Just curious. The E30 M3 is the perfect non-993 car in my car world. I have never driven one and am very curious to hear what the experience is like.
--Michael

 

I have a 98 C2S and a 90 M3 and both are stock. They are great cars but also different. The 993 has more power obviously but the M3 has a slightly better steering feedback and I feel more connected to the road. It is very confidence inspiring and I am able to push the car more and thus, quicker in the canyons. The M3 is so planted that it's even difficult to get the rear to come around. The 993 is easier to drive on the street due to more power but it is also very rewarding to be able to control that rear end and I do love how it can rotate so well. In summary, the M3 with the superb chasis is a great driver's car and easier car to drive fast whereas the 993 is a more challenging car but also very rewarding.

 

Thanks Spikej! Anyone else?

 

Had two of the E30 M3's - Lachsilber "ODE2JOY" and brilliantrot "REALM3".
Great little cars and a joy to drive. Sweet S14 dohc 4 cylinder engine but low on torque but great fun above 4000 rpm.

Moved on from M3 to 993 - whole different ball game.

 

I'll offer a contrary opinion. Apologies to E30 M3 owners but I've paid my dues in restoring one from the ground up.

I owned a E30 M3 which I converted to EVOIII 2.5 (240 hp). Frankly, in both standard 2.3 and 2.5 configurations I could never get along with the S14 engine. Hated it in fact. Slow, boomy and buzzy. The rest of the car was fine but don't expect the excellent brakes and steering feel you get in your 993. The steering is slower than 993 steering too. Also, the car seems easy to drive in comparison to a 993 because it's slow. Get the car in the wet and it can be a handful with semi trailing arm rear suspension.

Try one before you buy. In the end I wound up preferring my old E30 325is (M3 steering rack, Konis, etc) to my M3. Better car for anywhere except the track.

Cheers,
Joe

 

I have had several E30 3-series cars including a 1990 M3. Amazing cars! Great build quality (ala an air-cooled P-car), inconic looks (ala air-cooled P-car), amazing steering ( ala air-cooled P-car), etc, etc.

To truly understand the car you need to drive it like you stole it, I.e always above 4k, twisty roads/track only. As a commuter, straight/flat roads its a gutless, boomy, pos... In its environment it's magic! For regular driving an E30 with an inline 6 is a better DD.

Just my .02 worth

 

Yes, and with the right mods, a 325is can be made to handle and feel just as nice as an M3 in its environment. It just doesn't look as cool.

 

I have never owned an E30 M3 but had 2 other E30 cars - a 1991 325iX and a 1992 325i/Convertible and they were terrific. Coincidentally, recently I have been shopping for more fun daily driver - planning to sell my 2002 Jetta TDI. The top car on my list was/is a 1991 318is which is a much lower cost version of the M3. Late last week, on Chicago Craigslist, I saw a 1991 318is for sale for $2700 but what also got my attention was another 1991 325i/Convertible. Fast forward this weekend, I ended up buying the 1991 325i/Convertible. Car had 2 owners, all receipts, with only 23K miles. Its not an M3 but I'll make do. I did call the guy with 1991 318is but that car was sold for $2K. E30s are definately great cars - good luck with your search.

 

23k miles?! WOW! Do you mind me asking what you paid for it? 5-speed?

 

I had a E30 M3 for a little over 11 years. Blew the motor up on the track, and spent a huge chunk of money rebuilding, then restoring the car.

The chassis is AWESOME, it's a great car to learn how to drive fast in. Great feel, great feedback, very progressive. Like a 911, you don't lift in the corners.

The engine, this is the gem of the car. Stock US spec it's a little stifled, but easy to fix. A chip, exhaust and cams will works wonders. Sadly, even when you build it up, low end torque is not it's strong suite, like a 95 933. But it will bull like a banshie up top and they can be built to rev over 9000 RPM's.

One thing that really worked for me was getting the ROW trans, it is a dog-leg and has a long first then is CR 2-5, and is superb on the track!

My car was built using 95% factory BMW parts, granted, most were BMW Motorsport/DTM/Rally parts and cost a small fortune, but oh do they work, fit, and last! My little BIZZ bomb made a little over 300HP and redlined at 9200 RPM's. That's out of a 2.5l 4-pot! Like I said, the engine cost more then a nice 993. I see nice ones are starting to go way up in price! They are not really DD kind of cars, except they have a good trunk and usable back seat.

If I were to buy one again, it might be a S54 transplant car. The S14 needs a lot of special care and knowledge. Like just adjusting the valves, they use small pucks on top of the tappets, my car needed the cams removed from the car to adjust the valves, that was not a couple hour ordeal.

I was so vested in the car, it started to own me, and consume me. It was sold to purchase Scarlet and I really have't looked back much, she is 75% of what the M3 was.

 

The E30 M3 is great except the $14,000 or so to rebuild a 4 cylinder motor

 

I haven't owned one but I have campaigned a couple in autocross, as well as building and running a passel of ///Mundane E30s as DS, DSP, STX autocrossers and a couple of SpecE30 race cars.

The chassis is great and they are easier to drive fast than a 993 but they are lacking power and braking feel/capacity.

If I were building another trackrat I'd forego an M3 and build a motor-swap car with either an S52 or LS1.

For a daily driver I agree with others the M20 is more tractable around town and on public highways. I have a 400k-mile 325iX that saves my 993 from road salt, never had the motor opened and still unstoppable in snow and ice...

Regards,


Christian
'95 Carrera

 

I had one many moons ago. Looked really cool, but I really didn't think it was all that. Maybe I came from a mid-engine car. Power was weak below 4K but really pulled to the redline afterward. I didn't think the engine was that buzzy. Rear end was REALLY twitchy.

As others have said, I'd really like the S52 engine in there but the purists would kill me.

 

And the president of our BMWCCA chapter is a beyond diehard E30 M3 owner. But after her last S14 failed, even she admitted the engine swap was the practical solution.

Our local racer/track guy/girl list heavily tilts BMW. Probably 50 E30 M3s in the cumulative past. Maybe 2-3 own now. Some wax nostalgic about them, others love the advantages the newer models have.

 

i have 2 track prepared e30 m3's. Nothing amazes people more than reeling in pretty much all the competition on the twisty stuff. Not cheap to keep on the road as many have said. One of the best driving experiences of all time if u like momentum racing, a headache when the engine lets go.. currently in rebuild land on one at present. If i had the room i'd have a road going one too but trying to downsize not upsize at the moment.