E30 BMW's anyone?, Looking to buy a new project DD Options

[blu94gt]

Anyone here have any experience with E30 BMWs? I know a few guys in town who have them, and with a bit of work and a good drop they can be SICK. Plus they're just as bulletproof as the Toyotas, I know of quite a few all-original BMWs with over 300k miles. I've seen several for sale for $1000-1500 with around 200k miles that would make a great project. Looking for a 325i with a 5 speed and LSD, preferably a convertible but would settle for the right coupe. Sedan only if its an IX (awd).

This one pictured has been giving me inspiration as I follow his build. I probably won't go as low as he is since I'm going to DD the car year round.

[Bitter]

Hope you have deep pockets, while the engine and trans may go go go...the rest of the car does not fair so well. They're not unlike VW, its everything but the engine/trans that turns to **** with time. Wiring/electrical gremlins, insulation inside wire harnesses degrade and just fall apart and crack when you try to work on the engine, all the rubber parts of the suspension wear, tear, break and go bad, etc etc. High miles are high miles, don't fool yourself here just because there are some high mile examples that have been polished back into good shape. Its a losing proposition.

[bccentaur3]

I had an e30 325i. Wished it were an IS model. The problem is at the time I loved the Celi too much and sold the e30. If I could go back I would have kept it and it would be my ultimate street/ track car. Mine had a bunch of electrical issues, but with time I cleaned things up and it was a solid runner.

[Stambo]

my buddy has a nice 325is i dont think its been driven in the snow at all.

We had to put new lower control arms on and just a water/timing belt job. Half the electrical doesn't work though...

[blu94gt]

Hope you have deep pockets, while the engine and trans may go go go...the rest of the car does not fair so well. They're not unlike VW, its everything but the engine/trans that turns to **** with time. Wiring/electrical gremlins, insulation inside wire harnesses degrade and just fall apart and crack when you try to work on the engine, all the rubber parts of the suspension wear, tear, break and go bad, etc etc. High miles are high miles, don't fool yourself here just because there are some high mile examples that have been polished back into good shape. Its a losing proposition.

Same sentence could be said for the Celicas. There are a lot of high mileage cars on here that most people wouldn't give a second glance, but since we're enthusiasts we take them and give them some love and have a great car. $2000 200k Celica with a $4000 3sgte swap, bunch of body work, wheels, suspension, is still just a $2000 Celica in the end to someone who doesn't appreciate it.

Any older car has those kinds of issues though. On any car that old one of the first things I'd do outside of a tuneup is pretty much gut and replace the entire suspension: shocks, springs, mounts, bushings, links, etc. Electrical doesn't really scare me either, I mean I am studying to be an Electrical Engineer, done my fair share of weird electrical work with cars. All that kind of work is in my budget: $1000-1500 for a running car, another $1000-2000 right off the bat for suspension, skidplate, and any big repairs, and do the little stuff as time goes on. Not looking for something to make money with, just a fun car I can tinker with.

The E30 meets all my criteria for my next car: RWD, fun to drive, looks great, good aftermarket, easy to work on, and is German (haven't owned German yet). If you have a better suggestion, please feel free to post.

[Bitter]

When your windows stop rolling up after you get your lunch at the drive through, you drive home with your window all the way down in winter, call the dealer and find out that the window switch is $200 and won't be in for a week...you'll mind about the electrical.

Or the dash stops lighting
Or the tail lights stop working
Or the body control module fails (don't even ask how much that is).

Unless you're prepared to nearly re-wire the car consider something else.



Now take this in the other hand, I see 200-300K mile Honda Accords, Civics, Toyota Corollas and Camrys where other than a smoothly polished steering wheel and shifter and some oil leaks everything works just fine and is original. I go under hood of a 200K mile BMW to replace a power steering pump and end up spending 2 hours repairing a wire harness with 20+ wires that shed all its insulation when I tried to set it aside to remove the pump...I've never had that problem on a Japanese car whether it was built in Japan or the USA.

[richee3]

I've heard that Bimmers are electrical nightmares. I know for a fact that when a tail light bulb burns out, you can't just run to Wal Mart and replace the bulb. You have to hit up the junk yard and replace the entire tail light assembly. But my cousins own an '89 328 with 500k original miles on it and he says the only thing about the car is that you have to know how to work on it because BMW's aren't put together the same way as a Toyota or a Chevy or a Ford or Honda or anything else. If you know how to work on the BMW and you aren't afraid to do it yourself, then they aren't bad cars. He's done the match and including the cost of buying the car brand new, it's cost him about $500 a year for the car.

[blu94gt]

I've never heard of the whole tail light thing; the whole rear piece comes off the tail lights of an e30 but each bulb is separate and they are standard $1 1156/1157 bulbs. I have no worries about working on them, I have experience with both new and old BMWs and Mercedes

Bitter: you're from Chicago right? I'm not surprised at the wiring issues, every car I saw in my bay that came from Chicago was a rusty, nasty mess even with only 50k miles. But again, seen similar issues on every manufacturers' cars, and not every car on the road that isn't a Honda or Toyota is just rotting away. Plus from what I've been reading on different forums, most of the electrical issues can be solved by cleaning the ground points on the frame of the car.

So it looks like no one here is a fan.

[richee3]

I'm speaking only from the experience from my cousin's '89 528. Tail lights are a mess on that car. I feel like if you want an E30, you should pick one up. If you're comfortable working on it and building it, I don't see why not.

[95CelicaST]

A friend of mine used to have a 1976 BMW 2002. It had a self destruct button.... its called "defrost". If you pushed it, everything blew up. Every fuse.



No that isn't a joke.

[NgoFcukinWay]

if you're really passionate about it, then I'd say go for it. So what if the dash lights go out? Flash light. Tail lights go out? Flash light. Window stops rolling up and it rains? umbrella. I'd say saran wrap, but their doors have frameless windows IIRC. Self-Destruct button? cut a hole in the floor pan and start pedalin.

On a serious note though, if you don't mind spending a few hours a day to redo the entire electrical harnesses properly before making it a daily, then all the more power to ya. When your electrical gremlins are solved, drop a 2JZ in that bad boy and call it a day. lol

Good luck with it all!

[Bitter]

I've never heard of the whole tail light thing; the whole rear piece comes off the tail lights of an e30 but each bulb is separate and they are standard $1 1156/1157 bulbs. I have no worries about working on them, I have experience with both new and old BMWs and Mercedes

Bitter: you're from Chicago right? I'm not surprised at the wiring issues, every car I saw in my bay that came from Chicago was a rusty, nasty mess even with only 50k miles. But again, seen similar issues on every manufacturers' cars, and not every car on the road that isn't a Honda or Toyota is just rotting away. Plus from what I've been reading on different forums, most of the electrical issues can be solved by cleaning the ground points on the frame of the car.

So it looks like no one here is a fan.

I do see electrical issues on other cars, but its much less common than the old BMW's, GM products of any age, and VW's.

[schmooot]

I've got an 85 325E. They are definitely a labour of love...not ridiculously expensive to fix, but they are a bitch to fix sometimes. Other times I am amazed at the engineering that goes in to some things. They are sexy though, if you find one cheap enough go for it, they are fun...make sure it is a standard as the auto is comfortable but makes me feel like a grampa

[Hanyo]

didnt top gear have a cheap car challenge on those cars?

[blu94gt]

Just made an offer on a 91 318is, it's a coupe not a vert but the car was too good to pass up for the price.

[Bitter]

Good Luck...wait, you're buying a 4 cylinder? 136hp and 127lb/ft in 2500lb (upto 3000lbs dependant on year/options/etc) gives you the stunning performance of a current model year Toyota Corolla or a 6th gen Celica GT.

[Supersprynt]

I had an 1984 318i in high school; got it for $1200 with a big dent in the rear quarter panel. I've always wanted an E30 M3 w/E36 M3 motor in it in Laguna Seca blue.

In other news:

[blu94gt]

Good Luck...wait, you're buying a 4 cylinder? 136hp and 127lb/ft in 2500lb (upto 3000lbs dependant on year/options/etc) gives you the stunning performance of a current model year Toyota Corolla or a 6th gen Celica GT.

Price was right, plus the M42 is a pretty bulletproof motor. Not really going for speed, as long as it's not slower than the Celica. Eventually it would be getting a swap anyways.

But alas, did not get the car (or at least he didn't take my offer). He found someone wanting to trade cars so he's pursuing that first, and if that falls thru then I'll hopefully be able to buy it.

[Bitter]

Yea, solid engine but those cars are SLOW. Probably slower than the Celica GT honestly since it weighs more and has a little more drive train loss.

[azian_advanced]

x2 on the electrical side. i just helped a friend of mine with his rhd bmw 320i (i think.. it's a 2.0L inline 6 anyway). his left rear brake light, interior light, and some other interior lights had died. but for some reason, after replacing a burned fuse in the engine bay, everything started working again as if all the lights were hooked up to the same fuse when it shouldn't since the other lights had their own separate fuses. his car is a 94 though so i'm not sure if this applies for the older gens too.