E30 M3 Prices?
Discussion
I have just bought my third one.....came back to them after several others!
I paid 6900 from an independent dealer which is about right I feel, done 122000 miles but the history file that came with it is amazing. Always try and get the best you can afford with the best history is my 2 penith.
Enjoy when you get one, they are fantastic!
I paid 6900 from an independent dealer which is about right I feel, done 122000 miles but the history file that came with it is amazing. Always try and get the best you can afford with the best history is my 2 penith.
Enjoy when you get one, they are fantastic!
This one would have been a good buy....
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4544966930&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4544966930&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1
Now I have found italian 320is , they have the s14 engine from the m3 and look like a standard e30... but my god... they are so much cheaper to buy . www.e30.de or www.320is.co.uk for a uk dealer
dtmpower said:
Now I have found italian 320is , they have the s14 engine from the m3 and look like a standard e30... but my god... they are so much cheaper to buy . www.e30.de or www.320is.co.uk for a uk dealer
They've got a shorter crank which is why they're only 2000cc but if you're handy with a spanner and an engine winch it's a relatively simple mod to take them back to 2300cc (or even 2500cc a la sport evo). Bear in mind that the car is basically a motorsport spec 325i with an M3 engine.
£7-9k is a good budget to go hunting an e30 m3 but be aware that the newest of these cars will be 15 years old so history is the most important with condition and mileage to be considered.
You'll probably need to spend a few hundred quid sorting out niggling problems but don't let that put you off, once the car is running properly it should be just regular servicng from there on in - they are very durable cars and the technology is early 80's (read basic).
They're great cars and by God I'll have another once the novelty of my latest toy has worn off.
mad driver said:
for 7k you could get a good one but for 9k you could get a lovely one, are you considering getting one
Not sure... My 320i is coming to a point where if I'm going to hold onto it (my father is very keen to keep it) a lot of money needs to be spent on it. I'm wondering if I should start looking at an e30 M3 as a replacement instead.
kenny320 said:
for 7k you could get a good one but for 9k you could get a lovely one, are you considering getting one
Not sure... My 320i is coming to a point where if I'm going to hold onto it (my father is very keen to keep it) a lot of money needs to be spent on it. I'm wondering if I should start looking at an e30 M3 as a replacement instead.
Is it a UK 320i or a 320is with the S14 engine ... the only reason the 320is cost "m3" money is they are rust free and low km's form Italy..A uk 320i is at the end of its life if you ask me,
Uk 320i and yes, I'm increasingly convinced that you're right dtmpower. Great machine, great balance and handling, but the costs to keep it running compared to its performance really do make me wonder.
If I'm going to keep it it needs a full respray very soon, and I know there will be a lot of other work to be done as well, so I'm gonna start looking around at other options. I'll miss it, but the saving would cover a significant proportion of a faster beemer.
If I'm going to keep it it needs a full respray very soon, and I know there will be a lot of other work to be done as well, so I'm gonna start looking around at other options. I'll miss it, but the saving would cover a significant proportion of a faster beemer.
Can I suggest a heresy here 
:-
For that money you can get an Integra Type R, built between 1998-2000...it may be fwd, but it's quicker than an M3 (straight line, track, or B-road), arguably as involving as an M3, and has an even better engine & gearbox. And it'll be a lot newer.
The chassis balance and adjustability is a revelation, the ride is very stiff but just on the "daily driver" side of things, and it's a Honda...which means it's built well.
Parts can be quite pricey, but servicing is sensible and it'll do over 30mpg on a good run.
:- For that money you can get an Integra Type R, built between 1998-2000...it may be fwd, but it's quicker than an M3 (straight line, track, or B-road), arguably as involving as an M3, and has an even better engine & gearbox. And it'll be a lot newer.
The chassis balance and adjustability is a revelation, the ride is very stiff but just on the "daily driver" side of things, and it's a Honda...which means it's built well.
Parts can be quite pricey, but servicing is sensible and it'll do over 30mpg on a good run.
I would need no persuasion whatsoever to get an integra type R. It's not really heresy to suggest such a machine (even a BMW forum). Ever since I tried a Fiat Coupe Turbo+ I've been sure a well sord FWD car can handle well.
A type R would certainly be tempting. I'm going to trundle round some of the local dealers later today and see what's around.
>> Edited by kenny320 on Sunday 22 May 12:29
A type R would certainly be tempting. I'm going to trundle round some of the local dealers later today and see what's around.
>> Edited by kenny320 on Sunday 22 May 12:29
havoc said:
Can I suggest a heresy here
For that money you can get an Integra Type R, built between 1998-2000...it may be fwd, but it's quicker than an M3 (straight line, track, or B-road), arguably as involving as an M3, and has an even better engine & gearbox. And it'll be a lot newer.
The chassis balance and adjustability is a revelation, the ride is very stiff but just on the "daily driver" side of things, and it's a Honda...which means it's built well.
Parts can be quite pricey, but servicing is sensible and it'll do over 30mpg on a good run.
I considered an Integra , but when you look at them for sale...they seem very pricey for the age and miles covered...and they soon look abit "tatty" with flat white paint and the red "suede" recaro's go off, if they were 4-5k I would head for one, but the price of them now doesnt fall in line with their age and condition imo
dtmpower said:
I considered an Integra , but when you look at them for sale...they seem very pricey for the age and miles covered...and they soon look abit "tatty" with flat white paint and the red "suede" recaro's go off, if they were 4-5k I would head for one, but the price of them now doesnt fall in line with their age and condition imo
True enough they don't look great in all cases, but this is a £20+k hardcore performance machine which has lost 2/3 of it's value in 5-6 years...and the big concerns will be cosmetic - can you really complain about that? I think they're a bargain at the moment - an equivalent age/condition Elise (stock 1.8) will be 25%-40% more money, will have more things go wrong, and will be slower AND less practical.
The paintwork is thin to save weight - weak point of Type-R's, and the seats can be an issue...but that's repairable and they're very comfortable and supportive.
The truth is, they're not going to be cheap to run - this is a car which on-track will outrun stock Elise's and stock WRXs, and on a B-road will probably do the same. But it does that through having expensive precision components - e.g. replacing bushes isn't something to undertake lightly (40 of them around the car!!!), and the headwork is legendary. But the engine if looked after will be bulletproof, the bodywork is very rust-resistant, and the interior, while LOOKING dated, is comparatively high-rent (materials largely better than current CTR).
dtmpower said:
kenny320 said:
mad driver said:
for 7k you could get a good one but for 9k you could get a lovely one, are you considering getting one
Not sure... My 320i is coming to a point where if I'm going to hold onto it (my father is very keen to keep it) a lot of money needs to be spent on it. I'm wondering if I should start looking at an e30 M3 as a replacement instead.
Is it a UK 320i or a 320is with the S14 engine ... the only reason the 320is cost "m3" money is they are rust free and low km's form Italy..A uk 320i is at the end of its life if you ask me,
How about a rhd 325is South African built special edition - rust free and rhd if that floats yout boat:
http://search.autotrader.co.za/cgi-bin/search?locale=atza.CARS.1&country=ZA¤cy=ZAR&make_id_EQI=BMW&model_EQS=3+Series&keywords_LKSPLIT=is&specified_price_GT=50000&specified_price_LT=100000&year_GT=198800&year_LT=199212&mileage_RANGE=0&source_EQS=0&county_list=0&orderby=specified_price&SUBMIT.x=30&SUBMIT.y=13
>> Edited by dtmpower on Friday 27th May 15:08
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