After going over the fundamentals of the E30, let’s go on to discussing things to watch out for while buying one. The superb engineering of E30s is one of the main factors that attracts people to them in the first place. E30s are dependable, cozy, and simple to keep up on the whole.
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actletpone
If there is already a forum for this, I apologize as this is my first post ever.
I’m 19 years old, a college student, and I’m currently saving my money from my part-time work with the hopes of buying my first BMW. I simply wanted to know how reliable these cars are and what odometer reading you would purchase one for. I want to purchase one at about $5,000. I intend to make a few minor improvements to the vehicle and use it daily.
You’ll be fine if you search for an e30 buying guide on Google and, if you’re not mechanically inclined, show the car you’re considering to someone who is. E30s are mechanically dependable, in my opinion. It won’t leave you stranded, but having access to alternate transportation can be useful when you have to handle “major projects” on your own.
Buy an e30 if you don’t mind shelling out a lot of cash at the mechanic OR if you don’t mind spending the time learning how to fix things yourself. Small repairs will be necessary.
It is foolish to spend money on mags when your timing belt change is five years overdue. Before making any modifications, make sure the car is in good shape and has been completely serviced. What modifications come to mind?
What You Should Know Before Purchasing a BMW E30
I’ll be honest, I have no idea why I chose this particular car. Maybe saving it seemed proper, maybe I wanted to show I could. But this is where I’m going too fast.
When they were brand-new, the E30 (1984–1991) 3-series was never something I was driven to acquire. The cars were OK in my opinion, but I detested their target market. You recognize the type—popped collar, constant ranting into a cell phone, and sockless. I stayed away to avoid guilt by association.
I know. I’m sorry. BMW was accurate. “The Ultimate Driving Machine” was the E30. They were overbuilt, gregarious little apes. Lightweight. Lively. The slim pillars and low beltline created an expansive greenhouse due to the tight styling. The E30 solidified BMW’s standing as a desirable brand in the US. They were superior than the E21s they replaced in every way, and the E36 that came after them was made better.
E30s used to be so inexpensive that they could be thrown away. However, their prices have skyrocketed. Some of this is rising tide syndrome; both the 2002 and the Porsche 911, another German legend, are long gone in terms of price. But a lot of it is simply the E30 getting credit where credit is due.
I’ve always enjoyed the all-wheel-drive 325iX because I live in the snowbelt. Even in comparison to the renowned Audi 4000S Quattro, it was rather clever in its day. At a period when they were essentially unheard of, the ZF all-wheel-drive system had a viscous-coupling limited-slip center differential. With enough power to steer with the throttle and enough pull from the front wheels to wriggle out of snowbanks, a torque split of 37/63 percent between the front and rear wheels allows for incredibly controllable drifting. I always dreaded seeing an iX with Nokian Hakkapeliitta tires show up during my ice-racing days.
When I saw Sam Smith, editor-at-large,’s crashed 325iX left for dead in front of R&T’s Ann Arbor headquarters last year, all of this flashed through my mind. After much searching, our resident E30 addict purchased this immaculate model to use as his wife’s everyday transportation. Unfortunately, the car was rear-ended in an interstate traffic bottleneck after two years of dependable service. For Sam and everyone who witnessed the 325iX, it was a total loss. All, excluding me. A guy’s life in a body shop for thirty years will change him. I would not pronounce this iX dead for a little flesh wound.
My shop disassembled the iX. The damage was only cosmetic despite being terrible and the chassis was square. A new right rear corner was provided with a California-made, rust-free rear clip. The Smith iX was soon back to normal after the grinding, welding, and painting finished. The iX became my winter amusement after a pair of Hakkapeliitta tires were mounted in the fall. It was just as entertaining in the powder as I had anticipated. (I’m not making yet another Eighties allusion; I’m referring about snow.)
All of that was nevertheless very much to my delight when Sam recently paid me a visit. He decided his father, the man who sparked Sam’s interest in BMWs, wanted to own the revived car when I let him borrow the iX. Back then, I concurred. I’m not sure why I sold it anymore.
The E30 M3 is dependable.
The E30 M3 is a durable vehicle that works well as a daily driver. These vehicles were made for the track, hence they were intended to be driven aggressively. However, because of their age, these vehicles require extensive upkeep, and their ownership costs are considerably higher than those of the more recent M3 versions. Since the S14 lacks hydraulic lifters, you will at the very least need to maintain fresh and appropriate fluids in the vehicle and perform routine valve adjustments. If you can’t do it yourself, valve adjustments cost roughly $200 to $250 at an independent shop and must be performed every 10,000 to 15,000 miles. Some BMW stores are capable of doing it, but it will likely cost you roughly $1,000.
Because the majority of E30 M3s for sale today have extremely high mileage of more over 150,000 miles, an engine rebuild could be expensive to factor in. If you do it yourself, it will cost you about $2k; if you hire a shop to do it, it will cost you between $5 and $6k. You should budget $10–15k if you also need to replace your cylinder head.
Overall, the E30 M3’s engine is quite dependable and built to run hard, but given that the vehicles are almost 30 years old, maintenance and upkeep become costly. You can look at our maintenance guide below, which details all the routine maintenance that must be performed on these vehicles to keep them in good operating condition.
What makes the BMW E30 so great?
The car had everything, despite being considerably smaller than most of its luxury competitors. One of the few things that many people think is ageless is its boxy wedge form, which was a recurring motif throughout the automotive industry in the 1980s. It had the typical explosion of buttons, as is typical of most cars from this era, but aside from that, the interior was pure class, with only quality materials being used.
Is the BMW E30 quick?
This video of the world’s fastest automobile on ice is coming to you from?…rsunda, Sweden, and holy moly, this ride can FLY. The Buldre Racing Team set a world record while competing in Swedish Speed Week in March 2019 with a BMW E30 M3 that had been modified and installed with a Toyota 2JZ engine that produces an astonishing 1,300 horsepower.
It’s surprising that no ice was melted while recording this video considering that the BMW E30 reached a top speed of 215.5 mph and an average speed of 212 mph. In fact, the Buldre Racing Team smashed a record for ice speed that they had previously set, with the previous record being in an Audi B5 S4 Avant, averaging 202 MPH.
Now, doing this on a flat surface would be one thing, but the driver must have ice coursing through him to drive the BMW that quickly on merely ice. I doubt that I’ve ever exceeded 50 mph when driving on ice, let alone 200 mph, especially with specialized tires.
As you can expect, Buldre has accomplished some pretty amazing things over the years. This video shows them pushing the Audi past the 200-mile mark.
Oh, and you are aware that they have visited the Nurburgring a few times. See one of their drivers complete a circuit of the renowned German track in a 750-horsepower Audi RS2.
And here is some more video of them playing around in the snow, just for fun.
Wow. It doesn’t seem like that horrible of a gig, tricking out cars and then driving those cars very, really fast. The unknown
What does BMW’s E30 stand for?
39 remarks. The E30 chassis code BMW 3-series generation, which was produced from 1982 to 1994, is sometimes referred to as the “Ultimate Driving Machine” by enthusiasts. Even the cost-conscious “eta” model is enjoyable to drive thanks to its sharp handling, driver-focused ergonomics, and classic styling.
The BMW E30 is it rare?
There are rare classic automobiles and then there are the really rare ones. With only 25 examples produced solely for the UK market, the Roberto Ravaglia edition E30 M3 is the most rare of all E30 M3s (BMW classifies the 480 Cecotto editions and 25 Ravaglia editions together, therefore the plaque reading 74/505). Only 16 of the 25 were made in Misano red, which is considered the model’s defining color. By winning nearly all of the races they contested, Johnny Cecotto and Roberto Ravaglia established the E30 M3 the most successful touring vehicle of all time and ensured the M3’s unquestionable legendary position. BMW created the M3 Cecotto and M3 Ravaglia as two limited edition versions as a tribute to their idols. The only E30 M3 made expressly for the UK, the Ravaglia is distinguishable by its limited paint colors (either Misano red or Nogaro silver), unusual wheels, body color painted rocker cover and plenum, and, of course, special edition plaque. It is unclear how many of the original 25 are still in existence, and even more critically, how many have the kind of provenance and history that today’s prices make crucial for any potential owner. This gorgeous M3 Ravaglia is one of them. The homologation special EVO II created towards the end of the chassis run is essentially a rarer variant of the Ravaglia and Cecotto cars.
Due to its near-perfect provenance, this excellent E30 M3 Ravaglia was delivered as a brand-new vehicle to Bolton BMW in September 1989. In its 28 years, the automobile has only traveled 53,500 miles with 4 keepers; the most recent owner, our customer, has had the vehicle since 1994 after purchasing it as an authorized used BMW from Vines in Horsham. In his 23 years of ownership, this man has only driven 14,500 miles; he keeps the car in a heated garage and only uses it sometimes on dry days.
Munich Legends has had the good fortune to care for E30 M3s for well over 20 years, and we are renowned across the automotive industry for our knowledge of these incredible vehicles. Our technical team thoroughly and meticulously examined this exquisite Ravaglia, and they are really pleased with what they found. The Misano red paintwork is in exceptional shape, has a deep, lustrous shine, and is quite original. It is also corrosion free, sturdy, and mechanically perfect. With a beautiful patina on the leather and barely any evidence that the car has traveled 53,000 kilometers in its 28 years, the interior is pristine. It’s all precisely how it should be.
With a fresh inspection, two services, a MOT, a pre-delivery check, and four new tires, this exceptional M3 Ravaglia will be handed over to its new owner.
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What E30 is the most dependable?
“Of all the E30 motors, the S14 is perhaps the most reliable and long-lasting. If the owner was conscientious about maintaining it, the drivetrain might easily have 300,000 miles on it.