E30 325i Rag-Top 2957 Report post Posted August 25, 2021 2 hours ago, Sammo said: Meanwhile, in LaLa Land… https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/auction-3236522882.htm Doesn’t even come with the roof racks for $15k!! I guess Tech II Spoiler + Tech I Steering Wheel = +$10k on price. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30 325i Rag-Top 2957 Report post Posted September 8, 2021 Meanwhile over in 'Murica https://www.ebay.com/itm/265302278248 Rusty as hell M3, great big gaping holes in many places - plus probably a few more that will be hiding under carpets and in the firewall probably. Big crease in the sill one side that would need a proper pull if not replacement parts.. Engine would probably need a full strip down and re-build... It's a less desirable USA spec (weird side lights and no dog-leg gearbox) and it's already over US$30k, sob, sob. That's over NZ$42,200, plus shipping, etc. Looks like the lotto is my only hope now.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ghost Chip 188 Report post Posted September 8, 2021 @E30 325i Rag-Top I’m more gutted that the car has reached that state. I hope that whoever buys it restores it to its former glory! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30 325i Rag-Top 2957 Report post Posted September 8, 2021 Yeah, for the car to be that far gone with only 62,000 miles travelled is hard to believe. Can only think it was parked up for some time out in the elements. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leichtbau 525 Report post Posted September 8, 2021 Regarding the E30 M3, almost all of those rust repairs are a piece of piss (aside from the horror story that is the sunroof panel, hooooo boy, just buy a new panel from BMW NZ like I'm about to do), the real challenge would be finding a body guy that can hide the welds. Easy enough to coin the new panels in, but burnishing to invisible will be the challenge. The rust around the front aerial would quantify any other E30 as terminal, but omg E30 M3. The real question should be why that car is rusting in areas that aren't the usual E30 spots... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30 325i Rag-Top 2957 Report post Posted September 9, 2021 True, they are not terminal in their own right but unless you are a very good panel and paint guy it’s all $$$s on top of the $42k+ purchase price. Most are either E30 weak spots or E30 M3 rust points - like the front scuttle which is probably down to a bad windscreen replacement at some point. Screen that’s in there is buggered anyway so has to come out. And if it’s that bad on the outside, what is it going to be like in the other suspect areas - floorpans (water will have been pouring in), firewall and behind the M3 sideskirts, shudder. Again all repairable but more $$$s. If someone wants to pay that much coin, you have to think it has to be for a restoration - even with E30 M3 parts prices you’re not going to get that back by parting out. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3258 Report post Posted September 9, 2021 M325i, stroked to 2.7, offered on Facebook. $45k. Two(?) years ago that would have bought a M3. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
APT 195 Report post Posted September 9, 2021 25 minutes ago, gjm said: M325i, stroked to 2.7, offered on Facebook. $45k. Two(?) years ago that would have bought a M3. Its also tag swapped.. 1 1 1 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toast 117 Report post Posted September 9, 2021 (edited) 23 minutes ago, APT said: Its also tag swapped.. now I'm not a lawyer but if i were to convert a car I'd keep my fat mouth shut about doing the deed on the sale post on a public forum. But hey it'll be a great gauge on price for every other 318 coupe when it sells Edit; for anyone that missed it Edited September 9, 2021 by Toast 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sammo 2544 Report post Posted September 10, 2021 Even if genuine thought it was a little speculative given the state of the interior. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leichtbau 525 Report post Posted September 10, 2021 Quote 226: Conversion of vehicle or other conveyance “(1)Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who, dishonestly and without claim of right, but not so as to be guilty of theft, takes or uses for his or her own purposes or another person's purposes— “(a)any vehicle, ship, or aircraft; or “(b)any part of any vehicle, ship, or aircraft; or “(c)any horse. “(2)Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years who attempts to commit the offence in subsection (1) or who, dishonestly and without claim of right, interferes with, or gets into or upon, any vehicle, ship, or aircraft. Quote Meaning of “takes” or “uses” Using means acting as the owner to make unauthorised use of a vehicle lawfully in one’s possession; for example, when an employee uses a firm’s delivery vehicle for a private journey. Taking occurs when a person has no right to possession at all. In either case, the vehicle must actually be moved. A person who uses the vehicle after the offence is completed and knows of the offence, is not guilty of taking or using in respect of that offence unless they were party to it. Nothing says the E30 market has jumped the shark like publicly admitting to a charge of conversion. Why oh why would you do this instead of spending $450 on a cert to get the 318i shell legal with a 2.5 - Further to this; the M20 and M40 airbox mounts in the engine bay are located differently, did anyone save a photo of the engine bay? At least the guy who did it was up front about it, otherwise you can add fraud charges to that as well. https://motoringmessageboard.com/topic/71613/page-2/swapping-vin-plates-and-tags seems this might not be super uncommon with E30's in NZ... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toast 117 Report post Posted September 10, 2021 28 minutes ago, leichtbau said: At least the guy who did it was up front about it, otherwise you can add fraud charges to that as well. only after selling and having fomo after seeing what it got relisted for two years later. What would you do though if you wanted to get things ironed out? Is it a police matter or VTNZ? Or is the chassis essentially scrap? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30 325i Rag-Top 2957 Report post Posted September 10, 2021 Life was so much simpler when tags were held on with two rivets and everyone was honest... 🤫 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Simca 49 Report post Posted September 12, 2021 (edited) https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/listing/3260294076?bof=WeWMnkFK Genuine tech 1 kitted 323 manual sedan for 15k ono. Seems like a steal for what they're going for nowadays. Looks alright too. Edited September 12, 2021 by Simca 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E28E30 335 Report post Posted September 12, 2021 42 minutes ago, Simca said: https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/listing/3260294076?bof=WeWMnkFK Genuine tech 1 kitted 323 manual sedan for 15k ono. Seems like a steal for what they're going for nowadays. Looks alright too. Looks great eh @Simca? When I was at intermediate and early high school my friend’s mother had one the same in Bronzit Beige, with check cloth I think. May have had Momo alloys. It was FLAAAAAASH as 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
APT 195 Report post Posted September 12, 2021 10 hours ago, Simca said: https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/listing/3260294076?bof=WeWMnkFK Genuine tech 1 kitted 323 manual sedan for 15k ono. Seems like a steal for what they're going for nowadays. Looks alright too. Sides and rear aren’t Tech 1, only the front kit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E28E30 335 Report post Posted September 12, 2021 3 hours ago, APT said: Sides and rear aren’t Tech 1, only the front kit. Ah true @APT Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30 325i Rag-Top 2957 Report post Posted September 13, 2021 6 hours ago, APT said: Sides and rear aren’t Tech 1, only the front kit. Yeah, I'm not sure what those sides and rear are but definately not Tech I, makes me wonder if the front spoiler is a genuine Tech I front, interesting the lower vent openings are blocked off. Rear spoiler looks like it could be genuine. I am pretty sure the Tech I kit didn't come into production until the 325i had replaced the 323i in the E30 line up, and checking the vin shows that this wasn't fitted with any M Tech bits ex-factory so it looks very much like the bits have been swapped over from another car at some point. I don't think I've ever seen a genuine four door Tech I, even though the bits should fit as the 2-door and 4-door are the same width and wheelbase. Sill a pretty good looking car, a few little niggles to sort out by the sounds of it, in today's E30 market it should go reasonably quickly for near the asking. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3258 Report post Posted September 14, 2021 (edited) Interesting thing happened today. A half-decent E30, today, will sell for $4k upwards. Depending on spec (ignoring M3s and MTechs) it could be 15k, possibly more. Interesting side note: classic review sites suggest a Nissan Pulsar, Ford Laser, or Honda Civic as an alternative! New in 1990, a 325i SE retailed in the UK at £20000-21000 (the 4-door was more expensive). At (then) NZD 2.80 = GBP 1.00, that's $56000-59000. I don't know if this is truly representative of prices in NZ, but you can where I did the math. A 1990 Mercedes R129 500SL would have been $257000 in Australia. (I'm being lazy with sourcing info. ) GBP 1.00 = AUD 2.15 at the time, making that 500SL something like $335000 in New Zealand. Potentially five times the price. Guess which is cheaper, now? 😮 Edited September 14, 2021 by gjm 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nath 134 Report post Posted September 14, 2021 13 hours ago, gjm said: Interesting thing happened today. A half-decent E30, today, will sell for $4k upwards. Depending on spec (ignoring M3s and MTechs) it could be 15k, possibly more. Interesting side note: classic review sites suggest a Nissan Pulsar, Ford Laser, or Honda Civic as an alternative! New in 1990, a 325i SE retailed in the UK at £20000-21000 (the 4-door was more expensive). At (then) NZD 2.80 = GBP 1.00, that's $56000-59000. I don't know if this is truly representative of prices in NZ, but you can where I did the math. A 1990 Mercedes R129 500SL would have been $257000 in Australia. (I'm being lazy with sourcing info. ) GBP 1.00 = AUD 2.15 at the time, making that 500SL something like $335000 in New Zealand. Potentially five times the price. Guess which is cheaper, now? 😮 Nah different generations despite the overlap. Compare r109 sl 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3258 Report post Posted September 14, 2021 4 hours ago, nath said: Nah different generations despite the overlap. Compare r109 sl That's the one I was comparing! It's predecessor, the R107, started in 1971. The R129 is a half-step later, available from 1989 thru 2001. So... Which is the better buy? An E30 316i for $6k, or a R129 500SL? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nath 134 Report post Posted September 15, 2021 5 hours ago, gjm said: That's the one I was comparing! It's predecessor, the R107, started in 1971. The R129 is a half-step later, available from 1989 thru 2001. So... Which is the better buy? An E30 316i for $6k, or a R129 500SL? Whoops I meant r107 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30 325i Rag-Top 2957 Report post Posted September 16, 2021 On 9/15/2021 at 11:46 AM, gjm said: So... Which is the better buy? An E30 316i for $6k, or a R129 500SL? Well, clearly the E30 316i, why? Because E30. If it were easy to predict which would be the cool / collectable / valuable cars in 30+ years time then we would all be storing up cars when they hit the bottom of their depreciation curve to pull out in the future and make wads of cash. Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lambo, etc aside unfortunately there seems to be absolutely no rhyme or reason as to what becomes a collectable classic and what becomes an old lemon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lord_jagganath 421 Report post Posted September 16, 2021 22 minutes ago, E30 325i Rag-Top said: there seems to be absolutely no rhyme or reason as to what becomes a collectable classic and what becomes an old lemon. just get enough people to agree on something and boom it becomes a cult classic. it has to be made in enough numbers to evoke fond memories, at the same time have a sufficient enthusiast following. ie. Honda's EG, EK Civics. 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leonf 162 Report post Posted September 17, 2021 On 9/16/2021 at 2:39 PM, lord_jagganath said: just get enough people to agree on something and boom it becomes a cult classic. it has to be made in enough numbers to evoke fond memories, at the same time have a sufficient enthusiast following. ie. Honda's EG, EK Civics. "it has to be made in enough numbers to evoke fond memories" Actually - not necessarily. I bought a Clio v6 10 years ago (my forever car. Still have it) at the bottom of its depreciation cycle for ~$35knzd. I specifically wanted a low production limited edition car that was desirable to the masses when new, but generally unattainable due to the cost. They aint making any more, are slowly being written off. Month by month there are less of them and suddenly they are a modern classic and everybody would love to have one. Wait until the lhd ones reach 25yo and can be imported into the USA. Madness will erupt and the rhd's (mine) will be dragged upward in the frenzy. Well, that's the theory, anyway. Meanwhile, it's a ton of fun. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
