How much do the E21's weight? My dad says its 3500lbs cause thats what the door says.

That 3500lbs weight figure on the door is the Maximum Permited Gross Vehicle Weight. What that means is that if you load it to the gills with as much as the car is SUPPOSED to be able to carry as per BMW's max load capacity, the car and all the cargo will come in TOGETHER at 3500lbs. If you still have it, check the owner's manual. It should list the US weight as something close to 2400lbs I believe. I can check mine in the morning (since the '83 I bought actually STILL has the manual, just weathered a bit).

And as I told you on the phone last week, I took the '81 to a trucking company's scale just before I sold it to Joey. With the front bumper removed, AC compressor on but condensor removed (along with some of the metal lines for it), the 15x7 wheels with the oversized tires in the back, and full non-sport US interior, the car came in at 2300lbs (maybe 50lbs more...can't REALLY remember right now). But this WAS with the AC compressor and bracket for it (about 50lbs together) and the original seats (those non-sport front seats are heavy, at least 35lbs a piece).

I think your car is probably at about 2400lbs. You have the AC stuff removed (IIRC), the lighter aftermarket front seats, and non-US bumpers (do you have any bumper shocks on there?). But you DO have some other stuff added, like the turbo, IC, the larger wheels/tires, and the extra heater cores in the back for added cooling.

I say that you get it done at some local trucking place if you have the chance. Most Mayflower trucking yards have their own scale, that is where I got mine checked at. And I'll be going back again in the next few weeks here once I get the '83 up and going, and stripped of the font bumper.

As per 77-79 Owners Manual

Length……………………………………………………………………….…………177.5”
Width………………………………………………………………………….………..63.4”
Height………………………………………………………………………………....52.3”
Wheelbase……………………………………………………………..…………...100.9”
Front Track……………………………………………………………………......54.48”
Rear Track…………………………………………………………….……………..55.07”
Min. Turning Circle Diameter (wheels)………………….…..........30.82ft
Min. Turning Circle Diameter (overall)…………....................33.44ft
Vehicle Weight (full tank)………………….............................2400lb
Permitted Front Axle Load……………………..........................1730lb
Permitted Rear Axle Load…………………………………………..….....1840lb
Max. Permitted Gross Weight……………………………………........3530lb

Come on man you should know better than to think these light weight machines dont weigh that much ;)

the E21's were able to get on an accuset scale at our last dyno day. here's a pic of the readout of the total weight and if memory serves me correct, Nic's distribution with him in the car. Talk about light. Nic & Jason please correct me if i'm wrong on who's car weight that is; i have several picturesm and that one is the lightest set of numbers.

2542lbs with a driver sounds about right for an e21 with a M42 under the hood. The M42 is about 30-40 lbs heavier (can't remember from that post I put up....).

probably nic's....i'm not totally sure, but i don't think you took any pics of the scale when my car was on it....but i did write down my results, somewhere...

without me in it, full tank of gas, (euro bumpers, GC coilovers, exhaust, A/C) and everything else stock...my car came in at 2386lbs

Thanx guys, I knew it was not that heavy cause then it wouldnt as fast/quick as it is and I tried telling this to my dad. I do want to weight mine soon tho.

Jason's was the lightest of the cars. Mine was 2638 with me in it. I'm 200+ lbs too, so I'm still close to the 2400 weight. I was at half a tank though.

Depending on what year 320i you have and what options your car has the weight can vary by quite a bit. The factory service manual says this:

All of these are Curb Weight (ready for driving, full tank of fuel)

320i (2.0) - 1180kg - 2601 lbs

320iA (2.0) - 1190kg - 2623 lbs

320i (1.8) - 1087kg - 2396 lbs

320iA (1.8) - 1097kg - 2418 lbs



My car when I was at the North East Divisionals in 2001 weighed 2246 lbs with a full tank of gas with out me in the car. :evil2