e21 vs. e30 help

[rwm3]

ok so i currently drive an 06 passat and i have been searching for an e30 for about 9 months now and all the ones im finding are 3k+. now being 19, i dont want to spend more than like 2k, and ive recently found about 3 e21s for 1k or a little more. its tempting, but i dont know much about e21s. i know tonssss about e30s, so i feel like they cant be that different, but if someone could point out the major differences to me and give a few reasons why i would choose a 21 over a 30, i would GREATLY appreciate it!!

thanks

[tommi_e21]

its a bit like the difference between driving a mk1 and a mk2 golf. yes the mk2 handles a little better, has an updated engine lots of new tweeks, but a mk1 is just so much more retro cool, better styling, more collectible.

the E21 will be cheaper to insure for startes at your age, suggest a 316. but even a 316 will give you loads of fun in an e21, its noticabley more drifty on the back end and will be a lot more fun to drive.
i have had several e30's and since coming to e21's i have now had 3 and wouldnt change back for love nor money. might use an e30 as a daily runner but the e21 is just so much nicer.

why be like every other e30 owner out there???? be different, stand out from the crowd,

[nas80]

ive driven lots of e30's they do feel slightly more "modern"?

The e21 is a good car - but you have to be careful for rust.

Where abouts are you based? as long as your not a complete nutter - If your local i dont mind letting you have a look round it - or taking you out for a blast? its not very standard though

[e21-Mark]

I prefer e21 over e30 all day long. They're lighter and feel more nimble to drive imo. Prefer the classic look of an e21 too.

They're like the thinking mans MK2 Escort with build quality.

[myfirstE21]

where you from? i may have one forsale soon as i cant insure mine for less than 2k a year !!

[e21-Mark]

Can't you get a limited mileage, classic car policy? How old are you?

[myfirstE21]

im 24, i have tried everything, its because i have a far from clean license

[pistonheader]

just look for rust, corroded rubber (hoses, pipes, seals etc). common rust spots are window surrounds (check for water in the glovebox), wheel arches and the boot seams. E21's can be reliable, mine is my daily driver, i'm 21, and do about 10-11k a year and it's great, i've even done over 550miles in a day in it, it didn't miss a beat. don't be put off by "just" a 316. i have a 316 with a weber carb which transformed it, it's quicker than you'd think it to be. but with this car it's not about pace, they may be slower than you'd like, but they can put huge smiles on your face. and they can do it day in day out.

craking cars, had mine about 27 months now.

[Reck]

People don't generally give E30's a second glance but the E21 does turn a few heads. It's especially good at ruffling skirts, vast majority of whom are ignorant to the difference between a 316 and 323i. Besides, it is just cool as f@ck.

[rob0r]

I think if I started again 4-5 years ago I would of just got a prefacelift E30 and been done with it. Much more classical looking than the facelift E30 (of which my E30 318is is) but has certain improvements over E21s (back axle strength comes to mind!). Prefacelift E30 with an S50... yes please!

[E21meister]

Hmmm, a pre-facelift E30 is a lovely thing, I think it has a lot more in common (mindset wise) with an E21 than the 'facelifts'. As a person who's owned 4 E21s (the first one in the days where they were well and truly in the the 'banger' mould), there's only one place to check for rust - between the front and rear bumpers. I spent 3 hours looking over the last E21 I bought, but trust me it was worth it. It does help that I have a massive parts pile, It would be a different for a first-time owner, but a lot more parts are available than you think.
I'm constantly surprised by the attention my one gets at shows and on the road, ex-E21 owners coming up to talk, or the 'I haven't seen one of these for years'. These cars have still to reach their full potential value and are still 'invisible' to a lot of people looking to buy a first classic. That's not going to last.