How Many E30s Have You Owned?

#1

17: 7 to the crusher, 10 still on the track or street.

How about others? Interesting stories?

Regards, Robert Patton

#2

Since April 2008…

Sold:

  • 1987 325e sold to a friend for his 16 year old son
  • 1987 325is rollover car sent to crusher

Still in the stable:

  • 1989 325is race car
  • 1989 325is rolling chassis
  • 1984 318 rolling chassis
  • 1991 325i daily driver convertible

Hmmm. 6 E30s in the past +/-18 months. I gots problems.

#3

1986 325e took it to one track event. Then talked to you guys and realized I needed an i car. Sold the eta to my Pops and it is still used as his airport car. Now with full i swap.

1987 325is current race car. Purchased 2 weeks after my first track event in the gutless eta for $850

1987 325is bought from Don Stevens owned for 24hrs before I sold it to my brother. Still his current track car

1987 325is Delphin over Cardinal current DD weekend car.
Soon to be on full SE30 suspension and used at auto x

1987 325is Parts car and spare chassis

Almost forgot the 87 325 lemons car, but I really don’t own that one Jim Levie does, it just lives in our shopB)

I like 87’s I guess

Next purchase will probably be an E28, what a great road trip car that would make

#4

5

1984 325e - I actually never had the title but drove it quite a bit then sold it for a guy who bought it to flip. Started the love affair with E30s

1986 Alpina C2 2.7 - Cool car - It was actually a US 325 (eta engined base model) that was converted to full C2 2.7 specs by Miller & Norburn at a costs of $14k which was a huge pile of money in 1988. It had some nice US spec stuff like A/C, power windows, power door locks, and most importantly ABS. The down side was it had ugly diving boards vs. the lovely chrome Euro bumpers.

1990 325is - My current race car. Used it as a daily driver for 5 years before converting to track then race use.

1987 325is - Bought as a spares car - Sold it to Greg, now Eric Moberg.

1992 325ic - Current weekend driver.

Don

#5

1986 325e project - was going to be my track car until I talked to Chuck Taylor. Let it go.
1991 318i - Was my DD for four months then overheated. ( I knew it was coming) Mechanic did a bad job of putting it back together and bent valves. Sold as is.
1987 325is - And there she is, “Miss Prissy”. A controlled Spec E30 build.

#6

Wow, I’m a total newb compare to all of you and not nearly as compulsive as Steve D.

Only have 2. My 87 Spec car and Deb’s 87 future TTE car.

#7

Man I can’t believe how many 1987 325is cars there are. I only own one, and I got it earlier this year for $800 with a bad transmission and no brakes. I still prefer the E92. :smiley:

#8

These really are great threads because I can show it to my wife and say that I am average at best in terms of E30 ownership.

5 running:

'88 325i PRO3 E30
’88 M3
’87 325is Dinan
’90 325ia 4-dr
’91 325i 4-dr

also 3 non running chassis sitting in a field.

Have only sold 2.

Well, actually sold 3. About 10 years ago, sold my '88 M3, but bought it back 18 months later. I say I’m the third and fifth owner of that creampuff.

#9

I’m sort of thinking about adding an E30 cabrio to the mix. For the 2 sunny months we get in Seattle. LOL.

#10

I’ve had 3 e30’s. My race car is my 2nd e30 (it was a daily driver for a while), but it’s the 7th BMW I’ve had. The other 2 e30’s were both 84 325e (one was a parts car)

I’m hoping to get another e30 in the near future. Driving the suburban suck on multiple levels. Plus it would be nice to be able to break in brake rotors and what not…

#11

89 325is
89 M3
88 325es
89 spec e30

#12

'84 318 while in Germany. Was really fun on the Autobahn until the girlfriend’s girlfriend over-estimated how quickly her 70’s VW bug could stop in the rain and rear ended me.

'84 323 while in Germany. Had sport springs and aero stuff. Was a quick little thing. Far stronger on the Autobahn then the 318 was. That’s the car I smacked into the base commanding general and his wife. The story is on my website.

'87 325 SpecE30

'91 325i bought as a parts car last Spring. Pulled what I wanted and sold the rest to Jim Robinson.

'87 325i Lemons car. Is sitting in the driveway. Spent half the day attempting to put a circle-track rubber front end on it. It’s getting there but it always takes a while to work thru the failed ideas until you get to the 5th idea that seems to work.

#13

'91 325i
’89 325ix (sold)
'90 M3
’87 325ic
’91 318is

#14

'89 325i
’89 325is (for sale)
'87 325i spec e30
’87 325is spec e30
’86 325e

#15

90 325is “the Beast” was too nice to be a track car, but it was, and I still regret fatally wounding it at Barber
85 325 rustbucket Son of Beast, track rat built from remnants of Beast
89 325is SpecE30 race car built from remnants of Beast(s)
89 325i street car, sold to #2 son
91 318is street car, currently rehabbing for #1 son
91 325i spare shell roller

#16

91 325is - sold to a guy that ran it in the 2009 Targa Newfounland Rally and won (GT)
91 325i - currently racing
87 325i - currently racing
87 325i - parts then crushed
86 325es - parts
89 325is - parts then crushed

#17

I’m kinda new to the E30 addiction/cult, but am hooked nonetheless. It started about 2 years ago with the M3, and its been a downward spiral ever since. I still have them all and I can’t bring myself to part with any of them.

88 M3 - 82k, Bought to start DEs

90 325i - Was the first anticipated donor. Has lsd option from factory. The bugger still starts right up…over 200k and an oil leak between head and block on exhaust side.

89 325i - 100k but motor is toast. PO did some off roading and put a hole in the oil pan…I’m told there is bottom end damage to motor. Real nice/straight car otherwise.

89 325i - This is my spec e30 build…most bushings & suspension work complete. Interior stripped. Getting it caged over the winter. (hopefully)

#18

Hummm, let me see??? Some are Team cars (Tom and mine)

1987 325is-sold to older brother and gone to west coast, 2002(?)

1987 325is - bought to be first race car, Tom drove it and Patton said it was too nice! Bought for $1,400 sold in 2008 for $4,000

1987 325is - Tom’s race car

1987 325is - Bronze car sold 2008 for $3,000

1987 325is - my red race car, came from Atlanta half built

1989 325i - Blue car Tom found somewhere

1989 M3 - 48,000 miles on it, 100% stock. had light damage done in early 90’s in Charlotte and sat under a trap til 2000 or so. Friend bought it, fixed body and had work done. driven rarely

1988 M3 race car, built in NC for a guy who never drove it. I got it back from Utah and got it cheap! Wing was gone in first session at CMP!

I’m sure I missed afew and Tom can clean this up. Our warehouse currently has 5 E30 cars in it. Two Spec race cars, 1 M3 race car, one very nice M3 and a car I just bought from Travis for my daughter to drive in Asheville at school. Her E46 was becoming a headache!

#19

Fun to read.

When I’ve got some time (and the help of someone that types faster than 5 words per minute) I’ll try to do a story/whereabouts for the 17 that I’ve owned and sold/crushed/given to others.

For now, thanks to all for the entertainment.It is interesting to read about the incestuous relationship that some of the cars have (I bought it from Travis, blah, blah blah)
Can’t wait to read Canterbury’s stuff or Al’s stuff, or Travis’ stuff.

Others?

RP