E30 Guru's Please

Rybo89

Rybo89

Rybo89

Soldato
Joined
13 Jun 2007
Posts
13,951
Location
Chesterfield
Could someone please tell me about the E30 318is?

Performance, Reliability, what to look out for, Ect

Will hopefully going to check one out with 135k on clock, 12 months mot, M body kit and in good condition.

I am really wanting one of these! Only thing im worrying about is that i don't want to come from a car that i know will never let me down to a car what needs fixing every week, not that i can't afford it, just something i couldn't be bothered with.

O and its the same price to insure as my 1.4 civic, which shocked me :eek:

Thanks in advance to anyone who can tell me what i need to know.

edit: guru* lol
 
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thanks mate

edit: Sin Chase, what do mean bud?

ill check that site out now, thanks.
 
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a friend of mine bought one a couple years back. 318 saloon. extremely good condition bodywork and i honestly beleive the engine was only on 115k miles or whatever was claimed.

it eventually dropped a valve a lunched itself for no apparent reason.

it then became a 2.5 M50 and then a 2.8 M52 so no real loss. all still badged a 318 with a single pipe out the back
 
http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=14421

That's all of the performance specs and stuff.

I've got a 320i E30 rotting away in a garden:( Different engine I know but i've never had any problems with anything really..

Edit, I realise that sounds contradictory, having a car rotting away but also having no problems..I've sharing my girlfriends rover for now to save money, so that's why it's sitting there.
 
Matt82 said:
a friend of mine bought one a couple years back. 318 saloon. extremely good condition bodywork and i honestly beleive the engine was only on 115k miles or whatever was claimed.

it eventually dropped a valve a lunched itself for no apparent reason.

it then became a 2.5 M50 and then a 2.8 M52 so no real loss. all still badged a 318 with a single pipe out the back
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The e30 318 is a completley different car to the 318iS he's talking about, different engine, different suspension, different interior etc. etc.
 
Thanks guys.

godinman said:
http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=14421

That's all of the performance specs and stuff.
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Ah cheers mate, i couldn't find anything about them (rubbish google skills lol)

Wicksta said:
The e30 318 is a completley different car to the 318iS he's talking about, different engine, different suspension, different interior etc. etc.
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Could you please tell me more, sounds like you know a thing or 2... Which would help me a lot on my search.

Thanks
 
Rybo - not sure how much use I could be to be honest, I owned an e30 318i 15 years ago and wanted a 318iS at the time but couldn't afford one. The main differences are the 318iS has a 16v engine, M-tech suspension (I think maybe M3 geometry?), Recaro interior, bodykit and BBS alloys. The only problem I had with my 318i was a noisy cam follower which I replaced but thats a completely different head to the 318iS.

You're probably best off asking on an e30 related forum to be honest as these are pretty specialised cars these days. I've seen this one advertised on an e30 touring outside work:

http://www.e30zone.net/
 
Wicksta said:
You're probably best off asking on an e30 related forum to be honest as these are pretty specialised cars these days. I've seen this one advertised on an e30 touring outside work:

http://www.e30zone.net/
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Thanks mate for the input, i found that forum last night, they have quite a few for sale on there aswell with in pricing.

Lashout_UK said:
I'll be back home from work later and give you some things to look for :)
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Nice one mate, cheers
 
Matt82 said:
318is also has LSD innit?
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Unfortunately not - I thought this previously, but was wrong. It was still an option on the e30 (and an extremely rarely specced option on the e36).

As for the e30 318iS - the engine should be very reliable. I am running an e36 with the same M42 engine. It is generally very reliable (mine is on 152,000 miles or so) with the main issues being cracking exhaust manifolds (mine cost £150 to remove and weld up). There is also a gasket which fails on the e30s (I think it's called the cam profile gasket) which is a rubber gasket which can fail - isn't too expensive to fix.

The e30s should be pretty quick. They put out 140bhp standard. They can be chipped for cheap which makes a real difference. If you do get one give me a shout and I can refer you to an American eBay seller which sells chips for £30.

Otherwise, the engines are great - forged internals and love to be revved all day long.

As with all e30s, RUST is the biggest killer. The mechanicals are simple, but bodywork can be expensive to fix.
 
Thanks a lot for that mate, its the stuff i need to hear!

The lad im talking to about one doesn't seem to be the biggest talker of all time unfortunately... (possibly not strong on his English)

What ive managed to get out of him so far: The car has just had mot done, not much history, rust free and in very good condition.

Just worried about the history bit, always said ill never touch a car with out most of its history there but i just really want this car! Though if it means having to wait for another one to come along i will.

Asked twice where he lives' so still waiting for that. Fingers crossed he lives not to far so i can go have a look without wasting time going on a long run to find out is a complete skip.

This will be most likely PX for my car, but ive told him ill pay cash aswell, its up for 1600 so ill wave 1400 under his nose.

car in question:

1284429-2.jpg


Thanks
 
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Hxc said:
What happened to hondas being the best things ever etc etc?
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i was waiting for you... dont you get bored?

cant actually remember ever saying that, though i do love my honda's and once i can insure a ITR i will be back to them.

I like being the odd one out, to many civics popping up around my area and no e30's... so i want a e30 :)
 
Eliot said:
How much difference doe s the chip make out of curiousity
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15bhp peak supposedly - probably not far off. The main thing is that it increases the rev limiter and you do get more power all over the rev range. Even around town it's much nicer to drive!
 
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