What does it mean/say about us who drive E30s?

[estoguy]

Hey guys and gals,

I posted this over an R3V as well, but I know we get some different traffic here.

Was thinking about this the other day. Sometimes driving certain cars say something about the owners, and of course I was thinking how attached I am to my E30.

What do you think driving an E30 (especially as a daily driver) says about us as drivers? How do you think other driver's perceive us? Are we hipsters or something else?

Since many of us are DIY, I certainly think it says a lot about our commitment to our ride - these cars are over 2 decades old know at the youngest, and it does take a certain amount of care and respect to keep them going.

I don't know how may random people have started conversations with me over my car. I think that because of relative rarity of seeing E30s anymore (especially here in Ontario), it certainly attracts curiosity and some amazement at seeing a 31 year old car still on the road and being used daily.

I'm interested to see what the rest of BF thinks.

[323i E30]

Around here there are mainly two camps:
1. Not interested in cars; and think you're driving a $300 car because you're poor and can't afford anything new.
2. Interested in cars; and love the E30. They probably love me too, but don't get the chance to tell me that while I'm happily cruising by in my E30

Hard to tell what other people think of me as a daily E30 driver. Probably that I don't care much for fancy gadgets.
I know that any E30 owner gets a huuuge bonus on my like-scale when I first meet someone though.

I've recently moved, and there are at least 3 people living in my new street that immediately noticed my car and correctly addressed it as an 'E30'.
That told me that moving to this area was a good life decision

[my1stE30]

Like 323 says ... there are two types of people who even notice....

- the first just think you drive an old car because you can't afford or are too cheap to buy some thing newer (I get this from a lot of people who remark that I should get a newer car so that I have reliable transportation).. I tell them I would get in the car a go on a 3000 km road trip through the mountains any day

- the second are people who have their own BMW story to tell and think you are a cool dude

I don't think of myself as either a cheap bastard or a cool dude... but that is the opinions out there ..... I just bought my E30 6 years ago because I wanted something different ... you can buy an old chevy or honda any day, but the E30 is just more fun to drive.

[hi91318i]

More than one stranger has come up to me and say "I used to have an e30. It was the best car I ever had and still regret selling it..."

[tomstin]

At my age, I don't give a damn what people think. I enjoy actually driving a car without all the nanny protection systems and a manual transmission. Maybe someday it will bite me in the butt, however, I still like the task of driving. My fear is we are dumbing down the skills required to drive and with all these lane departure warnings and automatic braking systems we're going to have more people distracted on the road and eventually have more problems. :rant off:

[estoguy]

At my age, I don't give a damn what people think. I enjoy actually driving a car without all the nanny protection systems and a manual transmission. Maybe someday it will bite me in the butt, however, I still like the task of driving. My fear is we are dumbing down the skills required to drive and with all these lane departure warnings and automatic braking systems we're going to have more people distracted on the road and eventually have more problems. :rant off:

That's not a rant. We are dumbing down too many things.

[aaverhulst]

I drive a red 89 325ic. Nobody has come up to me asking about an old car. I have received nothing but complements. "That's a beautiful car" "What kind of convertible is it, what year?". "I've always wanted one". "Red is the perfect color". People want to buy it on the spot.The car is nice but it is a daily driver so it's not perfect. My newest car is a 2000 Mercury Villager so I know nothing about new features. I'm scared that all these new things would be a great distraction from the simple driving experience I have now.

[Uturn540]

At my age, I don't give a damn what people think. I enjoy actually driving a car without all the nanny protection systems and a manual transmission. Maybe someday it will bite me in the butt, however, I still like the task of driving. My fear is we are dumbing down the skills required to drive and with all these lane departure warnings and automatic braking systems we're going to have more people distracted on the road and eventually have more problems. :rant off:

Ditto

[hotdish]

I got a ton of compliments on my old clean-ish e30 vert from all kinds of people. Very different compared to my other old BMWs. Regular people don't really notice or comment on my ratty-looking euro e21 and probably think its a cheap beater.

[edu]

I owned two bimmers a 1980 e21 323i & 1989 e30 325ic, and I am also very old. I get the best smiles from members of the opposite sex, that the best pay for my two bimmers!

[DerBayer]

I hear ya...Its insane whats happening out here in california. People do everything else in their mobile shitboxes, but actually driving. Its becoming super dangerous to say the least.

[DerBayer]

Not sure what it means and i honestly dont care what it stands for. All i know is that i am in love with my 2 30s. One is a 88 vert and my newest edition is a 91 318is. I got my drivers license in Germany 32 years ago and took my driving test on an E30 then. These models reflect an era of engineering, where cars were build to last. You can keep the crap they build today.

[denyo77]

Around here there are mainly two camps:
1. Not interested in cars; and think you're driving a $300 car because you're poor and can't afford anything new.
2. Interested in cars; and love the E30. They probably love me too, but don't get the chance to tell me that while I'm happily cruising by in my E30

Hard to tell what other people think of me as a daily E30 driver. Probably that I don't care much for fancy gadgets.
I know that any E30 owner gets a huuuge bonus on my like-scale when I first meet someone though.

I've recently moved, and there are at least 3 people living in my new street that immediately noticed my car and correctly addressed it as an 'E30'.
That told me that moving to this area was a good life decision

Pretty much this. Although it's surprising to see that almost all my friends I didn't make in the car community don't give two s**** about your car. I could roll up in a brand new M3 and most of them would be like "yeah, whatever". E30 drivers I usually wave to, though, and almost always get a wave back. Sometimes I stop and chat a bit. It is a common addiction, after all.

Also I have only had two girls compliment me on my e30s in 10 years of driving meticulous looking ones. So they especially don't really notice.

[richardodn]

Guys, your comments were all spot on. But the question wasn't what others think of our car. It's what our choice says about us. In my opinion, it really doesn't say anything except that we know ways to keep an old car on the road. That and that we have really good taste.

[jim89325is]

More than one stranger has come up to me and say "I used to have an e30. It was the best car I ever had and still regret selling it..."

I'm "that guy." Never should have sold mine.

[superj]

Me, also. I should have kept that 89 325i. It had every option i am looking for now, four doors, black interior, standard trans, 2.5 i6, and manual sunroof.

I think driving an e30 says a person is smart enough to get something efficient, fun, and good looking.

What others think, i care not a bit. They are not paying for my life so they have no say on my choices

[ChuckDizzle]

Driving an e30 means you give a damn about the driving experience. And you're probably also filling some childhood automotive dreams, because I remember as a kid every car I sketched on paper kinda resembled an e30. Boxy, rectangular body and four trademark round headlights...done.
Almost every e30 owner I've met is a DIY enthusiast as well so that says we're all capable of keeping these cars in roadworthy condition regardless of their age.

[1SGDHORN]

For me it harks back to a simpler time when cars were driving machines and you were connected to the road and not computer assist everything. I love the simplicity of manual seats, manual convertible top, manual transmission, no traction control, (I do like ABS however), manual pop out rear windows, manual sunroofs, etc... I also like to work on my own cars and the E30 is very simplistic unlike a modern car where you need a computer engineering degree to be a mechanic. I am now 51 and can remember my first BMW, it was an E12 520i I bought while stationed in Germany with the Army. I now own a 1990 E30 325i convertible, a 1989 E30 325ix currently undergoing a 5-speed swap and semi restoration/freshening up and last but not least a 1987 E24 M6.

I have an affinity for old unique iron having owned many years of the FJ40/60/62 Landcruisers, a 1968 WM300 Dodge Powerwagon, a 1982 Mercedes 300SD Turbodiesel, and other similarly simplistic cars/trucks over the years. I also own a 1980's vintage John Deere garden tractor, a 1970's vintage Troy Built Horse rototiller and an old 1940's vintage Delta table saw/jointer so, you can see a pattern...

To me the E30 is the perfect combination of size, power and easy of use.

[franan]

People always compliment my son and I and people are always looking at the car. The funny part is, I never get any compliments when I drive both my 2001 530I 5 Speed-2012 535I 6spd.

[325e '87]

It means we think like this:

"hey, nice car, it doesn't have any cup holders?"

me "oh, that's funny, I hadn't noticed that"

[Bairdogg]

It means we think like this:

"hey, nice car, it doesn't have any cup holders?"

me "oh, that's funny, I hadn't noticed that"

Wait... we dont have cup holders?

[Kershaw]

Speak for yourself. My car has a cupholder. She sits in the passenger seat.

[bobdavisnpf]

Us as a group? I think, first and foremost, it says "not a threat." In order of likely perception, in the 0.2 to 5 seconds others on the road must spend on assessment: we're in a smaller car, less likely to kill in a collision; an older car, more likely to be an older driver; a BMW, more likely to be a skilled driver; a non-racer (in most cases), less likely to be an aggressive driver.

Beyond that, I like to think an E30 driver is perceived as "jauntily classic", and that an E30 passenger is seen as "making good life choices."

My own ride - with clean paint, new top, but only one seat in its under-renovation interior - gets a notable "double take": folks are smiling and interested as they approach, then turn worried when they see what's (not) inside.

[Siebenthal]

Im 18 and I have a 92' 325i convertible.

At school, people always look at the car and its really easy for me to start a conversation with people that drive interesting cars too. We compliment each others cars and start a friendship!

Once in a while, I get a thumbs up from other drivers and when I park it, people compliment the car and ask questions.

As for what other people think of the car - I asked a few of my friends (mostly girls who drink starbucks and drive basic cars - camry, civic/ dont know how to change a tire)

And they said they think its old, outdated and they kind of like it because of the small size.

The main complaint they have about it is that its noisy and it looks really hard to drive (mine is manual)

I asked if they would date someone that drives an e30 and they said they wouldnt mind but would prefer a guy with something newer or "normal"

They all say they want to get a tesla // like range rovers (new ones)

Honestly, I couldnt care less what people think about my car because when I get behind the wheel, turn the engine over and wait for it to warm up - I cant help but have a big smile on my face knowing that im privileged enough to drive something so amazing and beautiful

[rustneversleeps]

I always thought it was "Respect Your Elders"Since most elders could only afford this back 30 years ago......Thank god i found my dream 1988 325iC car after 30 yrs..