RE: You Know You Want To: BMW E30 M3
Discussion
marcosgt said:
Do you think he may have meant that non-racing cars seem expensive at that price, rather than the M3 as a model has no racing pedigree?
If not, what was he thinking!
M
Your guess is as good as mine! But given that argument, it's like saying an Audi quattro has no Rallying pedigree! If not, what was he thinking!
M
Mines north of 300,000 km now and the rear arches are getting a bit bubbly, keep thinking of flogging it but every time I take it for a run around the block I end up deciding to 'just keep it a little longer...........'
Mechanically it's very good, I've tracked it loads and it's great fun, can keep up with a lot modern stuff that should leave it for dead.
Got an old e30 325i that I use every day, lhd as well, and they are night-and-day different to drive.
Mechanically it's very good, I've tracked it loads and it's great fun, can keep up with a lot modern stuff that should leave it for dead.
Got an old e30 325i that I use every day, lhd as well, and they are night-and-day different to drive.
williamp said:
These show what a real bargain the E36 M3 currently are. Far more of them, and not held in the same regard, but comparative bargains (and rhd...I know, but to me it makes a big difference...)
Agree, the E36 is a comaparative bargain, still a great car, but a low point in build quality for BMW imho (interior quality specifically). E30 was still a well built car in it's day and obviously a lot rarer.Mine is a keeper.
The way that the prices are going makes cars like these good investments.
I've had it for nearly 5 years now, Used it as a daily driver for the first 2 years and now just used for the summer.
It always puts a smile on my face when I drive it.
They are not the quickest car on the road but the way the 2.3 delivers the power is superb and just loves to rev. The chassis is sharp and the dog leg box great.
Here's mine.
The way that the prices are going makes cars like these good investments.
I've had it for nearly 5 years now, Used it as a daily driver for the first 2 years and now just used for the summer.
It always puts a smile on my face when I drive it.
They are not the quickest car on the road but the way the 2.3 delivers the power is superb and just loves to rev. The chassis is sharp and the dog leg box great.
Here's mine.
Strawman said:
These are now at an age where they can look superficially shiny but have a lots of hidden rust areas you can only see properly when stripped.
A good thread on a rebuild here
I looked at one of these 15+ years ago and it was really, really rusty even then. We're talking visible rust around the front and rear windscreens as well as arches and sills and that's a LONG time ago.A good thread on a rebuild here
It was fixable, of course, but it always makes me wonder how bad some cars could be in the places we don't always look!!
Real bargain is a 318iS: 80% of the driving experience for 20% of the price! Same power delivery, delightful steering, same architecture & same biddable balance - skimpier tyres ensure grip/power well matched. E30 M3 ('86 vintage) one of the most enjoyable cars I've ever driven though.....
If you can accept there's going to rust issues on a lower priced car, you're on a winner. After all most are over 25 years old and still rising in value. So, personally I wouldn't be put off with buying at the low end and spending time & money on the required repairs (done correctly you would not have to carry them out again).
Get one and drive it, repair/service as required. Happy days. But there's no point in buying one if your on a modest budget and expecting to carry out no repairs, better off buying some newer with possibly less rust issues etc.
I wouldn't jump at buying one now sadly, 15-20k budget opens up a whole world of other possible purchases. Still, a cracking car and I doubt anybody would regret spending the money.
Get one and drive it, repair/service as required. Happy days. But there's no point in buying one if your on a modest budget and expecting to carry out no repairs, better off buying some newer with possibly less rust issues etc.
I wouldn't jump at buying one now sadly, 15-20k budget opens up a whole world of other possible purchases. Still, a cracking car and I doubt anybody would regret spending the money.
Edited by Johnboy Mac on Wednesday 14th March 11:59
wezzer-45's said:
Mine is a keeper.
The way that the prices are going makes cars like these good investments.
I've had it for nearly 5 years now, Used it as a daily driver for the first 2 years and now just used for the summer.
It always puts a smile on my face when I drive it.
They are not the quickest car on the road but the way the 2.3 delivers the power is superb and just loves to rev. The chassis is sharp and the dog leg box great.
Here's mine.
Great photograph....!The way that the prices are going makes cars like these good investments.
I've had it for nearly 5 years now, Used it as a daily driver for the first 2 years and now just used for the summer.
It always puts a smile on my face when I drive it.
They are not the quickest car on the road but the way the 2.3 delivers the power is superb and just loves to rev. The chassis is sharp and the dog leg box great.
Here's mine.
Yep, the E36 M3 (particularly the Evo) Is a superior car in almost every way. Why spend new Porsche money on an old Beemer, when you can spend Old Beemer money on an Old Beemer, and have something that will blow away anything short of a Porsche.
E36 M3 Evo Saloon (with a black interior) for me please. Then, I'll go to a breakers yard and change all of the ///M trim for ordinary E36 trim. I'll keep the mirrors and the rims, because people upgrade to these anyway. Then I'll remove the ///M badge and replace it with a 316i badge.
Then I'll have some fun! :-)
E36 M3 Evo Saloon (with a black interior) for me please. Then, I'll go to a breakers yard and change all of the ///M trim for ordinary E36 trim. I'll keep the mirrors and the rims, because people upgrade to these anyway. Then I'll remove the ///M badge and replace it with a 316i badge.
Then I'll have some fun! :-)
Garlick said:
I was lucky enough to spend a few days with an E30 M3 a few years ago. Always liked the looks and here it is with my old S2 (The TVR is lurking behind that wall)
Is the M3 massively better than the S2 as really they arent that far away from each other in terms of Era, power output, being rear drive and German ? the market seems to think so, or is it down to numbers as there doesnt seem to be a shortage of decent 944's but there arent many E30 M3's. I have only driven the S2 but I wouldnt say mine is good as the reputation of the E30 M3, I get the impression that though the engines are both 4 cyl 16 valve units, the M3 engine makes a bit more of a nice noise. Is it four times better as you can get a decent S2 for four grand.You could by a much faster car for that sort of money.. yeah yeah blah blah blah..
these arguments always come up, you know the usual, "My £4000 Civic Type R is faster etc"
but these comments miss the point entirely. Cars like the old M3 are now blue chip classics. In this case genuine road-going racers. Like Lancia Integrales, Quattros and Sierra/Escort Cosworths. Quite frankly they are now quite rare, due to being used for racing and also falling in to the hands of idiots. All that is dead and gone and remaining good examples are sound investments and still thrilling road cars. Most will be kept in heated garages and be very well looked after. Rightly so, they just dont make cars like this any more. YES The following M3 was a much faster car, but for me it lacked all the appeal and the pedigree that made the original such a gem.
If i could afford to run so many cars I would have one of these, a 20V quattro and an RS500 sitting in my dream car garage..
these arguments always come up, you know the usual, "My £4000 Civic Type R is faster etc"
but these comments miss the point entirely. Cars like the old M3 are now blue chip classics. In this case genuine road-going racers. Like Lancia Integrales, Quattros and Sierra/Escort Cosworths. Quite frankly they are now quite rare, due to being used for racing and also falling in to the hands of idiots. All that is dead and gone and remaining good examples are sound investments and still thrilling road cars. Most will be kept in heated garages and be very well looked after. Rightly so, they just dont make cars like this any more. YES The following M3 was a much faster car, but for me it lacked all the appeal and the pedigree that made the original such a gem.
If i could afford to run so many cars I would have one of these, a 20V quattro and an RS500 sitting in my dream car garage..
I too have had mine many years and although they've gone up in value you can't forget that they cost, roughly, 2 grand a year to maintain. You can't just lock it in the garage and bring it out on MOT day then watch the value go up.
If anything owners of M3s that have had theirs a decent time won't have made and money but maybe have only lost a few thousand. These cars are for investments, these are from childhood dreams of one day owning the car you saw Johnny Cecotto lifting all four wheels off at the Nurburgring or watched Frank Sytner waving his fist at pretty much everybody during any of his races.
I have toyed with selling mine a few times over the 11/12 years I've owned it but I can't. It's out lived 2 marriages (still on the 2nd) and my wife sees it as an important part of our life.
People have always got a job list for their car but, keep in mind, if you get an M3 (or any older car) that job list will be 5 times longer than any car you know, you'll have your yearly requirements that you must get done but then another 20 jobs appear. This might just be me being a total anal freak but I know I've got one stone chip on the front and a stain on the boot carpet I need to get sorted.
E30 M3 Vs S2 - I have a 968CS too and the 968 is much easier to drive, you can do 25 in 6th or 70 in 2nd but either way the car is so easy. It's not the occasion that it is driving the M3 having to hit 5k before anything happens and getting dusted at the lights by a 1.2 Clio because it's like a 316 at any revs below 5k.
They're not the fastest car around, especially by today's standards but you put one next to many modern cars on a track or a country road and you'd be very surprised how the little s14 compares in power but mainly the chassis for being so nimble and chuck able!!!
If you want to get one then now is the time, they're only going to keep going up. I'd opt for an early one that needs a little work (it'll need loads), make some sedate yet reversible modifications to release the true car but without spending an arm and a leg or becoming a chav. To get 235bhp is awesome with nice brakes and suspension coupled with a good set of tyres you've got a winner.
If anything owners of M3s that have had theirs a decent time won't have made and money but maybe have only lost a few thousand. These cars are for investments, these are from childhood dreams of one day owning the car you saw Johnny Cecotto lifting all four wheels off at the Nurburgring or watched Frank Sytner waving his fist at pretty much everybody during any of his races.
I have toyed with selling mine a few times over the 11/12 years I've owned it but I can't. It's out lived 2 marriages (still on the 2nd) and my wife sees it as an important part of our life.
People have always got a job list for their car but, keep in mind, if you get an M3 (or any older car) that job list will be 5 times longer than any car you know, you'll have your yearly requirements that you must get done but then another 20 jobs appear. This might just be me being a total anal freak but I know I've got one stone chip on the front and a stain on the boot carpet I need to get sorted.
E30 M3 Vs S2 - I have a 968CS too and the 968 is much easier to drive, you can do 25 in 6th or 70 in 2nd but either way the car is so easy. It's not the occasion that it is driving the M3 having to hit 5k before anything happens and getting dusted at the lights by a 1.2 Clio because it's like a 316 at any revs below 5k.
They're not the fastest car around, especially by today's standards but you put one next to many modern cars on a track or a country road and you'd be very surprised how the little s14 compares in power but mainly the chassis for being so nimble and chuck able!!!
If you want to get one then now is the time, they're only going to keep going up. I'd opt for an early one that needs a little work (it'll need loads), make some sedate yet reversible modifications to release the true car but without spending an arm and a leg or becoming a chav. To get 235bhp is awesome with nice brakes and suspension coupled with a good set of tyres you've got a winner.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff