BMW 3 Series (1983 - 1992) Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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User reviews for BMW 3 Series (1983 - 1992)
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by Jeffery H
Apr 13, 2022
3 series 84-91 bmws e30 are the best cars ever madeApr 13, 2022
by Anonymous
Mar 13, 2015
The 1987 325ic e30 is the world renown most desirable BMW Convertible on the road today. Top down this vehicle is like none you will have ever been in. The vehicle has a 2.5 l 6 cyl engine with rear wheel drive. It's turning radius is better than most vehicles its length or wheel base. As such you'll be able to make a U-turn in a single operation.
The car is fun to drive and wow how many people have commented how beautiful it is when I'm parked or thumbs up from passer bys.Mar 13, 2015
by Anonymous
Sep 29, 2013
The legendary BMW 3 series is widely regarded as one of the greatest cars ever conceived. As far as pure motoring goes, the second generation E30 was arguably best in the history of the series. The 325IS model, especially, with it's sports trim bumper covers, sport seats, improved handling and, of course, peppy, 2.5L inline six had been refined to nearly the point of perfection especially by the end of their run by 1989-90. The E36 that replaced it, while a fantastic machine in it's own right, was a bit heavier, suffered from build quality issues especially in the early years, and was clearly a break from some of the pure sporting values that BMW had created around their brand. The E30 of 1990 Had most of the positives of what it would become; ride comfort, safety, features, but also everything that was great about what it was built on; great build quality, refined engineering, classic looks, light weight, and very little in the way of negative traits. The biggest one of those negative traits is actually not peculiar to the E30, but to all BMWs. It is both what makes a BMW a BMW, and a BMW's Achille's heel. That is, the way BMW loves to build their rubber bushings irremovably into the metal. It makes for an amazing driving experience, but when the parts inevitably begin to wear, the party's over and the entire part must be replaced.
Like any older car, keeping it on the road is a labor of love, but the build quality of these late 80s & early 90s BMWs is second to none. If properly maintained, these cars will be on the road for a lifetime or maybe two. But sadly, fewer and fewer people appreciate these classics and they become more scarce every year, especially when the collector's eyes are more focused on the golden child of the family; the racetrack destroying M3. The peasant's model is often snapped up by tinkerers and modified within an millimeter of their lives and sorely abused. As a consequence, it is also getting harder to find an E30 that is unmolested.
Anyone who appreciates older cars could do much worse than find an E30 to put in their garage. Considering the reasonable prices these cars can be had for, their reasonable reliability and iconic looks, not to mention the E30s even feel more modern in many ways than the Accords and Jettas of the late 90's, the E30 is truly a poor man's collector car. And who knows, considering all the great things about these cars, they could turn out to be a great investment.Sep 29, 2013
User rating:
by Jeffery H
Apr 13, 2022
3 series 84-91 bmws e30 are the best cars ever madeApr 13, 2022
by Anonymous
Mar 13, 2015
The 1987 325ic e30 is the world renown most desirable BMW Convertible on the road today. Top down this vehicle is like none you will have ever been in. The vehicle has a 2.5 l 6 cyl engine with rear wheel drive. It's turning radius is better than most vehicles its length or wheel base. As such you'll be able to make a U-turn in a single operation.
The car is fun to drive and wow how many people have commented how beautiful it is when I'm parked or thumbs up from passer bys.Mar 13, 2015
by Anonymous
Sep 29, 2013
The legendary BMW 3 series is widely regarded as one of the greatest cars ever conceived. As far as pure motoring goes, the second generation E30 was arguably best in the history of the series. The 325IS model, especially, with it's sports trim bumper covers, sport seats, improved handling and, of course, peppy, 2.5L inline six had been refined to nearly the point of perfection especially by the end of their run by 1989-90. The E36 that replaced it, while a fantastic machine in it's own right, was a bit heavier, suffered from build quality issues especially in the early years, and was clearly a break from some of the pure sporting values that BMW had created around their brand. The E30 of 1990 Had most of the positives of what it would become; ride comfort, safety, features, but also everything that was great about what it was built on; great build quality, refined engineering, classic looks, light weight, and very little in the way of negative traits. The biggest one of those negative traits is actually not peculiar to the E30, but to all BMWs. It is both what makes a BMW a BMW, and a BMW's Achille's heel. That is, the way BMW loves to build their rubber bushings irremovably into the metal. It makes for an amazing driving experience, but when the parts inevitably begin to wear, the party's over and the entire part must be replaced.
Like any older car, keeping it on the road is a labor of love, but the build quality of these late 80s & early 90s BMWs is second to none. If properly maintained, these cars will be on the road for a lifetime or maybe two. But sadly, fewer and fewer people appreciate these classics and they become more scarce every year, especially when the collector's eyes are more focused on the golden child of the family; the racetrack destroying M3. The peasant's model is often snapped up by tinkerers and modified within an millimeter of their lives and sorely abused. As a consequence, it is also getting harder to find an E30 that is unmolested.
Anyone who appreciates older cars could do much worse than find an E30 to put in their garage. Considering the reasonable prices these cars can be had for, their reasonable reliability and iconic looks, not to mention the E30s even feel more modern in many ways than the Accords and Jettas of the late 90's, the E30 is truly a poor man's collector car. And who knows, considering all the great things about these cars, they could turn out to be a great investment.Sep 29, 2013
by Anonymous
Jul 16, 2013
The 1992 BMW 325i is the best ride I ever had ! I had a lot of cars in my day but hands up to the 1992 BMW 325i ....You got to drive it to believe it ! There's nothing more to say ...What a sweet ride!!!Jul 16, 2013
by Eddie S
Oct 15, 2012
Performance - Very quick when in the powerband, even with an auto trans.
Handling - Best handling for the money I've ever driven.
Braking - Not amazing, but can lock all the wheels when neccessary.
Looks - Very respectable platform, but mine needs paint badly.
Interior - Bunch of little things missing or broken, but should be easily fixable.
Oct 15, 2012
by Mathieu S
Feb 14, 2012
Bought this as a project car when I was 19, fell in love with the awesome handling, killer looks and excellent 2.5l L6. Even after 24 years, it's the most fun I've had on wheels. Parts are easy to find and quite cheap, and the car itself is a dream to work on; everything is solidly built and simple, no fancy electronics. Feb 14, 2012
by Anonymous
Jun 28, 2011
German engineering's solution to Styling without sacrificing confort. The engines are near bullet proof, one of the best built of European cars! They are very sensitive to maintence unlike Imports. If neglect it can be your worse nightmare, $$$$. If taken care it will give you Fahrvergnügen!Jun 28, 2011
by Mike W
Sep 24, 2010
INCREDIBLY RELIABLE!!!
DEFINATLY if not the cheapest bmw one of the cheapest and VERY reliable.
the ride is smooth. you can drive it across the usa and it will happily and
steadily get you there without a hassle, did i mention it is reliable?
the only problem is the specialty shops normally are kinda out of the way :(
did i mention this car is reliable? :DSep 24, 2010
by Juan G
Sep 21, 2010
Everything in this car is stock. Every single spare part has been BMW, and the car
has been always mantained by me and my mechanic. For me it is a pretty fast ride,
it goes very well through corners; mechanically it is not a very complicated car (just
the ABS), and it is loads of fun... LOADS of funSep 21, 2010
by Guy M
Jun 18, 2010
I owned a 318 ti, a nice car, very well finished, high fun factor, low fuel
consumption, very good chassis ... The 318 Ti had a very good 140 bhp back then,
which you could really use. The "crude" chassis which can be found in a Z3 or the
previous 3 series proved quite ok, you had some rear axle flex impacting straight
ahead stability, but nothing worrying.Jun 18, 2010
by Leonard N
Apr 21, 2010
This baby is my daily driver, and a damn fun one at that! Absolutely phenomenal handling ability, being only 1100kg, RWD and having a close-to-
50:50 split for weigh distribution, it really is fantastic
Fuel consumption is low too but that is expected of a twin-cam 1.8 4-cylinder -
If I'm honest I wish the fuel consumption were a little better but then again I do
rev the engine out a lot so I am being a bit unrealistic.
Performance in a straight line is not amazing but it definitely feels brisk, the
engine absolutely loves to rev and this along with the car's nimble handling
makes the car addictive to drive. The powerchip helped a lot in the car's
performance - pulls stronger.
I do a lot of maintenance work on the car myself too and it is very simple to
work on. Parts for this car are cheap and the engine responds well to basic
modifications such as chip, exhaust and intake.
If I were to complain, its that the engine is more fragile than the M10 powered
318i I used to have before this - I therefore change the oil very regularly,
about every 4-5000km.
Overall though, amazing car for the age, price and spec.Apr 21, 2010
by Luis F
Apr 03, 2010
I enjoy a lot to drive this car, the handling, engine sound (M20 inline six) is excellent, the car was made for people who likes to drive, a car thinked for the driver principality, is like a modern classic car.Apr 03, 2010
by Anonymous
Mar 24, 2010
This car has the get up and go like Ive never seen before. It handles great, gets wonderful gas mileage, and is easy to drive! It feels strong and powerful without being a beast. It purrs and looks hot doing it! Mar 24, 2010
by Stephen K
Feb 19, 2010
The BMW e30 is the most awesome car ever made... the 325e is probably not the best model for sports. but when your looking for a clean e30 on a budget its hard to be super picky. Most awesome car ever!Feb 19, 2010
by Yassen S
Aug 07, 2009
Performance: Acceleration - terrible in 316i and 318i; breakint - great in most BMWs; handling - could be hard for someone not used to rear wheels drive
Build Quality: Almost no expenses for repairs
Appearance: Combining sports and elegant outlook; great seat comfort; user friendly board
Cost of Ownership: fuel consumption ~12l/100km urban; ~7.5l/100km LPG
Fun Factor: Depends on the driver :)Aug 07, 2009
by Michael R
Jul 17, 2009
Performance was very good, the build quality was exceptional. Didn´t had any repairs in all of the years. The cost of ownership (gas) was acceptable, while the funf factor was really very good. So overall the car was worth all the moneyJul 17, 2009
by Andres B
Jun 13, 2009
i looooove my car!
not so good on acceleration, great on braking, good handling
no squeaks/rattles
normal repairs, head gasket and timing belt hahaha...
mint inside and out
good mileage
very fun to drive, specially in the rain, RWD!Jun 13, 2009
by Zachary J
Sep 08, 2008
This beautifully engineered compact executive saloon from Bavaria is an excellent car. I bought it in the Summer of 2008 with 165,000 miles on it. The previous owner had installed a solid stainless steel short shifter, replaced the steering with an M3 rack, replaced brake rotors and lines with ATE components, and added Bilstein sport struts. The car drives superbly and quickly with these additions.
Although the performance is the most important factor in my mind, what I really love about this car is the "Germanness". BMW designed the car to have classic sedan shape with conservative German lines, but still managed to make the car look powerful and aggressive. Consistent with German logic, the front axle steers the car while the rear propels it forward. To help achieve its 50/50 weight balance, BMW moved the axles forward, placed the battery in the trunk and added a full size spare with a matching steel wheel. In the owner's manual they've included procedures and warnings to adhere to when driving "enthusiastically" or when exceeding 110 mph.
Overall, this is an excellent driving machine from Germany.Sep 08, 2008
by Luke W
Aug 03, 2008
It is a black four door E30 BMW 325i. I love it. It has
lowering springs, black 17" wheels, K&N intake and
much more. It has a black interior which sucks
sometimes when its hot but looks great on a black
car. The car is a dream. It handles amazing. There
is almost no body roll at all any more, with my
suspension upgrades, and is pretty fast in the
straights. But what I really love is the noise. It
creates the best noise I have ever heard. Especially
after the cold air intake. You hit 4 grand on the
tach and the things sounds like a monster about to
kill you. It scares me sometimes. I love it. But the
best part of it all is the looks. It got a beautiful
paint job before i bought it and it looks gorgeous!
With the Eibach springs it sit nice and low and tucks
over the beautiful black BBS style wheels.
Occasionally i will stop while walking away from it,
turn around and just stare.
The coolest thing about it too, is that I paid only
$2250 for it. Only had to drive a few hours to get it.
Right now i could sell it for around $5000, (but
never would). It was a great deal.
I love this car so much, some people are worried
about me, but truly it is a fantastic car!Aug 03, 2008
by Eric F
Jul 29, 2008
It is a great handling car and still looks great even
though it is over 15 years old. The car is still going
strong. I did have to replace the the struts and springs
and installed coilovers, but that was more because I
wanted increased performance and was not a
necessity. I love this car and will keep it forever. Jul 29, 2008
by Stuart K
Jun 26, 2008
Proper german car, Well built excellent handling, Wicked performance in 6 cylinder guise!Jun 26, 2008
by Ben S
Mar 25, 2008
This was a great little e30, had great handling, excellent feeling brakes but always seemed
to be lacking in power until 3000 rpm, which only left 1800 rpm until the redline. It
handled winter roads without a hiccup and was a great car for going up to the ski hill in,
that is if you could fit your skis/snowboard into it if you didn't have a ski rack. The
automatic transmission was my only real complaint, but only because it was an automatic.
The interior was excellently laid out, the three different control sticks for operating the
headlights, signals, cruise control, etc. made for easy operation even when wearing gloves
in winter, however the great heater ensured that you didn't have to wear
gloves for long. The exterior's only real flaw was the plastic/fiberglass front fender skirt
was prone to become loose (at least on mine) and it eventually broke loose while driving at
65 mph, destroying the plastic but luckily nothing else was damaged. This car was really
easy to work on for all normal maintenance (oil changes, replacing the brakes, replacing
the lower control arm bushings, etc) but was also a royal pain when more serious things
went wrong. The starter was a bugger to replace, as well as the water pump and oil pan.
Another random thing that went wrong was one of the wires on the starter came loose
while driving, causing all of the gauges to go out. This was a pain to diagnose along the
side of the road in the dead of winter, but a real easy fix. All in all though a great little car
that I really would like to pick up again, however I would probably go for its sister, the
1988 325is instead for the manual transmission, higher revving engine and body color
metal front fender skirt.
Mar 25, 2008
by Sawyer S
Feb 27, 2008
Introduced to the North America in 1988, the iX suffered from poor sales due to its cost (at $33,000, it was $1,000 less than an M3) and . The reason for the exorbitant pricing was that it came with every option available to the E30 chassis fitted as standard. All '88's came with two doors and a manual gearbox which means that it is a shed load of fun in nearly every situation. My car has Bilstein Sport shocks, H&R Sport Coils, a Jim Conforti engine management chip and a full Supersprint exhaust.Feb 27, 2008
by Ben P
Nov 24, 2007
I had the 85' model without powersteering, bought as a project and rebuilt. With chrome bumpers. Drove like a dream!Nov 24, 2007
by Anonymous
Aug 28, 2007
For a 20 year old car, you can't ask for much more. The horsepower isn't great at 121hp but the 172lb-ft of torque more than make up for it. It can beat many of todays cars in a drag race and will kill most cars in the handling dept. The handling take a touch to get used to since it kinda floats for a few milliseconds before hooking in during spirited driving, but if you get the hang of it, it is amazing. I see some people complaining about cost of repairs and that is a simple fix; buy a Bentley manual and do your own repairs. Seriously, this is an easy car to repair yourself even if you have no previous mechanic experience like myself.
Bottom line, I sold my 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse for this because, even being 8 years older this is just that much better of a car. You can't beat the deal and now at 20 years old, it is a classic in many states.Aug 28, 2007
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