Is This Where The E30 Market Is Now..?

[Apex 693]

That is a shame. You got it for a bargain, the guy I sold it to messaged me like a month later saying it had blown a head gasket or something and that was the last I heard of it. I think he was looking for the sales department for information on a warranty. 

In the condition you had it I would think people would ask 45+k for it these days based on current madness and broad appeal, it was more interesting to the casual enthusiast than the coupe. I still have people to this day mention how much they admired it. 

Glad I scratched that itch when I did, I feel they are an icon and seeing a somewhat original looking one takes many people back to a golden era or perhaps the dream of one, a time when a BMW was a real statement and a genuinely premium car and exclusive to the hard workers. 

 

 

[gjm 3258]

5 hours ago, Apex said:

Also, they are also bugger all more practical than a regular hatch back because of the way the boot opens and how the cargo area is lined. 

That was my experience with the one I had in the UK. Nice car, certainly, but somehow not as engaging to drive, and the expectation of useful boot space was only that - an expectation. You could get a bit more in it than the boot of a coupe or 4-door, but not as much as you'd expect. Now, if BMW had done a 2-door wagon version, like the 2002, that might have been better! (Even with no more space inside.  )

[Neil McCauley 394]

3 hours ago, gjm said:

That was my experience with the one I had in the UK. Nice car, certainly, but somehow not as engaging to drive, and the expectation of useful boot space was only that - an expectation. You could get a bit more in it than the boot of a coupe or 4-door, but not as much as you'd expect. Now, if BMW had done a 2-door wagon version, like the 2002, that might have been better! (Even with no more space inside.  )

DID SOMEONE SAY 2-DR TOURING E30?!? I would do shameful, sinful things for one of the four Luchjenbroers Tourings, especially the BBS kitted ones. https://www.e30.de/fotostory/f02340/f02340.htm

[cleanish_e46 207]

I’m back home in the UK at the moment and this is for sale near my dads work:

Laguna Green, factory manual, sports seats, smileys, factory load cover with dog guard, service history, taxed and MOT’d so drive it home for £4500 (just over $9000).

[Vass 830]

12 hours ago, Neil McCauley said:

DID SOMEONE SAY 2-DR TOURING E30?!? I would do shameful, sinful things for one of the four Luchjenbroers Tourings, especially the BBS kitted ones. https://www.e30.de/fotostory/f02340/f02340.htm

Awesome concept but those rear side windows just look all sorts of wrong. Way too big and out of proportion, makes it look like a hearse. Almost need another pillar to break those up. 

[gjm 3258]

1989 325 NZ new coupe - $10k

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/listing/4403812754

Edited November 12, 2023 by gjm

[Apex 693]

Bargain. I can hear that accelerating up a hill from here. 

At the bottom it linked to this: https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/318i/listing/4409852676

Am I missing something? 318i on fake wheels? 

[MD13 494]

On 11/11/2023 at 6:30 PM, gjm said:

1989 325 NZ new coupe - $10k

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/listing/4403812754

Auto... I imagine manual parts for an e30 fetch a premium?

[C-130 Hercules 571]

3 hours ago, Apex said:

Bargain. I can hear that accelerating up a hill from here. 

At the bottom it linked to this: https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/318i/listing/4409852676

Am I missing something? 318i on fake wheels? 

"Accelerates, drives and stops as it should" - excellent, PPI done. 

Edited November 12, 2023 by C-130 Hercules
Grammar

[Eagle 1662]

Pedals like those with no rubbers are bloody dangerous in certain conditions.

[Neil McCauley 394]

a 4dr M325i for when we all decide to go up a tad? https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/540i/listing/4418421706 Unbelievable value surely when E34 M5's of the same standard are 100K+. Added bonus of that they're faster than a 3.6 too. 

[Eagle 1662]

He wanted 35k or 40k before iirc. I wonder what the true market value of these are considering this probably was a 20k car a few years ago.          

25,000km in 15 years must be garage queen status though. No doubt it will need a good mechanic birthday but at least that's the cheaper part if doing it yourself.

[Apex 693]

On 11/18/2023 at 10:57 AM, Eagle said:

He wanted 35k or 40k before iirc. I wonder what the true market value of these are considering this probably was a 20k car a few years ago.          

25,000km in 15 years must be garage queen status though. No doubt it will need a good mechanic birthday but at least that's the cheaper part if doing it yourself.

It was a beautiful car the last time I had a quick drive and look at it, previous owner was a member on here and the car was/is amazing.

Would be a great cruiser for someone, they are far from sporty, nothing like a E30 in terms of "fun" but can be driven by a 40+ yo without looking like as much a saddo. 

[Eagle 1662]

Once the suspension and steering is refreshed they liven up. Most E34 I've driven certainly felt like boats 

[Apex 693]

The best driving E34 is the second facelift model code named "E39".  They fitted rack and pinion steering, a aluminum McPherson strut front end and great multi link rear, they then stiffened the body rigidity by 50% and massively improved driver ergonomics.... Then they went away and the accountants said they had to make the rest of the car out of blue-tac and Whitakers dairy 33% milk chocolate. After three hours in the sun they had the styling and durability done and the cake was baked. 

The E39 chassis was so good Holden used it to build the last Commodore on a decade or so later and it remains an all time great. 

But don't let that distract us from rear seat belts in an E34 and the Ronan chase scene.  In and ideal world you would slide a E39 Chassis under an E34 and call it the best BMW ever made or something really pretentious like "the ultimate driving machine". 

 

[Driftit 2078]

1 hour ago, Apex said:

The best driving E34 is the second facelift model code named "E39".  They fitted rack and pinion steering, a aluminum McPherson strut front end and great multi link rear, they then stiffened the body rigidity by 50% and massively improved driver ergonomics.... Then they went away and the accountants said they had to make the rest of the car out of blue-tac and Whitakers dairy 33% milk chocolate. After three hours in the sun they had the styling and durability done and the cake was baked. 

The E39 chassis was so good Holden used it to build the last Commodore on a decade or so later and it remains an all time great. 

But don't let that distract us from rear seat belts in an E34 and the Ronan chase scene.  In and ideal world you would slide a E39 Chassis under an E34 and call it the best BMW ever made or something really pretentious like "the ultimate driving machine". 

 

I would always pick an E34 over a E39 these days.  It's not 2010 anymore.  The E39's are all flogged time bombs.  Most of the flogged time bomb E34's are long gone to the wreckers and only the loved ones remain.
sh*t in 2010 most of the E39's had had zero maintenance.  Imagine them now.

[Apex 693]

3 minutes ago, Driftit said:

I would always pick an E34 over a E39 these days.  It's not 2010 anymore.  The E39's are all flogged time bombs.  Most of the flogged time bomb E34's are long gone to the wreckers and only the loved ones remain.
sh*t in 2010 most of the E39's had had zero maintenance.  Imagine them now.

Ha, my dad had one brand new in 96, even when a few years old half the car had been recalled and replaced.. But boy did it drive nice in 96, was the best car in the world by a long shot. 

[Eagle 1662]

2 hours ago, Driftit said:

I would always pick an E34 over a E39 these days.  It's not 2010 anymore.  The E39's are all flogged time bombs.  Most of the flogged time bomb E34's are long gone to the wreckers and only the loved ones remain.
sh*t in 2010 most of the E39's had had zero maintenance.  Imagine them now.

Still plenty of tidy E39's around though especially later facelift stuff. E34's are the more durable engines, drivetrains and cost less to maintain and stand more a chance to survive. I see plenty of low k E34 540i's which are probably still rocking mostly original parts.   

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/325i/listing/4393895444

Interesting to see what this goes for

[Driftit 2078]

Ouch. Whatever a Live tag is worth or a M20 that probably needs bearings. So 5k seems about right... 

[Apex 693]

16 hours ago, Eagle said:

Still plenty of tidy E39's around though especially later facelift stuff. E34's are the more durable engines, drivetrains and cost less to maintain and stand more a chance to survive. I see plenty of low k E34 540i's which are probably still rocking mostly original parts.   

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/325i/listing/4393895444

Interesting to see what this goes for

Shesh, lucky to have no injuries from that, would be scary rolling a convertible let alone a 80's one. 

 

[Sammo 2544]

The rarest of rare - 333i with a Tech 2 kit 🙃

https://www.rosecitycars.co.nz/vehicle/1986-BMW-Other/11955?s=1&fbclid=IwAR3mR2oKEOI-vQHROlVxoGZ7w0JioNjTcpk1EinucF2-tlxqjo1ePixvsHI

Not sure why you would not return to stock and present as an original car if you had all the bits with it.

[Apex 693]

Nice find.

How good does a pre-facelift car look with a Tech-2 kit though, so good!

Can this be in the 10 commandments of E30? Thou shall not mix facelift and pre-facelift.

Also ironic. 

[balancerider 757]

2 hours ago, Sammo said:

The rarest of rare - 333i with a Tech 2 kit 🙃

https://www.rosecitycars.co.nz/vehicle/1986-BMW-Other/11955?s=1&fbclid=IwAR3mR2oKEOI-vQHROlVxoGZ7w0JioNjTcpk1EinucF2-tlxqjo1ePixvsHI

Not sure why you would not return to stock and present as an original car if you had all the bits with it.

The unworn houndstooth Recaros that are in there now should defray the ‘rose city cars’ tax somewhat? Nice but 96k buys you quite a lot of Porsche / Audi RS / Maserati…

[Eagle 1662]

Sporting the usual dealer standard equipment option - worn shift knob

[Neil McCauley 394]

Oh to go back to 2015...