Getting E30 M3

[BMWhartgeM3]

i got some info of a e30 M3 coming in at a dealer ship in a week or so, its a 88 and thats all i know, what r somethings i should look for in a E30 M3 to make sure is a good one, im thinkn even trade cause my car is in perfect condition, and the owner of the dealership even said if i was to trade in he would just take my car cause its what hes lookin for, and help would be appreciated,
thanks alot,
mike

[Chapel]

if it's at a dealership, have the techs run a compression and leakdown test on the engine. See if the car has a full service history.
have the techs check the bushings.
Go over the entire car for rust (particularly in the static panels [one's that cant be unbolted and replaced])
These cars CAN be very reliable, but it all depends on the maintenance kept by the previous owner. Most people beat them and put them away wet which can lead to problems.
Enginewise, the only problems I ever see is oil starvation in high g-corners... they make a cheap bolt on oil pan baffle that solves the problem (more or less...)
The transmission is bulletproof.
The chassis is just as strong as a standard E30 (meaning it could come out of a close range bomb blast without much damage)
The interiors are solid. My E30 325iS rattles less than my friends' new BMWs, Audis and VWs.
Not to mention, they are one of the most visceral fully enclosed cars you will ever have a chance to drive on this continent.

[Chapel]

oh, what dealer is this anyway?
Peabody BMW had one a few months ago, but it was kind of a basketcase.

[BMWhartgeM3]

its regal motors in holbrook, my dad works down there and sometimes me to, and i stopped in one day to test drive a 98 M3, and he called me on this 88.

[Chapel]

try to get it for under $10k...

[empire]

damn nice, i've considering a e30 m3 and i was thinking about starting to thread on what i should look for. good job man

question though, the dealer youre referring to is a used car dealer right? not a bmw dealership.

[BMWhartgeM3]

yea empire its a used dealer, the car is one he sold 5 years ago and its comin back for a tradin again. when i have them do a leak down test what should the compression be at tho, i need specs like that to look for and a check list if u will so i make sure this is a nice one.

[BMWhartgeM3]

can one of the mods move this to the E30 section please?

[M-Power]

Don't forget the timing chain needs replacing at around 100,000 miles!!!!!
Good luck.......You WILL love this car!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mark_In_PA]

no way man, there are S14s out there with 200k on them with the orignal chains. just replace the tensioner with a 750iL one and it will be ok. the S14 is a good reliable engine but it isnt cheap to maintain. Needs valve adjustments every 15k or so and is very sensitive to air leaks. mind you the E30 M3 is a racing car tamed for the street. so dont expect it to be as comfortable as the E36. When you look, dee if there is a dimple in the roof. This indicates if the car has been tracked. Also the E30 M3 has a problem of cracking the front subframe, but it can be welded back. The E30 M3 shares no other body panels except the hood are shared with the regular E30. Also the glass is bonded to the body. If water gets in there it will rot the a-pillar and all sorts of nasty stuff will appear.

[e30M3man]

How many miles are on it? Everyone says do the timing chain at 100k but mine has 160K with orginal chain. Although it is a good idea to do it. I have a dent in my hood its not from racing its because the motor mounts broke and I drove it for a couple hundred miles with out knowing. Being your buying it from a car lot I would shop around a little on auto trader and ebay to get an idea of what a car in that condition its in is bringing.

[BMWhartgeM3]

great keep the hints comin, btw why would the hood dent in from racing, are the frames weak??

P.S.- thanks to the mods for movin this for me.

[M-Power]

IF,and I said IF the timing chain breaks you are F*%ked, and looking at a very large bill.
Just replace it too be sure!!!
Better safe than sorry.
Just my .02

[e30M3man]

You know I've heard some people say change the chain and others say just put the e36 chain tensinor on it. I have 160K on mine with the orginal chain. With labor and parts its about $1400.00. Parts are about $800.00 and the rest is labor. From what I hear its a hell of a job.

[Chapel]

Well, Timing chains were introduced to replace the 'maintenance required' belts.
Timing chains are supposed to be maintenance free, and if the car has been well kept, the chains WILL outlast the vehicle. The maintenance parts for timing chains, as discusses, is the tensioner.
Timing chains CAN break. However the cause of the breakage is usually linked to something more severe and normally a sign of poor user maintenance.