17 y/o first RWD road car, e30 316. Ingredients for trouble?
Discussion
Hi guys just want to pick your brains really.
Never really driven a RWD car on the road, brief stints in an MX5 road car, and have done a fair bit of track stuff in an MX5 track car.
So and old E30 316 has appeared, nice and cheap, lovely car, even lovelier price! What are these like as a daily? It's a very early 'A' reg car. No PAS, etc etc, not even sure if it's got ABS yet. Are they very lairy? I'm just worried as I want a bit more of a drivers car, but don't want to get into a problem and lose my NCB and/or life...
Never really driven a RWD car on the road, brief stints in an MX5 road car, and have done a fair bit of track stuff in an MX5 track car.
So and old E30 316 has appeared, nice and cheap, lovely car, even lovelier price! What are these like as a daily? It's a very early 'A' reg car. No PAS, etc etc, not even sure if it's got ABS yet. Are they very lairy? I'm just worried as I want a bit more of a drivers car, but don't want to get into a problem and lose my NCB and/or life...
Good little car to learn in, although if you have been in an MX5 , you'll have a fair idea. Bushes will likely be tired, unless its been very well maintained. Find yourself a wet piece of tarmac (car park or similiar) and get a feel for it. Decent set of tyres on it, they're reasonably predictable.
TAHodgson said:
Hi guys just want to pick your brains really.
Never really driven a RWD car on the road, brief stints in an MX5 road car, and have done a fair bit of track stuff in an MX5 track car.
So and old E30 316 has appeared, nice and cheap, lovely car, even lovelier price! What are these like as a daily? It's a very early 'A' reg car. No PAS, etc etc, not even sure if it's got ABS yet. Are they very lairy? I'm just worried as I want a bit more of a drivers car, but don't want to get into a problem and lose my NCB and/or life...
Not lairy at all, you'll be fine. It only makes about 80hp in a fairly sizeable car. You could get into just as much trouble in a FWD hatch. Even in the wet it's not going to be a handful. Nothing to be worried about.Never really driven a RWD car on the road, brief stints in an MX5 road car, and have done a fair bit of track stuff in an MX5 track car.
So and old E30 316 has appeared, nice and cheap, lovely car, even lovelier price! What are these like as a daily? It's a very early 'A' reg car. No PAS, etc etc, not even sure if it's got ABS yet. Are they very lairy? I'm just worried as I want a bit more of a drivers car, but don't want to get into a problem and lose my NCB and/or life...
You will certainly be able to kick the back end out in the wet with a bit of provocation,which if you are 17 yrs old you WILL be doing!! other than that you will be fine.
My first rwd car was a 290bhp sierra saphire cosworth when i was 21 which was absolutely lethal in the wet,had a few holy s
t moments in three years of owning the car but feel im a much better driver today because of it.
Have fun.
My first rwd car was a 290bhp sierra saphire cosworth when i was 21 which was absolutely lethal in the wet,had a few holy s
t moments in three years of owning the car but feel im a much better driver today because of it.Have fun.
Agreed, I started with a Capri as my first car 3 days after passing test. As per above find yourself some empty expanse of wet tarmac/grass and start learning her limits. Not really that much horse power to get you in to trouble without trying.
Won't be the fastest thing on the block, but you'll learn RWD is a lot more fun.
Won't be the fastest thing on the block, but you'll learn RWD is a lot more fun.
I had the same car for my first set of wheels! It was a 1989 BMW E30, 316i....registration was G27LWF so I wonder if it's still on the road!
I had a few "moments" as GingerPaul may also agree with but then again I bought the cheapest tires available (20 quid per corner), so it was similar to driving on plastic wheels!
Nevertheless, I reckon it's a cracking first car.
I had a few "moments" as GingerPaul may also agree with but then again I bought the cheapest tires available (20 quid per corner), so it was similar to driving on plastic wheels!
Nevertheless, I reckon it's a cracking first car.
WeirdNeville said:
Nothing to worry about. Just check the brakes/suspension still have life in them.
My first car was a 1.4 Volvo 340Gl. It was many, many things, but lethal isn't one of them.
My friend has just started a drift car project with one. My first car was a 1.4 Volvo 340Gl. It was many, many things, but lethal isn't one of them.
ITB'd Clio Williams engine, welded diff, stripped out, caged, stiffer/lower springs and dampers, uprated brakes oh and a hydraul handbrake! Should be fun!
Edited by doodles19 on Monday 16th May 00:47
I had a G plate 316I when i was nearly 19 and am alive to tell the tales. In all fairness i had a few snap away moments mostly exiting round abouts and being a bit too keen on the throttle but beyond that the car was pretty well behaved. Mine had lowered suspension, 7J wide wheels with good 205/45s which made a huge differences, with its standard 14x6 wheels with budget tyres it was a bit more unpredictable and would snap more than break away.
One thing to watch for is knackered diffs, mine locked up which scared the **** out of me as I span the car 180* across the road. Luckily for me I didn't hit anything or stall the engine so drove off but unfortunately my old driving instructor was in the car behind me
One thing to watch for is knackered diffs, mine locked up which scared the **** out of me as I span the car 180* across the road. Luckily for me I didn't hit anything or stall the engine so drove off but unfortunately my old driving instructor was in the car behind me
My mother had a G-plate 320i.
She used to tell me how bad it was around wet roundabouts, I didn't believe her.
A test drive revealed she was telling the truth, the thing would just oversteer at will.
Good fun for me, but terrifying for my mother.
She ended up selling it and going for a FWD car, and hasn't gone back to RWD.
It was that era that gave BMW the reputation for being tail-happy.
She used to tell me how bad it was around wet roundabouts, I didn't believe her.
A test drive revealed she was telling the truth, the thing would just oversteer at will.
Good fun for me, but terrifying for my mother.
She ended up selling it and going for a FWD car, and hasn't gone back to RWD.
It was that era that gave BMW the reputation for being tail-happy.
Edited by Magnus Barelegs on Monday 16th May 14:49
My first car was a zinnober red 1988 2 door 316 on 15" TSW alpines. I loved that car as only an obssesed derranged person can.
Last of the carbed models where the Pierburg was swapped out for a twin choke webber, and the obligatory DTM twin upswept exhaust.
It was perfect as a first car, not too quick as to be a handful, looked awesome, classic peice of car design that will only appreciate in value these days. German and sweedish stock all the parts nice and cheap. Insurance might be slighly heavy for you at 17. try and get slightly later models that have the black trims on windows and other body trim (dechrome option i think it used to be called) it just looks better.
Last of the carbed models where the Pierburg was swapped out for a twin choke webber, and the obligatory DTM twin upswept exhaust.
It was perfect as a first car, not too quick as to be a handful, looked awesome, classic peice of car design that will only appreciate in value these days. German and sweedish stock all the parts nice and cheap. Insurance might be slighly heavy for you at 17. try and get slightly later models that have the black trims on windows and other body trim (dechrome option i think it used to be called) it just looks better.
Magnus Barelegs said:
My mother had a G-plate 320i.
She used to tell me how bad it was around wet roundabouts, I didn't believe her.
A test drive revealed she was telling the truth, the thing would just oversteer at will.
Good fun for me, but terrifying for my mother.
She ended up selling it and going for a FWD car, and hasn't gone back to RWD.
It was that era that gave BMW the reputation for being tail-happy.
A quality set of tyres can make night and day difference on a rear drive car in wet conditions.She used to tell me how bad it was around wet roundabouts, I didn't believe her.
A test drive revealed she was telling the truth, the thing would just oversteer at will.
Good fun for me, but terrifying for my mother.
She ended up selling it and going for a FWD car, and hasn't gone back to RWD.
It was that era that gave BMW the reputation for being tail-happy.
Edited by Magnus Barelegs on Monday 16th May 14:49
Nedz said:
Magnus Barelegs said:
My mother had a G-plate 320i.
She used to tell me how bad it was around wet roundabouts, I didn't believe her.
A test drive revealed she was telling the truth, the thing would just oversteer at will.
Good fun for me, but terrifying for my mother.
She ended up selling it and going for a FWD car, and hasn't gone back to RWD.
It was that era that gave BMW the reputation for being tail-happy.
A quality set of tyres can make night and day difference on a rear drive car in wet conditions.She used to tell me how bad it was around wet roundabouts, I didn't believe her.
A test drive revealed she was telling the truth, the thing would just oversteer at will.
Good fun for me, but terrifying for my mother.
She ended up selling it and going for a FWD car, and hasn't gone back to RWD.
It was that era that gave BMW the reputation for being tail-happy.
Edited by Magnus Barelegs on Monday 16th May 14:49
I'm back on the learning curve too, just bought an E36 323 after far far too many years of FWD motoring
Thanks for all your replies, insurance is not an issue at the moment as me and my dad share a motor trade policy, so can drive anything in business hours and for social domestic and pleasure usage they're not really that bothered what it is as long as it's not a 2.0 or above. The E30 in question has been looked after by my dads company for the last 8 years, one owner from new, all that good stuff. VERY nice mileage, needs a new clutch soon though. It is in a champagne-type colour with chrome trim and steel wheels, couldn't get a more poverty spec car if you tried! Want some 14" BBS's for it though!
Moar said:
If you have a brain you will be fine.
I was in a mazda6 2.0d at 17 and then as soon as I turned 18 I was into a 04 330d M
Been driving it for 2 and a half years. If you are sensible and understand physics you will be fine !
Did you have to work 90 hours a week to afford the insurance on that?I was in a mazda6 2.0d at 17 and then as soon as I turned 18 I was into a 04 330d M
Been driving it for 2 and a half years. If you are sensible and understand physics you will be fine ! I still pay over a grand for my 330i and I'm 30 and have been driving for 13 years.
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