quilty as I have fragged over 20 e21 and about dozen 323's. Back in the 90's I would not pay more than £150 for a 323i

Post Fri Apr 27, 2012 6:25 pm

Not sure if he means the ignition distributor or the fuel distributor (metering head). The distributors could cause aggro in old age, both breaks in the coil winding and tracking from the centre rotating part across to the distributor body. The fuel metering head is indeed gasketless but shouldn't leak. They rarely went wrong so don't understand how four of them can be no good. Try another used one from a car that recently ran.

Post Sat Apr 28, 2012 3:38 pm

Here u go if u dont mind an automatic?

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C266239

Post Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:15 pm

Andyboy wrote:Not sure if he means the ignition distributor or the fuel distributor (metering head). The distributors could cause aggro in old age, both breaks in the coil winding and tracking from the centre rotating part across to the distributor body. The fuel metering head is indeed gasketless but shouldn't leak. They rarely went wrong so don't understand how four of them can be no good. Try another used one from a car that recently ran.

Yes, fuel distributor. Even the "remanufactured" one leaks !!

Finding one from a car that runs is high on his list (hence it coming up in conversation the other weekend at our national annual meeting).