E30 M3 prices

[Paracetamol]

They are truly mad as goldfish in Japan.

I managed to find a non messed with jap euro spec m3. Even on this someone decided that changing the cam cover to evo spec was a good idea. Why??

Dito the xenon and steering wheel.

Fortunately all reversible and not a hint of rust anywhere

[Mr_B]

From memory and looking at the dash clocks with the script on it, doesn't that usually denote a non euro model ?
Any rust free M3 that just needs a few minor mods reversing is a good buy. Those wheels could do with changing to the correct 16" type.

[Paracetamol]

Mr_B said:

From memory and looking at the dash clocks with the script on it, doesn't that usually denote a non euro model ?
Any rust free M3 that just needs a few minor mods reversing is a good buy. Those wheels could do with changing to the correct 16" type.

The build sheet etc confirms it as a euro model as does the dog leg box...

Are you sure you actually know much about e30 M3? 16Inch wheels on an 86 is a complete school boy error!

Mr.b come clean and explain your prejudice against jap imports..Did you find yourself in a dark corner with a karaoke singer when you were 12 or something 😀

Edited by Paracetamol on Friday 3rd June 20:20

[Mr_B]

Paracetamol said:

Mr_B said:

From memory and looking at the dash clocks with the script on it, doesn't that usually denote a non euro model ?
Any rust free M3 that just needs a few minor mods reversing is a good buy. Those wheels could do with changing to the correct 16" type.

The build sheet etc confirms it as a euro model as does the dog leg box...

Are you sure you actually know much about e30 M3? 16Inch wheels on an 86 is a complete school boy error!

Mr.b come clean and explain your prejudice against jap imports..Did you find yourself in a dark corner with a karaoke singer when you were 12 or something ??

Edited by Paracetamol on Friday 3rd June 20:20

I'm not totally sure I've displayed any "prejudice" as you put it. You'd maybe have to explain why you think that first for me to respond.
I wasn't necessarily saying 16" wheels were correct for that year car, as I'm well aware of the change over year and changes, more that someone has fitted 16" that are incorrect and look ste, so if you want 16s, fit originals.
You'll note I didn't declare it anything, only asked the question as the clocks looked different. From the pics they look the same as some US spec cars and I think Jap spec which have , but not on any Euro spec cars I have seen. I could of course be wrong and would bow ( no pun intended ) to your superior knowledge.

[Paracetamol]

Now I am even more confused. My car is fitted with standard 15 inch bmw e30 alloys..

[Mr_B]

Paracetamol said:

Now I am even more confused. My car is fitted with standard 15 inch bmw e30 alloys..

These are stock 15" E30 M3 wheels.



Your wheels to me looked like E34 16" wheels that a few people fitted to their cars. If they are 15", then I'm not sure what they are from, maybe 5 series or 6 series ? What's the part number and sizes from under the cap ?

Edited by Mr_B on Saturday 4th June 21:30

[Bayerische]

Paracetamol.....Mr B is correct in what he says.

The wheels on your car are wrong!!!, they are NOT E30 M3 wheels.

I didn't get a vibe of negativity towards Jap imports, he was just stating a fact that your wheels are not correct. A 1986 car should have 15" style 5 wheels

Edited by Bayerische on Saturday 4th June 23:52

Edited by Bayerische on Saturday 4th June 23:55

[Rob747]

Paracetamol said:

Now I am even more confused. My car is fitted with standard 15 inch bmw e30 alloys..

Fail

[Paracetamol]

Mr_B said:

Paracetamol said:

Now I am even more confused. My car is fitted with standard 15 inch bmw e30 alloys..

These are stock 15" E30 M3 wheels.



Your wheels to me looked like E34 16" wheels that a few people fitted to their cars. If they are 15", then I'm not sure what they are from, maybe 5 series or 6 series ? What's the part number and sizes from under the cap ?

Edited by Mr_B on Saturday 4th June 21:30

Indeed. You are correct. However, they are 15" and differ slightly. Mr B (admittedly poorly drafted post suggested that the car should have 16' wheels as standard.)

I do have the correct e30 wheels. They were fitted to e30s of all kinds from 96 to 91.

To summarize my position on all of this...

The worst situation with e30 M3s is that in recent times nearly all are being passed off as immaculate cars and priced over 35k. In reality they are messed/rusty/abused cars and not worth anywhere near that.

The next set of cars (and mine falls into this camp). Are honest cars that have seen some mods/need routine maintenance. I have seen a number of such cars come out of japan and can make great buys. They can be made into very useable enjoyable cars (or can even be turned into garage queens)

The third (and very rare) are cars that have provenance and all maintenance etc. Even here if the car has spent time in Europe it may have hidden rust..but in general they great cars and should be priced the highest.

I feel that some people have vested interests in bashing jap cars because they have stabilized the prices of EU cars to some extent. Without these I think bone fide EU cars would be trading even higher.

[POORCARDEALER]

To think I was buying these for 2500-4000 at one point, decent cars as well not scrap

[Mr_B]

Paracetamol said:

Mr_B said:

Paracetamol said:

Now I am even more confused. My car is fitted with standard 15 inch bmw e30 alloys..

These are stock 15" E30 M3 wheels.



Your wheels to me looked like E34 16" wheels that a few people fitted to their cars. If they are 15", then I'm not sure what they are from, maybe 5 series or 6 series ? What's the part number and sizes from under the cap ?

Edited by Mr_B on Saturday 4th June 21:30

Indeed. You are correct. However, they are 15" and differ slightly. Mr B (admittedly poorly drafted post suggested that the car should have 16' wheels as standard.)

I do have the correct e30 wheels. They were fitted to e30s of all kinds from 96 to 91.

To summarize my position on all of this...

The worst situation with e30 M3s is that in recent times nearly all are being passed off as immaculate cars and priced over 35k. In reality they are messed/rusty/abused cars and not worth anywhere near that.

The next set of cars (and mine falls into this camp). Are honest cars that have seen some mods/need routine maintenance. I have seen a number of such cars come out of japan and can make great buys. They can be made into very useable enjoyable cars (or can even be turned into garage queens)

The third (and very rare) are cars that have provenance and all maintenance etc. Even here if the car has spent time in Europe it may have hidden rust..but in general they great cars and should be priced the highest.

I feel that some people have vested interests in bashing jap cars because they have stabilized the prices of EU cars to some extent. Without these I think bone fide EU cars would be trading even higher.

The correct wheels are E30 M3 and S14 engined 320is only and were not fitted to all kinds of E30s from 86-91, as they are 5 stud and not 4 stud like other E30s.
As said, no negativity towards any spec M3, just an acknowledgement of the differences and the effect of a lower value on a like-for-like basis with an equivalent Euro spec car. I did also only ask about the clocks on your car as it was something I hadn't seen on Euro spec.

There was a Jap spec car for sale and talked on here the other month. The only reason I pointed it out is because the vendor never mentioned it and had changed the gearbox and it looked Euro spec. Its no bad thing to point this out. I did so on E30zone and someone on there who was going to view it was unaware of it being Jap spec. Arming people with better knowledge is one of the things the forum exits for.

Edited by Mr_B on Sunday 5th June 12:06

[E30M3SE]

Mr_B said:

The correct wheels are E30 M3 and S14 engined 320is only and were not fitted to all kinds of E30s from 86-91, as they are 5 stud and not 4 stud like other E30s.

S14 engined 320iS run stanadard E30 4 stub arrangement, M3 is only E30 to run 5 stud.

The only M3 bits on a 320iS were the S14, de-stroked, and the dogleg gearbox. The 4 door 320iS were basis cars devoid of sport seats and M-tech II body kits found on the 2 door cars, they even had 14" bottle top alloys as standard, although everything was available as cost options.

[Mr_B]

E30M3SE said:

Mr_B said:

The correct wheels are E30 M3 and S14 engined 320is only and were not fitted to all kinds of E30s from 86-91, as they are 5 stud and not 4 stud like other E30s.

S14 engined 320iS run stanadard E30 4 stub arrangement, M3 is only E30 to run 5 stud.

The only M3 bits on a 320iS were the S14, de-stroked, and the dogleg gearbox. The 4 door 320iS were basis cars devoid of sport seats and M-tech II body kits found on the 2 door cars, they even had 14" bottle top alloys as standard, although everything was available as cost options.

Oops. Yes, for some reason I had the 320is down as M3 running gear.

[sim16v]

I was just about to joint the "discussion" about the wheels on M3s and the 320is, but i see it's been cleared up.

Here's a shot of my old 320is minus the centre caps.

[mark.c]

Snap.... It's a shame they didn't come with all the M3 running gear, can be done of course but expensive nowadays.

[sim16v]

My Hartge H26 has M3 has that set up, at the moment ....

[mark.c]

Lovely, I've never seen one before, I cant imagine there are many left?

[Paracetamol]

Mr_B said:

From memory and looking at the dash clocks with the script on it, doesn't that usually denote a non euro model ?
Any rust free M3 that just needs a few minor mods reversing is a good buy. Those wheels could do with changing to the correct 16" type.

Here I'd the build sheet. Shows it to be an EUR car.

[Mr_B]

Paracetamol said:

Mr_B said:

From memory and looking at the dash clocks with the script on it, doesn't that usually denote a non euro model ?
Any rust free M3 that just needs a few minor mods reversing is a good buy. Those wheels could do with changing to the correct 16" type.

Here I'd the build sheet. Shows it to be an EUR car.

Your 1986 build car seems to have the later 158kw engine ?

[Rob747]

Yeah that's weird, also I thought OBD 2 wasn't fitted until 1989 or thereabouts?