The End of an Era

"Peter Monshizadeh" (practicalenthusiast)
11/09/2019 at 16:26 • Filed to: Project E30, Practical Enthusiast, BMW E30, E30, Project Car Hell

Ok, so maybe not an era, but this car did take over the last year and a half of my life. I said goodbye to it !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

There were good times and bad times. Well, mostly bad times up until I neared the end of the project. I learned a lot, I documented a lot, and hopefully the information !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! will help many current and prospective E30 owners for years to come.

With a sale price of $8500, I lost nearly $1200 on the project. I had approximately !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! into it by the time I posted the ads o n Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist .

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You may recall that my !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! mentioned a total p roject cost of $8900. That was the number before I decided to replace the transmission, the rear subframe, the differential bushings, the... well you get the idea. These cars will always have areas to spend money on - the difference with this particular E30 is that I’ve eradicated the biggest ones. The next owner will have a great car to drive and enjoy for many miles to come.

Why, you may wonder, would I want to sell a car I dumped so much time, money, and effort into? Well, it’s quite simple. For me, it’s about the journey, not the destination. I love being part of the process of turning something destined for the scrap heap into an object of desire.

There isn’t usually a grand objective for any of my projects. There is no massive challenge I’m steering the car to overcome , there is no large financial payoff to make at the end, nor am I chasing concourse-ready perfection. I just really l ike making things work that didn’t previously. I enjoy making them look good enough to be preserved for the future.

Upon completing the project, I drove the car for a few months and tried to fully immerse myself in the classic BMW experience. There were times where I felt something; where I thought I could make this my “ forever” car. The way the car changed directions with utmost urgency, the pure sound from the inline-6's induction , and the squarish silhouette that stood out in the office car park. It’s a wonderful machine and I get why they foster such a dedicated following .

But, u ltimately, those feelings weren’t enough for me. I always have the itch to take on new mechanical adventures, and that itch has won out once again. I don’t know what ailing vehicle I’ll welcome into t he garage next. What I can be certain of is that when the time comes , I’ll be sharing every step of the way .

DISCUSSION (7)

CompactLuxuryFan > Peter Monshizadeh
11/09/2019 at 17:02

Dayum, that’s still a nice sale price I think!

Nothing > Peter Monshizadeh
11/09/2019 at 18:04

I’ve started looking at E30s as a fun/project car. I’m about the same, it’s about the process. Ideally, I’d like my next project to kind of be a forever car, but I know that’s never going to happen.

phenotyp > Peter Monshizadeh
11/09/2019 at 20:18

I loved your write ups.

Looking forward to whatever’s next.

DipodomysDeserti > Peter Monshizadeh
11/09/2019 at 20:26

I bought my 1 owner E30 five or so years ago, not really running, for $1000. Got it running reliably over the year I owned it, and sold it for $2k. Shoulda held on to that one.

It was fun, but now way in hell would I pay over $3k for one.

Kinja'd!!!

Five speed 325e with a factory LSD, sunroof and tan tweed interior.

Got the one owner 4wd five speed Loyale behind it for $800. Fixed it up and used it as a camping car for a few years before selling it for $2,600. I’d pay $3k for another one.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Peter Monshizadeh
11/11/2019 at 09:38

She’s a beauty. The buyer is a very fortunate guy/gal.

hotbascosauce > Peter Monshizadeh
12/06/2019 at 18:44

This makes me very sad. My e30 318is is the car I have owned the longest . Its not going anywhere either. I ts not fast by any means, but it also doesnt feel like it “needs” to be faster. When I drive it, I can feel that its a special car. I hope the new owner of this E30 knows how lucky they are to own this very well loved example.

881stGenRunner > Peter Monshizadeh
01/09/2020 at 21:05

Thank you for sharing such a thorough journey of patience and perseverance with us. I truly enjoy reading your articles and am very much looking forward to the next.