E30 M3 - Where to get info'
Discussion
Moseley Motorsport are highly knowledgeable on the E30 M3.
Here's a dedicated forum BUT you have to register and, when I tried in the past, it took quite some time and a referral before I got entry.
http://board.s14power.com/
Here's a dedicated forum BUT you have to register and, when I tried in the past, it took quite some time and a referral before I got entry.
http://board.s14power.com/
warsteiner///M3 said:
S14.net are probably the best for answering any questions relating to E30 M3s IMHO. I have owned mine for nearly seven years and the guys on this forum are very knowledgeable. Although it has a bit of a US bias but don't let that put you off (honest).Also as above.....Nigel at Moseley Motor Sport is very good and a lovely bloke to boot, I've had lots of bits from him over the years.
Dealers....hmmmm!!!!
Spec. It's all about the history, don't worry too much about the mileage (as long as it has not been to the moon and back obviously)....tons of receipts....old MOTs etc etc (the usual). Try to go for one of the later models 89/90 up, bit more power etc. Specialist models, Cecotto etc are hard to come by but not particularly any harder to look after. Go for a leather interior if you can, more valuable (and they look better IMHO). Go for standard/stock/original every time, that includes the colour. The more original bits, the more you can tell it's been looked after, full tool kit, warning triangle, first aid box etc...
Issues....crappy (ahem!) upgrades. Especially suspension systems. Apart from that, as long as they have been well looked after......The M10 engine (on which the M3 is based, is pretty much bullet proof (well the bottom end is anyhoo). Timing chain check if it has been changed over to an E36 one, as there were issues with the original E30 one (apparently). Rust...check rear lights, scuttles, petrol filler cap, floor under heat shield on passenger side (if you can get it on a ramp obviously), spare wheel bay.
Hope that helps, any other questions etc... just post something on S14.net
Edited by hesnotthemessiah on Sunday 17th October 20:08
Purely for the reason I want an E92 M3....
I'd rather have one main car and still have the E30 sport in the garage, at the minute I have 4 cars to tax/mot/service/insure and fuel
The E30 M3 will be parked up for a few months over winter, you never know I might change my mind come 2011
I'd rather have one main car and still have the E30 sport in the garage, at the minute I have 4 cars to tax/mot/service/insure and fuel
The E30 M3 will be parked up for a few months over winter, you never know I might change my mind come 2011
Bodie390 said:
Purely for the reason I want an E92 M3....
I'd rather have one main car and still have the E30 sport in the garage, at the minute I have 4 cars to tax/mot/service/insure and fuel
The E30 M3 will be parked up for a few months over winter, you never know I might change my mind come 2011
I thought there must have been a really good reason. I know you've invested a lot of dosh, time and effort into that car. I hope you manage to keep it but if not I'm sure it will go to a good home. I'd rather have one main car and still have the E30 sport in the garage, at the minute I have 4 cars to tax/mot/service/insure and fuel
The E30 M3 will be parked up for a few months over winter, you never know I might change my mind come 2011
You'll not regret getting one!!! I've had 39 cars in 20 years of driving but kept my M3 for almost ten years now.
As said before they are almost bullet proof, don't listen to divs that mention the timing chain needing replacement at 100k. Just make sure the tensioners have been replace with either e36/e46 ones!!
Kierans car is very good and has got to be one of the best I've seen, he's the anal person I've met other than me.
If you get one be prepared to spend atleast £1500-£2000 a year in maintenance. I have an inspection 2 completed at both begining and the end of the year. You'll have a list of jobs you try to get through each year.
You don't buy one on mileage but on condition and history. No history walk away. I, as many have, keep every invoice detailing all the work completed to back up any stamps in the service book.
The worst enemy of the e30 now is rust, scuttle, jacking points, strut tops etc are the key areas to check.
You need to decide which one you want or do as I did and get the best example you could get no matter colour, spec or year. Mine is a H plate, late spec.
E30 Zone is probably the best site or s14 power which is a splinter forum from s14.net. S14.net is full of knowlegable people but also full of patronising divs that, in my opinion, go out of their way to not help people or help people whilst making you feel very stupid.
As said before they are almost bullet proof, don't listen to divs that mention the timing chain needing replacement at 100k. Just make sure the tensioners have been replace with either e36/e46 ones!!
Kierans car is very good and has got to be one of the best I've seen, he's the anal person I've met other than me.
If you get one be prepared to spend atleast £1500-£2000 a year in maintenance. I have an inspection 2 completed at both begining and the end of the year. You'll have a list of jobs you try to get through each year.
You don't buy one on mileage but on condition and history. No history walk away. I, as many have, keep every invoice detailing all the work completed to back up any stamps in the service book.
The worst enemy of the e30 now is rust, scuttle, jacking points, strut tops etc are the key areas to check.
You need to decide which one you want or do as I did and get the best example you could get no matter colour, spec or year. Mine is a H plate, late spec.
E30 Zone is probably the best site or s14 power which is a splinter forum from s14.net. S14.net is full of knowlegable people but also full of patronising divs that, in my opinion, go out of their way to not help people or help people whilst making you feel very stupid.
Just as a matter of interest (me offering absolutely no value to another thread on here? Amazing) there is an absolutely epic rebuild/refresh of an E30 M3 thread on www.e30zone.net.
An Irish chap has literally (and I mean literally) rebuilt his M3 so that it's better than new. The detail, the pictures, just the whole thing - it's one of the most comprehensive threads on a car build I've ever read. Quite, quite brilliant.
The chap's name is X-works and I'd doff my hat to him (if I actually wore a hat and er, met him in the street).
I'm only posting this because you've expressed an interest in buying one and if it needs some work - this thread gives a step by step guide on how to do everything.
An Irish chap has literally (and I mean literally) rebuilt his M3 so that it's better than new. The detail, the pictures, just the whole thing - it's one of the most comprehensive threads on a car build I've ever read. Quite, quite brilliant.
The chap's name is X-works and I'd doff my hat to him (if I actually wore a hat and er, met him in the street).
I'm only posting this because you've expressed an interest in buying one and if it needs some work - this thread gives a step by step guide on how to do everything.
Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:
Just as a matter of interest (me offering absolutely no value to another thread on here? Amazing) there is an absolutely epic rebuild/refresh of an E30 M3 thread on www.e30zone.net.
An Irish chap has literally (and I mean literally) rebuilt his M3 so that it's better than new. The detail, the pictures, just the whole thing - it's one of the most comprehensive threads on a car build I've ever read. Quite, quite brilliant.
The chap's name is X-works and I'd doff my hat to him (if I actually wore a hat and er, met him in the street).
I'm only posting this because you've expressed an interest in buying one and if it needs some work - this thread gives a step by step guide on how to do everything.
link as cannot find?An Irish chap has literally (and I mean literally) rebuilt his M3 so that it's better than new. The detail, the pictures, just the whole thing - it's one of the most comprehensive threads on a car build I've ever read. Quite, quite brilliant.
The chap's name is X-works and I'd doff my hat to him (if I actually wore a hat and er, met him in the street).
I'm only posting this because you've expressed an interest in buying one and if it needs some work - this thread gives a step by step guide on how to do everything.
falkster said:
GarryA said:
Make sure you get a good go in one, sometimes it's best to never meet your heroes.
I don't think that applies to the e30! Amazing in standard form but even better when you have a tinker!! Edited by GarryA on Thursday 21st October 18:23
I grew up hanging on the fencing at Thruxton watching Soper go mirror to mirror in BTCC, dreaming of owning an E30 one day.
Roll on a few years, and I found one in mint concours condition sorted with Schrick cams etc. Bodywork perfect, scuttle all sorted, mechanically A1.
The driving experience was good... but coming from a other more modern cars, it always left me wanting. So I sold it. (it was also in *too* good a condition to actually drive a lot of the time)
But on reflection, it was one of the most underwhelming cars I have owned. It never rewarded the driving experience as expected - perhaps a tad unfair as I had a GT3 in the stable at the same time, but it was still underwhelming nonetheless. The CSL after it was brilliant.
All that being said, it's still one of the best looking cars around imho.
Roll on a few years, and I found one in mint concours condition sorted with Schrick cams etc. Bodywork perfect, scuttle all sorted, mechanically A1.
The driving experience was good... but coming from a other more modern cars, it always left me wanting. So I sold it. (it was also in *too* good a condition to actually drive a lot of the time)
But on reflection, it was one of the most underwhelming cars I have owned. It never rewarded the driving experience as expected - perhaps a tad unfair as I had a GT3 in the stable at the same time, but it was still underwhelming nonetheless. The CSL after it was brilliant.
All that being said, it's still one of the best looking cars around imho.
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