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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > BMW E90/E92/E93 3-series General Forums > General E90 Sedan / E91 Wagon / E92 Coupe / E93 Cabrio > Opinions on Project Car - E30 or E90



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      04-05-2018, 06:01 AM   #23
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How about an E82? Modern as an E90 and reminds of the E30 in driving style.
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      09-22-2018, 03:56 PM   #24
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Having owned both as weekend cars I would say E30 all the way. No need for the LS swap either, just make sure it is a manual with the M20B25 engine and you are good to go.
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      09-22-2018, 04:14 PM   #25
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Why not a 2jz swap...
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      09-22-2018, 06:03 PM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rob-e90 View Post
Having owned both as weekend cars I would say E30 all the way. No need for the LS swap either, just make sure it is a manual with the M20B25 engine and you are good to go.
I've owned both an E90 and an E30, both from new and a gazillion miles driven on each. While I still hate myself for selling the E30, the E90 I think is the better car overall. But I agree, getting an E30 and taking out the M20 is a mistake. IMO the M20 and the N52 are the two best I6's BMW made. I donlt think any other BMW I6 sounds as good as an M20. An M20 can be built into a pretty decent motor if more power is desired. If anything, swap in a N52 into the E30.

my 2 cents.
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      09-22-2018, 10:08 PM   #27
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I enjoy e90s more than e30s. Each is fun in its own right but I find the e90 to be just the right blend of convenient and enjoyable.
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      09-24-2018, 09:51 AM   #28
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I have a project car which is a 1990 Nissan 300zx twin turbo and while it didn't require a ground up restoration, I have put a ton of work into which I can't say I'd be excited to do again. An E30 would have probably been just as much work, if not more. For context, here's a list of things I have done in the past 2 years of ownership. May have forgotten a couple things.

Rebuilt all 4 brake calipers, new rotors and pads all around + stainless lines
Replaced struts and springs + all new rubber bushings and dust boots for the strut assembly
Replaced Front Upper Control Arm, Tension Rods, Rear Upper Control Arms
My neighbors shop did both Front Lower Control Arms when I took it in for an alignment, I didn't realize they were shot too.
Subframe and differential bushings
HICAS ball joints + tie rods
Wheels + Tires
New radiator mounting brackets + fan shrouds
New spark plugs gapped correctly
Fixed a number of boost leaks, eventually put on 16 T bolt clamps.
New battery
Replaced leaky power steering return hose
Replaced both upper and lower coolant hoses
Currently working on rewrapping the interior panels in suede
A lot of cleaning and degreasing



Biggest problem for me is that I don't have my own garage, the majority of this was done in my parents garage 30 minutes away working on weekends which was not my favorite use of time. The car is running great now though and drives amazing for a 28 year old vehicle. I can finally drive it around town and experience the car like I always wanted to. OP mentioned instant gratification, all I can say is this certainly was not that. Furthermore, I still have plenty of work left to accomplish before I'm truly happy with the car. Transmission mount needs replacing, interior needs some work, radio is busted, need to remove/replace the faded purple window tint, need to install a HICAS delete kit & remove the plumbing under the hood...etc.

Point is, an E90 will require significantly less work and probably less money too. As much as I love the look of a super clean E30, you're likely to start off with a piece of shit that will require hundreds of hours of work and thousands of dollars in new parts. But then again, if you asked me if I wanted a newer Z like a 350z I would laugh at you. If you want the old E30 for the look and you're willing to put in the time and effort like I was with my 300zx then I say go for it! Having a garage and a lot of free time would also help tremendously.

If I was building a project track car I would choose an E90 335i over an E30 also. It would be quicker, easier, and cheaper overall + you would have more power.
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      09-24-2018, 09:02 PM   #29
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Under the "idea" of a project car, I concur with the E30 crowd. It represents a more unique and conversation-centric solution. But I would definitely not swap in an LS motor - that is too gritty and inconsistent with the marque. It is a light car. Work with the OEM+ vocabulary and make a proper German road ripping tourer. The E90 is a great car, and it can be modified to make great power (once spooled up). But it is a heavy chassis, and there are about a million of them out there. The E30 will be a head turner you can be very proud of. That's my 2 cents.
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      09-25-2018, 08:49 AM   #30
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depends on your budget, personally I would go with the E90 more specifically the E92 (just because I think the lines look better then the 4 door)

E90 is more modern and as people move away from the platform, parts are becoming more available and affordable

Really depends on which you like best tbh

What ever you decide good luck with the build
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      10-02-2018, 10:47 PM   #31
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As a new owner of an E91, and as a someone who's owned.. 5 E30's.. I can't say for sure. But I really enjoy wrenching on E30's. I've got a Bronzit (For the rest of the E30 owners in this thread.. YOU KNOW) 325e early model. Nearly all suspension work. It's fun to drive at 8/10's, even if I'm getting passed by every Subaru Outback.
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      10-03-2018, 12:53 PM   #32
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The E90 will never be a classic.. sorry guys. BMW made 800 gazillion of them, and the only special models are the M3 and maybe the 335is - the rest are as common and boring as a Camry. Half the car is made of cheap plastic, things like idrive will be super dated in 10 years, and good luck finding somebody who knows how to work on one by then.

E90s are great DD cars, but as a car you want to keep forever, no. The great thing about them being worthless is you can pick up a nice one for a song and drive it into the ground without worrying too much about ruining it.

Also, an E90 is going to have to go on one hell of a diet to come anywhere near the weight of an E30. A typical 335xi automatic (bleh) weighs like 1200lbs more than something like a stock 325i or 318i. Are you going to strip your entire car and drive around in a rolling shell to get there?

A 250whp E30 would embarrass most 335i's because it doesn't need 400hp to be fast. And if you can't handle the rear trailing arms (which work just fine, thanks) you probably think turning off DSC is insane and dangerous..
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      02-14-2019, 04:37 PM   #33
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I bought an E30 1986 318i and I love it! Great project car!!
I recommend to anyone wanting a project!

Ps here is a wee video of mine for anyone that wants to check it out?
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      02-14-2019, 05:17 PM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Keebs64 View Post
Sell the E90, buy an E30, and plan an LS engine swap-

>>https://www.ls1.com/forums/forum.php
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      02-14-2019, 05:35 PM   #35
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Originally Posted by Keebs64 View Post
I have an existing 2006 330i 6MT that used to be my DD (100k miles). I recently took it off the road for the winter, and bought a new DD. So, my plan is to have a project/fun car for the fair-weather months.

The two options I'm considering are:

1: Keep the E90 for my project car- The biggest downside to this is the engine. With every mod that is proven for this engine, I can only squeeze about 250whp out of it. The other big downside is the computer… I’m not into coding/programming, and it seems like every time I want to work on any part of this car, the computer gets in the way.

2: Sell the E90, buy an E30, and plan an LS engine swap- The biggest downside to this is the upfront time/effort. It would take me 2-3 years of weekend wrenching to get this car to the same drivability (engine, suspension, fit & finish) as the E90.

So, the E90 is a great car that is ready to go, and the E30 is a great car that will require more time, but will also be more fun & unique. I’ve been going back & forth on this for months, so give me some input that I may not have thought of.

Thanks!
Just know if you plan on tracking it safety has come a LONG way. It's why I sold mine.
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      02-14-2019, 07:09 PM   #36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hassmaschine View Post
The E90 will never be a classic.. sorry guys. BMW made 800 gazillion of them, and the only special models are the M3 and maybe the 335is - the rest are as common and boring as a Camry. Half the car is made of cheap plastic, things like idrive will be super dated in 10 years, and good luck finding somebody who knows how to work on one by then.

E90s are great DD cars, but as a car you want to keep forever, no. The great thing about them being worthless is you can pick up a nice one for a song and drive it into the ground without worrying too much about ruining it.

Also, an E90 is going to have to go on one hell of a diet to come anywhere near the weight of an E30. A typical 335xi automatic (bleh) weighs like 1200lbs more than something like a stock 325i or 318i. Are you going to strip your entire car and drive around in a rolling shell to get there?

A 250whp E30 would embarrass most 335i's because it doesn't need 400hp to be fast. And if you can't handle the rear trailing arms (which work just fine, thanks) you probably think turning off DSC is insane and dangerous..
I'm not sure this is completely true. I'm thinking the E90 with a manual, NA 325/328/330 will all have a following similar to the E30 318is/325i in the future. It will be the last NA inline 6 with a manual, a favorable power:weight ratio and only a few hundred pounds on the vaunted E30.

Throw together an LCI 328i with sports pack, HIDs, Cold Weather, comfort access plus the 3 stage intake you have a pretty great car that I might just prefer to an E30. If I'm going to use it every day, then it's E90 no question.

Don't get me wrong I do love me some 318is in red, too.

Last edited by tlow98; 02-14-2019 at 07:15 PM..
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      02-14-2019, 11:07 PM   #37
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Yes but no. You're dealing with 30 year old rubber hoses/bushings, cracked wiring and RUST (stay away from midwest e30's!). Good news is that you can always do a restoration. This is all it takes...

http://mybuildgarage.com/2015/01/ama...e-of-the-best/
wtf? all that work and they kept it auto and added a really strange steering wheel?
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      02-17-2019, 09:11 AM   #38
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Originally Posted by tlow98 View Post
I'm not sure this is completely true. I'm thinking the E90 with a manual, NA 325/328/330 will all have a following similar to the E30 318is/325i in the future. It will be the last NA inline 6 with a manual, a favorable power:weight ratio and only a few hundred pounds on the vaunted E30.

Throw together an LCI 328i with sports pack, HIDs, Cold Weather, comfort access plus the 3 stage intake you have a pretty great car that I might just prefer to an E30. If I'm going to use it every day, then it's E90 no question.

Don't get me wrong I do love me some 318is in red, too.
My 330i weighs *700lbs* more than my E30, which isn't even an especially light version, and the 330i 6mt is one of the lightest versions of the E90 (outside of the 4 cyl cars we didn't get). That's quite a bit more than a 'few hundred' pounds heavier.

I stand by my comments, I don't think any version of the E9x outside of the M3 or 335is will ever be worth anything. Maybe the RWD E91/6mt has potential too. But an AWD 335i with automatic trans and idrive? Forget it. As soon as one major thing breaks, the 3rd or 4th or 5th owner is going to send it to the recycler to be crushed..

I like the N/A cars too, but they are too overshadowed by the turbo cars; most people only care about bench racing than actual driving.
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      02-17-2019, 04:47 PM   #39
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Originally Posted by hassmaschine View Post
My 330i weighs *700lbs* more than my E30, which isn't even an especially light version, and the 330i 6mt is one of the lightest versions of the E90 (outside of the 4 cyl cars we didn't get). That's quite a bit more than a 'few hundred' pounds heavier.

I stand by my comments, I don't think any version of the E9x outside of the M3 or 335is will ever be worth anything. Maybe the RWD E91/6mt has potential too. But an AWD 335i with automatic trans and idrive? Forget it. As soon as one major thing breaks, the 3rd or 4th or 5th owner is going to send it to the recycler to be crushed..

I like the N/A cars too, but they are too overshadowed by the turbo cars; most people only care about bench racing than actual driving.
Well, yeah only the DIY or the foolish (or rich(but no rich people want a 10 yr old has-been)) want an 335ix today. I specifically called out the 325/28/30 cars with manual trans. They provide the classic BMW experience. We’ll see in time I guess.

Also, the 330i only weighs about 3350 with a manual. So the e30xi only weighs 2600? The e30 with an m50 we built for Lemons was 2,540 on the scales stripped and caged. Something seems off.

Last edited by tlow98; 02-18-2019 at 12:02 PM..
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      02-18-2019, 02:54 PM   #40
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So I've owned I think 15 e30's and at least a dozen e28's and e34's over the years, some got flipped others were street projects and track cars... One even had an s52 Swap...

E30's really make a better project car. They are a ton of fun to build, the M20 is a great motor, and the Spec E30 suspension is cheap and makes the car come alive. The Spec E30 race series is about the most fun you can have as a privateer. Check this out for a little Spec e30 reading.

I have an e30 shell sitting in my barn, it will be a project one day... plan is to shove a M30B34 in it that I have sitting around... kinda like the 84-86 South African 333i. A few mods to the m30 and you have around 250-60 NA HP in a great chassis... Its not ok for the Spec E30, races but should be a very fun practical canyon carver.

The e90 makes a great DD, I happen to think in my particular form (e91 n52) might become a classic one day, but not the way an e30 is now. You can still find cheap semi-clean examples on the west coast and for under $7K you can build a pretty sweet ride, but it will take longer than you think to build.
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      02-18-2019, 03:39 PM   #41
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Scarcity drives up value. Given time as other E90 did of the remainders become classic like the E30 today. E30 was once liken to f30/E90/E46 in relative abundance once.
As automobiles become rolling 4-wheel Crays, people will long for the authentic driving experience. The E90 is the final modern BMW that exudes classic BMW driving experience. I think the prices have bottomed out.
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      02-18-2019, 03:43 PM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tlow98 View Post
Well, yeah only the DIY or the foolish (or rich(but no rich people want a 10 yr old has-been)) want an 335ix today. I specifically called out the 325/28/30 cars with manual trans. They provide the classic BMW experience. We’ll see in time I guess.

Also, the 330i only weighs about 3350 with a manual. So the e30xi only weighs 2600? The e30 with an m50 we built for Lemons was 2,540 on the scales stripped and caged. Something seems off.
it's more like 3400 (per the last time I had it on a scale). The wheels alone weigh 4 times as much as the wheels on my E30. Mine is not stock, but isn't stripped - it's around 2700lbs. <pedantic>There's also no such thing as an E30 xi </pedantic>
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      02-18-2019, 04:23 PM   #43
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Originally Posted by Gamb1t View Post
Scarcity drives up value. Given time as other E90 did of the remainders become classic like the E30 today. E30 was once liken to f30/E90/E46 in relative abundance once.
As automobiles become rolling 4-wheel Crays, people will long for the authentic driving experience. The E90 is the final modern BMW that exudes classic BMW driving experience. I think the prices have bottomed out.
Maybe. But keep in mind, the E90 just doesn't have the race pedigree the E30 does - M3 or not. That was always part of the appeal of the E30 chassis. I'm sure people will still like the E90, but not only did they make far more of them, so much of the car is made of plastic and cheap materials it will get very hard to keep one in top shape after a couple more decades.
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      03-11-2019, 05:22 PM   #44
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Originally Posted by hassmaschine View Post
Maybe. But keep in mind, the E90 just doesn't have the race pedigree the E30 does - M3 or not. That was always part of the appeal of the E30 chassis. I'm sure people will still like the E90, but not only did they make far more of them, so much of the car is made of plastic and cheap materials it will get very hard to keep one in top shape after a couple more decades.
While I get your point about the original e30 m3... the E90 isn’t just a sedan driven by mid 50’s Realtors named Susan. The E90 320si has been used as a successful factory race car in the WTCC/BTCC.

https://www.bmwblog.com/2009/10/28/b...l-drivers-car/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_320_TC
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