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I’ve lost count of the number of E30s I’ve owned in my time but the best I got was a manual NZ new 325i FL sedan, paid $5k for it if I recall. At the time M325i’s were out of my reach at $15k. E30’s appealed to me as they were a cheap car that with a manual box and rear wheel drive were fun to drive (I certainly learned how to deal with oversteer!). Parts were readily available and aside from cooling issues were pretty reliable. I would have bought a WRX or something quicker if I had more cash! They were also a good money maker if you kept an eye on the trade and exchange - then drive for a while, detail and present properly on this new fandangled website called Trade Me! They ignited the BMW passion and I eventually upgraded to E36 325 and 328s and then a E46 330i - they all progressively felt like better cars. Im still a big BMW fan these days, daily a X3 M40i and have a E31 840ci I am doing a light restoration on. I can see the nostalgia appeal with E30s. I’d always lusted over a E30 M3 but after driving one a couple of years back I was very disappointed, I think the M325i feels more like how I expect a BMW to do so, plus it would annoy me driving LHD. If the right low mileage nz new M325i came up I would probably pony up and buy it, but as mentioned above there are probably 5 or so in nz and owners are holding onto them. I’m probably in the camp of people who mucked around with these cars in their youth now having the means to buy a good one and keep it as a weekend classic. What I can’t understand is people paying $10k+ for rough auto 4 cylinder E30s. What boring uninspired cars! Kids these days can get much better bang for buck elsewhere. But maybe the problem is that the world has moved on? When I was in my teens and early 20s I wanted performance and fun. Has car culture evaporated and people that pay too much for crap run of the mill E30s just wanting nothing more than what they think is retro style?

Gets a "pops and bangs tune" and "straight pipe" wonders why car is sh*t. Replace that junk. Call it a life lesson

NZ market for any older Mercedes has always been limited. Less popular, less vehicles\parts and less support\diy. Don't think E30's got their own rap track though.

Looks like the new owner of @Blackies E36 is moving on a low km E46 Touring https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/auction-3630806499.htm

Yeah, cause BMW doesn’t rhyme with “amends”.

https://blackforestindustries.com/collections/bmw-automatic-knobs/products/bfi-gs2-air-leather-shift-knob-and-boot-combo-e90-dct-fitment-1

She'll be right mate

Small but significant gains lately ... welded all of the spring loops for the slip joints, sorted out the oxygen sensor bungs finally, put fire sleeve on the fuel lines, completed the fuel return line and have mounted the headers up for the final time !!! Also put some gas in the thing so the fuel pump has something to pump when i'm switching things on and off now. Might be a little premature but its a fun step. Have ordered a bunch of custom anodised Speedflow fittings to give the engine bay a bit of bling ... STILL waiting on the dry sump oil tank and radiator. Hey look ... a person !!!

I cant comment on bmw specifically as it was a Toyota I used them in, but I had a set of Vogtland springs and really rate them. I used them with new shocks and the ride was great, and not too low. They generally have quite a good name.

Thought I would get the ‘inner interior’ all nice before the re-upholstered interior goes back in next week. Shampoo’d the carpets, cabin and boot, repainted most interior plastics and put in some sound deadening (mix of butyl and foam I had in the basement) in the spare wheel well, boot, inner rear quarters / arches and doors while I was at it. Came up well, save a few little coffee stains on passenger side that are ordinarily covered by the seat anyway. Can’t wait to get the new seats, door cards and floor mats in!

Took this for a good drive, em very tasty. Definitely considering ordering

Gave it a much needed wash. Will tackle the carpets with my Bissell hopefully tomorrow.