BMW 3 Series E30 (1989-92) Reliability??

mal1

I was thinking of buying a BMW 3 Series E30 (from about 1989 to 1992). I don't mind investing a few euros in buying the car but I'm afraid about issues relating to buying a car that's about 20 years old. As an engineer I know that a lot of mechanical parts/machines have a lifetime of about 20 years at max, so I'm afraid that after buying a 20 year old car, I will land spending lots more on parts/repairs.

I have a little mechanical knowledge, can change the oil and brake pads etc but i won't be able to do large repairs/replacements myself. I had a friend who had a E30 about 4 years ago and the car leaked a lot. I only do about 8,000miles a year and i won't be driving the car hard. Has anyone any experiences or advice?? Do boy racers usually buy E30s and drive them hard??

jozi

I'm near finished fixing a crashed on up at the minute so can't really answer all your questions.

Head over to www.e30owners.com it's an Irish E30 site, lots of very knowledgeable members. There's a few cars for sale also.

I don't think they are any less reliable as other cars. Their engines can be quite tough. I was looking for a 318iS (M42 engine) and came across millage ranging from 60k right upto and over 200k and still going strong.

I'd say go for it! Either a 325i Sport (nice sounding inline 6, plenty of torque, high tax and drinks a bit) or 318iS (revy 4pot, better on juice, nearly as fast as a 325) I'd avoid the 320i (nice sound and all but much slower than the 325 and even the 318iS and drinks as much as the 325) can't really comment much on the 318 and 316 engines/cars

E30i

At this stage I think it will be difficult to generalise, cars that have been trashed will be tired and will have issues, a well minded example that you are prepared to invest in should serve you well and lose very little (if any) in value based on that mileage. Take your time finding the right one and don't look for the cheapest example and you should be fine and enjoy it.

My advice would be to get the most original one you can with the least modifications and as little rust as possible. Check the cills, seams and underside of the doors as well as the battery holder in the boot (doesn't always hold the battery.

Are you most interested in a 2 door or a 4 door?

Best of luck

mal1

Thanks for the web link. I need to do a little more research. I've always wanted one since i was a kid so I'm hoping to find a suitable one.

I'm probably interested in a 2 door. I was thinking of going for the 325. i don't mind paying the extra tax and insurance:D. I saw a red one up the Dublin mountains during the weekend and the guy inside was driving the sh*t out of it. It got me thinking about the state of some of the E30s out there.

Ferris

You have to remember that compared to newer cars the e30 was very well built, over engineered in fact. Drivetrains are tough apart maybe fom the UJ and wheel bearings, but thats true of any RWD car. As said the engines to have are the twin cam M42 and the M20B25 325 (or an M3:D). The m20's can give head gasket troubles tho.

Mechanically these cars are reliable, but they are an old car and as such rust is the main problem. The main areas are the boot, the sills, wheelarches, doors, sunroof if fitted, around the windscreen and the front bulkhead around the battery tray. They're not especially rust prone, just old cars.

I had a 316 coupe and loved it. Needed more power tho. It was a reliable car tho and never let me down. It was well able for commuting and was quite comfortable. The best looking car i've owned by far.

mal1

I aim to spend between 5000-7000euro with the hope of getting a car without rust and in good general shape. My mate reckons i'm spending too much on an old car (with an amount of risk involved) but i'd rather spend a little more initially and avoid future spend. My brother had a BMW and drove it hard resulting in a new gearbox. Totally his fault in my opinion, he didn't look after the car but i don't want to pick up something similar..

If i don't find anything then i reckon i'll settle on a newer BMW.

Ferris

mal1 wrote: »

I aim to spend between 5000-7000euro with the hope of getting a car without rust and in good general shape. My mate reckons i'm spending too much on an old car (with an amount of risk involved) but i'd rather spend a little more initially and avoid future spend. My brother had a BMW and drove it hard resulting in a new gearbox. Totally his fault in my opinion, he didn't look after the car but i don't want to pick up something similar..

I was in a similar position and opted for a Nissan 200sx that cost a lot less than 5k. You get rwd and more power than a 325. If you buy an irish car you should get cheaper insurance than on an e30. And if you want more power than 300hp is only a couple of grand away.

jozi

5-7k will get you a very very nice 325i Sport.

There's a guy selling this at the min:

With different wheel and he's looking for under 5k

And someone else:


This one's got a 2.7 conversion


Bringing them in from the uk isn't really worth it, the vrt for them I think is over a grand.

Don't get a newer BMW get an E30!!!

Stevie Dakota

The OP who is looking for a classic, old school BMW, and you are suggesting a Nissan ****box (no offence)? The E30 is a beauty, find the right one and it will reward in spades.

Ferris

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

The OP who is looking for a classic, old school BMW, and you are suggesting a Nissan ****box (no offence)? The E30 is a beauty, find the right one and it will reward in spades.

No offence taken, I disagree on the ***box comment as its a well maintained two owner car that happen to be great fun to drive. I had an e30 and I agree that they are great cars. But I have driven well sorted 325's too and I can tell you that the nissan is a better car to drive. Spending 5-7k on a circa 90's bmw is crazy imo when a newer, comparible, well sorted and quicker alternative is available at half the price, again in my opinion

Incidently I'd rather drive a Nissan ****box like mine than some mindless eurobox like all the other drones.

Incidently this was my e30, lookin well:

mal1

Ferris - fair point, i like the one you posted. I like the ones that aren't modified. Do you mind telling me how much you sold it for?

jozi - Where are those cars for sale? Is it from the e30owners website?

jozi

Yeah all three from the E30owners site, you need to register to see the for sale cars.

Want me to pm the threads to you?

Ferris

mal1 wrote: »

Ferris - fair point, i like the one you posted. I like the ones that aren't modified. Do you mind telling me how much you sold it for?

jozi - Where are those cars for sale? Is it from the e30owners website?

Thanks, I like them both mod'd and standard. That pic was taken when it was new to me. I left the country and gave it to a friend and he wrecked it, eneded up as scrap as the body was starting to rust too badly. Never thought to take the Mim wheels off tho, they were quite rare. They were off an e21 and had a low offset so stuck out nearly beyond the arches .

If I was looking for an e30 I would buy primarily on body and paint condition rather than wheels/kits/engine/if its a sport or not.

mal1

jozi wrote: »

Yeah all three from the E30owners site, you need to register to see the for sale cars.

Want me to pm the threads to you?

I just registered and i'm having a look. Thanks

BrianD3

E30s are generally owned by enthusiasts - the car is a semi classic and it is many years since they've been favoured by skangers. Rust would be the main thing to look for. Mechanical bits will probably have been replaced or overhauled many times over the years so worrying about original parts having a finite lifespan isn't really an issue. Look for a car that has some records for work done in the last few years.

Another good thing about them is they are relatively simple and have to do a much less stringent NCT emissions test than more modern cars.

high horse

The 318iS is the one to go for. It handles better than the 325 sport and is almost as quick. I've had one for the last 3 years and it averages 36-37 mpg which is very respectable so the running cost wont break you!. Good strong engine (m42 is the engine code if you're doing research) in these too with a chain cam and with 157000 miles on the click mine is still going strong.

AS said above, e30owners.com is a great forum for information/technical help/sourcing parts/general chit chat.

Hope that helps

k.mullen

i was always a hughe fan of the e30s and after alot of searching bought myself a sport, its actually one of the ones jozi has in his pic's, ha ha, anyway when your only planning on doing small milage i wouldn't let the 2.5 put ya off anyway as there not bad on juice once minded, since got mine have barely 4500miles in yr and half done and never gave me any trouble, the 318is are great car for a 4 cylinder but i have to say i much prefer the sound of the 6 cylinder engine

VolvoMan

Ferris wrote: »

Spending 5-7k on a circa 90's bmw is crazy imo when a newer, comparible, well sorted and quicker alternative is available at half the price, again in my opinion

I totally agree.

The likes of the E30 3 Series and the Toyota Twin Cam are cars that have had their value kept artificially high in recent years. Unless you can find one for reasonable money, I would avoid paying anything above 4k for them as they are simply not worth it imo.

A Nissan 200SX would be very a nice alternative. If they weren't so dull looking they would be a fantastic car.

Shires

Ferris wrote: »

You have to remember that compared to newer cars the e30 was very well built, over engineered in fact.

I know from looking inside the engine bay of an E28 5 series (same timeframe/engines as the E30) that pretty much everything is metal and solid. On my E39 5er there are lots of plastic bits that looks like they'll fall to bits if you so much as squint at them!

Stevie Dakota

Ferris wrote: »

You have to remember that compared to newer cars the e30 was very well built, over engineered in fact.

Not sure that that is correct. The e34 was the last of the over engineered BMW's, the E30 had quite a few weakspots and doesn't not have anywhere near the solidity of the E34. It was over weight late in the engineering cycle and went on a weight loss program before being launched, it was then launched with quite a few problems (not the first time BMW have done this). I remember a german mag highlighting the issue, one of which was the space between the rear wheel and wheel arch was to large!

It's a good, classic car, and have a loyal following, but I think they are quite overrated for what they are, especially in smaller engined guise.