1990 E30 BMW 316i Coupe Goes for a Drive
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- Опубликовано: 7 окт 2020
- The E30 is one of the most iconic BMWs, the instantly recognisable 3 box saloon of the 1980s. This is the smallest engine and the lowest number of doors on a 3 Series
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I’m glad you had a boggo 316i to review. I like poverty spec BMWs because they still have the quintessential BMW dynamics and quality.
Crying out for the stock steering wheel !
@@johnmoruzzi7236 totally agree. That accessory actually spoils the car.
I'm an e30 Man, I Loved My 1990 316i Lux 2 dr in Glacier blue Met'.
I wish i never Sold it. I want another & have done For 20 years Now.
The e30 316i Lux is a Brilliant car. I now Drive an e34 525i Se. manual. Another Overlooked Excellent Car, FAR Better than any E30 325.
Better Handling, Better Engine, More Power & the e34 SHRINKS in SIZE as You HAMMER IT ON it's Limits Around High Speed Sharp Bends. The Grip is PHENOMINAL. & the POWER to Pull AWAY Quickly at over 100 mph.
Floor the pedal at 100 & it Goes again.
ROCK SOLID Smooth &Steady. it feels like 30 mph at 140 mph. NO DIFFERENCE WHATSOEVER.
@@A1DJPaul Hi, as a e34 man I can confirm what you say. I like my 525i so much for these reasons and because it’s now a classic car with modern engine (m50) and dynamics. However, if only it had a rack and pinion steering for better precision and feel and it would be the perfect car for me.
@@patrick7800 Hi, Patrick, Tell me More About Your Steering, It it wafting & wavering on Motorways ? Feeling Lose & not Precise ?
Like a very long CANAL BOAT in a Storm ?
EASY, SIMPLE, No Probs,
Reason #1 worn Steering Box. £1200 - £1500 at BMW. I payed £65.00 & £85.00 to Fit it =£150.00 Job Done. ( numbers may be the other way around ? But still £150.00 )
Worn Steering box & Cost of Repair is what " WROTE MY CAR OFF " in 2012. last owner Handed the Keys to the BMW dealer & walked away. I bought it with a " BENT MOT.
He had owned the car for 14 years MOTs & service were all FULLY Stamped up in the book by " WELLSWAY BMW " & DICK LOVETT BMW.
The car was Sold New By BLUEBELL BMW, Wilmsford Cheshire.
The Car was SOLD RETAIL By 3 BMW Main Dealers. Obviously in " SHOWROOM Cond'.
Mine Handles & Steers 100% like new. Light Sharp & precise. AS NEW.
The 1st Option is :-
GET a Trained Mechanic, Loosen the adjuster locking nut on top of the Steering Box ( GREEN tagged ) Use an ALLEN KEY to slightly / Gently Tighten by a fraction )
THIS Could TAKE an HOUR +++
Tighten too much & the steering will be FAR TOO HEAVY = HORRIBLE ! no Self Centering.
So Slightly Turn the Allen Key, Tighten the LOCK NUT TIGHT.
Test Drive a SHORT Distance.
And Same Again & again Until its SPOT ON Perfect.
Adjust as many times as Required Until Perfect.
TIGHTEN the LOCK NUT EVERY TIME !!! You Try / test drive.
When the Adjuster will not Adjust any more, Then it's a Used / 2nd hand Steering box.
BUT DO REMEMBER THIS !!
Rear Wheel Drive Cars Have Driving Characteristics VERY Different from Modern Front Wheel Drive Cars.
How long have you Owned it ? How many miles have you Driven it ?
&How many miles has it REALLY, ACTUALLY Covered ?? Do you Have FULL BMW service History ? Have you Checked it is 100% correct with the Last Few Stamps in the Book ?
Mine was 129,000 miles. But had been Used for 14 Yrs Towing a Large Caravan all over. as a TOW Car.
Excessive Steering used Manouvering the Caravan into position Without an Electric Wheel roller Thingy.
Wellsway BMW BATH, Confirmed All it's History &Genuine Mileage Before I Bought it.
I sold That car Earlier this Year after 8 Fantastic Years. At Full Asking Price to the 1st man to Arrive with Cash. & He Did a 220 mile train Journey !!
Devastated ??
NO I have 2 Much Better e34's, All are SE Manual.
All the e34's i Have owned are PIN POINT SHARP on Power, Handling & Steering.
Since 2008 i have owned about 8 or 9 + Immaculate Examples.
I Have an ASCOT Green 525i SE man' & an Arctic silver 520i SE.
I Like the 520 WAY Better than any 525 ihave ever owned or driven !! FACT !! except when You Really WANT FULL Power & top end Speed to Destroy some BOY RACERS on open country Lanes.
the 520 is Nimble & fast, LIKE LIGHTENING & PIN SHARP at a Genuine CHECKED 98,000 from new.
The 525 Powers away from 120 mph In Silky smooth CREAMY Power all the way to the Speed Limiter at 143.
e30's are Excellent cars, Until you Drive Motoring PERFECTION AT IT'S BEST. the e34 520 or 525, If you Feel a Justifiable need to Cruise at Double the UK speed limit Most of the time.
140 mph in a good e34 is NO DIFFERENT to 40 mph.
( Hey !! Maybe i Have been to Germany Autobahns ? or Maybe i Visit Race Tracks Often ? ) BUTT OUT on Top Speed My Dearest MOANER & ANTI CAR FREAKS.
( I'm also a Range Rover 2dr CLASSIC EXPERT on Early 1973, 74, 75, High comp PAS, Brushed Nylon seat facings Models. )
& early " A " Suffix Chassis ) Hard Plastic Seats & NO PAS.
Mid 1975 the engines dropped to LOW COMP' until 1981 / 82 4dr was launched.
The Other Best Examples were 1992, 93 94 Hard Dash SWB. My last Rangey was a 1993 'K' 1 owner from new. 200 TDi manual
I bought it DIRECT from that 1st owner with a FULLY Stamped Service Book. From the Local Main Dealer. . I Used it for many Years
as a very Reliable Car.
Seats Were Never Sat in. Boot was never Used. MULTI Millionaire Owner was over 80 yrs old & just drove into work to Check on the Family & staff Every day.
It Like all his other cars Had a Fuel log book of Every Gallon of Fuel Since new. avg mpg 31.3 mpg. over all . The Company had it's own Diesel Tank. for fuelling company vehicles.
Yes a Fuel TANKER Wagon arrived often to fill the Company 15,000 liter tank.
Millionaires Buy everything in BULK to buy it cheaper.
EVERY PENNY was Counted & Accounted For. Inc every Liter of Diesel & the Avg MPG at the Bottom of each page in the Book Stored in the Driver's seat back Stretchy Map Pocket.
His Wife's VW Golf was Exactly the SAME !!
Yes i Bought that Golf . 4yrs old, It was as New.
My Ascot Green 525i is £7500 Cash as it stands . Reg number £1000 extra.
Northern Ireland Car, = ZERO Rust / Corrosion on the underside. ( they don't Salt the Roads in Northern Ireland. ) Hence BRAND NEW underneath. HA HA. I Search the Universe to Buy the RIGHT e34 at WHATEVER price. Money is Nothing For a Rust free DREAM MACHINE. they were £30 Grand 25 yrs ago !! More than HALF the Price of a Very Nice House, On a very nice Country Lane.
80's and especially 90's were the best era for cars...the tech was there but was not intrusive,we will never see again anything like that,with all those computer gizmos that go bleep when nobody wants them.
When I was 19 in 1985, me and my friend dressed up in a jacket and tie and lumbered down to local BMW dealer and borrowed a 320i. It drove like a dream and wheel spin was not a problem. BMW small six cylinder engines are so smooth, love them!
Your videos are a joy in the morning while sipping a coffee. A welcomed back to the simpler times!
I enjoy these videos on an evening while sipping a red wine 😀
Hats off to the owner that's in lovely condition. Back in the 90s my mate was insured in his mums 325i, quickest car I'd ever been in, took me by surprise!
One small point; these were never known as coupes. BMW came up with the wheeze of calling the simpler (and no doubt cheaper to make) 2 door 3-series a coupe with the following E36 model. Then charging a premium for it. Kerching!
I'm not sure how this got applied to the older E30 as well, but everyone seems to call it a coupe now. Strange. The E36 did have differences over the 4 door at least, like the rake of the screen and the lower roofline.
@@bri77uk1 at least with the E46 and probably E36 no panels are shared between coupe and saloon.
Fantastic!! I bought the touring 316i 1992 one week ago! It's exactly the same , white colour with the same wheels!! I love it!!!!
This was just brilliant. Your channel keeps me sane at the moment, only discovered you recently but love the Rovers, the frustrations, the reviews....superb job sir.
Back when BMW's were aspirational, and the preserve of doctors, head teachers and other pillars of society. Unfortunately now the cars of choice of oiks and plebs and the criminal fraternity.
Like Bubble from AbFab says "How very, very common !"
Even back in the 80's I thought BMW was still a fly-by-night's car.
All the people I knew that had them were of a certain ilk, bit flash, bit wanna be and never scared of hiking themself up with a big loan to impress their neighbours.
Shame really because they're probably well engineered cars that are great to drive.
Yep owning a BMW back then actually said something about you, now any Tom Dick or Harry can buy a BMW.
In 1986 I bought a 325i, brand new, and picked it up from the factory in Munich, drove it back to the UK. Some while, weeks, later, I put the 325i in to the local BMW main dealer for it's first service. The courtesy car was the 316. Really brought home to me that, take away the lovely 2.5 litre six cylinder engine..., just how much, at root, what a very ordinary 1980's saloon the 3 - series was. The 3 series, and most BMW's, then and now... a triumph of marketing over reality.
The ultimate driving machine, one of the best BMWs ever made. The E30 is my favourite classic car. When I was in my 5th year of school (known in South Africa as Grade 4), My teacher at the time owned a 1988 320i manual, she took me for a ride in it after school one afternoon and i was blown away, the smell of the interior and the rasp of that straight-6 engine, OMG! To this day, it remains one of the fondest moments of my life to date. In South Africa, the E30, particularly the 325i is nicknamed the ''Gusheshe'' because of it's popularity in motorsport, but mostly because owners would drift or spin their 325is which is still popular to this day.
That brings back fond memories, I had an E30 316 (89 G plate) back in 2002 when I was 22 and still at collage\uni when all my friends with cars, had Golfs Fiestas and Metros. I loved driving that car, I've driven more modern and more powerful BMW's since but non have felt as good to drive as that old E30 did.
What a throwback! My Uncle was a salesman for BMW in the late 80’s and bought one of these outright after its time ended as a company car. It stayed in the family up until the mid 2000’s!. Gutted it went away, unfortunately I didn’t learn to drive til a good 10 years later lol
Wonderful stuff. I had a 316i coupe lux in red when I was 18 ( 17 years ago) and then a 318is and then finally a tech 2 325i sport in lachs silver when I was 20. My favourite cars of all time. Nowadays the proportions are almost amusingly small. Beautiful cars, what an era for BMW.
The BMW 3 Series E21 by Paul Bracq and the E30 by Claus Luthe remain for me the best generations in design terms they've never been bettered since! An example of outstanding Bauhaus German design philosophy and science!
I can't remember the last time I saw an E30 in the flesh. Think it must of been the late 90's. Do love that era of BMW. Nicely understated built well, everything you needed and nothing you didn't.
Always a pleasure to watch these especially having owned this version. One thing I’d love to see more of, tea shelf and buffet scenarios, where to put bruschetta, sausage rolls, bowls of crisp etc, for me it helps visualise how I’d use the car to its full potential!! Great work 👍🏼
A You Tube car picnic would be fun with the best and the worst car
Another gem of a video! I can't believe how refreshing the simplicity of its design is, iconic a real credit to its owner. Back in 1998 I failed to buy a 1990 318 Auto Coupe in solid red from my old doctor as we couldn't agree on price think I offered £3500 v the £4500 he wanted so I bought a 1993 Audi 80 16V instead for £5500 trade. Right choice then as the Audi was more modern but now I'd have the E30!
I have driven a four door 318i decades ago, someone I was seeing briefly in NYC, his was red. They weren't as popular as they are now, because, like a Mercedes, they were aspirational, not like today, where they are all over, making the new models so very, very common.
I also have ridden in a later model 325i, which was driven very hard and the seats (especially the passenger seat) was knackered.
And I believe all US BMW models had a/c standard.
With the Advent of fuel injection, it enhanced drivability, economy and responsiveness, so even a 1.8 litre 4 felt perky in everyday driving. Then again, I'm talking 1989-1990.
This is quite a lovely 3-series, well looked after.
Great review!
They'd probably have to have AC to compete, although some makers specced it state by state. This was when they were a bit exclusive, now they outsell Fords here
@@furiousdriving How very, very common ! Better off driving a classic than the current rubbish.
Really enjoyed this article as it brought back so many memories. My first "New" car was a 318 two door collected 1/8/87. Black of course or should I say schwarz . I kept it till 15/11/96 & looking on the DVLA web site today I see it survived till its last tax expired 29/8/06. A quality built car but from the days when almost everything except the wheels, body & seats were "Extra" in a BMW.
I bet you wished you kept that car now?!
The E30 is my favorite of all the 3-series models - yes, I'm an '80s kid who grew up with these, and I love the purity of the styling on this particular model. it's a far cry from how garish they've become of late.
Just some additional info. The minor update was in 86 when the front spoiler and instrument cluster were updated, the convertible and the 324 Diesel were introduced. The 320i M20b20 got L-Jetronic, the 323i was dropped and the Motronic M20b25 was introduced. In some markets, like the Portuguese one, the 316 didn’t came with the 1.8 engine, but the carb fed 1573cm3 M10 that was used in the 315E21 and the old 1502... only 75hp!
That M10 engine was available right up to 1988 and the 1.8 (with the unreliable Pierburg carb) was still available up to 1989 in most markets.
You're wrong on the gearbox options, Matt. For the UK, the 3-Series E30 always had the 5-speed manual as the standard option, though, as you said, a 4-speed manual was standard equipment in other markets where they were better value than they were in the UK, where a bog standard 316i with no added equipment cost more than a Cavalier CDi at full retail price. The 4-cylinder E30s were actually a slightly better drive than the 6s as the engine was lighter which meant they weren't so inclined to lapse into understeer unless you were driving all out, whereas the 6s could understeer like a heat-seeking missile locked on if you weren't driving hard, especially if you were on greasy roads or you were using less good tyres. They really do need good tyres if you're going to get the best out of them, and a lot of the stories of excessive tail-happiness come from people running them on cheap tyres. On good tyres, yes, you can get one to slide in the wet or the dry, if you want, but it's very catchable, with little chance of spinning or disappearing into the scenery backwards, unless you were being a complete yob and driving with your brain out, in which case you could probably crash anything...
I've owned a few E30's. Love them to bits. I've owned from 316's to 325 Sports. All of them drove great.
The only Bimmer I genuinely desire. Yes, really. When these were new, seeing one on the road in Kent was actually a minor event for a car obsessed kid. BMWs had such status then.
True
yes, they really were something to aspire to back then. A car that your doctor or retired JP or school master drove. Stylish, elegant and quietly refined, old money, respectability. Whatever happened?
Yep. That’s when owning a BMW meant something. Not now Bit like the boring, mundane Chinese looking crap they churn out today😏
I had a 325i SE 4 door in metallic green with beige leather. What a car! This one is a lovely survivor. Such a clean design.
There was a time when sedans could have 2 doors.....
Those were the days 🙄
Indeed, these were from those days. This isn't a coupe.
I am pretty sure that the closest thing that you will find today from any manufacturer is the BMW 1 Series Coupe. Possibly there are more but I am not aware of any.
@@seancooke4127 hush your gums
But we're not those 2 door sedans called coupe???
Nice video.👍 . I have a phase 2 , 1990 , 316i , 4 door. 162 220 km on the clock. This one came with a louvre and boot spoiler , aircon. Stock. I've changed the rims to bottlecaps. Amazing drive and road-holding.
Loved my prefacelift 87 325i ,only a 2 year timeline on the chrome bumper UK spec euro models , built from 85 to 87 , and they had 171 BHP , with the high compression cylinder head ,which had a 9.7 to1 comp ratio ,! , later 88 on models had 8.8 to 1 comp ratio heads and made 168BHP , on the facelfted plastic bumper mordels , great video ! also had a 316 ,non injected manual in white but the 325i was in Zinnobar red :-)
I had a 316 in the late eighties. This car in my view was so far ahead of its time. Excellent review as always.
In what way ?
I thought that these were old hat.
Saab were doing 16v DOHC turbo fours. Rover had 16v engines across the range from 1989.
@@lewis72In terms of looks and interior. It just fitted the era and managed to span the eighties with style
Thanks for the video, Matt. The design of this car is just so pleasing to my eyes. All the styling elements look fully resolved. And that dash...oh my! The best of the range for that era. Angular, yet slightly rounded. The interior view while driving puts me so oddly at ease.
Pardon the dive down a rabbit hole for a moment. I Never understood that interior door handle. It’s placement makes it easier to access by reaching across your body with your inboard arm (left or right depending on the side of drive) to pull on the handle then push open with your out board arm? Which means you’d have this bizarre “x” pattern dance to do when exiting the car. Today They would need to provide written directions and a diagram. “ for RHD: release seatbelt with the right arm reaching across the body whilst reaching the left arm across the body to release the door. Upon retracting right arm use the right elbow and arm recovery momentum to push the door open. Reverse procedures for opposing side”. Sorry. I’ll see myself out
Nice to see a survived base model. Mostly the special models and bigger engined ones survive. This summer a E30 320 M-tech parked next to my quattro, it's incredible to see how popular and loved the E30 is, no one cared for the quattro. Like the old BMW's, they are just perfect design wise, and drive great. Great video as always Matt!
Maybe the BMW is more recognisable? More common so more nostalgia
@@furiousdriving Think so too! Not many people recognise the car. They see it's an Audi, but no idea what type. E30 has cult status.
Great video. Love E30’s and would love to have one again, even a 4 cyl like that one. Lovely car.
First car I paid money for was one of these, a 1983 316 with 200,000 miles on it, a broken drivers seat that kept tearing my trousers and a boot that would fill with water and eventually soak the carpets in the cabin. Despite this I loved it and it’s one of only 2 cars I wish I could have kept.
Grand video as always. I wanted an e30 for a long time, but couldn't get insured on one back in the late 90s... now of course they're all kinds of crazy money.
Although I must get one of those old but modern radio's for my Volvo 940!
Edit. I’ll stick with my tape adapter. Blaupunkt costs almost as much as the car 🤣
Makes a change to see a boggo auto being reviewed! Shout out to the owner, looks clean! Great stuff mate keep it up 💪🏻
My Mum had a brand new 316! in 89 ( G plate ) in Malachite green with cream leather interior - it was like driving about in a Harrods carrier bag! It was a beautiful car and she ran it for 14 years with no issues at all. Traded it in for a new 318 compact which was so dull in comparison.
BMW seriously needs to recapture some of its previous design magic, it all started to go downhill with the Bangle era and hasnt improved. This 316 still looks neat and fresh today 😀
A great car! It brought back so many memories of when I was 15 and I got my first E30. Which was a chrome bumper 1985 318i in Polaris silver with a blue interior and the same hubcaps.
When I was 17 I bought a 1989 316i coupe in Dolphin grey and when I was 18 I added a 1988 325i touring in a rare malachite green to the collection. I also was given a 1991 E30 316i coupe by my hairdresser in Alpine white with the BBS style Alloys. I miss those days :(
Dolphin Grey was a great colour on these cars.
Insurance for an 18 year old driving a 2.5 litre must have been pretty steep ;-)
Gary Simpson I fully agree. :) I wish I kept them all. In Russia (where I have been for 7 years) they are a bit cheaper than in the uk, thou they are usually rotten :( id love to buy another one day. )
Stephen Holland It was a long time ago now :) I'm 36 now. My 318i auto saloon was just under a grand tpft, and the 325i touring with 1 years no claims was between 600-700 lol. I miss those days :p
When I sold my 320 auto saloon it was a 325 manual touring I wanted to replace it with, a malachite 318 coupe/2 door kept popping up on ebay and I loved that colour, but I hadn't realised how far the value had risen of estates and only got £600 for the 320,
That E30 is such a beaut! Great review Matt, very informative 👍
In countries like Greece and Yugoslavia where there was a lot of tax based on the displacement of the engine, before the facelift of 1987 which made the 316i a 1.6lt instead of the 316 with the 1.8lt engine, there was a 316s (316 on the rear badge) with the M10 engine, 1.6lt (1573cc) and 75 PS/74hp. The same engine with the E21 BMW 315
The high load sill for the boot added strength hence taught road feel - thats why the Pug 305/405/406 were so great to drive ...and good understanding how suspension should work from Peugeot of course
What a moment, reviewing and e30 on a beautiful day and a spitfire flies past.
I might have found a nice one for cheap. Great info in this video for someone new to e30's.
Had the pleasure of owning a couple in the early 90's both 320i one auto and a manual and were brilliant and smooth as silk compared to other manufacturer's 2 litre offerings.
Very nice video! I have an 89 316 4 doors , same color as yours, and almost same condition! automatic , with manual windows, 👌🏻
Loved that car I had the exact same car in same colour the only difference mine had the alloys and was a manual great video makes me wish I took photos of all my old cars now
The simplest designs are sometimes the best designs and i think these early 3 series prove that
New BMW are so fussy
I breifly owned a white 320i SE Auto 4 door on an H plate. I did enjoy driving it, but it drove nothing like I had expected. Very smooth, soft and relaxing, but totally not sporty in any way, or even particularly quick. I couldn't get over how small the E30 was either, compared to modern cars - It felt more of a Fiesta sized car than a 3-Series, and space was particularly tight in the back. Still love them though.
The auto definitely dulls the performance, and 80s cars are always much softer than modern ones
Hi Matt, another great review,my brother had one of these in black and was happy with it,the rust worm got to it.exactly the same model.
This shape is absolutely beautiful and so iconic. This particular model is stunning. Great to see it get reviewed.
ah yes, that 80's BMW smell someone once told me it comes from the foam they used in the seats which over time breaks down hence the smell(but in a good way). Any chance of Mercedes-benz 190E any variant?
Back in the 80’s I used to love seeing these on the road. I always thought it was a very well designed car, although I never aspired to owning one myself. My daily back then was a MK1 MR2 B, have you ever thought of doing a review of one of those ?? 😉 Love to channel keep up all the good content.
Same here, wish I never sold my 91' BMW 325I touring in Lachs Silver. It had 255,000 miles on it when it was sold, but still in beautiful condition and lovely to drive.
Very interesting indeed. Lovely to see such a nice car that had been so well cared for.
My first drive in an E30 was from Johannesburg to Durban and back in a manual 320i. What a lovely car!
some of the iconic features on the E30 go back as far as the sixties: the hofmeister-kink appeared for the first time on the "Neue Klasse" in 1963 (the M10 engine did also), the dual headlights and kidneys in the centre of the grille are already to be found on the E3 and E9 cars (1968).
Its just such a clean design - fantastic 👍🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪
I love the e30. But then i Discovered the " e34 525i SE Manual. " WHEY HEY It's away & Gone.
Yes if you can drive, It will Gently Tail out if you push it. Otherwise at Road legal speeds ?? It just Delivers Superb Comfort. & Goes like the Wind !!
I also Have an e34 520i Se Manual, That is A Dream to Drive. It Sounds Superb. & is as Quick & sharp as Any Real Driver Could Keep ahold of. THRILL YOUR PANTS OFF Cars Both of them. ( I Prefer my 520 over my 525, except at Full Power Flat out Speeds over 120 + mph.
And what a beautiful specimen this one is, like new from the factory! I'm a lucky guy because in a minute, I'll have to drive my 1983 320i for about an hour to get to my girlfriend. :-)
I was actually considering messaging you to see if you wanted to take my E30 for a drive. Similar age and mileage to this, but a 318i LUX (few more options on it) manual, rear head rests, fog lights, digital clock and lip spoiler). Somebody beat me to it! Those new old look Blaupunkt head units are all the rage at the moment, but I prefer my SQR 88. It was top of the line back in the day and came with a 3.5mm socket for "CD walkmans"!
Well done for having the video camera being in a forward position so we can see where you are going and join in the drive with you. Other car channels do this such as "I drive a classic" and "Hub nut" . For people who are disabled this is a great idea because they can have a short time having a drive out in a car, especially those who are house bound. So thanks again. Best wishes for the future. How about driving a 1960s car.
Ive driven quite a few, have a look back and there are some Austins and Wolseleys on here. I always enjoy driving the older cars - older the better!
Absolutely stunning condition, and such a classic BMW 'look' Much prefer the automatics now, as you know that they (mostly) haven't been 'tubed' no dropped 5inch, with 20inch wheels, and more speakers than an electrical shop. Brought back memories of my first car which was a '94 E30 316i Lux Touring with the 5 spd manual, a car i deeply regret every getting rid of. 130k on the clock, electric everything, disc brakes all round, and of course the obligatory drivers seat wear. Sold for £500, now to get a decent one back i would need 10x that!
I currently own a 320i convertible factory standard, and I doubt I’ll ever sell it as they not easy to get hold of anymore, there’s plenty of inflated e30s for sale, genuine ones are hard to find anymore in UK!
As a now ex-Merc fan, love this E30, it's nice and slightly used! Also, love the Alfa 145 T-Shirt. (I have 2 in bits, soon to be rebuilt!)
Good luck with the Alfas, hope they are less rusty than mine! You can get the T shirt in 3 colours of car and on mugs and all kinds of other stuff - www.redbubble.com/i/t-shirt/Alfa-Romeo-145-Cloverleaf-Italian-90s-hot-hatch-by-matt145qv/50320512.QUQES?.pla+notset&country_code=GB&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2or8BRCNARIsAC_ppyatFhHkuvl_n0FaQQd-cYHGaMoB8eaiIxKYOWJOuP6ADNBnn7t5-K4aAhxQEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Great Video with a great car, I have a 89 318iS in sterlingsilber in about the same condition, the only extras being the manual sunroof and 14" Styling 5 aloy wheels.
Bought it in 2011 for 650€ and even by then these were getting expensive.
Enjoy every kilometre in it 😊
You have the best E30 made. That 318is is light and great handling little thing. Don't sell it
Great review Matt---that is very much a poverty specced version which can be retrofitted with a boot spoiler, manual gearbox, foglamps and armrest to make it a much more appealing car. Amazing how many of these are still pootling about today.
My dad almost got one of these a couple of times. Instead we soldiered on with British cars - Maxi, Maestro and Rover 200. I wish he had got one of these!
The stereo is the new blaupunkt Bremen. I have one in my 85 Saab 900. The tape flap is dummy and underneath is the sd card and usb slot It is pretty cool
Just LOVED those blue tinted exterior mirrors of the 80's and 90's!
These little 3's were magnificent!
Ánd quite posh
Ánd most decent people could afford them - they made a quiet but firm statement about their owner and his/her position in society. Remember too that thís was before Mercedes-Benz had the C-class - the 190E was placed slightly above the 3 series in size & price.
"It is. Its a Spitfire." Carries on. So
nonchalant :)
My boss at the time had a 325i before swapping to Porsche 944. Both very period White. It must be eighties week. HubNut and you in Beemers, cool dudes.
Brings me back to when I had my 1986 320i coupe. Great looks, handling and sound of the six cylinder. Minus points, power steering an extra, not reliable or build quality like a Japanese car, not same good quality as previous 3 series (first series) and finally could swap ends easily in greasy conditions. I want one NOW!!
loved the e30 worked on them for years m40 engine wasnt the greatest could set your watch with the timing belt snapping but the car itself was so well made.
As a man, who also dates from 1982, this is the era of BMW I grew up seeing so, if someone says BWW, this is exactly what I picture in my head. This one looks mint. I always really liked the tourer too. It was nicely proportioned.
i still own one 316i mine is left hand drive and has a clock instead of the rev counter. its in a very bad condition so i dont know if i should just scrap it or restore it
That’s a one of your best videos so far IMHO. A really knowledgeable, entertaining and witty review of a beautifully preserved piece of 80’s nostalgia. I agree that it’s a shame it’s an auto, but otherwise, what a beaut. I also have Blaupunkt envy as well now! Spoilt for choice for classic 80’s Munich motors this week after Mr. Hubnut’s interesting review of the 525e earlier. Just one thing, didn’t air-cooled 911s have bottom hinged brake pedals as well as clutch and throttles?
I think that yes, Porsche did, even in models to the early nineties!
Wow, thank you!
furiousdriving you’re very welcome. I follow all of your videos, but some of the 400 cabriolet episodes are almost too painful to watch. You’re a far more patient Mann than I am.
Incidentally, I also share the twin passions of interesting motor cars and photography. Take a look at John Dee’s channel, ToTheGarage, and the latest video there showing the results of the XK8 photo competition. My image is the one in 2nd place. Actually, it was your XK8 driving review that drew me to the channel in the first place as the red Jag in the thumbnail is the spitting image of my car. Thanks for all of your efforts and time putting all of the excellent content out there on RUclips land. Take care, Gerard
Nice grill and small wheels helping the ride . Take note BMW
Back in the day and indeed ever since the 2002 and big 2.5 and 2.8 saloons I always aspired to own a BMW, mind you it would have had to be at least a 320 and manual!
I finally got to own a late 2002 E46 320d Touring which I had for 17 years.
I used to have a 4 door E30 316i, it was the 1st car I’ve ever bought & the best car I’ve had.
Hello from adriatic coast. I remember that car from my youth. It looked big then but today it is a pretty small car actually. Only 165 cm wide. Less than modern superminis. Still great looking piece of motoring history.
they do feel small now, bit so nimble for it
My favourite BMW model of all. I wish I had the cash for a 318is (ie the baby M car) with those BBS alloys and the twin cam engine
I had an ‘84 318i coupe with no clear coat left on it. It was amazing!
Great video as always I think you filmed this in the Tunbridge Wells area as I think their is a airfield near their which has a spitfire flying experience I think
It comes from Headcorn so you can see it all over Kent, so distinctive you know when its coming
furiousdriving I was working in Tunbridge Wells for a couple of months building a house and a spitfire flew over nearly every day and I would say “for you tommy the war is over” all the blokes on the job would shout at me 😂😂
Great video, lovely car! The owner does need to take care of the wheel covers though. And should also remove the christmas lights from the footwell!
my friend had (has? it's been gathering dust in a garage for over 6 years now) a 1991 318is coupe, one of the last e30s. That car was a lot of fun. It even fit two people in the back seat! It had a manual transmission, which let you wring out the 130 or so hp out a lot better than the sleepy automatic. I'm surprised a 316i would even come with an auto, considering how anemic that engine is already.
The particular smell from
80’s cars, particularly BMWs, is due to the materials used on the seats. BMW seats were spring loaded and used a particular type of horsehair instead of foam and loads of velour. Only I The late 80’s, early 90’s, horsehair was fases out in favour of foam. The Rover R8’s have their own particular velour smell.
yes, they have a similar (but different) smell too, unique to them
Absolutely love the E30, if I could keep my cars in the garage I’d have a 325i Sport with M Tech bodykit
Clean, crisp, elegant, high quality. Boxy BMWs at its best.
I couldn't agree more, I think apart from the E21 & E30 BMW's last truly beautiful models were the BMW 7 Series E32 & the 5 Series E34 both designed by Italian Ercole Spada.
I confused with m10 and m40 engine. Why i got 316i with m10 engine?
i had two e30's 320i , a two and a 4 door real good and fun cars super nice sound to mmm
p.s the engine in a 316i is a 1,8 with a smaller cam in it then the 318i ;)
Or with me Matt a Commodore 64 back in the 1980's heck 1976 development started on the E30 the Mk 1 3 series came out in 1975 great info Matt Blaupunkt stereo's were also in some of my Dad's Fiat's in the 80's a very mint looking 316i
The 325i was one of the yuppie cars of choice back in the 1980s along with the Mark 2 VW Golf GTI 16v and the Porsche 911 Turbo
I did ride in a Porsche 911 Turbo on 1992-1993, what a glorious vehicle.
Frederick Rothe III If you had a 911 turbo in the eighties it had to be in Guard’s Red
One of my older brothers friends had a 325i as a company car in the 1980s great car great engine
@@arrangrant6037 Whenever I got a ride in one, the driver was always in a hurry, and it just flew! And it was a five speed, the driver liked manual transmission vehicles, especially classic BMW like this 3-series of the late 80's.
Yes and the 325i went like the clappers. My mate had one around 2000/2002 think it was a 1990/91 year and although it was the estate version it went like shit off a shovel!
Lovely review as always, I’m always concerned about the same thing though.When you review the engine bay you lean on the front wings with your fingers over the bonnet opening,what if the bonnet came down?ouch!
they dont tend to come down on their own, and you know the ones that will
Why can’t BMWs be classy and simple like this beauty now? New BMWs are just some of the ugliest and hateful cars on the road. Great drive and lovely car Matt
It’s the same for all the German brands back then compared to now. BMW, Mercedes and Audi were all really quite restrained back then. Clearly ‘Germanic’ in their aesthetics. Nowadays they look like they could have come from China, not Germany. They have vents, lines and other details that don’t need to be there, the rear end of lots of BMW’s now are incredibly fussy for no good reason. It’s a shame.
I totally agree! All the German marques look so very, very common, not like the old designs which made you aspire to own one. They all look like a Hyundai or Kia today, and the new German models are unreliable to boot.
Better off with a Ford or Vauxhall!
RichieT5 I totally agree the oversized front grill they are putting on all their new models is hideous
@@rare6499 Well, on another car enthusiast channel the host explained that nowadays luxury cars like BMWs are been designed to fulfill the chinese market's taste and demands. So there you could find an explanation for why have these brands abandoned their simplicity and elegance.
Global Citizen indeed, the larger grilles are a direct result of Chinese tastes. It’s obvious why they do it for commercial reasons, but it’s kind of sad. In the 80’s BMW became a powerhouse premium brand because it was steadfast in its design principles and aesthetic. Now it panders to specific market tastes. Hence why they no longer look ‘Germanic’. Which is a shame.
The Radio is what Harry Metcalfe of Harrys Garage fitted to his Lotus. I toyed with the idea of 1 for my W140 but in the end went for a black Panel Kenwood.
Certainly in good nick...informative vid as usual...cheers.
Never been a huge fan of the way BMWs look but this was one of the best. Echoes of the 2002ti.
I can attest to the tendency of certain BMW's to rust. Having owned a 2000 (4 door 2002) that had spent the first three years of its life in Algeria, once I had purchased it just after it had been reimported the immaculate white paint became covered in orange rust spots within 3 months ( looked like a case of smallpox). No wonder its first owner sold it when he was relocated back to Blighty, he knew what was going to happen! Just loved its full leather interior but the 3 speed ZF auto was a bit clunky at times when driven hard doing a traffic light GP. Not by me but the boss who kept borrowing it leaving me his thirsty big Merc for the weekend.
Elegant simplicity. How design has changed .
I’ve just bought an E30 316i, it needs to be painted but it is beautiful
Spitfire looking for a german. As a teenager always like this car and I still do today at 45.
Have you thought about buying one? I’m 43 and seriously thinking about getting my hands in classic 3 series, because if I do it now I’ll never do it!
@@matty6848 Yes if I had a garage. Had and Alfa Romeo 146 1.4 TS for a daily driving , no problems, ok it drank a lot of fuel but the roar of that engine and the pleaure of driving. Then dents and scratches, I hate that specially dents when you go shopping.