I'm quite liking these little bundles of fun and they are at a great price.

Which do you prefer and why? Is there anything i should know about them?

This Model:



or

This model:

Any chance your budget will stretch to the M3 version of the bottom one? E36 I think?

Cos that is real fun! My mate had a soft top 'Evo' version. God what couple of poseurs we looked in it!

If not, then it's gotta be the top one hasn't it?

Cheers,
James

Good call
would have to be a E30 for me, just look nicer IMHO
Dont think you 1200 quid budget is going to get you an M3 though

What about the one rayward has for sale

Its on the money and looks clean

Rich

Red one, though it looks like it's on a US plate so the steering wheel will be on the wrong side.

Only thing I know about BMW's is the indicators never seem to work.

And, thinking about it, will make a good donor when you get bored in about October/November '08 and want the next project!

quote:

---

Originally posted by James
And, thinking about it, will make a good donor when you get bored in about October/November '08 and want the next project!

---

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=79415

for sale BMW 318

E 30 had better build quality ,look for rust around the rear arches and floor,heads crack on all engine types,the 2 door E36 was afaik only built in south africa and had crap build quality,same probs with rust/heads as the E30....oh and check the indicators work,switches have a tendancy to rust up through not being used

the E30 M3 was only available as a LHD and they are a modern classic - reflected in the price they command.

quote:

---

Originally posted by twybrow
the E30 M3 was only available as a LHD and they are a modern classic - reflected in the price they command.

---

If you can find a straight one, then deffo go for an E30 M3. They are supposed to be sublime! Try and find a copy of EVO from a couple of months back "Best BMW of all time" test - all the cars you can possibly think of back to back. Very good read.

Check out this little beauty (and good website to find 'em too!)

E30 M3 - Munich Legends

£12,250 eeeeek!

But you wont lose anything on the car (it would probably go up in value!)....

My budget is £1200 not £12,000 !!

320i i had one drift beast lol. great fun.there cheap and look good aswell.
adam

330197450395

Nice but i can't get past that mamouth milage!

E30!

I had a 325i E30 2 door and it was a peach of a car, cant recommend it enough! They will go up in price soon as they are to my mind, better RWD fun than a MK1/MK2 escort.

I have alos taken a few apart and the build quality really is very good.

Top one look SOOOOOOOOO much cooler

i also prefer the E30 shape, but i just can't abide those wide arches. they make such clean lines fat and dumpy.

get a nice clean one and drop the engine form the M3 in if you must the anthracite grey or black ones look better imho too

tom

e30 318iS!!!

or my alfa 146 1.8 ti going for a few hundred, good car, 90k.

The E30 318is engine has much in common with the original M3 engine as well.

Indeed, the 318is was raced in the BTCC after the M3

I would have one of those first before all the others.

E30 definitely, no question, dead cert.

ive had E36 M3 EVO and it was a superb car but a bit too civilised. Ive always wanted the E30 version. Problem is they are going up in value and hard to find.

quote:

---

Originally posted by zilspeed
The E30 318is engine has much in common with the original M3 engine as well.

Indeed, the 318is was raced in the BTCC after the M3

I would have one of those first before all the others.

---

Only thing to watch if going for a E36 6cyl from about '96 onwards is if an alloy block M52 engine is that lots suffered from premature bore wear due to the Nikosil coating being corroded away.

If you go for a E36 dont bother with the 320...323/325 and 328 are better on fuel and can be shifted along when asked.

It will probably be a 318 due to insurance costs.

e30 all the way

I had an E30 M3 with Hartge upgrade....

What a pile of shIt - worst car I have ever had the displeasure to own. It sucked SO much I lost 7K in 6 months - of which 3 months were in the garage for repairs to electrics/brakes/diff etc etc - I hated it SO much it has put me off these over-rated heaps of dogfood-tin for good.

Get the impression I'm sore about it....???? You bet I was....

Steve

It was;on the other hand - extremely fast 150mph and still pulling like a train.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/318725.htm

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hellfire
It was;on the other hand - extremely fast 150mph and still pulling like a train.

---

Unfortunately the E36 is the choice of aspiring chavs. The council estates around here are full of them. If you are looking for a fun car, the E30 offers a more involving drive.

stevebubs: Now you're wetting my dry bits....'Bmw 530i V8'

You naughty person you.......i'm now going to have to sit there and cry when the guy at the insurance company says it's too much to insure

quote:

---

Originally posted by donut

You naughty person you.......i'm now going to have to sit there and cry when the guy at the insurance company says it's too much to insure

---

quote:

---

You're like nearly pension age as it is.

---

E24 - Best looking of the 'modern' BMWs and great fun to drive http://www.bmwinfo.com/pictures/00194.jpg

E30 is hard to beat though for pure cheap fun. Sure the M3 is awesome but the lesser models (I'd go for 318is if I didn't already have a 320i) are great to drive.

jk

Seem to be plenty about.......never near me though

NTDWM but has probably gone now anyway.
http://www.racecarsdirect.com/viewlisting.php?view=8723

Here's one near you:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/220094.htm

That looks nice! One of the few cars that look good as an estate. Prices seem to be starting to go up for the E30's so i had better get in quick!