$2-3k fun

[850CSi]

Alright, here's the deal.

My living situation is changing in the next few months such that we will need a second car for occasional use. Long story short, I'm moving further away from school but don't want to leave my gf without a car. I am taking this opportunity to try to find something cheap and fun to use as my occasional DD so she can use the E90 whenever she thinks she might need a car. We don't need a second car enough to justify dropping serious cash on it.

Criteria:
RWD preferable
Convertible >> Coupe >>>> Sedan
Must be manual
Must be fun to drive ('fun' is a complicated term, but I generally prefer nimble to powerful)
KBB private party < $3.5k

I have wanted an E30 coupe for a long time. I grew up around BMWs of the late '80s and '90s and I have an emotional attachment to them. They're also RWD and super fun to drive. I'm also considering E36s because I'm well aware that they're often as cheap as E30s given a specific condition/mileage. An E36 cabrio would be amazing - KBB says a '93 325iC is worth around $3k, which means with my connections (my cousin owns a dealership and is at auctions all the time) I could probably get one for closer to $2000 or $2500.

I am probably [somewhat irrationally] going to end up with an E30/E36 because I love them and they're fkin awesome to drive and they're on my "to own before I die" list. But I want to see what else y'all can think of that I should keep in mind. Part of me is still thinking about spending a little more cash and getting an early model E38 or E39 for her to drive and I'll just continue driving the E90 as a DD. My concerns about repair costs are slightly mitigated by the fact that I'm going to be doing the work whenever possible.

[2o6]

I'll sell you my Focus.....  



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In all seriousness, have you done repairs on a car at all? You sound somewhat like myself but with more money. I paid 2K for a Focus, and it keeps breaking in ways I couldn't have imagined and in ways that are too complicated for me to fix. (I fixed the problems I had with the Neon myself, I gave it up when the thing was three quarts of oil every two days)


An E30 from that perspective sounds like a terrible idea.

[SVT666]

You can't buy anything good for less than $3500.

[850CSi]

I'll sell you my Focus..... 



--------

In all seriousness, have you done repairs on a car at all? You sound somewhat like myself but with more money. I paid 2K for a Focus, and it keeps breaking in ways I couldn't have imagined and in ways that are too complicated for me to fix. (I fixed the problems I had with the Neon myself, I gave it up when the thing was three quarts of oil every two days)


An E30 from that perspective sounds like a terrible idea.

No. I have to start doing them on my car anyways, so I figure I might as well learn.

[2o6]

No. I have to start doing them on my car anyways, so I figure I might as well learn.

That's what I said, too. 

[Xer0]

I'll sell you my Focus.....  



--------

In all seriousness, have you done repairs on a car at all? You sound somewhat like myself but with more money. I paid 2K for a Focus, and it keeps breaking in ways I couldn't have imagined and in ways that are too complicated for me to fix. (I fixed the problems I had with the Neon myself, I gave it up when the thing was three quarts of oil every two days)


An E30 from that perspective sounds like a terrible idea.

Yeah, I agree with this.  I doubt you'll find anything at this price point that is any sort of reliable.  It'll probably be far more trouble than its worth.

Is public transit not an option?

[850CSi]

That's what I said, too.  

Heh, fair enough

Yeah, I agree with this.  I doubt you'll find anything at this price point that is any sort of reliable.  It'll probably be far more trouble than its worth.

Is public transit not an option?

I will have two cars so I don't really need it to be all that reliable. My gf will be walking/taking the bus.

I will have this kind of $ after the summer and I figure this is as good a time as ever to buy something like this. I'll have all of next year to mess around with it before I graduate and these cars won't depreciate very much anyways.

[Northlands]

Yeah, I agree with this.  I doubt you'll find anything at this price point that is any sort of reliable.  It'll probably be far more trouble than its worth.

Is public transit not an option?

I was about to ask about getting a bus pass. Spending only 2-3k on a car is one thing. Spending that amount of money on an old BMW as a daily driver seems calamitous.

[sportyaccordy]

IF reliability is not a concern go for an old E36. Just get a mechanic to look it over before hand, old cars can get pricey fast.

[2o6]

If you're seriously looking at something decent to drive, reliable and actually fun, I am going to recommend an old Civic, ZX2, Protege or Focus (just be more cautious than I did, and stay away from the SPI).



Making RWD a requirement and you only have 2K seems a little foolish, IMO.

[SVT666]

Buying a $3500 BMW is stupid.  Buying a $3500 Civic is less stupid.

[850CSi]

If you're seriously looking at something decent to drive, reliable and actually fun, I am going to recommend an old Civic, ZX2, Protege or Focus (just be more cautious than I did, and stay away from the SPI).



Making RWD a requirement and you only have 2K seems a little foolish, IMO.

I like all of those suggestions and will keep them in mind. I'm particularly a fan of Proteges and early 2000s Civics.

RWD isn't a requirement, it's preferred. I've probably driven around 90k miles in my lifetime; at least 70k of that has been RWD. I'm a lot more used to it and I just like it more from my experience. Anything fun and cheap qualifies.

I was about to ask about getting a bus pass. Spending only 2-3k on a car is one thing. Spending that amount of money on an old BMW as a daily driver seems calamitous.

Like I said, I don't need reliability. She'll be taking the bus anyways, and if shit hits the fan with both cars at the same time, there's a campus shuttle I can take as well.

IF reliability is not a concern go for an old E36. Just get a mechanic to look it over before hand, old cars can get pricey fast.

Yeah, this is my thinking. I won't be buying on my own, and my cousin has mechanics he works with that can help me out.

[2o6]

I had a friend who bought an old E30 for around 2K.





The car was so rusty the car was literally about to split in half.

[850CSi]

I had a friend who bought an old E30 for around 2K.

One of my buddies just bought a 325e for $500. It's actually in fairly good condition; he's working on converting it to a 32[7]i. I drove it, it was unbelievably soft. But I was shocked at how quickly I acclimated to its transmission.

[2o6]

Heh, you conveniently skipped over the other half of the post!

[850CSi]

Heh, you conveniently skipped over the other half of the post!

[I don't live in the snow belt]

[Cookie Monster]

Buying a 20 year old BMW for $2-3k has trouble written all over it. The fact that you want to actually use an E30 as a DD is pretty silly. I bet a nice condition E30, if you really wanted to DD it, would go for $4k+ (that's how much the nicer ones cost when I was looking around). Do you think you will have enough time and patience to fix two BMW's? Not to mention all the tools and space you'll need as well.

If you want something that old, I'd get a CRX. It's practical, fuel efficient, and with less than 2000 lb, pretty fun, I bet. Or get an NA Miata for RWD, convertible and decent reliability.

[850CSi]

NA Miata is super tempting, but will it really be that much cheaper to maintain? I also don't know if I'll even fit in it.


Remember, not a true DD. Semi-DD that has a backup car.

[Cookie Monster]

NA Miata is super tempting, but will it really be that much cheaper to maintain? I also don't know if I'll even fit in it.


Remember, not a true DD. Semi-DD that has a backup car.

I'm 6'2" and can comfortably fit in the NA. Not sure about you, though. Probably should sit in one before ruling it out.

I think most people have more of an issue with the narrow-ness of the car.

[SVT666]

NA Miata is super tempting, but will it really be that much cheaper to maintain? I also don't know if I'll even fit in it.


Remember, not a true DD. Semi-DD that has a backup car.

An NA Miata for $2500 will be shit.

[SVT666]

I'm 6'2" and can comfortably fit in the NA. Not sure about you, though. Probably should sit in one before ruling it out.

I think most people have more of an issue with the narrow-ness of the car.

I'm 6'0" and the top of the windshield is directly in my line of vision.  I have short legs and a long torso though so that's my problem.

[850CSi]

I'm 6'2" and can comfortably fit in the NA. Not sure about you, though. Probably should sit in one before ruling it out.

I think most people have more of an issue with the narrow-ness of the car.

I've only ever sat in an NC. It was tight, and I certainly wouldn't take a trip in one, but I was fine (and had a blast, probably 2nd or 3rd most fun car I've ever driven). I was under the impression that NCs were bigger on the inside than NA/NBs. I'm 6'3"ish.

[850CSi]

An NA Miata for $2500 will be shit.

http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/cto/2867351257.html

Doesn't look too bad.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/2865415768.html

[Onslaught]

I'm not saying this because I'm a Mazda fan. Mazda is not perfect and they have flaws. That said, if you can find a 1994 MX-5 at that price in good condition then go for it. NA miata's are as rock solid as any car that age you can find. I won't say perfect, but about as close as you can get.

[Onslaught]

Oh, and if you need help I can show you how to make some more room in one and it still look factory.

[Cookie Monster]

I'm 6'0" and the top of the windshield is directly in my line of vision.  I have short legs and a long torso though so that's my problem.

I have long legs and a short torso, so I had plenty of headroom with no visibility issues. IIRC Onslaught is 6'4" and has an NA.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Buying a $3500 BMW is stupid.  Buying a $3500 Civic is less stupid.

How about a $3500 Sunfire?

[Xer0]

How about a $3500 Sunfire?

[Northlands]

How about a $3500 Sunfire?

[Raza]

Oh, and if you need help I can show you how to make some more room in one and it still look factory.

My buddy had to remove some of the padding in the seat cushion to fit in his.