Why did you buy your first BMW

[mrLEE30]

if you could pick the one thing about the E30 what would it be?

Do the poll please!! or feel free to add your own reasons...

[stevetigger]

Because my friend had an M3, but I couldn't afford one at the time.....I was only 19, so I bought a "Sport"

[e30-320i]

its the look of the e30 for me
old skool

[mrLEE30]

yeah the look thing is what does it for me, but was really wondering do most zoners go for looks or performance

[ianeire]

The aggressive look, the performance, the RWD, the whole package.

[e30-320i]

yeah the look thing is what does it for me, but was really wondering do most zoners go for looks or performance

well i own a 320i so it aint the performnce or fuel economy

[Cloggy Saint]

I bought my touring knowing absolutely nothing about e30's. The main reason i got it was i couldn't find a nice E34 touring!

[e30bmlover]

my old man had an m3, so its been born into me, the e30 is the definitive bmw, you take one look and you know its a bmw. unlike most cars nowadays they all look the same.

[gazm3]

My dad always had them in the 80's. Fell in love as a kid

[mrLEE30]

well i own a 320i so it aint the performnce or fuel economy

me too, and its an auto cab perhaps the slowest of the E30 but it sure looks good and who wants to go fast when they look that good

[gareth]

i bought my first one (pre-facelift 318i) as it was cheap, RWD and well built. i only ran it for a few months as i was restoring my RS2000!

nowadays, BMW's are one of the only practical and affordable RWD car manufacturers around.

lest face it, the E30's rivals are things like the ford sierra!

[hammoj28]

I bought my first 318i because i loved the old skool looks, individuality, RWD and it was quick compared with my mini.lol. I first got into them after seeing a 325 tec1 sport in PBMW and after that i always wanted a black coupe with a tec1/2 kit. Now i have one but its a 318IS. So yeah it was looks instead of performance i think at the start but with the IS its looks and performance i guess aS its not too slow.lol I just love the whole package, speed, looks and handling!

Want an E30 M3 next.

[Speedtouch]

Bought my first E30, an '84 B-reg 320i 4-door in Henna red because I urgently needed a car to replace my 1970 Triumph Vitesse MkII (also a 2-litre straight six) on which the rear driveshaft Rotoflex couplings (similar to guibos on BMW propshafts) were on their last legs. I p/ex'd the car with a dealer, and as I was collecting the BMW, he informed me that the brakes on the Triumph had failed What's more, the damn thing leaked like a sieve! Anyway, I enjoyed that first 320i alot, and have subsequently purchased an '87 320iSE and '88 325iSE. I like the overall sportiness, exhaust note, handsome looks, practicality and reasonable ease of maintenance. Definitely an all-time classic car

Maurice, E. Kent

[burt]

I remember being a kid and looking at the 4 lights and the grill and thinking yea... So i got one

[jon_pure_british]

i love both mk 4 escorts and e30's but an e30 is rwd so.. that made my decision. i wanted to have a car i could have fun in.

[fuzzy]

not really one of the above,like the shape and was looking for a suitable rwd estate for practicality and my cosworth conversion

[johnono]

because i got it for a good price. but always wanted a tech2 325i

6 cyl scream, love it.

[Theo]

I got taken out in my mates E21 with a tuned M50 in it, I had never experienced that sort of driving... he's a rally driver and does all sorts of unmentionable speeds and manouvers, I don't think I have ever had as bigger grin on my mug as I did when I was in that car.

I didn't get an E21 as they have pretty much all rusted into the ground, so I looked at the e30's, contemplated a 318is, and then test drove a 325i - sold! Was a big step up from the french turd I was driving at the time, and ever since I have had nothing but compliments for my car, and don't regret the decision in the slightest!

[stuartgallafant]

because its an E30, and i fcuking love it!!!

[Cotty]

I was 21 when I got my first, everyone was driving fords and stuff and the 316 came up cheap and was cheap on insurance but you still got a classy car to drive

[fowler]

because they are the tits the best BMW ther eve built and the 325i sport rep when i was a kid

[jmc330i]

Always wanted a 325i Sport from about the age of 10. Just remember how great they looked when I was a kid

So when I turned 20 and realised that the insurance was about £150 more than my SRi Cav, I went and found my Sport - took me a year to find it, but it was worth it

[320Touring]

£300 quid- 1 lady owner, full SH and 87k on the clock, i'd have been mad not to!

[DRIFTBOY]

I gave up drugs and needed something to do with my time!
Years ago I had a shed of an E28 528i and it was halarious to drive, especially in the wet, it sounded good without the rear silencer and easily hit 145 on the clock.
Always liked E30s and fancied trying a 3.5 conversion for a while (I thought I'd invented the idea before I found this site!).
I want the sweet straight 6 scream, loads of torque and loads of sideways action!
And the pride I'm sure I'll get from driving a car that I have put together how I wanted it to be.

[A1BMW325iSport]

i love the agressive look of the e30, the sport kit or m3 kit really does look the business.

when driving round in an e30 you always get looks

[Bob_S]

I wanted something different to the norm.. hatchbacks but something that was understated and not recognised as a quick car.
I wanted an is for months on end then found I couldnt insure one so went for a 316i lux instead. Once my year of insurance was up my luck changed and soon snapped up a black 318is.

I've always wanted one, they have always been a mean looking car and had some real character about them not to mention the handling wet or dry they are awesome cars to own

[dmaxfield]

I have various e30 s over the years 5 in total 318,325,325 cab with m tech kit 320i touring and i have been the proud owner of my m3 for 7 years and the only one to give a couple of problems is my m3 and they are not worth shouting at ,I also own an alpina z4 roadster that is amazing,but if i had to get rid of one the alpina would be gone first.

THE M3 E30 IS AN ICON

[dmaxfield]

I have various e30 s over the years 5 in total 318,325,325 cab with m tech kit 320i touring and i have been the proud owner of my m3 for 7 years and the only one to give a couple of problems is my m3 and they are not worth shouting at ,I also own an alpina z4 roadster that is amazing,but if i had to get rid of one the alpina would be gone first.

THE M3 E30 IS AN ICON

[Taz]

i've had many 325's mostly for the looks! the 4 lights and grille do it for me along with the dashbord pointing towards the driver...

its a true drivers car and strictly not for chavs

[miniblob]

Always liked the way they look, but i held off getting one for a while 'cos i thought they were too old and wouldn't do the kind of mileage i cover!! How wrong i was!!!
Mate of mine had a 325i ('till he wrote it off!) that convinced me i wanted one. The the security guy where i used to work was selling a nice 320i with m-tec bits for £800 notes! Absolutely mint and full history, one quick test drive and i bought it!!! I remember wondering at the time why i hadn't bought one sooner instead of all the other crap cars i had!!
Now on my 4th one!!

I think the E30's i've had have been the most reliable cars i've owned - they seem to be the only motor that can stand up to the massive mileage and constant thrashing i give them

[stonesie]

The turn up in a BMW feel good factor

well the bmw feel good factor anyway lol

It was cheap and i was dubious untill i test drove it, first time i drove a rear wheel drive properly and i fell in love with the handling and the straight 6 noise eaven though it needs a bit doing its all cosmetic, the mechanicals are spot on now i have done the clutch.

its the only car i have ever owned that makes me smile every time i drive it eaven though it looks crap

Its nearest rival that i owned was my old scirocco gt2 but that needed to be pushed hard to be rewarding.... because of what i had done to the engine it was a bit of a cow in general driving and not as quick as the 320

[romario]

The first bmw i bought was an F reg 316 5 years ago. I had to budget of £1000 and had to find a car quick. Everything about the car was far superior than the 1992 1.3 escort i had previously been driving (a complete money pit). The red paint was a bit dull but a bit a time and effort got it looking good. Coleauges kept asking how could affort to run and insure it, reality was it was cheaper to run than the escort as i wasnt spending a fortune on repairs.

[massive]

The SOUND! I loved the straight 6 sound and you couldn't wipe the smile off my face when I bought my first 320i

[dobbie82]

I saw it on eBay, 20 mins to go, only 30 miles away and only 300 odd quid, got carried away with bidding and ended up paying about £700

[m3ben05]

Iv wanted an M3 since i was 6 so as soon as i was able to afford one i had to have it - regardless of the shafting from the insurance companies.

The respect they get from people is unreal for a relatively cheap car.

Even today they still look amazing due to the classic race car shape.

There are very few cars about that i would consider changing my M3 for and if circumstances allow, il be keeping hold of it for a long time yet