I don't see any reason not to buy an e30 325i. If you find one in good shape and running well it still shouldnt cost over $7500. I plan on finding a ~$2000 beater by the end of the year.

Do it.  Use the cash to drive the price down on what you really want.  As long as you do your research and know repair parts are a bit more pricey, you'll fare well.

yes, the BMW 6's are damn near bulletproof. I was at a show where a guy with a 735i had over 500k on original long block, confirmed by the certified tech that maintained it. I can't remember the model year though. If you find a nice e30 and it stays nice you'll probably sell for what you gave for it in a few years. Don't discount a nice e28 either, though  I only go for the grey market or Euro bumper modded ones. The US spec bumpers were like diving boards. Early e30's have them too but they aren't as bad, a lot of owners drill holes in the bumper shocks and compress them. e28 535i is a fun driver.

Go with that dirt-e-30

I like the idea of an e30. Beware of poorly maintained inexpensive ones since a beater with needs will quickly surpass the price of an expensive one that's mint that's been meticulously maintained by an obsessive BMWCCA type. Once you fixed all the basic mechanical problems and got caught up on the millions of neglected maintenance items you'd still have a rough-looking, less reliable car for the same or more money than if you'd bought a nice one in the first place.

I like the idea of an e28 (I think -B- suggested it). Love the lines on those, and because it's a sedan it might be easier to find one that's been perfectly maintained and not beaten-on. I rode in a manual 535i back around 1992 when I didn't know shit about cars, and it seemed fast, solid, and classy as hell at the time. I also drove a friend's manual 733 of the same vintage during that same period, and it had a very similar feeling of ballerness and solidity. I wouldn't rule out an old 7 series or 6 series. 5, 6, and 7 series of that vintage I'm assuming will cost in the same price range but be much larger, more substantial cars for your fams to lounge in. I can't imagine it'd be fun or comfortable to fit you, the babymama, and a crying babby in an e30 for more than 15 min of driving. I've only been in one e30 (a 4 door) and it was a sweet car but 'twas tiny and narrow on the inside.

How many miles a year are you likely to drive, and what's the max you are comfortable spending?

Last edited by Bunnspeed (2012-03-24 12:54:14)

Scargo wrote:

My only qualm would be passive safety should you be transport the rug rat in the E30. It just wouldn't hold up well in an impact. Are E36 out of your price range? How about C4 UrS's (although still losers in the depreciation war)?

Think so? I've seen quite a few take a pretty hard hit and come out ok. Only thing missing is airbags, which most modern econoboxes won't give you in the rear anyhow. Remember, European cars were designed with safety in mind when others weren't and BMW always ranked at the top with the likes of Volvo. Volvo just chose to market it more. And while I won't say it will do better than a new car, I will say while owning and working on quite a few I was impressed at the build quality and engineering of the mid 80's BMW.

e36, I dunno, the early/mid 90's starting seeing a decline in reliability for BMW. Especially in the nuisance department with things like electrical gremlins as they gravitated to automatic climate control etc. Still great cars, but more demanding from a maintenance stand point and those were the years they started seeing issues that never plauged them before with interior quality (mainly the door panels), water pump impeller issues and iirc there was a problem where the rear subframes were ripping off at the mount points. I'd still own one, but knowing it would cost more to own then an e30. My first BMW was a 97' 328i and I loved it, but refinement aside I had as much fun driving the 85 325e I picked up a few years later.

Ketchup on da inside... You'd be a fuck nigga not to buy that 533 with the high comp 3,2.

Not trying to sway you away from the 30   

Nice drive from NC (so far, ugh) this time of the year. :nostar:

Like a baby M, it was the fastes sedan in America when first introduced. Fuck, I'll go buy it

The red one in CA with the euro lights looked decent to for $3k. The e30 with the S52.....

That Black one is SHARP.

Augie, good tips. I have a secured card. The one thing I will say is the timeframe we have set forth and from discussions with lenders and between Stacy and me, it's implausible to consider my credit or file jointly for a home loan. Her credit is just that much better than mine. And, I dig the secured loan idea for repairing my situation. Thanks.

I will cruise that BMW club. :homersimpsondonutfingers:

So, I don't want an automatic, but here's a prime example of what I'm thinking is possible in the 3-5 hours from my doorstep range.

-B- wrote:

Scargo wrote:

My only qualm would be passive safety should you be transport the rug rat in the E30. It just wouldn't hold up well in an impact. Are E36 out of your price range? How about C4 UrS's (although still losers in the depreciation war)?

Think so? I've seen quite a few take a pretty hard hit and come out ok. Only thing missing is airbags, which most modern econoboxes won't give you in the rear anyhow. Remember, European cars were designed with safety in mind when others weren't and BMW always ranked at the top with the likes of Volvo. Volvo just chose to market it more. And while I won't say it will do better than a new car, I will say while owning and working on quite a few I was impressed at the build quality and engineering of the mid 80's BMW.

e36, I dunno, the early/mid 90's starting seeing a decline in reliability for BMW. Especially in the nuisance department with things like electrical gremlins as they gravitated to automatic climate control etc. Still great cars, but more demanding from a maintenance stand point and those were the years they started seeing issues that never plauged them before with interior quality (mainly the door panels), water pump impeller issues and iirc there was a problem where the rear subframes were ripping off at the mount points. I'd still own one, but knowing it would cost more to own then an e30. My first BMW was a 97' 328i and I loved it, but refinement aside I had as much fun driving the 85 325e I picked up a few years later.

Wasn't thinking about rear airbags (deadly for car seats anyway) was thinking side intrusion, rollover and parent survivability in offset frontal crashes. Sorry, an 80s E30 and any of the other non-M-B Kraut Wagon pretty well suck at those. The first non M-B really decent passive safety German car was the 2nd Gen Audi C3, most of its safety mods being done to overcome the bad (and ultimately undeserved) rep for unintended acceleration which brought to light the overall mediocre safety of the cars. This appeared to spark the Germans as the E36, E39 Bimmers, and B4, C4 & D2 Audis as well as A3 and eventually B5 VWs finally were comparable to the M-Bs, Volvos and pre-GM Saabs (oh yeah, Lexus) of the time. Sure, we all know of some survivors of hard hits in our favorite 80s car in the past (my fave, a member of our SCCA plowed an A2 GTi into an Angus Cow in the dark in the rain...think about it) but how many non-survivor stories are there b/c there was no one to tell?

Anyway,  THATs why the mention of the E36 (and a  for the E39) and the C4 UrS. All fun, reasonably reliable, but unfortunately still on the wrong side of the depreciation curve. I'd totally stay away from the 7 series tho, particularly in the Desert SW. Inadequate cooling and sophisticated electronics = trouble.
out it)

Justin86 wrote:

So, I don't want an automatic, but here's a prime example of what I'm thinking is possible in the 3-5 hours from my doorstep range.

stick with an e30, more parts available and some of those e21's can be a real pain with issues. e21 feels like an old car, e30 still makes you feel like your somewhat close to the present.