E3 Owners on E9’s.

What is your relationships with e9’s.

  • I have one or more e9’s

    Votes: 9 56.3%
  • Don’t have one, don’t want one

    Votes: 2 12.5%
  • I want one but I think I missed the boat

    Votes: 2 12.5%
  • I shall own one someday

    Votes: 3 18.8%

  • Total voters
    16

Markos

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I think that boxy euro sedans are classy and sophisticated. You can give them an aggressive look with a minor suspension and wheel tweak. You can do nothing and they look fantastic is factory form.

E9’s are gorgeous though. What are your thoughts? If you have both, tell us which one you bought first. I see a lot of e9 owners starting to lust after clean (particularly early) e3’s. I would absolutely love to own one. Is it a two-way street?
 

bavbob

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Well I bought my E3 first. I went on a steep learning curve with it and it turned out to be a nice car that the entire family loves to drive. With the knowledge of the E3, I looked for an E9, given that I have two of its children ( 635 and M6). I thought I wanted a project but not one to take to my grave. I bought an E9 with rust I could handle and everything there from someone who owns about 24 BMW's and realized they would never get to this. The mechanicals were easy to deal with. The interior is where the work is.
 

dang

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I'm on my fifth coupe and now that they've gone up in value so much the owners are getting big heads. I'm not comfortable hanging around them anymore so I bought an E3.
 

duct-tape

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I can't afford an e9. If I could find one that I could afford, it would be rough enough that I would build it how I want- which means I'd have to cancel my membership here. lol
 

shorton540

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I have wanted an E9 for the past 20 years or so, but didn't have the disposable income to really do anything about it. Throw kids into the mix and priorities changed even more, so the E9 became wishful thinking. Though I never had much interest in the E3, when I stumbled upon one, I could instantly see the similarities to the E9, and the price point made it a no brainer. With the modifications mine has, I think it will be as fun to drive as an E9, and I can bring the kids, or another couple, plus golf clubs and luggage to boot. The E9 remains on the radar, and if prices settle down, or a kid gets a college scholarship, or I win the lottery, I'll buy one. When it happens, it will be a ready to drive example, as my project days are behind me.
 

StephenZ

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Years ago I flew cross country to buy an E9, but it was a rust bucket. Since then, I went through an fj40, a ground up 1600 resto, 73 CJ5, and a few other fun cars. Now, I have two kids and no use for a two door car. My car hobby is only fun if I can enjoy it with my kiddos/wife...mostly kiddos..lol. If/when I get back to a smaller two door ride, the e9 wouldn't really be on the list...it's gorgeous, but there are many other cars I have more of an attachment/interest to.
My e3, when done, will be exactly what I want it for. Valuable and rare enough to be cool, but since I'll have done all the work, I won't cry about enjoying it and using it..:). The 'big head' comment makes me laugh, but does hold some water for what happens when cars start to appreciate and become more valuable. I've seen it with porsche, and the old Fj Land Crusiers....and with several others. I drove 02's for years and no one paid any attention to me or cared....now they're jumping up in value to the point that people think they need to sit at Starbucks and write a screenplay with their 02 in the parking lot..
While e9 members on this site are definitely not big headed, I could see the e9 owners not associated with this site go that direction (maybe they have already, I don't know)...people who aren't 'in the know', so to speak...Maybe it's the bandwagon fans that mess it up?
 

GolfBavaria

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I don't know any E3 owners that wouldn't want to own an E9. Maybe not the same vise versa. I don't own both but I am still around E9's all the time and driving IN them. All the factors from time, money, available space, all come into play in one way or another. Not really a question of wanting an E9, being an E3 owner, OF COURSE I'd love to own an E9! Finding the balance is the tricky part (space, time, money). Considered the next project to be an E9, but I feel too expensive and decided on early 1600. I see people comparing the E9 to other cars on this thread other than an E3. To extrapolate on StephenZ's thoughts. They (E9's) are such a beautiful design and in my opinion (after owning a 68' Porsche 911 SWB) there is no comparison in quality of workmanship between early BMW/Porsche aside from the rust issues they BOTH have, BMW being far superior quality of build and engineering. I would buy the E9 over vintage 911/12 in a heartbeat. I know I'll get blow back on that but just my opinion from owning an E3, a number of 2002's, an FJ40 (which was mentioned LOL)....and a vintage 911. Porsche maybe even worse if that is even possible to comprehend in the rust department as an E9, both suffered from Karmann bodies, E3 did not have that big of an issue it seems with the rust (on the whole), therefore restoration money can be spent in other areas other than rust repair. And the E9 is even a rarer car (numbers produced wise) from my understanding, than the vintage Porsche! Why compare E9 to the Porsche 911 same years and get off topic...LOL? Well, I feel like it is the same sort of buyer/driver in the same price bracket-ish, more so than the E3. But I get your point Markos if your an E9 owner wanting an E3, why not? To me it would be much less work to restore and money goes way further. The drive to me isn't much different, you sit lower in the coupe cockpit wise I think, making speed seem faster in the coupe. Same upgrades can be done to both suspension wise and engine wise. Vintage Porsche's also typically exceeding E9 values for apples and apples restorations or originality. But you look at those cars on the street and on the track, to me the E9's steal the show every time. Especially getting into the CSL cars. Vintage 911 Porsche S's are cool, but I'd much rather own an original BAT- mobile, nicely restored CS, CSI or CSL. Now that's dreaming! Don't even get me started on the TYPICAL Porsche owner vs. BMW owner.....some rivalries will never die I guess...anyways.....I've got my PowerBALL ticket for tonight, do you? Maybe an E9 will be in the making some day! :p
 

StephenZ

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I don't know any E3 owners that wouldn't want to own an E9. Maybe not the same vise versa. I don't own both but I am still around E9's all the time and driving IN them. All the factors from time, money, available space, all come into play in one way or another. Not really a question of wanting an E9, being an E3 owner, OF COURSE I'd love to own an E9! Finding the balance is the tricky part (space, time, money). Considered the next project to be an E9, but I feel too expensive and decided on early 1600. I see people comparing the E9 to other cars on this thread other than an E3. To extrapolate on StephenZ's thoughts. They (E9's) are such a beautiful design and in my opinion (after owning a 68' Porsche 911 SWB) there is no comparison in quality of workmanship between early BMW/Porsche aside from the rust issues they BOTH have, BMW being far superior quality of build and engineering. I would buy the E9 over vintage 911/12 in a heartbeat. I know I'll get blow back on that but just my opinion from owning an E3, a number of 2002's, an FJ40 (which was mentioned LOL)....and a vintage 911. Porsche maybe even worse if that is even possible to comprehend in the rust department as an E9, both suffered from Karmann bodies, E3 did not have that big of an issue it seems with the rust (on the whole), therefore restoration money can be spent in other areas other than rust repair. And the E9 is even a rarer car (numbers produced wise) from my understanding, than the vintage Porsche! Why compare E9 to the Porsche 911 same years and get off topic...LOL? Well, I feel like it is the same sort of buyer/driver in the same price bracket-ish, more so than the E3. But I get your point Markos if your an E9 owner wanting an E3, why not? To me it would be much less work to restore and money goes way further. The drive to me isn't much different, you sit lower in the coupe cockpit wise I think, making speed seem faster in the coupe. Same upgrades can be done to both suspension wise and engine wise. Vintage Porsche's also typically exceeding E9 values for apples and apples restorations or originality. But you look at those cars on the street and on the track, to me the E9's steal the show every time. Especially getting into the CSL cars. Vintage 911 Porsche S's are cool, but I'd much rather own an original BAT- mobile, nicely restored CS, CSI or CSL. Now that's dreaming! Don't even get me started on the TYPICAL Porsche owner vs. BMW owner.....some rivalries will never die I guess...anyways.....I've got my PowerBALL ticket for tonight, do you? Maybe an E9 will be in the making some day! :p

Yeah, lots of good points...I think the love of cool old cars is the glue that holds it all together. I remember, when I used to ride Harley's for a while, a quote from an article that referred to someone trying to justify their desire to purchase, was, "you don't buy a Harley with your mind, you buy it with your heart and balls....". seems pretty fitting for old cars, too. I just love so many of them for different reasons...:)
 

GolfBavaria

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Yeah, lots of good points...I think the love of cool old cars is the glue that holds it all together. I remember, when I used to ride Harley's for a while, a quote from an article that referred to someone trying to justify their desire to purchase, was, "you don't buy a Harley with your mind, you buy it with your heart and balls....". seems pretty fitting for old cars, too. I just love so many of them for different reasons...:)
Agreed and great Harley quote. Very true! LOL! I do miss my FJ40 and my custom S&S w/100CI motor. Those FJ40’s are bulletproof. Like the M30 motor in the E3/E9, I love the six in the Toyota. Never would buy one with a V8 conversion.
 

StephenZ

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Agreed and great Harley quote. Very true! LOL! I do miss my FJ40 and my custom S&S w/100CI motor. Those FJ40’s are bulletproof. Like the M30 motor in the E3/E9, I love the six in the Toyota. Never would buy one with a V8 conversion.

I think my FJ40 was my favorite car out of 20+ cars I've had...100% agree that I'd never look at one with a v-8 conversion. That f engine was a beast. Never let me down. Very much the tractor version of the M30...lol! Had a few FXSTC's, too...lots of fun riding, when I was younger and didn't have any responsibilities...:). I bet that 100ci motor was insane.
 
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