Would you sell an E30 318i and ...

GPGrobler

///Member
get an E30 325i or E30 325iS in its place, and upgrade from a 9mm to a 45mm while you are it it, seeing that in South Africa these cars attract A LOT of unwanted attention?
 

herco

///Member
When I bought my first car, I badly wanted a E30 325iS.

I did some research and heard a few horror stories while doing so. I set it all aside, and went to look at a few models that were on gumtree.

In the end I decided against it, just seeing where these cars were kept and who owned them... (Not all, but most.) :thumbdo:

Id rather drive something else and be safe, instead of constantly fearing a hijacking or worse.
 

Major

Active member
Nnnnnnnope, been there, done that, not again. If I buy an E30 again it'll be a s**tbox for drifting. :)
 

Fordkoppie

///Member
GPGrobler said:
get an E30 325i or E30 325iS in its place, and upgrade from a 9mm to a 45mm while you are it it, seeing that in South Africa these cars attract A LOT of unwanted attention?

If its your only car, then no.

That said, I drive a 2dr 323i daily, but my commute is in the remote part of Gauteng so I don't feel threatened at all.

If its a second car, then hell yes. A 4cyl e30 does not appeal to me unless it comes with an s14
 

BadBoy1

Banned
Wanted a E30 325is so badly that I searched far and wide to find a clean one. It had to be White, after years of searching I managed to get a hold of the car I wanted.

Picked up the car with a huge grin on my face and drove it from PE to JHB

Next day after arrival I start to drive it to work and back for a week. The car picked up lots of attention in traffic and from bystanders including and the following week I was power hungry and started to turbo this motor.

Car sat at the bottom of my yard , out of everyones view , hidden away whilst the project started which was to last about 3weeks of work.

Within those 3 weeks I had random persons pitch up to my house wanting to buy the car at odd parts of the day and night. The suburb I reside in is very safe and 24/7 security etc but the mind games had already started.

At first I ignored the random persons wanting to but the car till the one evening whilst I was not at home, the wife calls me and says persons are ringing the door bell wanting to buy the car, they say they have cash on them now. I drove like a madman to get home.....

As much as I loved this car , with the above situations I already knew my decision, no way was I going to put my family at risk.

To add to the above a close friend of mine wanted to purchase the car , I refused to sell to him as I knew at some stage he was to face similar situations....up till this day he still swears me for it but hey at least I know my buddy is still alive and kicking....


So my advise , keep E30 318i and rather do a motor change , sleeper car but with the power
 

Webmaster

Administrator
I miss my mom's old e30 325i T-top Cabriolet in Red...:blueCry:
I'm with @BadBoy1 on this one, make your a sleeper.
 

GPGrobler

///Member
Thanks to all for your replies, so a 16V 318iS E36 motor with Gotech or Spitronics into this baby it is then ... :joy:
 

E30 Freak

Member
I say it depends where you live.

I would'nt own a 325iS in GP no matter how much I love the car. In the Cape it a bit safer (although a friend sold his after he almost got jacked with his).

I had people stopping me & hooting & making offers, but never had a scary situation for all the time I owned my iS.

If you have a 318i with a drop & a nice rim it gona attract just as much attention as the guy driving his shadowline, but I think Fordkoppie said it best...not if it your only car.
 

Blue Shirt

Well-known member
Some time ago I rescued an E30 325i 2-door from a dusty garage where it stood for 8 years or so. I bought the car from a deceased estate.

While I was busy loading it onto a trailer to bring it home, the first car stopped (a cop) and asked me if I wanted to sell it. On the way home, I got two more random offers to buy it from strangers at traffic lights.

After I fixed it up, I could not drive it anywhere without unsolicited attention. Everybody from the petrol station attendants, the mall car guards, newspaper sellers, security staff at work, carwash people, etc etc wanted to buy it, every man and his dog lusted after it.

I got so sick of it that I sold it again, despite it being a 100% original gem of car.

I think BMW SA will make a fortune if they bring the E30 back into production. They don't even have to put motors in them, all the backyard township mechanics can fit their own 1JZ motors of choice and LSD's in them, turbo them to hell and go drifting or spinning wherever the hell these poor cars end up.
 

GPGrobler

///Member
All right, thanks for some more info. I also get a lot of attention when driving the 318i with the free flow exhaust, probably because it has a nice deep rumble from the exhaust despite it being a 4-cylinder.
 

J-Peter

///Member
Yea man, I also wanted an E30 but with the 325's, if it's cheap its probably been abused and if it's in good nick they want ridiculous prices. Rather get an E36 if you want a 325 :coolShake:
 

symmat001

New member
I think region helps a lot.

That being said, owned my e28 now for 3 years, and same story. Petrol attendants to taxis drivers all wave and ask.

Have 3 numbers saved in my phone from guys that have left notes on the windscreen.
 
There is a 57 year old gentlemen working in my accounts department.
He has a 325is evo ii since brand new with 475 000km

He was hijacked twice and the car was found in Tembisa and Midrand.
the 3rd hijacking was a failed one were he was shot.

He swops the days he brings the car to work and drives home on different routes.
He always tells me he will never sell it but will never advise someone to buy one in Jhb.

Original paint and engine.
 

GPGrobler

///Member
Twincam Shark said:
There is a 57 year old gentlemen working in my accounts department.
He has a 325is evo ii since brand new with 475 000km

He was hijacked twice and the car was found in Tembisa and Midrand.
the 3rd hijacking was a failed one were he was shot.

He swops the days he brings the car to work and drives home on different routes.
He always tells me he will never sell it but will never advise someone to buy one in Jhb.

Original paint and engine.

My utmost respect to this man!
 
Top