88-91 325i

im looking at older bmws, so does anyone have experience with these cars? how was its reliability? how hard was it to find parts? how much were they? expensive?

i got my E30 in november of 2001, and it has given me nothing but reliable service. i use the car as a daily driver, so she has gone from 57k miles when i bought her, to 130k some now.

the most important thing is to always keep up with standard maintenance. particularly with the E30 325i, with the M20B25 engine, it is most important to change the timing belt every 60k miles. also, when i get this done, i get the valves adjusted. look for bimmer magazine at the store. this months issue has an E30 buyers guide with everything to look for.

i have never had problems finding parts. bmw dealers are always eager to help, and there are always third party vendors such as bmp design bmpd.com, bavarian autosport, bavauto.com, etc. i find that a lot of places still have parts for the e30.

on price: i never have a problem with expense with it. also in that bimmer buying guide, it lists the E30 as reliable and relatively easy on your wallet. also they give good performance for the buck.

when your looking, keep a lookout for junk, because its out there. plently of people dont know how to take care of the e30.

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happy e30 driving!

I bought my '89 325i new and put 175,000 miles on before I sold it last year to make room for a 2002 525i Sport. Aside from standard maintenance (fluids, filters, belts, hoses, valve adj., etc.), I never had a significant component failure (maybe the RR wheel bearing at 130,000). The engine and transmission were still operating as well as they did when I bought it. I finally overhauled the suspension (struts, shocks, bushings, lower control arms) around 160,000 miles. The engine used NO oil and I sold it to a guy who uses it for a daily driver for a 80-mile R/T commute every day. Based on my experience, it you get one that has been well-maintained, it should serve you well with continued maintenance.

One note: these are not street racers. My car was driven hard but it was never abused. The automatic is sooo slowww off the line but the car will cruise at 100+ with never a complaint. That car is the reason I hope to always drive a BMW.

i almost have to agree that they are not street racers, however, i have gone up aganist others that have been hooked up, without looking a fool. you just gotta know what it can do, and what others can do as well.

most all cars do there best when they hit the power band, and for a stock e30 its starts in the early 4k rpms.

I personally drive a 318i 1991, four cylinder, 5 speed. It is very fast. This dude I know has an older model 325i and he loves it, he says that it has a lot of power, most of all, he likes how the bigger engine weight settles at the front end and when making a turn at high speeds, the car's back end swirles to the side, allowing the car to stay in place to get the turn better rather than having the car slid all the way. That's what he said.