Clean car, wheels/springs/exhaust on it, neat character and looks like one of it's larger brethren, from the outside, so to speak.
I like it, and I'd probably try to "320i it" a bit (electric fan instead of wp driven and hotter coil along with a couple other tweeks that really wake up the 1.8s), but I don't want to get so far in to it that if/when I sell it I'm at typical project car levels (i.e. $0.10 on the dollar...).
What says ye gentlefolk?
Me? No. Now, a 91 318, sure. But the 84 just doesn't do anything for me at that price.
325's can be had for that. Maybe not super clean ones, but decent ones. Keep shopping unless you've just fallen for the 318.
If the body is straight and rust free, sure.
E30s are so easy to swap parts, rear ends, engines, etc that the base model you start with is much less important then condition of the shell.
I bought my running, driving 85 318i for $1000. And it came with a spare engine, tranny, almost no rust, and 6 bottlecaps, and a set of Euroweaves in good shape. Needed new suspension ($<1000 all told for all bushings + Bilsteins) but otherwise ran great.
I wouldn't pay $2800 for one unless it's totally mint and totally rust-free. The M10 is uninspiring in an e30 in my opinion (unless FI) and not worth much if you sell it and swap. I much prefer mine now with an M42 in it.
For that price you should be able to find a decent M42 later-model 318is that maybe needs a little bit of work.
Tell that guy to put the crackpipe down........explain that the 318is is worth that, the 318i is not.
At the end of the day though, if its immaculate, and you're comfortable paying whatever price, it doesn't matter what we think.
Hmmm. I don't know how in love with it I am, considering I still have my 325es (which, tractor motor and all, I like), but maybe I'm a bigger sucker for e30's than I think. Probably more "no" than "go" at this point.
I wouldn't. Newer? Yes. That vintage, no.
ive got a 91 318is i'd sell for that if you brought your own wheels/tires. its largely rust-free, there's just a spot the size of a quarter on the roof. the paint is in poor shape though. it runs & drives good, and has a medium case 4.10 lsd in it.
you can pick up a 318ti for that price if you want a much newer car. Maybe even with a motor swap at that.
if there was $1300 under the seat i would.
If it's a truly clean and well maintained car I think $2800 or more is just fine. E30's are going up in value.
irish44j wrote: I bought my running, driving 85 318i for $1000. And it came with a spare engine, tranny, almost no rust, and 6 bottlecaps, and a set of Euroweaves in good shape. Needed new suspension ($<1000 all told for all bushings + Bilsteins) but otherwise ran great. I wouldn't pay $2800 for one unless it's totally mint and totally rust-free. The M10 is uninspiring in an e30 in my opinion (unless FI) and not worth much if you sell it and swap. I much prefer mine now with an M42 in it. For that price you should be able to find a decent M42 later-model 318is that maybe needs a little bit of work.
Problem is, I've seen what most of you guys consider "almost no rust", and where E30s tend to rust is a real PITA to fix if you don't have fab skills and a welder.
If it's a rust free two door I would. It's easier to S one than to fix rust I would think. I really love the earlier 2 door cars.
I haven't seen the car in person yet, but we're in southern Arizona, so rust in not much of an issue here. I'm still pondering, and you yea sayers are (not) helping... 
Nice, good condition, later model cars are going up in price. M10 is a 10sec 0-60 car.
I believe swapping a motor into an '84 is a bit harder than later years.
In reply to OldGray320i:
then the A/C better blow ice cold for that price.
$2800 for a 318i. Hell no especially since you can get an Alfa Milano for less then that.
It's kinda sorta this way - picking up something that I think would be fun, but with limited space, what will surely be an unhappy mama, and the fact that I'd thought about thinning the herd before my daughter started driving my 325es (so, thinned, per se), and not wanting to spend too much on it if the "need" to thin the herd again arises when the next buyer may not be as "motivated" as me. Sorry, that's a bit convoluted.
I guess in the end if I don't lose too much it's really not too big a deal. Overpaying a bit, figure around a $1000 or so potential "overage" isn't that bad, especially spread over the course of a year or more anyway.
I'm thinking I may do this, especially the more I keep reading this.
You guys are a bunch of enablers, is what you are....
z31maniac wrote:irish44j wrote: I bought my running, driving 85 318i for $1000. And it came with a spare engine, tranny, almost no rust, and 6 bottlecaps, and a set of Euroweaves in good shape. Needed new suspension ($<1000 all told for all bushings + Bilsteins) but otherwise ran great. I wouldn't pay $2800 for one unless it's totally mint and totally rust-free. The M10 is uninspiring in an e30 in my opinion (unless FI) and not worth much if you sell it and swap. I much prefer mine now with an M42 in it. For that price you should be able to find a decent M42 later-model 318is that maybe needs a little bit of work.Problem is, I've seen what most of you guys consider "almost no rust", and where E30s tend to rust is a real PITA to fix if you don't have fab skills and a welder.
No, what I consider "almost no rust" on my e30 means one small hole in the rear floor (about the size of a quarter) and a couple small holes on the driver's floorboard (maybe as wide as two quarters). Other than that, mine had no rust-through anywhere that I can recall. And I repaired all of those holes with fiberglass long before I had my welder.
My e21 has a bit more, and in more difficult spots. But it's also 7 years older and sat outdoors in a field for 6 years.
I know what "a lot" of rust means. I've owned several British sportscars ;)
mr2peak wrote: Nice, good condition, later model cars are going up in price. M10 is a 10sec 0-60 car. I believe swapping a motor into an '84 is a bit harder than later years.
no, it's not. It's exactly the same as any other year except you need to make a wiring adaptor for the main engine harness C101 plug (which is not difficult), since the M10 cars have a square C101 and all the other e30s have a round one.
I can't think of any other thing that was difficult. The M42 and late G240 (with aluminum shift carrier) swapped right into mine using all stock mounting locations. Wiring is really the only thing that needs any modification.
Unless there's something different about the '84 from my '85 (??)
93EXCivic wrote: $2800 for a 318i. Hell no especially since you can get an Alfa Milano for less then that.
Alfa milano for less than 1400? I highly doubt that lol. They have been very expensive lately. Sure mostly the 3.0 is very expensive but even the 2.5 unless it's in terrible condition is not $1500 cheap. That is like AW11 MR2 with imperfect paint prices.
irish44j wrote:z31maniac wrote:No, what I consider "almost no rust" on my e30 means one small hole in the rear floor (about the size of a quarter) and a couple small holes on the driver's floorboard (maybe as wide as two quarters). Other than that, mine had no rust-through anywhere that I can recall. And I repaired all of those holes with fiberglass long before I had my welder. My e21 has a bit more, and in more difficult spots. But it's also 7 years older and sat outdoors in a field for 6 years. I know what "a lot" of rust means. I've owned several British sportscars ;)irish44j wrote: I bought my running, driving 85 318i for $1000. And it came with a spare engine, tranny, almost no rust, and 6 bottlecaps, and a set of Euroweaves in good shape. Needed new suspension ($<1000 all told for all bushings + Bilsteins) but otherwise ran great. I wouldn't pay $2800 for one unless it's totally mint and totally rust-free. The M10 is uninspiring in an e30 in my opinion (unless FI) and not worth much if you sell it and swap. I much prefer mine now with an M42 in it. For that price you should be able to find a decent M42 later-model 318is that maybe needs a little bit of work.Problem is, I've seen what most of you guys consider "almost no rust", and where E30s tend to rust is a real PITA to fix if you don't have fab skills and a welder.
Thank you for proving my point.
Actual holes in the chassis don't count as "almost no rust" to me. But I'm much further south. I'm not interested in anything that has more than some rust on the bolts in the suspension.
kanaric wrote:93EXCivic wrote: $2800 for a 318i. Hell no especially since you can get an Alfa Milano for less then that.Alfa milano for less than 1400? I highly doubt that lol. They have been very expensive lately. Sure mostly the 3.0 is very expensive but even the 2.5 unless it's in terrible condition is not $1500 cheap. That is like AW11 MR2 with imperfect paint prices.
Why not? There are two here in Huntsville in decent shape for $1500 IIRC (2.5s). Which is a lot less then $2800.
93EXCivic wrote:kanaric wrote:Why not? There are two here in Huntsville in decent shape for $1500 IIRC (2.5s). Which is a lot less then $2800.93EXCivic wrote: $2800 for a 318i. Hell no especially since you can get an Alfa Milano for less then that.Alfa milano for less than 1400? I highly doubt that lol. They have been very expensive lately. Sure mostly the 3.0 is very expensive but even the 2.5 unless it's in terrible condition is not $1500 cheap. That is like AW11 MR2 with imperfect paint prices.
south must be different from the west, lol.
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