what do we think of rhd m3

[death]

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/ ... 88/1686479

Ver rare RHD e30 m3

[jimbom30cab]

Yup that is very nice. Lot of money though. I'll keep dreaming.

[bss325i]

RHD wipers, good. Dealer fit diavia A/C not so good.

And whats with the black mirrors and wrong headlamps for an '88 car.

Other than that, looks nice enough.

[nikwillm3]

As above but LHD only in my opinion thats how they were made to drive and i have read that RHD looses the sharpness / response which is what makes the car so special in the first place.That said looks tidy in the pics.

[Fastroad]

Right hand drives a NO NO for me personally.

As bss mentioned above wrong lights for '88 so could be suspected of damage previously.

I am also surprised to hear that it was not converted by Birds as I thought (I could stand corrected) was the only known and proven company to do it right (the ones I have drove still did not have the same feeling as the LHD)

[lyricalnut02]

Looks nice but an m3 has to be lhd!

[Alex]

If i bought an m3 i would rather have a RHD converted one

personal preference i think

[ajay]

Yep Birds did the official 50 or so RHD M3,s but i have seen it done by others very well indeed. Personally i can't stand driving a left hooker but understand that the original steering feel is best as with the brake feel too, but an 067 rack and uprated brakes on a RHD conversion would satisfy me (especially with something like an S50 conversion) powerfull left hooker just not as safe for manovers when driving on the right me thinks! There is a lot of (not a proper M3 stigma,regarding the converted cars but thats probrably the only one i would enjoy driving)!

[Fastroad]

I say if it was meant to be RHD BMW would have made it from factory.

Also just a thought I wonder who makes the exhaust headers for the right hand drive?? (I never knew of BMW making this part, as I do not have this info its just a thought)

[harry_p]

Looks nice, but I wouldn't have a rhd one. They're supposed to be lhd, and feel perfect as they are.

The lhd layout suits the standard three pedal controls much better. Like so many European cars, the lhd ones just feel so much nicer.

I've never had a problem driving lhd every day in the uk, either in my e30 or lancia.

At the time rhd conversions were criticised as they used standard e30 racks. E36 and 46 racks make that a non-issue these days, but I still wouldn't have one.

[pukar]

I've never had a problem driving lhd every day in the uk, either in my e30 or lancia.

...you've never been to a burgerking drive through then?

...unless you are this chap

[pony]

Yep Birds did the official 50 or so RHD M3,s but i have seen it done by others very well indeed. Personally i can't stand driving a left hooker but understand that the original steering feel is best as with the brake feel too, but an 067 rack and uprated brakes on a RHD conversion would satisfy me (especially with something like an S50 conversion) powerfull left hooker just not as safe for manovers when driving on the right me thinks! There is a lot of (not a proper M3 stigma,regarding the converted cars but thats probrably the only one i would enjoy driving)!

So the official allocation of E30 M3s by BMW UK were they LHD then or all converted to RHD by Birds ?

[maxfield]

Yep Birds did the official 50 or so RHD M3,s but i have seen it done by others very well indeed. Personally i can't stand driving a left hooker but understand that the original steering feel is best as with the brake feel too, but an 067 rack and uprated brakes on a RHD conversion would satisfy me (especially with something like an S50 conversion) powerfull left hooker just not as safe for manovers when driving on the right me thinks! There is a lot of (not a proper M3 stigma,regarding the converted cars but thats probrably the only one i would enjoy driving)!

So the official allocation of E30 M3s by BMW UK were they LHD then or all converted to RHD by Birds ?

All the RHDs were converted by birds. I didn't think there was as many as 50 converted though.

BMW did build 2 RHD M3s for some rich guy in Japan I believe.

[daimlerman]

As I am an old git,I seem to remember that back in the '80's BMW claimed that to convert the M3 to RHD would 'Spoil the driving machine experience'....which could be translated as...'we cannot be arsed to develop a quick RHD steering rack and suitable exhaust manifold for something that is little more than an expensive exercise in saloon car racing'.....

[harry_p]

I've never had a problem driving lhd every day in the uk, either in my e30 or lancia.

...you've never been to a burgerking drive through then?

...unless you are this chap

I have never been through a drive through in any car, whether lhd or rhd.

I drove only lhd cars in the uk, every single day for over 6 years ( my lancia then e30 m3 ) without issue.

At tolls chuck the money in the basket, at carparks undo the seatbelt and lean over. I never had to get out of the car to reach anything. Being able to drive helps ;) and no, I'm not mr tickle.

[harry_p]

So the official allocation of E30 M3s by BMW UK were they LHD then or all converted to RHD by Birds ?

All official uk e30 m3s were lhd.

If you wanted a rhd one you could pay Birds some more money and they would convert it to rhd using standard e30 parts. They were not official factory conversions, they were a dealer conversion using genuine bmw parts.

[maxfield]

I've never had a problem driving lhd every day in the uk, either in my e30 or lancia.

...you've never been to a burgerking drive through then?

...unless you are this chap

I have never been through a drive through in any car, whether lhd or rhd.

I drove only lhd cars in the uk, every single day for over 6 years ( my lancia then e30 m3 ) without issue.

At tolls chuck the money in the basket, at carparks undo the seatbelt and lean over. I never had to get out of the car to reach anything. Being able to drive helps ;) and no, I'm not mr tickle.

Drive throughs are manageable if you take your seatbelt off. You do get a funny look mind.

[Morat]

M3s shouldn't be seen in any "drive through".

[Gert_8]

When you see a rhd M3, the first thought is; it's a replica.

[death]

When you see a rhd M3, the first thought is; it's a replica.

1+

[Fastroad]

When you see a rhd M3, the first thought is; it's a replica.

After that comment makes it a sh*tter.

*** RHD does not have the original BMW exhaust header so no longer original ***

[Z3I]

Suitable for export to Australia only, where LHD is not allowed.

[Fastroad]

Suitable for export to Australia only, where LHD is not allowed.

Is this the case for the whole of Australia? as I recently heard (not sure how true) that you are able to import a LHD some areas on the west coast of Australia.

[Z3I]

Suitable for export to Australia only, where LHD is not allowed.

Is this the case for the whole of Australia? as I recently heard (not sure how true) that you are able to import a LHD some areas on the west coast of Australia.

Only area allowed is ACT, Australian Capital Territory, that is Canberra, by diplomats in diplomatic cars. You can import a LHD car to anywhere in Australia, but you won't get registration on it until you convert it, and have it tested. In 2009 I exported an M3 convertible to Sydney (cost £6500 on ebay here!) and it was converted in Sydney, and extensively restored. Runs around Batemans bay area now.

[pacerpete]

Bizarrely each Australian state is different. In W.A I believe anything over fifteen years old is fine as LHD and IIRC Northern Territory allow LHD of any age.Most states are thirty years and over.

Selling a non US LHD is hard work so most get converted , no matter how old they are

[Z3I]

Bizarrely each Australian state is different. In W.A I believe anything over fifteen years old is fine as LHD and IIRC Northern Territory allow LHD of any age.Most states are thirty years and over.

Selling a non US LHD is hard work so most get converted , no matter how old they are

Yes, come to think of it, we shipped to Sydney, so all we found out about in detail was NSW for a 1989 car, although the only area at that time that came up as allowing LHD was ACT. They don't encourage imports though, with high taxes, port side inspections for any trace of dirt, and the fact that it had to stay in the UK for a year before it could be shipped!

[MickoE30]

Another one here...

http://cars.donedeal.co.uk/vintagecars- ... m3/5659693

[pony]

Bizarrely each Australian state is different. In W.A I believe anything over fifteen years old is fine as LHD and IIRC Northern Territory allow LHD of any age.Most states are thirty years and over.

Selling a non US LHD is hard work so most get converted , no matter how old they are

I thought there would be big market for European spec LHD E30 M3s in Europe especially in Germany ????

[pacerpete]

Bizarrely each Australian state is different. In W.A I believe anything over fifteen years old is fine as LHD and IIRC Northern Territory allow LHD of any age.Most states are thirty years and over.

Selling a non US LHD is hard work so most get converted , no matter how old they are

I thought there would be big market for European spec LHD E30 M3s in Europe especially in Germany ????

Soni, sometimes you really are a bit spesh ! Read my post ! I was talking about the Australian market !

Buy me a horse burger tonight and I will forgive you, this time