The 'you need an E30' thread

[Chapel]

Quote, originally posted by Corbic »

40mm actualy is the exact amount you can lower it. Any more and you need to do some pricey modification, or your car will handle like crap. I grabbed a "total BMW" mag from Barns+Noble (may issue). It has a huge section on "Modifying your BMW". Explains all the modifications you can, can't, should and should not do for each Bimmer. GET THE MAG, best 8 bucks I've spent in a long time. Found it, exact quote. "Lowering the car up to 40 mm is OK, but any more and you'll need to use offset, rear trailing arm bushes to correct the excessive negative camber on the rear wheels. The easy answer? DON'T lower it any more than 40mm. "

40mm in the rear maybe.
40mm in the front is barely scratching the surface
I think my H&R Sport Springs and Bilstein Sport Dampers lower it about 40mm and it handles fine. The rear IS cambered a little, but the control arms are not past parallel.
The fronts are not past parallel at all and there is still plenty of fender gap. (in fact the car has kind of a reverse rake)

Yes, the more you lower the rear of an E30 the more camber you give it, but you will never break that parallel

Plus, that added rear camber really makes the rear stick HARD under fast cornering

The H&R Cup Kit lowers 2.1" front and 1.7" rear (40mm = 1.5")
H&R Coils drop up to 2"F and 1.6"R

[1fastdub]

I officially want an E30

[Corbic]

Quote, originally posted by 1fastdub »

I officially want an E30

\

I hear ya, but its so hard to find them in good condition and at a decent price.

[Chapel]

bought mine for $3000 cash

[mirek]

Quote, originally posted by Chapel »

bought mine for $3000 cash

i bought mine for 1500$CDN, cash.. 89. in excellent condition

be jealous, be veryy verryyy jealous....

[mattdesmond]

We got our 1984 318i for $200. And it even runs. Beat that!

[VwG60Kid]

Quote »

We got our 1984 318i for $200. And it even runs. Beat that!

i got my 1989 325i with 72k miles and runs perfect with good paint and interior few small dings but almost always garaged and everything but ac works...

cost: get it out of his driveway and and drive it home from new jersey(well i am engaged to the previous (and orginal) owners daughter so they may have helped )

so BEAT (kinda)

Modified by VwG60Kid at 2:21 AM 6-20-2004

[WannaCorrado]

I bought mine for $1400, but it needed a new suspension.. Still a pretty good deal IMO..

[velocidub]

Seeing all these E30s makes me feel . BMW is sooooooooooo taking the styling of the new BMWs in the WRONG direction IMO.

Maybe someday they will come out with a retro BMW. It will have the traditional styling with new mechanicals

[wjbski]

I paid $1100 for this one. I've spent about $1000 in parts fixing all of the worn out suspension and rotted exhaust. It's not a magazine quality car, but it's fun to drive and it gets 28MPG on the freeway, holding a steady 80MPH.

The cars are out there, but you're gonna have to make some repairs to them. They really don't cost anymore than an A2 VW to fix. You can get the "brand name" parts from the same on-line discount parts suppliers that you buy your VW parts from.

[VanDam]

That's what I'm talking about..
WOOWOO E30 biatch!
Here's mine, I got it for $800.

[direfu]

[BMWm_power]

I hope nobody objects to me bumping this thread

[VW-BMW]

e34 owns you guys.

[jonbaby420]

Quote, originally posted by VW-BMW »

e34 owns you guys.

I hope you're kidding.

[WannaCorrado]

maybe e28 but not e34

[danny_16v]

this thing rocks... nice and oldschool

but this M3 rocks my world

and cramer's M3 is just sick.

I can only dream of keeping up with the maintenance of an M3.
But I know this lady that has a MINT 325is 4 door in gold that Im sure she will want to sell one day. I will be there

[1.8tautocrossVW]

whats the difference in the 325is and 325i ???? both 2 doors, im guessing suspension... curently looking for one and need to know..... thanks guys

[SlavaKM]

what is the best year for e30 ?

[danny_16v]

Quote, originally posted by 1.8tautocrossVW »

whats the difference in the 325is and 325i ???? both 2 doors, im guessing suspension... curently looking for one and need to know..... thanks guys

not necessarily both 2 doors I dont think... I believe its trim level??

[WannaCorrado]

325is vs 325i

325IS most importantely had the limited slip differential in the rear. And ONLY came in 2-door versions. "i" came in 2 or 4 door versions.

'Is' got sport seats with side bolsters, leather 3-spoke steering wheel (Mtech1: 87-89, leather wrapped 4-spoke airbag wheel 90-91), trunk lip spoiler. IS models also had a larger/lower front lip spoiler and elliposoid headlights (88+).

Best year to buy: (dont know)

87: First year for the "i/is" model with the 2.5 high revving motor. Large aluminum bumpers, small tail lamps, large front IS spoiler under the large aluminum bumper. Many 87's are "e" cars with the slow revving 2.7l

88: "e" models with the slow ETA engine still produced, make sure you get the "i" engine if that's what you're looking for. Updated body, larger tail lights, still large aluminum bumpers. Also first year of the AWD IX model. Quite desirable because in 88 it came with all the IS goodies and was the most expensive 3-series offered, more $ than the M3 even

89: First year of updated body WITH smaller plastic bumpers
90: First year of airbag cars
91: no more 325IS, all are i's with most IS options included. 318iS with a potent M42 engine is out for only one year. Find this car and you will be happy - chip it and it is almost as quick as then m20 (325) cars, and MORE fun to drive




Modified by WannaCorrado at 9:00 PM 9-14-2004

[1.8tautocrossVW]

so would i be dissapointed in buying an "i" instead of an "is" are they really that much different? Do people still tune the "i's"??? can I do everything to the I to make it an is??? thanks for all the help once again about to buy one and need to know...

[WannaCorrado]

read the differences above and make a decision. I have an "i". Same engine, same gearbox, only differences are options and limited slip. All the things you are missing in the "I" are easily retrofitted if you really desire them.

Find an I or IS and get it as long as it is clean and in good shape. They are so old that good conditions matters more than trim level

[SlavaKM]

sounds like 87 is the best year

[VW-BMW]

The 87-88 bigass front airdam looks so sick with the diving board bumpers compressed in all the way.

[WannaCorrado]

Quote, originally posted by VW-BMW »

The 87-88 bigass front airdam looks so sick with the diving board bumpers compressed in all the way.

87 and down only, 88 had diving boards but new body without the huge IS lip.

but I agree:

[Boston Chuck]

Quote, originally posted by RUSSIAN »

sounds like 87 is the best year

Most folks actually prefer the later years for their more streamlined bumpers. It's just about looks. Performance-wise the years aren't much different. And performance-wise the "i" and "is" aren't much different, either. The most important thing to consider isn't the year or the "s"... it's the condition of the car (rust?) and maintanence history.

My 87 325is w/285,000 miles (pardon the small picture):

[Chapel]

I hate the big aluminum bumpers beause of the stupid black rubber side things.
However, the early cars are lighter and can look quite bad ass with the euro bumpers and front valence.
I'd say 89 is the best
small plastic bumpers, ellipsoids, popout rear windows (last year for rear popouts), and no airbags. 88 was the only year guaranteed to have ellipsoids... some 89s have them, 90-91s went back to sealed beams .
basically, try to get a straight, rust free car with a good maintenance history. You can always make the car look better with european body parts.

[WannaCorrado]

thats right, I dont have rear pop-outs
Oh well

[GTImonty]

Must...have...e30....M3

[THE KILLER RABBIT]

happy birthday thread

[Ian F]

bastards... I know i need an E30... no need to remind me like this...

[SlavaKM]

How much do performance parts run for e30?

I mean, are they expensive?
We know for domestics and asian imports stuff can be found pretty cheap. But VWs...well, atleast new ones, stuff is expensive.

[Drehzahlbaron]

In doen´t know why the E30 is so popular along with you guys in the US, but here in Germany
I am tired of seeing those things. Aspecialy in the area where I live there are so many and the most of them are tunend like the first one.
Is an E30 really such an rare jewel?

[SlavaKM]

its probably because in the states we dont have many "light weight" cars to choose from.

i like the styling and the fact that they are light, nimble and can be lowered makes me want one