5 vs 3

[|ncary]

5 series vs 3 series.

Hey, how are you all doing? I've been lurking for a while, and I have a choice dilemma...

Now, I love sharp handling. BMW's are renowned for it. Could anyone compare handling differences between say an E34 535 and an E30 325? Bias between understeer or oversteer, whether the 3 series will hit corners better than the 5.. etc.

Just a comparison of any kind would be greeat :)

Thanks eaaaa

[BlueM60]

[Personally I love my 5 for the size and great looks, theres nothing better to me than steady crusing in the 5 at 100+ and no worries. The E30 is no doubt a better handling car for a few resons. Ita lightweight for 1, rack and pinion steering is a bonus for better response/ feel etc. shorter wheel base on the e30. For a while, I had the 5 to do high speed cruising in and an E30 for when I wanted to really go out and toss somthing around. The E30 is not near as comfortable though and for any kind of long distance I dont think its very practicle, they arent near as smooth and can be downright buzzy (esp a 318is). I love both though for there advantages.

-Ben

[Randell]

rack and pinion steering is a bonus for better response/ feel etc.

the 535 has rack and pinion.. the v8s used the recirculating ball ? which apparently doesn't feel as great

but i've driven an E30 323i and my E34 535i and the E30 was far more easy to throw around, probably just due to weight.. but the E34 is so sure footed you always know exactly what it's gonna do

[winfred]

unless the aussies got something we didn't no e34 came with a rack, you are probably thinking about the e39 where the I6s had racks and v8s had boxes, racks are overrated, they are more leak prone and a well designed box can feel just fine maybe better then a average rack depending on application

i've had a e34 535 and still have my e30 325ism and they are just different cars hard to compare, the e30 is light and tossable and the e34 is more comfy but with enough power can be tossed around, as for long distance id take ether cross country, the e30 can get better mileage and has just enough back seat to be useful (brought mom and grand ma 1200 miles back from va in the back once and they didn't seem to be uncomfortable) the e30 is less electronic and a little more diy friendly


the 535 has rack and pinion.. the v8s used the recirculating ball ? which apparently doesn't feel as great

but i've driven an E30 323i and my E34 535i and the E30 was far more easy to throw around, probably just due to weight.. but the E34 is so sure footed you always know exactly what it's gonna do

[BigKriss]

ahuh, no rack and pinion at all, it's all steering links. Is there enough room to get down and dirty in an e30 though?


unless the aussies got something we didn't no e34 came with a rack, you are probably thinking about the e39 where the I6s had racks and v8s had boxes, racks are overrated, they are more leak prone and a well designed box can feel just fine maybe better then a average rack depending on application

i've had a e34 535 and still have my e30 325ism and they are just different cars hard to compare, the e30 is light and tossable and the e34 is more comfy but with enough power can be tossed around, as for long distance id take ether cross country, the e30 can get better mileage and has just enough back seat to be useful (brought mom and grand ma 1200 miles back from va in the back once and they didn't seem to be uncomfortable) the e30 is less electronic and a little more diy friendly

[winfred]

:D


ahuh, no rack and pinion at all, it's all steering links. Is there enough room to get down and dirty in an e30 though?

[BigKriss]

I could imagine the e34 being barely adequate let alone an e30.


:D

[Tom Bombadil]

I currently own a E34 525it and E46 330i. I've also had the pleasure of owning an E28 528e (3 years) and an E30 325iX (4 years).
While the 325iX was a lot of fun, and much more sporty than the E34 (or even the 330i), I think I overall prefer the E34 as a daily driver.

If you want to drive the car hard most of the time, the E30 will be more rewarding. If a more mature and comfortable ride is preferred I recommend the E34.
Somewhere in the middle would be an E28 525is if you can find one in good shape.
i still miss my E28...

[Ross]

The E-30 is a much more tossable car. Both understeer but can be coaxed into a fun attitude with throttle.

[Antrieb]

I've had 5 e30's and 2 e34's so I'm sort of qualified to give an opinion :)

The e30 is a great little car, and yes its very tossible, but an e34 can be too with the right suspension mods. Springs, shocks, and sway bars can really turn the e34 into a kart, ask me how I know. I also like how much room the e34 has and all the little things that the e30 doesn't, like heated seats, power seats, full OBC, tons of interior lights... the list goes on. I also like the styling of the e34 much more than the e30.

[Ross]

Agreed about the features of the E34. I still have a soft spot in my heart for E30s. I had one that I beat the living crap out of because it was so much fun!

[TC535i]

E30 is a great car to drive, E34 is a great car to cruise in. E30 is much lighter, and more nimble... but nothing beats a ride in a solid E34. :)

[///Metal]

I had an e30 (325es) that handled like it was on rails. But I love the handling of my e34, too. For its size, it is one of the best handling cars out there. And yes, you can toss around an e34, too.

[NY535iManual]

I have an e30 325ix and an e34 535, both with the 5 speed manual, both of which have aftermarket shocks, springs, bushings, exhausts & ecu chips, and in a number of ways their handling characteristics are very similar. However, if you're comparing stock to stock, I think the handling difference is MUCH greater; you notice the size and weight of the e34 a lot more.

An e34 with a properly set up suspension is a great handling car, but is definitely more planted than an e30, which will always have a more difficult time with rougher roads.

The e34 is, across the board, a more modern car - Quieter & smoother. The e30 is easier to work on and cheaper to maintain.

It kind of all comes down to personal preference; Since I wasn't able to choose, I ended up with both (spending the equivalent of the price of a used e36 M3!!).

[|ncary]

Thank you all.

Yes I'm trying to choose between a '88 535iM and a 87' 325i, both have aftermarket suspension/springs (Boge & and Koni Adj. respectively)

If you say, with some sway bars and a top set up, that the e34 can really get some nice turning happening then it could be the one for me :)

[JerseySi]

I'll just echo what everyone else has already said I think!

Had a '88 325iS that was severly beaten with the lowering stick - drove like an oversized go kart! Was very very controllable on the limit, & the LSD meant you were pretty certain the back would go when provoked ;)

Now got the 535i, although it's an auto I drive it in M mode most of the time - I know it's not good for the box but I have a spare :lol:
It's not been lowered or anything, but apart from the body roll when cornering hard, it feels very much the same as the E30 did..

These days, if I had to choose, it'd be the E34 (especially with manual box) - it's bigger for all the family sh*t to fit, and probably more toys than the E30..
If I had the ££ for a second car though, it'd be an E30 325iS without a doubt!

[Jehu]

if you put Sports seats in the e34 its alot more fun when you throw it around and can stay snug in your seat..

[|ncary]

I guess the leather is quite slippery eh? Haha

[Digita1 Ecstasy]

And yes, you can toss around an e34, too.


can't you throw -anything- around. ****, even my Merc Benz 240d is kind of fun to throw around and that car is slower than my 86' civic dx sedan.

To the thread maker; I wouldn't buy any car that has already been modded.
And I would say the E34 is alot more fun to play in because. You know. Torque. :D

[NY535iManual]

I've been searching for grey e30 sport seats for the e34 for about a year now, and they're harder to come by than you might think!

[Jehu]

I guess the leather is quite slippery eh? Haha

Yah, slippery , that's it....

http://users.adelphia.net/~cpkver8/images/sseat.JPG

[TC535i]

I've been searching for grey e30 sport seats for the e34 for about a year now, and they're harder to come by than you might think!

Wait, E30 sport seats bolt into an E34??

[Kalevera]

I sold my iX last month to a 16 year old and have regretted it ever since. Elise was a HOT car -- diamond black on black, 4 door, 5 speed. Body colored bumpers. Mmmm.

I ultimately sold it because it wasn't practical for me to keep it. I'm one person who doesn't need two cars. From the utilitarian perspective, I say this:

The E30 was a great bumping around car. Great manuverability, great for gas mileage, great for getting around, great for cities. Not a lot of torque, but still fun to drive.

The E34 is a great touring car. I just put 4k miles on my 535 going up and down the east coast. Driving isn't a tiring experience in the car. It's smooth and refined. Gas mileage isn't great, and -- I don't care what anyone else says -- it'll still be bloated through corners even with a stripped interior and trunk. For the amount of technology in these cars and their accessibility on the used market, it's a hard deal to beat. A close second is the E38, although complexity and maintenance costs go up accordingly.

[rob101]

what about an e36 vs. e34?

[winfred]

nope


Wait, E30 sport seats bolt into an E34??

[Kalevera]

I like E36es very much but the materials and build quality are pretty bad. I've race prepped a few E36 M3s and they're a ball to drive. But they don't seem to hold up to any kind of abuse. Interiors fall apart, typical M50/2 and S50/2 issues, I can't remember how many RTAB mounts I've had to fix, blower resistor packs, plus all of the other typical maintenance stuff that you have on the E34 and then some [steering rack]. The tradeoff is the huge aftermarket.

[Jehu]

I've been searching for grey e30 sport seats for the e34 for about a year now, and they're harder to come by than you might think!

They (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280050080445&indexURL=1&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting) aren't grey but.....

[bigtisas]

We have a 92 525ia and 06 325ia. The 325 handles better, more responsive, faster and has better fuel economy. Day to day drive to work, I prefer the 525.:D The interior of 06 325 just turns me off.

[angrypancake]

I could imagine the e34 being barely adequate let alone an e30.


e34 = very adequate for a number of positions. e30 = too small for my tastes unless you have a vert in which case you can drop the top but if its raining youre ****ed, and i dont mean literally.

[filip00]

ok, i've had e30 320i, and now i have e34 525i.

my impression....e30 is easier to control due to its smaller size and weight. although, if you invest $1500-2000 for proper R/T suspension, you can expect your e34 to handle most corners effectively than 99% of the other cars, including the e30. why? because e34 has natural balance - 50-50 per axle, while e30 has more weight on the front axle.

now, if you're looking for a race and track car, or a drift car, i suggest taking the e30. but, if you want an everyday car with loads of power but still excellent handling, buy the e34, and invest some money to get stiffer springs, lower it, and better rubbers. (selen blocks called here in CRO)

[|ncary]

Thanks filip, good words.

[NY535iManual]

Same number of mounting points, the holes are just in different places. A pretty simple bracket can be used to locate the e30 seats. (Even if the holes were the same, you would need the bracket in order to bring the seat "up" since the e34 is a taller car.)



Wait, E30 sport seats bolt into an E34??

[winfred]

it'll take more then a couple simple brackets, the e34/32 seats have a somewhat weird mounting system that uses only two bolts on the back of the seat, the front of the seat latches into a pair of hooks that are part of the unibody, not saying it can't be done just that it may take more work that it's worth


Same number of mounting points, the holes are just in different places. A pretty simple bracket can be used to locate the e30 seats. (Even if the holes were the same, you would need the bracket in order to bring the seat "up" since the e34 is a taller car.)

[|ncary]

Well I bought a E30 :)

'84 Mspec 323i, manual. Lowered with aftermarket dampers too..

An absolute blast to drive, surprised how quick it is for a 2.3l. And turning on 2 wheels (well almost :D) feels amazing.

Couple of pics if you are interested: http://imageshare.co.nz/pupload/view/137

(Front kit is getting repaired at the moment, possum struck it)

[MPD47]

Just picked up my e34 (pics soon) but already I prefer it over the e30. Hell, just going down to that german car door feeling the e34 has the e30 beat. Then you look at interior, fit and finish, etc and it really isnt a contest.