So what are your opinions on the BMW 325is E30? Worth looking into, or should I just forget it and stick with the 944.
What I like most about those cars, is the fact that they can be modified to get almost 200hp for a relatively cheap price, whereas the 944 N/A can be modified, but will be hard to get to 200hp without spending a lot of cash! Also, they have sporty yet comfortable interiors as compared to the older style 944's
My plan was sell my 944 1984, pick up a E30, save up and then sell E30 for a 951.
What do you think? Am I wasting time and effort?
Thanks
Mike

 

Pick up the latest issue of Grassroots Motorsports. They just did an article on a E30 (325E) that munches M3's. BMP did the work... it wasn't cheap from what they say... but looks like a real fun-mobile. Ther's a lot of aftermarket support for the E30's... not much more than for the 944 though. I'd buy it if it were for sale

Skip

 

i would think most people on this list do not care too much for investing time + money into most bimmers.. Furthermore, I'm sure most here feel that saving your money and going straight to a 951 when you can afford one, is a better choice. This is normal.. A bmw coupé/limosine/touring is not the same type of car. Where there are diiferences in HP, there are also difference in handling. This is a given.

Don't get me wrong: I want to do the same thing, with the exact same model. I found an 1987 325is (black on burgundy) for $3950 that was in semi-good shape, body-wise and in good shape engine/transmission-wise. Contrary to your position, I want to get the E30 as a another car, and keep my 944 NA. My motivations are to fit four people in my car comfortably, put some bolt-on stuff while I'm at it (an m3 engine!), and still be able to experience that german engineering, cheaply. Currently, these two marques are the only I consider worth the investment (time + money).

The market for performance parts for the E30 are plentiful and are as cheap or cheaper than E36 parts. Personally, and at some point, I would sell the E30 and go E36, and on to E46, etc. On the other hand, our Porsches are timeless, so getting a 951 is the next logical step for that marque (IMO). I'm in love with the engineering and handling of these p-cars to not give them up entirely for a Bavarian MotorWerks wagen. On another note- the E36s are SUPER inexpensive in Germany and Europe and it's possible to bring them into the country (USA) fairly cheaply. Some care to do this some don't, but the range of choices and prices are incredibly affordable when you look outside of our borders.

If you are serious about picking one up, I suggest getting a copy of this book: BMW 3-series Enthusiast's Companion, by Jeremy Walton, Bentley Publishers, 2001 - very thorough!
http://www.bmwe30.net http://www.bimmer.org

You could also pose this question to the guys at bimmer.org and see what they say (in terms of what we've said here re: PPI)
http://www.dtmpower.net/pictures/hin_ac/Dscn1690.jpg
Stuttgart vs Munchen!!!

 

Thanks for the comments.
The picture that was posted is exactly what I want to do, but when calculating the costs, one realizes that I can just purchase a 951 straight out. But, how does a stock 951 compare to a modified E30? Still think the 951 is better overall (handling, horses etc..)?

 

E30 BMW is a totally different car than 944,I have owned three E30 BMW's, 316I a 1.6 liter four banger,320I 6 cylinder and much modified 325I with Turbo charged 2.7 L olmost 300hp engine.It was a rocket!
It's a question what you are looking for.I liked my 325i very much but it didn't had that something what Porsche had.I drove a year ago 944.It was nice car but performance was something i didn't like.Now i have 300hp 951 and iam satisfied.It's faster than my old 325i and handling is much better.
---------------------------------------------Olli
'88 951

 

i think you are right, from a monetary perspective. but- it's still a loaded question.. A stock 951 is easy to figure out (esp. just hp), @ 217 Hp (Turbo S @ 247 Hp stock). For the E30 (which one?), you can modify until you have a racing-class car/no longer street legal and/or you run out of money. it depends on what you do - sky's the limit. personally speaking the 951 may get you better handling stock (50-50 weight balance), but it comes down to personal taste and what you expecting to get for your money. for me, the e30 is: the space (m^2) first, then performace second; and for the the p-car it's the performace, then the space (cuz it doesn't have any!). difficult for me to say honestly, i don't have one yet (!). You should see how much parts cost for what you'd want to do + the cost of R+R for the car as a whole. I would bet that you'd probably end up spending about the same amount as you would on a 944 na, for the 325is to get it to just under stock 951 level. <shrug>...
http://pub52.ezboard.com/fgrassroots...icID=432.topic

 

One last thing I forgot to mention..
As a student, I am looking for reliability along with power, at a cheap price. I am quite satisfied with my 944's reliability (even though my syncro just went), but from what I hear, E30 (or at least the 325is I am interested in), have a better clutch, and hardly need attention (not including electrical)
Don't get me wrong, I love my 944, but I like E30's too, and since they are a bit cheaper than 944's, I figure why not switch and modify the e30 to my liking and budget.
Do you think this approach makes sense?

 

excuse my ignornace but what exactly is E30?

 

go to http://www.bmwe30.net for more info.

 

checked e30.net and it still doesn't really say much...

 

It's a 3 series BMW found in the mid 80's to 1990. It's the boxy looking bmw's
I personally find the more interesting ones to be those of 1987-1990.

 

Thanks Mike, that's kind of what I thought. I thought they maybe "special" in some way though like the M series or something. So E30's are modifiable for cheap? What kinds of things can be done to them? Thanks again

[ 07-09-2001: Message edited by: marooned ]

 

ok... if you must:

The second-generation 3-series designation "E30" started with the 318i in 1982-3 to 1991-2 (first USA model was in 1983 and sold as a MY84 model) and evolved to include a 86 hp diesel, four door, a touring car, a 4WD, and a 238 hp Evolution Sport M3 and from a 4-cylinder to a 6-cylinder. These appeared as the following: 318 (1984 and 1985, 4-cylinder); 325e, 325es, 325 (eta-powered 6-cylinder 1984-88); 325i, 325is (i-powered 6-cylinder, 1987-93); 318i, 318is (M42, 4-cylinder 1991); specialty cars included: 325iC, 325iX, M3. For the E36s, manufacturing started in 1990-1. These are the third-generation 3-series models. Production ceased in 1998, when the E46 3-series (fourth-generation - what we see today) started. The way to tell which car is which is by looking at the model year. Then you should be able to tell the differences easily. Hope that helps.

Stuttgart vs Munchen!!