How much do I want an E30 Bimmer Tourenwagen?

[Shep Shepherd]

In my opinion, the best-looking 1980s estate car this side of a Typ 44 Audi Avant

[320touring]

On reflection, although the green is lovely (my E30 saloon was that colour, back in my stripy shirt wearing days), that one is a 320i that has been gunned up to 325i, and had an interior swap.  Keep fit front windows unusual on one of these.   Query 316 doors?  

 

I suspect:  das ist ein Bitzer, bitte.   Ich will einen echten Knobenwagen.

 Only front electric windows were standard.

 

Re the engine swap- TBH, as long as its done well, there's no real impact on value or reliability.

 

I'd still recommend buying on condition, and getting one=they are great fun, (even though I'll likely need to rebuild my brakes)

 

another thing to look out for is the rear beam bushes- PITA to do-expect a bill of £200 from an indy with the tools.

[Guest Breadvan72]

That one has windy winderz in the front, so at least one of the front doors has been swapped. Query prangage?  

[Guest Breadvan72]

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C462825# £875 but an auto

 

 

I know that shiters rush in where fools fear to (re) tread, but I am allowing the slightly non standard font on the number plates to send me a "has been owned by Barry" message.  Tis but a little thing, but a man who would cock about with a number plate might commit all manner of bummage upon a car. It is either slightly better or slightly worse that the plate has not been wanked about with so that it spells B3LL END or some such.

 

Anyway, it currently looks like everyone on the forum will be buying one of these, except me.  Bah.

[scooters]

We're replacing the 2.0 in our Baur with a 2.5 at the moment- the 2.0 blew up during an italian tune up on the M8 last spring. I was looking to replace it with another 2.0 but, on advice from the classic specialist, have dropped in a 2.5.

We've also swapped the 'comfort' leather interior for a 'sport' interior, replaced the dash with a non cracked one and replaced the heater valve (they fail). FYI the fuel consumption of the 2.0 and 2.5 is very similar but the 2.5 has 40 odd more horses.

 

I would concur with the advice you've been getting - buy on bodywork condition, engines are plentiful and can be easily fitted. Get a 6 pot rather than a 4 pot, the whole point is 6 cyls.

 

Other advice is go for originality - its ok if it has been upgraded but only with original items. So many e30s have been buggered around with, after market shocks, bushes, stupid engine mods and idiotic exhausts. I've just replaced all the shocks and bushes with OEM stock and it will transform the car. One thing that a touring has in its favour is it is less likely to have been arsed around with than a saloon, coupe, convertible or baur.

 

get it bought!

[scooters]

I know that shiters rush in where fools fear to (re) tread, but I am allowing the slightly non standard font on the number plates to send me a "has been owned by Barry" message.  Tis but a little thing, but a man who would cock about with a number plate might commit all manner of bummage upon a car. It is either slightly better or slightly worse that the plate has not been wanked about with so that it spells B3LL END or some such.

 

Anyway, it currently looks like everyone on the forum will be buying one of these, except me.  Bah.

 

The only things I would be concerned about with this one are -

 

the M5 badge

the number plates

the non period stereo

 

all point towards potential buggering around with, certainly wouldn;t buy it blind

 

personally I would be looking for a giffer owned 325i or 320i touring as original as possible, one that has been a well loved and well used family car. I wouldn't worry too much about leather etc as you can always replace it. Auto/Manual - well the autos come in several flavours, later boxes are better as they have more gears, sport auto boxes have a dick head button. we've got a 4 speed basic auto in the Baur married to the 2.5i engine which would usually have the 'sport' box if an auto. Our Baur was a 'hairdresser' special but because it was a 2.0 and an auto to boot it escaped the OMG SLAMMM IT brigade. Personally, although I love manual in a sporty car, I'm not too bothered about the auto box, we tend not to drive this car on the limit (keep the CX GTI for that) as you can quickly forget your tail happy skills in the wet!  I would budget to replace the bushes with OEM ones as it will transform the car

 

They are lovely cars ant although there is a scene tax, it is not anywhere as daft as on ford or VAG, and with the touring you tend not to get the dick head mods. 

[Junkman]

A straight-six badermatic touring is most definitely on my shopping list.

Apparently one has to fork out around a bag to get a halfway decent one.

The question is, will they depreciate further, or is this rock bottom?

[seacow]

A straight-six badermatic touring is most definitely on my shopping list.Apparently one has to fork out around a bag to get a halfway decent one.The question is, will they depreciate further, or is this rock bottom?

E30s in general are on the up. Most desireable is the three door 6 pots. The touring is probably the least desireable so lowest scene tax and last to appreciate I would suspect.

[Dave_Q]

I'll just leave these here.

 

Wrong engine, done all the miles, will probably go for £500 or so.

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1994-BMW-318-I-TOURING-LUX-BLUE-/121254563278?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item1c3b55cdce

 

 

 

 

Correct engine, 'minor rust' on a car that's been off the road a while is a bit of a gamble.

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-BMW-325I-TOURING-AUTO-/331109159521?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4d17a4d261

 

 

WCPGW?

[Dave_Q]

And also consider the E34 touring. 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-540i-Touring-Estate-E34-V8-/111260611718?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item19e7a63486

 

[scooters]

I think they're already on the way up - if you really want one you really need to spend some time looking around 'cos there are still giffer specials out there that have escaped the rash of OMG E30 DRFTNG CAR nasty alloys and suspension,

 

It always amazes me how people will think that their mate, Dave can improve the suspension of a car like an E30 better than the team of enigneers in Munich that designed it in the first place just because Dave's Saxo has a spoiler and blue lights. The whole point of a car like an E30 is the handling, a rare thing in this era of Euro Boxes - BMW designed a can that when driven by a good driver was hugely rewarding but with the caveat being, if you weren't a competent driver it would bite you very quickly indeed, all too often I think people are dissapointed with the handling of the car and they think that it is the old design of the components which are at fault without realising all it needs are a new set of shocks and a new set of bushes.

[Guest Breadvan72]

5 Series too HEWYAGE, sozzer.      

 

 

PS: that barn needs a better variety of incontinent bat - I would haggle the price down because of the absence of a cubic fuck-ton of bat shit on the roof.

[scooters]

E34 touring - a superb car especially in 535i flavour!

[scooters]

 

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-BMW-325I-TOURING-AUTO-/331109159521?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4d17a4d261

 

 

WCPGW?

 

This could be a good project option - MOT on a couple of tyres so stick it back on the road and slowly sort it - all the bits it needs - ie interior are readily available at the moment. could turn into quite a nice car.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Sadly, I would sooner rub mongoose shit in my hair while inserting my knackers into an industrial mincer than drive a white car of any description.  

[scooters]

all this chat about E30's prompted be to drop Boyd a line and find out how he's getting on with the work on our Baur.

 

good and bad news - 

 

good news is - the suspension, heater valve, rear window blower, 2.5 engine, dash, interior, and period stereo are all now in place..

 

however, the car drives for 30 yards before the it loses its transmission - no power - stop. Gear box is the issue, went in working fine but 6 months of sitting around the workshop, somthing has happened d. Anyway, Boyd reckons he is going to have to take the engine out to find out what and has started souring a replacement box just in case...

 

I'm not beating him up for this, we work on older cars for commercial gain and it is a flipping nightmare when this sort of thing happens.

 

If you need any parts for the touring - Boyd Beattie at Bavarian Retro is your man, 

 

here's a shameless pic of the 'Hairdresser Special' before the work started.

[Junkman]

Sadly, I would sooner rub mongoose shit in my hair while inserting my knackers into an industrial mincer than drive a white car of any description.

 

 

+

 

 

=

 

Win

[Guest Breadvan72]

Rattlecanz R for LOZERZ.  Brush painting in the dark is the Autoshite way.

[Jim Bergerac]

Wrong engine, done all the miles, will probably go for £500 or so.

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1994-BMW-318-I-TOURING-LUX-BLUE-/121254563278?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item1c3b55cdce

 

OMGLATEREGMADNESS. IIRC, the E36 saloon started on the H-Reg but the Tourings stayed later on, not seen an L before though.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Note EDL I IS NOT RACIZT BUT I JUST HATE PAKIZ/ROMANIAS/EVERYBODY numberplate for extra "low end Beemer fallen on hard times" points.  

[Dave_Q]

OMGLATEREGMADNESS

L plate tourings are fairly common, normally in 316 and 318 flavours. I've had one and they turn up fairly often.

 

One or two have even turned up on the m plate, now that's OMGLATEREGetc.

 

They had a fairly casual attitude to phasing out old models then. The e36 4 door did start on the H, 2 doors not till after that (hence still quite a few J plate 2 door e30s) and I believe the touring and cab e30 were in production until 93, and registered until at least 94.

[320touring]

I've never paid over 500 for one,never sold one for less than I paid. They're pretty much on the way up-i've seen price rises over the last 6 months. But I'm not precious about condition, as long as its mechanically sound I'm happy. Pretty cars with good history are top money-

 

2dr 6cyl 2.5(saloon!its not a coupe)and all engined cab prices are highest

 

318iS 2dr next

 

316/8/2.0 2drs next

 

2.5/2.0 4drs next

 

Tourings (2.5 in good nick circa 1-1.5k)

 

316/8/2.0 4drs last.

 

 

All tourings have 51mm front struts as standard, even the 316/8

 

Only 318iS and 325 have them in saloon guise-all others are 45mm(and drum brake rears)

 

 

Sports interior is a nice place to be, 2dr folding front seats fit in a touring-means passenger seat can be folded forward for more space.

 

 

Most of the charm of a mk2 escort, fewer reliability issues, main dealer part support is top notch,no need to mortgage the house to buy. Infinately less troublesome than any red 70s based Buick reject green laner;)

 

All run good on 91ron, handy if you're over towards Krakow etc.

[320touring]

E34 touring - a superb car especially in 535i flavour!

[Pedant mode]The touring e34 was only available in 1.8/2.0/2.5/2.5td/3.0/4.0[/pedant mode]

 

However, the m30b35 is a brilliant engine and I'd fit it to most anything:)

 

Fits an e30 well too...

[Guest Breadvan72]

I once borrowed an E34 520i Badermatic as a courtesy car while my 3 series was in BMW bumrape dry dock (I was young, stupid, and had not yet learned to avoid main dealers). Mucho underpowered, it seemed to me.  No doubt much better with a bigger engine.  I was so unused to autos at that time that I kept hoofing on the brake with my left foot and almost turning somersaults. 

[hennabm]

All tourings have 51mm front struts as standard, even the 316/8

 

Only 318iS and 325 have them in saloon guise-all others are 45mm(and drum brake rears)

 

The 323i (83 - 86) also had 51mm struts and discs all round.

[scooters]

[Pedant mode]The touring e34 was only available in 1.8/2.0/2.5/2.5td/3.0/4.0[/pedant mode]

However, the m30b35 is a brilliant engine and I'd fit it to most anything:)

Fits an e30 well too...

That I did not know. I had an e34 535i saloon and the engine was quite the most pants spunkingly item you could eva want.

 

And it fits into the e30......really.....(maniacal laugh, maniacle laugh) you have me thinking....that would be insane...

[320touring]

The 323i (83 - 86) also had 51mm struts and discs all round.

Good shout! A clean 323i is a thing of beauty..now if I could just find a crank..

[320touring]

That I did not know. I had an e34 535i saloon and the engine was quite the most pants spunkingly item you could eva want.

 

And it fits into the e30......really.....(maniacal laugh, maniacle laugh) you have me thinking....that would be insane...

I have an e34 535i sport with 265k on it, made 201bhp (211 new!) And 212 ft/lb from 1700 up. Immense.. good fun on track

[seacow]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1989-BMW-325-I-TOURING-RED-/331113636816

 

Quite a few bits to sort for the money but looks nice