Country of origin opinions

[actletpone 43]

Nz new seems to be the preferred option. Just wondering what your opinions are across all models of BMW's imported from different countries e.g japan, south africa, nz new etc. What are the things you should watch out for and what are the differences when coming from certain countries.

Specifically I am looking at e30's but would be interested to hear opinions relating to all models e34, e36, e46 etc It might be good as a reference for people buying cars?. My first e30 was from japan, my current one is NZ new. Now I am looking for a third e30 and am somewhat hesitant at cars that are not NZ new. I know it also depends on the car, what has been done to it and how it has been looked after but thought it would be good to get some opinions.

Edited October 25, 2012 by actletpone

[Neal 512]

The thing to remember with e30 imports was that the industry was riff with cars coming in with altered speedos at the time. Many had done far more KMs than stated. Remember looking at a 325i where they'd left the next oil due sticker at 195000 KMs . The car was advertised with 76000 KMs .

Having said that some of those SA cars had nice up specs such as 2.7 l engines and most options ticked for the extras.

[Allanw 1052]

For E30 specificly, I'd worry more about the condition, and where it was made.

You'll get a lot of varying opinions and not all will be based on facts!

German assembled is usually preferred and avoid ex UK cars, as the rust bug has usually taken hold by now. SA cars don't seem terribly well rust proofed (which I have also found true for VW's) and may have more issues here than over there in the dry climate, but not a real issue on a well looked after car.

Really, each car needs to be looked at on it's own set of merits - Unless it's a collectible model, what difference will it make later? There are a lot of crap E30's out there, but still a surprising number of good ones (Like dads 2 owner, manual 325i SE that he's had for the last 14 years!).

[liyi_92 37]

For E30 specificly, I'd worry more about the condition, and where it was made...

I second what Alan said. Also I heard many importers don't like Singapore models? They said something about the climate there and are usually lower spec cars. Then again I may have heard wrong...

[Driftit 1966]

For E30's it does not matter where they are from.

It all depends on how they have been looked after and what specs they are all these years on from their day.

UK/SAF ones are usually the higher specd cars. Kiwi ones are usually the most looked after. Jap ones are nearly all poorly specd.

Model determines if it is worth anything though. From top to bottom.

[kiwi535 538]

Germany would be my choice

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2920]

avoid ex UK cars, as the rust bug has usually taken hold by now.

Bingo! Someone had to say it, any thread on imports someone has to quote this! Salt on roads, etc, etc. On a 20+ year old car, rust is dependent upon more than where the car is from.

Ignore where the car came from, look at what it is now and the condition it is in. Any history in terms of servicing and work done, that can be authenticated, is a good pointer. But the overall factor has to be the condition of the car, i don't mean shiny paint work.. get underneath it with an inspection lamp, pull up carpets in the boot, etc. Get it up on a hoist an look at bushes, ball joints, etc..

[nipe 1]

This is funny, you guys all talk about country specific issues/benefits here and the each say it does not matter what country its from. Of course everyone will look at the condition now before buying, but I, for example, have not seen a nice jap import e30. That's my 2 cents

Edited October 26, 2012 by nipe

[Shorty 1]

I had a Singapore import 325 e36 had been on the country about 4 years before I had owned it. All the door cards dwell apart. Fabric came off and roof liner had sagged (I know that's common) in addition pulling out of intersections was always dodgy as sometimes the engine would almost cut out... found the issue my engine loom had melted together..

I also imported a 318e36 motorsport from Japan. Was a nice, tight car to drive. Only issue I had with that was it was it had been repaired in Japan and not up to our standards. Easy fix...oh and I threw in a manual conversion.

All my other bmws have been nz new, wasn't particularly looking for nz new though. My purple 325 had saggy roof, and the ecu got water in it. My 328 afsin saggy roof..

[Andre3000 55]

My current e30 is ex Jap. I took a gamble and it paid off as I flew to Nelson to pick it up without seeing it. It was very hard to fault and drove like new, probably because the owners looked after it and it had been serviced at a BMW workshop for all its NZ life.

If I was to list from best to worst the overall condition of e30's from each country on a whole I'd definitely put NZ new at the top, followed closely by Japan then RSA. Ex UK e30s wouldn't even feature on the same page. This is a generalisation and the condition of the car ultimately relies on the maintenance & storage of the vehicle.

Don't buy UK unless you want to spend a sh*t load on rust repair. Its that simple.

Edited October 26, 2012 by André3000

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2122]

havent read all the other posts but in relation to E30 specifically

NZ New obviously first, dont know why, theres just something about that tag. typically lower spec than UK and SA cars, but usually have better history

SA woud be next. extra rust proofing from the factory, and typically higher spec than other ones with leather seats OBC metal air box long range fuel tank etc.

UK cars can be okay, ive owned several UK E30s, and my current E34 Touring is a UK import. mind you, they have all been imported into NZ within 3 years of being sold new. My opinion on the UK rust issue is largely a case of coincidence. Just as many NZ New or Jap ones rust out. pretty rare to find a rusty SA car though, as i say they had extra rust proofing from the factory because of the climate.

Jap cars avoid like the plauge. the wiring is substandard quality in them, and their odos are almost always useful for telling the interval between oil changes and thats it. Plus they have map writing everywhere, small number plate surrounds, and are typically less looked after than the alternatives.

When looking for rust on these cars, the three most common spots to look are around the rear taillights (most E30s will still be on their original taillight gaskets which are long since perished), sunroof panel and assay if fitted, and on the firewall particularly around the battery tray. not uncommon to find around the front windscreen/scuttle covers either. if theres nothing in these places its pretty likely to be 100% rust free.

Ive had 12 E30s now, with at least two from each country, so i hope im pretty rounded in my opinion!

[jjs 60]

I would always pay a premium for a NZ new car - NZ new is the only way you can be certain of the odometer reading.

To me, driving an import feels like wearing a fake watch. The funny spec wheels, cloth trim (in most cases), other odd spec, radios that don't work properly and small number plate areas.

I wonder run 100 miles away from anything ex-Singapore. I have experienced electrical issues first hand.

[antil33t 90]

Germany would be my choice

So it's Left hand drive?

[hodray 0]

Specifically I am looking at e30's but would be interested to hear opinions relating to all models e34, e36, e46 etc It

Good news , Ive had one of each of those, 2 imported (E30 E36), 2 NZ new.

All have been are reliable mechanically,

All have been "tidy," except the trim fell off the e36.

All have been great to own, to drive, get parts for,etc etc..

better than a Tatty Toyota or a Crusty Commdore any day of the week

They have another thing in common tho... dodgey smelly crappy aircondition units..

Anyway, use your guts, instincts that is, seen me in good stead...so far

[kiwi535 538]

So it's Left hand drive?

no,country of origin is the thread tile.Most BMWs start life in Germany dont they?

[Allanw 1052]

I would always pay a premium for a NZ new car - NZ new is the only way you can be certain of the odometer reading.

Pfffffffffffft! TUI AD.

Heaps of NZ cars were leased. Why pay for extra kms when you can unplug the speed sensor? Real estate agents were a classic for it - more than one agents late model car we travelled in during the 90's had no speedo reading. It's as common here as anywhere.

[Allanw 1052]

pretty rare to find a rusty SA car though, as i say they had extra rust proofing from the factory because of the climate.

Hmmm... not my experience - I seemed to find South African ones with bubbles in the door corners and even under the mirrors on the top edge of the door. I'm not sure you can beat the German rustproofing. Dads E30 still seeps wax out of the doors and bonnet sometimes and the entire underside is stonegaurded under the paintm the undersealed over the top, then the sheilds and stuff fixed on.

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2920]

Don't buy UK unless you want to spend a sh*t load on rust repair. Its that simple.

Wow, I must be the luckiest BMW owner alive then.

E30 Convertible (even worse for rust than coupe/sedan) 1987 ex-Uk total owned for over 10 years, spent on rust $0.00

E46 Wagon 2004 ex-uk, owned 2+ years, total spent on rust $0.00 (unless you inclulde touching up stone-chips before they went rusty due to sh!t NZ roads - something often seen on NZ new, fronts that have been hit by shotguns!)

When it comes to cars, especially those over 20 years old, there are no golden rules. Each and every car has a different life, and can be chalk and cheese even if they were built on the same day and lived in the same country all their life.

Once more for the hard if hearing... look at the condition of the car, not where it came from!!

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2122]

When it comes to cars, especially those over 20 years old, there are no golden rules. Each and every car has a different life, and can be chalk and cheese even if they were built on the same day and lived in the same country all their life.

Once more for the hard if hearing... look at the condition of the car, not where it came from!!

yep

[Andre3000 55]

Wow, I must be the luckiest BMW owner alive then.

E30 Convertible (even worse for rust than coupe/sedan) 1987 ex-Uk total owned for over 10 years, spent on rust $0.00

E46 Wagon 2004 ex-uk, owned 2+ years, total spent on rust $0.00 (unless you inclulde touching up stone-chips before they went rusty due to sh!t NZ roads - something often seen on NZ new, fronts that have been hit by shotguns!)

When it comes to cars, especially those over 20 years old, there are no golden rules. Each and every car has a different life, and can be chalk and cheese even if they were built on the same day and lived in the same country all their life.

Once more for the hard if hearing... look at the condition of the car, not where it came from!!

That's very lucky! My 1987 uk e30 was a colander, and all the other ex uk e30s ive seen/inspected were very rusty, especially on the underside.

" This is a generalisation and the condition of the car ultimately relies on the maintenance & storage of the vehicle."

[deeveus 81]

I would always pay a premium for a NZ new car - NZ new is the only way you can be certain of the odometer reading.

To me, driving an import feels like wearing a fake watch. The funny spec wheels, cloth trim (in most cases), other odd spec, radios that don't work properly and small number plate areas.

I wonder run 100 miles away from anything ex-Singapore. I have experienced electrical issues first hand.

In a nutshell.

Most of the time you know where it's been, what it's been and who's owned it. IMO better resale value also, even given the fact you might pay a bit more at purchase.

[antil33t 90]

My NZ New E34 has dealer servicing up to 200,000km...

the next 50,000km ruined it. Should've seen it when I got it :S

[Jay 735i 0]

Don't buy UK unless you want to spend a sh*t load on rust repair. Its that simple.

How many UK cars have you owned? Being that I've lived there on and off for about 15 years and owned plenty of cars when there, I can say with reasonable authority that your simple statement is complete bollocks.

I've owned an E21 with no rust anywhere, an '85 944 with no rust anywhere, even a '92 205GTI with... no rust anywhere and that car was shockingly badly built (but sodding good fun with the MI16 engine).

It's funny, but I've heard about the UK "rust issue" many, many times, always from people who've never been there.

[nipe 1]

Well UK imports spend quite a bit of time on the boat in salty sea air...

[Andre3000 55]

How many UK cars have you owned? Being that I've lived there on and off for about 15 years and owned plenty of cars when there, I can say with reasonable authority that your simple statement is complete bollocks.

I've owned an E21 with no rust anywhere, an '85 944 with no rust anywhere, even a '92 205GTI with... no rust anywhere and that car was shockingly badly built (but sodding good fun with the MI16 engine).

It's funny, but I've heard about the UK "rust issue" many, many times, always from people who've never been there.

Congratulations! You've owned lots of cars and have actually LIVED in the UK! This automatically entitles you to say my opinion is ballsacks! It also confirms another opinion of mine...

Thread title states "opinions" I have given my honest opinion on imported e30's, no other makes or models, don't nitpick my post without reading it fully.

I've owned 1 UK import e30. I've also seen 3 friends make poor decisions and buy rust bucket e30's all imported from the united kingdom. Don't have any experience with any other UK imported cars.

TBH this is a stupid thread, most don't understand what the OP is asking for and are just saying the same sh*t over and over again like its a competition to put it in their own words. An opinion is a personal belief, not a rule, that's why everyone is entitled to one...