Where to buy a nice clean E30 M3 and whats up with prices?
Discussion
I've got the money but I don't want hastle / risk of buying one out of Autotrader. Where should I go? Alternatively does anyone offer a service of checking e30 M3s over?
GF thinks all old cars are unreliable (and she has a lot of evidence from my past "classics") and wants me to buy newer. Had settled on a 3 year old 130 but I wonder about an M3 and lots of servicing.
I'm finding it difficult to get a good handle on prices - they seem all over the place.
BTW is there a M specialist in Norfolk / East Anglia? to do servicing / repairs?
keep an eye on http://www.munichlegends.co.uk/welcome.html or ask them to source one for you?
Neil.D
Neil.D
The owners clubs forums are pretty good for finding well cared for cars. Price wise, they are appreciating or had been up until the Credit Crunch, so some people will still price them high irrespective and some be a bit more reasonable. As far as reliability goes, well maintained they are bullet proof. They will take a real thrashing all day at the track and then some. Don't get too hung up on low mileage, that has no bearing on reliability, garage queens that never get driven are a liability IME. Cars that get used suffer far fewer gremlins, start on the key and generally run far better. Enjoy.
Darjac Racing aka Darren Farrell is based just outside Colchester. He knows his way around M-Cars (Tel 07807 689538). Talk to VodTek on 07879 282009 (Norfolk based) re buying a car. Munich Legends will be the most expensive route you can take, WLN may be worth a try on 01253 304487, but I would start looking at private sales and take along a decent mechanic. Biggest worries are rust, rust and more rust. Bills are vital, not mileage nor owners. I would look for a well restored car, and buy it privately off of an enthuasist!! You may well have to part with £16K plus to get runner and over £20K for a really good car.
I and quite a few mates own E30 M3's and find them generally reliable, but we have on the whole carried out a lot of preventative maintenance, so I think you need to look at the history.
Most if not all are owned by enthusiasts now - give the owner a bit of a grilling to test his/her knowledge to make sure.
Most important thing is to check the bodywork of these now quite old cars, as with all the aero addenda they hide corrosion well.
I am no mechanic, but if you want me to give you a list of known things things to check PM/email me.
You may also want to go on www.s14power.com & www.s14.net where you can search or ask for info.
Cheers,
Most if not all are owned by enthusiasts now - give the owner a bit of a grilling to test his/her knowledge to make sure.
Most important thing is to check the bodywork of these now quite old cars, as with all the aero addenda they hide corrosion well.
I am no mechanic, but if you want me to give you a list of known things things to check PM/email me.
You may also want to go on www.s14power.com & www.s14.net where you can search or ask for info.
Cheers,
I've had mine for about 5 or 6 years now and its been very reliable
Paid £5,500 for it at the time when i needed a few bits of bodywork sorting, had it fully resprayed in the summer and have had it valued at £14k a few months ago. Mines an 1987 Uk supplied car with 117K miles on the clock in good condition.
Munich legends did have a nice looking evo 2 for around £20K recently, but their saying its hard to get cars they'd what to sell.
Paid £5,500 for it at the time when i needed a few bits of bodywork sorting, had it fully resprayed in the summer and have had it valued at £14k a few months ago. Mines an 1987 Uk supplied car with 117K miles on the clock in good condition.
Munich legends did have a nice looking evo 2 for around £20K recently, but their saying its hard to get cars they'd what to sell.
If you want a good car and wish to do some work on it to really make it great...and are willing to have it mildly tweaked then contact Phil Crouch at CPC in Chorleywood Herts Tel 07960 280953. He has an E30 M3, Evo sport bottom end engine transplant, low mileage, all bills from day one and a great rust free chassis. However one or two panels need some TLC to make it concourse due to the previous owner NOT keeping the paintwork in a waxed state.
I agree, unfortunately with this car they are mostly private ads and IMO I would rather see the owner and check him out as much as the car.
In the Norfolk area there is also Rossiters, who I believe are now Schnitzer distributors. Also German Cars in Kings Lynn.
When I bought mine I knew it was the one because I walked into the garage and it was sitting next a couple of absolutely pristine classics, bought it on the spot and never looked back.
In the Norfolk area there is also Rossiters, who I believe are now Schnitzer distributors. Also German Cars in Kings Lynn.
When I bought mine I knew it was the one because I walked into the garage and it was sitting next a couple of absolutely pristine classics, bought it on the spot and never looked back.
+1 for Rossiters. I wonder if Chris still has his E30 M3? One of his staff has one iirc.
Nice cars, some optimistic prices atm but then they were undervalued 7-10 years back. Condition is paramount as always, dodge the Sport Evos unless you're a millionaire and watch for the oxidisation
Nice cars, some optimistic prices atm but then they were undervalued 7-10 years back. Condition is paramount as always, dodge the Sport Evos unless you're a millionaire and watch for the oxidisation
Edited by Diesel Meister on Tuesday 2nd December 22:01
Might not be exactly what you are looking for, but mines for sale here :
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/784173.htm
It's very clean, with no rust and over £17,000 worth of receipts from my 5 years of ownership.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/784173.htm
It's very clean, with no rust and over £17,000 worth of receipts from my 5 years of ownership.
jamesrose said:
Might not be exactly what you are looking for, but mines for sale here :
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/784173.htm
It's very clean, with no rust and over £17,000 worth of receipts from my 5 years of ownership.
What did you pay for the scuttle/windscreen work, if you don't mind me asking? http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/784173.htm
It's very clean, with no rust and over £17,000 worth of receipts from my 5 years of ownership.
I understand its not simple; dashboard has to come out?
A friend has one of these and the scuttle is rotten...he's bought the panel, but...
ta
Andy
You don't have to take the dash out but the screen needs to come out,
Mine was done my www.sprcoachworks.co.uk in east sussex along with a complete respray, they come highly recommended.
Mine was done my www.sprcoachworks.co.uk in east sussex along with a complete respray, they come highly recommended.
The dash is not a major job on an E30, it's time consuming but there are worse jobs.
If you budget about £1k for the scuttle you should be OK, any more and you want to be asking why any less is a bonus so long as it's done properly.
ETA, whoever does the scuttle you want to get them to leave the original scuttles VIN and frame no's in place as on replacement scuttles they are stamped in a different place, sometimes by a 2yr old.
If you budget about £1k for the scuttle you should be OK, any more and you want to be asking why any less is a bonus so long as it's done properly.
ETA, whoever does the scuttle you want to get them to leave the original scuttles VIN and frame no's in place as on replacement scuttles they are stamped in a different place, sometimes by a 2yr old.
Edited by E30M3SE on Thursday 4th December 17:01
Neil.D said:
keep an eye on http://www.munichlegends.co.uk/welcome.html or ask them to source one for you?
Neil.D
Seem a pricey dealers to me........Neil.D
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