So I think I am going to sell my e30.
My wife is too short to drive it, she can, but its a stretch.
Love the e30 for around town excursions,
Longer drives not so much, too much road noise and engine sounds.
I really am going to miss the driving experience of my e30.
How would a well sorted ($6000) e30 compare to a similarly priced boxster.
In regards to overall driving experience.
As a daily for a short commute and longer 2 hour drives in our fwys and hwys
The prospect of trying to DD a $6000 Boxster strikes me as instantly terrifying, but maybe my fear threshold is lower than yours. Is there a reason to move away from BMW? A $6000 E46 is likely to be a far safer bet while still ticking the boxes you've mentioned.
My e30 is not well sorted, and I Still love how it feels around Town.
I Was Thinking Maybe Boxster, Everyones Says They Are Drivers Cars ?
Just Hoping It Would Be Better For The Occasional Roadtrip In terms Of Comfort And CrUisin On Freeway,
I Am Currently Looking For Two Cars ,One To replace my Manual Is300 And One To replace My e30.
My Is300 Met An Unplanned Demise On Labor Day Weekend.
My E30 Was A Project Car That I Am Getting rid Of Because My Wife Can Not Drive It
I Posted Earlier About A Miata That Seems To Cheap To Pass Up.
Why does your project car have a requirement of being driven by your wife?
If it's clean and rust free, or mostly, I'd get it up to snuff and keep it. Replace worn bushings/control arms, tuneup, proper suspension set up (H&R Sport come to mind), new strut/shock mounts, go through the trunk and interior and put in some sound deadening material.
It makes a huge difference.
I love the E30. But, the Boxster is so far out of the E30's league in terms of driving pleasure that you might as well compare it to a twin beam axle dump truck. The trick to a $6k boxster though is that you might only be able to sit in it and make engine sounds because the engine is junk and costs more than twice that $6k again to replace. In which case, the 400k miles you could have driven a $6k E30 will seem like a better plan.
Really? No one's said it yet?
Miata.
penultimeta said:Really? No one's said it yet?
Miata.
Well, considering that an E30 is already about as fast and much fun to drive as a Miata the only reason to make that switch would be for something different but not better. Certainly less frightening to the potential calamity that can befall your wallet though. The buy in is still pretty low too. I'd also suggest Z3 roadster with an S52. Not subtle... but a hoot to hoon.
I don't understand the concept of someone being too small for an E30 ... so let's get an even bigger car. The E30 cabin is tiny by modern standards. A Boxster is roomier.
For long-distance driving, a Boxster is going to be a more relaxing ride than an E30 for sure. They're quieter and better damped. Much better suited to high-speed road trips.
Having said that, I have about 0.0% interest in a Boxster. They do nothing for me. An E30 can be a thing of beauty. (Full disclosure: I've owned several E30s, including an iX, an M3, and a 318is from new. I'm a fan).
You can get a nice e46 for $6000 but it seems like more of an IS300 replacement than an E30 replacement.
If you can get a nice Toyota MR-Spyder for $6k i'd be a lot less scared of it than the equivalent Boxster. Big problem there is that every Boxster is faster than the MR-S, some by a LOT.
Too small for an e30??? Impossible.
Also, if its anything like my S2000, road noise will be bad in a convertible like the Boxster.
In reply to Slippery :
She Has To Use the tips Of Her Toes To depress Clutch
02Pilot said:The prospect of trying to DD a $6000 Boxster strikes me as instantly terrifying, but maybe my fear threshold is lower than yours. Is there a reason to move away from BMW? A $6000 E46 is likely to be a far safer bet while still ticking the boxes you've mentioned.
I'd do it in a heart beat. I'm driving a $5K Boxster daily. Only mechanical issues I've had in 18 months are an alternator change which was dead easy through the access panel and a E36 M3ty plastic valve that failed in the auto trans cooler, but assuming you get a manual they don't have them. Dead easy car to work on. With the access panel behind the seats removed and the soft top in the 'access' position you can reach most things on the engine.
They are just so much fun to drive.
penultimeta said:Really? No one's said it yet?
Miata.
No, because he wasn't asking about a Miata, presumably because he's not interested.
Wait, he's too big for an E30 and people are suggesting miata... lol!! LMAO! OK, ok. Thr right, high mileage 2.7 boxster for 6k could be had. Make sure you get a history and don't be afraid of 200k on the clock. The m96/97 can do a lot of miles but hate sitting. Fequesnt oil changes with good oil is critical. Pay for an oil analysis. PPI if you want, but the oil analysis would tell you about the oart that costs the big bucks.
There's a good looking 986 on the local CList for $5800 or some such amount that needs a clutch. 127k miles. Lowball at $5k and have one hell of a weekend project with a grand in parts for the clutch and other maitenance bits?
In reply to pres589 :
Well, if you go as far as the clutch, might as well do the bearing - but negotiate it to $5k to make it more palatable.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea that the wife is too short to pepress the clutch in an E30, but can depress the clutch in a Boxster? Is the clutch to steering wheel distance in the E30 that much farther than the Boxster that she can't move the seat forward enough?
Ian F said:I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea that the wife is too short to pepress the clutch in an E30, but can depress the clutch in a Boxster? Is the clutch to steering wheel distance in the E30 that much farther than the Boxster that she can't move the seat forward enough?
I'm just going with it because the thread is interesting to me as I am currently working on a preliminary schedule for my next midlife crisis. Probably due for another one in the next 12 months or so.
In reply to pres589 :
Hilarious, I have not jumped into a 986 in some time, and to the average muggle a 986 is a chick car, hoping the seat rails are pushed grandma style up to the airbag !
pres589 said:There's a good looking 986 on the local CList for $5800 or some such amount that needs a clutch. 127k miles. Lowball at $5k and have one hell of a weekend project with a grand in parts for the clutch and other maitenance bits?
No. I paid $5k for a running DD with a brand new engine fitted 20k miles prior by Porsche. I'd offer $3k if it needs a clutch. Then do the IMS bearing while in there.
Adrian_Thompson said:pres589 said:There's a good looking 986 on the local CList for $5800 or some such amount that needs a clutch. 127k miles. Lowball at $5k and have one hell of a weekend project with a grand in parts for the clutch and other maitenance bits?
No. I paid $5k for a running DD with a brand new engine fitted 20k miles prior by Porsche. I'd offer $3k if it needs a clutch. Then do the IMS bearing while in there.
Yeah, but if I remember correctly yours is auto. That is probably a less desirable car and therefore cheaper.
True, but I paid that for the new engine not the trans
The E30 doesn't have a whole lot in the way of seat or steering wheel adjustability, that could be a factor. I would find mine so much more comfortable if the wheel adjusted for reach and rake.
There was a shout out for s52 z3. In the NC/SC/GA tri-state I haven't seen one less than $8k and more often $11k. The $8k one has 240k miles and a salvage title...
https://norfolk.craigslist.org/cto/d/2000-bmw-z3-roadster/6320661109.html
Looking at Boxsters always makes me.consider how much extra you get for the boxsterS.
steelynorm said:Love the e30 for around town excursions,
Longer drives not so much, too much road noise and engine sounds.
I really am going to miss the driving experience of my e30.
If we ignore the issue with the missus not being able to reach the pedals, what you are describing is an E28. They feel like a bigger E30 but quiet and comfortable and just soak up the highway miles. The three and a half liter cars do everything the 2.5 E30 does, just 1500RPM lower on the tach.
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