BMW 3-SERIES E30 REVIEW

The 3-Series E30 is the Swiss Army Knife of classic motoring: it fits right in at shows, tackles trackdays with gusto and takes on the daily commute with aplomb.

For many years the E30 has been the classic of choice for those with a more enthusiastic driving style, especially the 325i Sport models with their limited-slip diffs. 

E30s are hugely popular when it comes to amateur motorsport. One of the main reasons for this is that the rear-wheel drive/front engine format is perfect when it comes to learning how to control a car on a circuit. 1.6-litre, 1.8-litre and 2-litre cars all seem fairly pedestrian in the speed stakes, but all of them will be a barrel of laughs when pushed through the bends. The standard 325i offers the best bang for your buck, producing 169bhp out of the box. A 325i can be bought for as little as £1500. 

A decent E30 really is a joy to drive. The suspension is firm enough to hold the car when pushed hard, but soft enough to iron out the bumps on a longer cruise. Oversteer is easy to provoke, however many a decent driver has been caught out in the past, so be careful.  

VITAL STATISTICS

1986 BMW 325i

Engine                                    2494cc/6-cyl/SOHC

Power (bhp@rpm)                  169bhp@5800rpm

Torque (lb ft@rpm)                 167lb ft@4000rpm

Top speed                                138mph

0-60mph                                  7.2sec

Consumption                            26mpg 

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

BODYWORK & CHASSIS
 

The car may look clean, but rot hides itself very well in E30s. Sills, scuttle and arches are the main problem areas. Feel around behind the front and rear arches for crustiness, especially if the car looks freshly undersealed. Inner wings will go behind the front wheel arch guard so open the bonnet and check for rust along the top edge of the inner wing. Front suspension turrets can rot from the base. Check for rust on the bulkhead by removing the fuse box. If you find rust here walk away. 

Open the boot and remove the jack. If there’srust here it will have made its way from the rear inner wheel arch. Also take a screwdriver and magnet to the sills. Lift the carpets in the boot and footwells. Rust here will be difficult to cure. Be wary of sunroofs too. Rot in the roof skin is terminal, so watch out for bubbling here. 

ENGINE

E30 engines are well known for their reliability, but only if well maintained. 

A fully documented service history is a must. The cambelt should be changed every 60,000 miles or at four year intervals. If this isn’t documented, budget to have it done as a matter of course. Start the engine from cold and listen for noisy tappets. If the sound continues when warm then they need to be adjusted. Valve clearances should also be set every 15,000 miles. Improperly adjusted valves can break rocker arms. 

Check oil and coolant levels. Look for signs of oil in the coolant and mayonnaise around the oil filler cap. Both could suggest head gasket failure. Carry out a compression test before buying. Allow the car to idle until warm listening for the fan to come on. If it doesn’t, then assume the car has overheated so warping the cylinder head. 

ELECTRICS

Check the engine bay. Make sure the colour matches the exterior of the car. Fresh paint may suggest the car has been in a crash, so make sure you ask all the right questions. Ensure you get a HPI check. Due to the low book value of E30s many crash-damaged vehicles are written-off as a result of what most would consider light damage. There are a lot of decent-looking cars on the road that have been registered as Cat C or Cat D. Beware. 

RUNNING GEAR

Check the rear subframe bushes for excessive wear. This will have an adverse effect on handling and can be very dangerous. It’s a hugely time consuming job and beyond the reach of the amateur. Listen for a whining noise and clunking from the diff. The mounts could be perished, but more than likely it’ll be a worn diff. Replacements are easy enough to come by, but limited-slip diffs will demand a heavy premium. Check for any excess play or vagueness when changing gear. Avoid high mileage cars that jump out of gear or have worn synchromesh. Look for four matching tyres with plenty of tread. Be wary of cheap tyres which can be dangerous. 

INTERIOR

Interiors are generally hard wearing, but will be past their best after 20+ years. Leather cracks over time and cloth seats will wear particularly badly on the driver’s bolster. Replacement seats are still relatively plentiful, but good quality items will command a premium, especially in leather. Switches give up the ghost with regularity, but are easily sourced and replaced. Odometers will die anytime beyond 100,000 miles as the worm gear deteriorates. Replacement gears are cheap, but fiddly to fit. Remove the card shelf from below the steering column. Any fluid dripping on this hints at a knackered clutch master cylinder. The slave should be replaced at the same time.

OUR VERDICT

The E30 is a superb car that has stood the test of time. Its styling still looks fresh while decent build quality and a growing following have ensured the survival of many cars. They also fit right in at classic shows, track days, or simply on the daily commute. Parts are cheap and plentiful and there are regular club events to attend. There really is an E30 to suit every budget, and both entry-level models and more powerful 2.5-litre cars can be affordable propositions. Many different models were produced over the eight-year production span, with varied and confusing spec sheets. Do your research to ensure you get the car to suit your needs, and don’t buy the first car you see. M3 aside, 318iS and 325i Sport models are the most desirable. 

Retro cars are all the rage at the moment and the E30 is the daddy of them all. Remarkably, its boxy styling has aged well. In fact, its perfect proportions have ensured that the 3-series E30 looks as fresh today as it did when it arrived in British showrooms back in 1983. 

As well as looks, the E30 has practicality in spades, which makes it a great choice if you’re in the market for a useable classic that will earn its keep. Spacious inside, the E30 will carry four adults in comfort and the cavernous boot is large enough to accommodate even the most enthusiastic of holiday packers. 

A hugely practical and stylish car then, but the icing on the cake must surely be the legendary reputation for reliability that BMWs of this era enjoy. A well-maintained E30 will be among the most reliable classic cars at any show, and will devour mile after mile on twisty B-roads, motorways and everything in between. It’s the ideal daily-driver and weekend show car.

bmw

BMW M3 (E30) REVIEW

Highly sought after, the M3 is a motorsport legend but you need to buy the best.

With modern hot hatchbacks producing in excess of 300bhp, two thirds of that isn’t really enough is it? 

Well, that’s where you’d be wrong as the original M3 was one of the finest sports saloons of its day, and feels just as wonderful now.  While BMW have become synonymous with silky straight-six engines, the 2.3-litre, 4-cylinder unit beneath the M3’s bonnet was a cracker producing 200bhp in original, non-catalysed form.  That power arrived at a fizzing 6750rpm, and getting there was to experience a mechanical symphony that sets the hairs on the back of your neck standing.  And thanks to a light weight by today’s standards it still feels quick with the 0-60mph benchmark dispatched in less than seven seconds. 

Driving through a motorsport-inspired dog-leg gearbox, it was also very easy to live with and a well-sorted example feels as happy pottering to the supermarket as it does lapping Silverstone.  But despite the every-day docility, using it that way would be to miss out on one of this car’s finest attributes.  Unencumbered by electronic safety nets, the purity of the driving experience is nothing short of breathtaking.  It steers with amazing precision, the nose tucking into the apex of a corner with just a flick of the meatily-weighted steering and ensconced in the supportive Recaro seat there’s a feeling of superb balance and adjustability.  Powerful E30 variants could be tricky to say the least, especially in poor weather, but the M3 is a world away from the tail-happy six-cylinder cars.  Thank the heavily-revised but still supple suspension for that, but it’s a revelation all the same.  Such delicacy is certainly a far cry from today’s stiffly-suspended performance cars that are tuned for setting records around the Nurburgring. 

The M3 is no less fine inside, where it boasts BMW’s legendary clarity and ergonomics.  There were a few sporting touches, but otherwise it was standard E30 and none the worse for that.  With a spot-on driving position and driver-focused dashboard layout it all feels as special now as it did almost thirty years ago.  As a sports saloon, it’s simply epic.        

VITAL STATISTICS

Engine           2302cc/4-cyl/DOHC

Power            195bhp@6750rpm

Torque          169lb ft@4750rpm

Top speed     143mph

0-60mph       6.7secs

Economy       28mpg

Gearbox         5-speed manual

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Put it to the panel

Only the bonnet, roof, and doors were shared with the regular E30 so it’s important to ensure that M3-specific panels are undamaged.  The lighter, stiffer shell can be prone to stress cracks if it’s been pounded over circuit kerbs or been upgraded with stiffer suspension so get it on a ramp to check.  And make sure you examine the suspension turrets, front chassis legs, and boot floor for evidence of cracks or accident damage.

Spot that rot

Rust resistance isn’t an E30 strong point and hidden corrosion is becoming an issue on the M3.  It can affect the jacking points and inner wings, and you must get a good look behind the sill covers as they can hide serious rot.  Rust can also attack the wings and rear wheel arches, the battery box, the areas surrounding the bonded screens, and in the boot around the lights.  And pay special attention to the scuttle; repairing it isn’t especially difficult or costly, but while the panel itself is cheap it contains the chassis number so has to be specially ordered from BMW and it can take time.  Many examples had a sunroof fitted and serious corrosion here will be expensive to remedy if the sunroof cassette needs to be removed: examine the metalwork and runners thoroughly.

Watch for leaks

The cooling system is an Achilles’ Heel, so check the radiator condition and operation of the fan thermostat.  Evidence of previous overheating should be treated with caution as it could have harmed the head gasket.  Oil leaks from around the sump aren’t uncommon, while a loud rattle on start-up indicates a worn timing chain or tensioner.  Opinions differ here, with some specialists recommending the renewal of all parts at around 100,000 miles as a precaution, but it shouldn’t be necessary on a well-maintained example.  A complete engine re-build costs five figures so excessive exhaust smoke and low oil pressure is bad news, and watch for rough running caused by induction air leaks, or faulty Bosch Motronic engine management. 

Show me the light

Skipped servicing and clocking are further concerns, so check the service lights on the dashboard are working and pay very close attention to the history.  Transmission-wise, the dog-leg Getrag gearbox is a weak point, so check for whining bearings or noisy synchromesh.  You’ll need to allow around £2000 for a specialist re-build.  Hard use can lead to a noisy limited-slip differential, and while failure is rare, a replacement is expensive.  Oil leaks from the ‘box and diff aren’t uncommon either.

Suspension surveillance

The standard suspension rarely gives major problems, so just watch for broken springs, tired dampers, and rattling anti-roll bar links.  As upgraded cars are returned to original specification, sourcing some parts such as springs can be tricky so check availability before undertaking work.  It’s also worth checking the condition of the rear subframe bushes, and the subframes themselves as cracks can appear in hard-used examples.  The brakes are more than up to the task, though, so just ensure that the ABS is operating correctly as it’s a pricey fix.  And check the condition of the BBS wheels as finding new ones isn’t easy.

The inside story

The interior is effectively standard E30, so watch for shabbiness and signs of water ingress via the bulkhead grommets and sunroof drains.  Seat frames can crack, while threadbare seat bolsters will need the services of a professional trimmer.  Some trim parts are getting hard to source, too, so ensure the dashboard, door cards, and switchgear are undamaged.  Failure of the instrument’s printed circuit board (PCB) is a common E30 issue, and costs around £700 to put right; ensure that dials and warning lights are all working.  Indeed, check all electrical items as remedying problems can be frustrating and costly.

Drop top checks

If you’re considering one of the rare convertibles check the operation of the electric hood and ensure that damp hasn’t been getting in.  And all M3s were left-hand drive, and while conversions were carried out a specialist check is highly recommended.

OUR VERDICT

Owning and driving an M3 is a wonderful experience, but buying one is not without pitfalls.  Prices weren’t always so strong, so abused and badly modified examples are out there and need avoiding like the proverbial plague.  Get it right, though, and the peerless handling of this exquisite sports saloon will entertain like nothing else.  It’s special indeed.