Hi taiko taiko out there, I'm a newbie to e30 & is planning to buy one and therefore need your expertize & valuable advises on the purchase. I have 2 options here in question & would need your valuation as to the pricing with the conditions decribed as follow:

1. e30 coupe 1984 320(Manual) seller wants RM21K nego :
condition very mint, new upholstery, new paint, nice rims & tyres, virtually no repair needed...worth it?

2. e30 coupe 1988/2005 318(Auto) CBU galvanized body, seller wants RM28K nego :
condition not so mint as the 1st option as the car is stock standard & required new paint job as well as nice pair of rim to look as nice as the first...

so guys, pls vote for me as I really have no idea of the fair pricing for the e30 coupe...

should anybody here have any other recommendation & info of nice e30 coupe (prefer) up for sales, pls sms/call me at 013-2044577, rest assured that i m a very serious buyer and not post this thread saje suka suka...tq taiko-taiko!

Bro, IMHO both price are on the high side for pre-facelift model. But I'll vote fer #1. I bet the owner has done-up the floor board & cured the rust. Good luck.

Price very high for E30 84 (most probably L-Jet Engine) and even E30 88. Hope you get extras like ORIGINAL bodykit and correct offset Alloy wheels. If stock standard..is not worth while lahh. Both car is CASH deal.. no finance company will accept.

Now is May and soon will be june... pejam celik end year already... value?
If i were you i will get E36. Parts masih berlambak and choices of rims pun okay since it was 5 lugs. Unless you really want E30, i suggest to wait first.

Mint condition E30 Coupe? Window seal all new? Windshield no scratch? Dashboard no crack? standard seat or mtech seat? Engine when was last overhaul? Original wiring No tarik2 wire? Rust point fix? mmmm....

So far as what i see the mint condition is like tombstone ride...mmm

this is the option 1 photos for you guys to estimate its price, pls assist to recommand a fair price commensurate with the condition...

and this is the option 2...for the question of rust, i think it is not applicable to this car as this is galvanised body & this eliminate the worries...!

Okay... Option 1 Go for 16k
Or minimum 15k. Rim Cap Ayam punya nih, mod to M40 look.

Positive
Mtech Seat
Mtech1 Steering
Dash OK (according to pix)
Coverted to M40

Negative
Conversion prone to rust
Rust point ?
Engine?

eventhough seat is newly wrapped, but it is according to old owner taste/touch not yours... so i dont count lor

this is my estimation only lorr... if the owner read this.. i apology. Its
my facts. Cheers!

Option 2 1988 Carburetor Engine? no injection? ishhh... are you sure 1988?

sifu, u mean all e30 shall be injection engine instead of carburator

the owner told me (option 2) is a CBU UK spec...i didnt ask for AP details but according to him is imported & reg 2005 la...

the positive of option 2 is it's galvanised body and will not suffer rust. Whereas option 1 is prone to rust...

1. what do you mean rust point where & how do i inspect it will go to see the car most likely this weekend.
2. if it has rusted points, izit repairable? what i understood from friends is once the car starts rusting, it's not worth buying anymore as the rust will keep coming back & not repairable. True
3. e30 is 1.8 0r 2.0? i'm a bit confuse as option 1 says it's 2.0 wheras option 2 is 1.8

Common rusts points for e30 (That i know of) :
1. Battery place
2. Floor board (under throttle)
3. Fire wall
4. Spare tyre area

Just jack up the car u'll see...
I did mine for 5k including ant rust... cause mine was a real mess...

me not sifu, sorry

okay the option2 uk specs on which i felt really funny. If its 88 model,
it should be injectors NOT carburetors maybe because of foreign specs on which i'm not into. Furthermore its M10 Engine whereas mine 84 is M20 injectors. Tell me, if anything happened to your M10 engine how to find spare parts lar? only can buy brand new, jarang nampak kat half cut.

No sunroof? No Power window?

M10 engine popular in E21 body, then M20 on which was assemble in late model of E21 and early E30. Then M20 got to different types of engine management. M20 L-Jet (which is mine) and M20 Motronic. The last model of E30 is M40 engine 4 pots and M20 Motronic 6 pots.

mmm... this only what i know, maybe others can give you input.

If you a rare collector buyer, get it. BUT if you want to use as everyday car..better not.

As for me, i'll pass both... price too high.

Cheerio!

Seconded that! Funny to see the M10 engine in a M40 body. You gonna suffer for spares later. Better skip bro.

this is what i called sifu la! if u dun like the term Sifu then how about Taiko!

anyway, that was a great info of the chronological evolution of M10 - M20 - M40 engine from E21 to E30. great insight to know the engine before any decision for me to buy the car...

u gotta point there if M10 engine break down, I will surely be dead stranded in the workshop!

then i think i shall opt for option 1 if the engine is M20 with the correct price.

by the way, is there any diff btw M20 L Jet & Monotronic? From your explanation, I guess Monotronic is the better as it's a newer engine rite?

What about the availability of Chop parts should the M20 (L-jet & monotronic) break down? still can get?

M20 L-Jet and M20 Motronic is two different kind of engine.

L-Jet use rotor arm and Motronic non.
L-Jet use starter module and Motronic non.
L-Jet can put TC but not SC. Motronic can put Both.
Fuel economy is better with motronic and L-jet makan minyak sikit.
Torque motronic better compare with L-jet

Parts still can get, motronic easy since E34 12valve also use the same engine.

If i'm Sifu or Taiko then everyone is the same... i rather you to call me highwaystar! ekekekekek...

cheers!

the 2nd car looks like kinaka's car....am i right?

anyhow, like what highwaystar says, if u are a collector and willing to spend a tonne, go ahead get the 2nd one. cos its indeed a rare car, but tonnes of stuff missing ie power window, bodykit, rims, etc...

but then again, lemme share with u something, doesnt mean if its a m40 body and so "called" galvanise, it would not rust...

i have seen e36s also rusting away....

so u must indeed proceed to do all the rust checks whether its a new or old body unless u have documentation that the previous owner has done all these prior.

only way, is to jack the car....view from below, from on top etc...

check the joints, most important and also the firewall section, touch the carpet on the driver side or passenger for any signs of water leakage cos that would mean the presence of rust.

cheers...

happy finding an e30...

if u willing to spend more, u can buy my car hahahhahaa

i got a mate selling his 1991 m40 318i for RM18k negotiable.
good condition and well taken care of.
owner plans to upgrade to an e30 325i...