320 or 325?

[bss325i]

Oh and be prepared to travel for the right car!

[suchy]

Best advice i can offer is get someone who knows these cars WELL to go with you to view any potential purchase. Paying someone for their time could save you much much more than what it what cost to put right a catalogue of issues that may be missed upon viewing.

Can't argue with this advice!

[mcbonio]

The fun of e30's for me (and Polsta) is hunting parts down, spending weekends tinkering and making the car your own, you learn loads about mechanics and restoration and have fun.!

E30's are great cars to cut your teeth on, everything is well laid out and relativity easy to do with few special tools required. Just beware of tinworm.!

If you find a nice car that the owners worked his nuts off on, the likelihood is that he will have spent hundreds of hours on the thing at huge cost, don't drive the poor fellas price down, be fair.!

[andyp]

You need to set a price of what you to spend 1st and I would always go 325, it's not going to compare with what you are driving now but will be a lot closer than a 320 would be, and fuel wise a 325 will prob be better on fuel than a 320

[atlantis]

HI Batleyrhino

I have a 325 cab and only live in Wakfield if you want you can come and have a go init.

I know it is slower than a saloon but it will give you a bit of an idea.

Make sure its not raining though it dont go out in rain and it will be SORN at end of month.

Cheers Andrew

[polsta]

Polsta makes a point of "find the perfect car and you'll love it more"; I'd argue that build the car you want, and you'll love it even more. If a mint 320i shell can be found then a good 325i engine can be had for hundreds, and swapped in a day.

If money is the deciding factor, I'd go for the engine swap. A converted 325i in a clean shell will sell for good money if the job's been done right.

thing is you talk like its so easy and all 325 shells are rotten where as 32oi are not, each car varys and any e30 can have rot, why look for a clean 320i shell to then mess about with an engine swap, when if a 325i is what you want

engine say £300 , labour £200 maybe , plus the engine actualy being good risk, then theres fluids and service bits and other little costs £100 say ,and the messing about of it all and factor it wont be original,then really you should put a new clutch in and cambelt or whatever aswell to just be safe-more expense, you just aswell hunt for a nice car that you actualy want

[bss325i]

Polsta makes a point of "find the perfect car and you'll love it more"; I'd argue that build the car you want, and you'll love it even more. If a mint 320i shell can be found then a good 325i engine can be had for hundreds, and swapped in a day.

If money is the deciding factor, I'd go for the engine swap. A converted 325i in a clean shell will sell for good money if the job's been done right.

thing is you talk like its so easy and all 325 shells are rotten where as 32oi are not, each car varys and any e30 can have rot, why look for a clean 320i shell to then mess about with an engine swap, when if a 325i is what you want

engine say £300 , labour £200 maybe , plus the engine actualy being good risk, then theres fluids and service bits and other little costs £100 say ,and the messing about of it all and factor it wont be original,then really you should put a new clutch in and cambelt or whatever aswell to just be safe-more expense, you just aswell hunt for a nice car that you actualy want

Plus the brakes and suspension to match if its a saloon.

[Rich320I]

what’s the thinking behind 320 shells all of a sudden being impenetrable to rust it seemed to effect my old one perfectly well.

As polsta mentions above its more about the cars life so far, in comparison the new(to me) 325ise i purchased is verging on rust free in all the important places. Id be more inclined to think that the service history and general maintenance give more of an indication of a cars condition than what engine it rolled out of Germany with

[bss325i]

The simple thing to do is, choose the model you want and buy the best you can afford in terms of body condition first then mechanical making sure it has as much history as possible.

Singling out a particular colour will narrow you choice considerably so make a short list of colours and dont get to hung up on spec like cruise, OBC, A/C etc as most are easy to retro fit with A/C being the hardest and most expensive thing.

It may take some time to find the right balance of what you want from an E30 but be patient, check the usual places like here, ebay, Car and classic etc DAILY so you dont miss out, and you will eventually find the car you want.

These were mass produced after all and have lasted a lot longer than the E30's contemporaries!

[polsta]

what’s the thinking behind 320 shells all of a sudden being impenetrable to rust it seemed to effect my old one perfectly well.

i know, or the usual SE rather than sport as sports rust..not mentioning se also have side skirts that can hide rust issues

most important, as bss says...pick the engine and color, not worry too much about spec, and wait for that one, get a nice one,and then build the rest of the spec/suspension etc, rather that f**k about with engine swaps n god knows what

ive learnt in the past ,its bettet really buy the color/model you want, rather than one thats similar but not quite what you want, ie a different color, as youl never really love it as much as the one you really want, if you want a black/silver 325i get one, not a blue 320i and put a 325i lump in it , the right car can and will be found with patience and effort, you have to put the effort in, i quite like a good hunt myself once i know what i want,and its great when you get it

[batleyrhino]

Thanks for the replies fellas.

I'm happy to go hunting, in fact I expect to. There seems to be a number of 325i's around, but not many that are in my price bracket and don't appear to have some serious issues on tin worm.

In an ideal world I'd like a 325i Sport, in dark Blue, with either Black or Beige leather, Auto or Manual not bothered both have advantages.

I'll keep taking the advice, keep looking (daily) and building the budget whilst I wait for "the one" to come along....

[bss325i]

Unfortunately no 325i Sports came in blue of any sort.

[Andyboy]

Unfortunately no 325i Sports came in blue of any sort.

Apart from the Edition Birmingham ones with white headlining.

[bss325i]

Unfortunately no 325i Sports came in blue of any sort.

Apart from the Edition Birmingham ones with white headlining.

And 4drs!

[pony]

325i every day of the week

[pony]

PS you might have a better chance of finding a E30 in better condition which is more likely to be a 320i than a 325i .... I think .... As the 325i is very desirable

[scjimbo]

I have a 320 and I say get the 325

[pony]

Best advice i can offer is get someone who knows these cars WELL to go with you to view any potential purchase. Paying someone for their time could save you much much more than what it what cost to put right a catalogue of issues that may be missed upon viewing.

+1

OP as said best to get someone who really knows E30s to give them the once over upon viewing.

When you find a really nice 325i (SE or Sport) .... I am sure it will give you so much fun, satisfaction, driving pleasure and you have a real classic .... A real Yuppie car

Will take time to find a nice one particularly provided you want to own it for a while

Sports are more popular and very good ones are rare to find. However, nothing wrong with a nice 325i SE .... Love the understated looks and may well have decent specification .... Though other options I understand can be easily retrofitted.



Btw I know a real nice 323i in Richmond!!!!
Otherwise 320i and engine swap route