Looking for a good e30 for my daughter

[nbristow01]

Looking for decent clean E30 for my daughter. She will need an automatic with AC. Does not have to a "Like New" car. She is 19 and i am sure it will be driven a lot. Just a good decent looking DD

[esty]

mash site

[M3M3]

if for daughter...recommend only the 91's...as they had airbags. better idea would be to get her into an e36. much safer...better abs system, airbags, better designed crash zones, etc. jmho...

[Gordon]

Teach her to drive a 5 speed. I gave my 16 year old daughter a 86 325e 5 speed as her first car and told her if she wants to drive, she's got to learn how to drive a stick. She quickly mastered it and is now a pro at driving a stick. Trust me, if she can learn, anyone can because she has a hard time walking and chewing gum at the same time. E30 eta cars make great first time cars for teenagers, they have big diving board bumpers. A bonus is a stick will keep your daughter off the cell phone while driving.

G-Man

[mo's72tii]

Good choice....I did one 91 E30 vert (auto) for the older duaghter when she turned 16 and a 72 tii that we made and auto for the younger daughter when she turned 16.

Both of them "LOVE" their cars.

[schwarz75]

1990 E30s (at least USA) had air bags also.

[Jim_75Sahara]

Most E30's I've seen have defunct a/c. Mine is working again, but it cost a few $. An E30 would be great for your daughter, even w/out the airbags - they're built like tanks.

[ahlem]

All four of my kids learned to drive in e30's. We have a 1990 M3, 1991 318is, 1989 325is and 1987 325is. Besides looking real cool and getting 27 mpg they are pretty good cars. AC is in need of a rebuild on all of them but we are in MI.

[mcaden]

First, debate which engine you want eta or i or the later m42. Then spend about the amount of time you would to find a good '02 to find the right E30. Some of the better ones (not all, mind you) are adult owned and from BMWCCA members. As with an '02, you are buying the former owner's care as much as the car.

The usual stuff applies - look very carefully for rust and make sure the timing belt and water pump have been done or you will need to. Check out the RV3 Limited website. Marshall's point about the air bag makes sense re: safety, but that will limit your search even more. The big bumpered E30's are probably a little safer than the plastic, but lack airbags. If you end up buying a 325is, 5 speed... you are going to end up driving the car more than your daughter -- just saying.

Good luck.

-Marc

[Ian]

I like your choice. Simple, well built, and with ABS. I'm looking for a manual transmission version for my daughter, too!