911 and E30

[wfbal]

It seems a lot of 911 owner also drive BMW E30.

To find out if it is true and why,
1- indentify yourself
2- let me know why you own both

Regards,

Walter

[jim72911t]

1: I'm Jim, and I own a '72 911T and an '89 325is.

2: I bought the E30 because I realized that my 911 wouldn't be ready for track days quite as soon as I had hoped (It's still not ). The 325is is cheap, quick, and great fun on the track, and makes a good daily driver, too.

It's getting time to sell the E30 and start looking for an E36 M3, but every time I get into it I am reminded how well balanced it really is. It's like the 510's I used to own, but faster and everthing works.

Plus $15K buys alot of Porsche stuff.

Jim

[Mattias Hellore]

E30 is cheap to drive and own.
I have a 89 318i.

Very light cars too, really funny in winter
Learn yourself left foot braking, it gave me a new dimension in winter driving.

[Wayne 962]

Good cars, but the E36s are much better, in my opinion. Prices now are down in the low range, where these excellent cars are now affordable (just sold my convertible for $8400, and I have a low-miles coupe coming up for sale for $7000 or so...)

-Wayne

[clevy70911T]

I own the 2 cars I always wanted, just years after wanting them.
Summer= 911
Winter = 325ix

[Mattias Hellore]

E30 are good cars but not very well rustproofing, I can literally see the rust eat through my car.
I bought my 80.000 mile 318i -89 for $1000, that´s good value.

[BigKenSteele]

I bought my '87 325is 5 years ago for $4500 and it has cost me far less than $100/month in maintenance. I can't think of another suitable daily driver that offers as much fun/satisfaction for so little. However, the rust is becoming a problem, and I will be selling it soon while I can still get something out of it. Haven't figured out what I will replace it with - maybe an e36.

I have had 914s for 10+ years, and I bought the 911 a year ago because I have always wanted one. However, I am finding that I love the 914 more. I will problably end up selling the Carrera to finance a killer 914-6 project.

To answer your question, you just can't beat a used German car for fun on a budget. They are reliable if maintained, and the aftermarket offerings for BMWs and Porsches are second to none.

[air-cool-me]

i had an e30 before i bought my midyear..

ALOT of fun on the track.. and dirt cheap to run

i had

H&R springs with sport shocks
IE sways
4.10 ls diff


it was really easy to drive past the limit..

[KillerDynoSoar]

Originally posted by jim72911t
1: I'm Jim, and I own a '72 911T and an '89 325is.

2: I bought the E30 because I realized that my 911 wouldn't be ready for track days quite as soon as I had hoped (It's still not ). The 325is is cheap, quick, and great fun on the track, and makes a good daily driver, too.

It's getting time to sell the E30 and start looking for an E36 M3, but every time I get into it I am reminded how well balanced it really is.

Jim

Well that was what I was going to write. However my E30 maybe up for sale soon and I maybe trading it in for a 98 model. I don't like the look of the E36.

They are both fantastic drivers cars.

[Seeeu911]

I have 2004 325ci and its a sweet sweet daily driver. Nimble and tight. Keeps me sane while my 87 Carrera is up on jack stands.

[wfbal]

For myself, I originally bought (3 years ago) my 1990 325i because it was an cheap rear wheel drive (I was bored with understeer) and I like it's classic BMW shape.

It was a dual purpose car and I modified it to make it track worthy (suspension, 4:10 LSD and usual go fast parts).

I soon realized (after I hit a wall at a track event) that it is hard to find a compromise suspension between street and track (always to soft for the track or to stiff for the street) and also that you need a backup for your daily transportation.
So I decided to get a dedicated track car and put back the original suspension on my 325i and use it exclusively on the street as my daily driver.
I bought a 1991 318is for the track which I stripped and equiped with a race suspension set-up.
Handling was great but it is hard to go down from the sweet M20 to a busy (and torque-less) 4 cylinder.

I was then entertaining the idea of a M50 swap when I found (on eBay from a Pelican) the perfect cure for my torque problem: an Euro 1979 911SC (no sunroof and electrical oprions). It was really cheap and I always loved the 911.
I bought it, last November, for about $7K (US), and it proved to be in very good shape (other than some minor electrical problems and a dead clutch).
Since then, I sold the 318is and spend quite a bit of money (another $7K) to fix the 911 and prepare it for the track (I'm also driving it on the street occasionally):
- new suspension (22/28 torsion bars, Carrera sway bars, plastic bushings and Turbo tie rod).
- New brakes (Hawk HP+ pads, SS lines, front brake cooling kit and racing brake fluid).
- 7-8 x 15 fuchs with DOT racing tires.
- Carrera oil cooler.
- Race seat, momo steering wheel.

I have been doing all the local PCA DE event I could (we have the great Tremblant race track up in Quebec, Canada). But an over-heating problem kept me out of Solo1 racing (I really need to find the updated sump screen to fix this problem; (HELP Anybody!).
Next mods will be (when my finances allows it):
- LSD + 7:31 R&P + shifter improvement
- Roll Bar + 5 points harness
- Light Batterie relocation

I can't really afford to modify the engine, maybe installing a 964 Cam shaft (i already have one in a box).

I really love 911 handling. The suspension could be stiffer for the track (still dealing with that compromise!), but I like this car to much to only drive it once a month for track events.

Now, when I drive my 325i just after the 911, it feels like a truck!
I will refresh it suspension (I have a set of HD Bilstein and M3 OEM spring waiting to be installed) and brakes soon.

Rust on the bimmer is starting to be an issue and I was thinking to change my daily driver for something more recent.
I rencently drove a lot of possible replacement (E36, E48, Impreza, Mazda 3, ...) and nothing seems to offer a comparable fun to drive / utility ratio.
And since E30 are not worthing anything up here, I gess I will have to leave with the E30 and fight the rust.

For better or for worst until death do us part!

[wfbal]

Any body else owning a 911 and E30?

[Franklin]

Yeah, I've got an '87 Targa and an '89 325is that I've owned for 13 years. I really like the E30's. Great track cars, great in the snow with four Toyo's or Blizzaks and a comfortable tourer.

My first go round with Porsches and BMW's was in '72 when I had a '69 02 ( bought new in '69, the only new BMW I've ever had) and a '69 911E that I bought when I got back from the Nam.

[Rick V]

I have an 82 911SC and an 84 318i which is for sale. I replaced the e30 with a 92 318is which is both daily driver and weekend track racer(summit point and vir). There are other cars in the drive but they all get run by other members of the family

[trader220]

I used to own an e30 M3, bought it new from Braman's in West Palm and drove it for 4 years. I still miss that one too.

[wfbal]

Regarding the fun to drive factor, there is one clear advantage of the E30 on the 911: shifting.
Each time I drive my 325i after my 911, I'm amaze how good the shifter feels (i have a short shift in the Bimmer).

I can't understand how Porsche could impose the 915 gearbox for over 15 years.

[bbh03]

I have an E46 and a 911 and nearly sprung for an E30 as a temp car last month while my E46 was (and still) getting repaired (major side impact). In the mean time, several racing buddies have picked up E30s. They are a fantastic value as track cars.

[bbh03]

I especially like the "is" versions, with their factory sport seats, BBS wheels and spoilers. Very nice!

Don't forget limited slip final drive! (although they are generally worn out by now)

[Rick Lee]

I got my '87 325is for $8500 in 1996. I got 245k miles on the first clutch. Sold the car in 2002 for $2500. After a year of wrenching on my Carrera, I was afraid of something expensive going on the BMW. I will own more BMW's someday.

[echrisconnor]

I've got a 1976 Carrera 3.0 and a 1986 325 es.

The E 30 is a great car with unbelievealbe reliability. I've used it as a daily driver and have over 170k (miles) on the clock. It seems to be pretty much bulletproof and is fun to drive with the 3:35 differntial swap I did (the 2.97 is too tall!) and chip. Gets great gas mileage too.

There is really no comparison between the cars though. The p-car is in a completely different league.