Hi guys, i'm in the market for a e30 m3.
i'm sure this topic has been over done but i still got some questions.
i've been searching and reading about what it takes to maintain one of these gorgeous cars.
almost everywhere i've seen that you are looking on paying 1.5-2k on maintence about every 2 years. is that correct??
My question is that if you have your m3 (weekend car) in perfect running condition(15k-rule), would you still be spending 1-2k on maintenance??
i'm kind of lost here?? i mean i know you change your oil every 3 months, but what other preventative maintenance is there?

also, how often do you need a valve job??

any info will be very helpful,
thanks
carlos

It all depends on what you can and can't do yourself. If you're paying a shop to do your work, you can rack up a big tab quick with an E30 M3.

I guess the straight answer as far as maintenence costs is "It all depends." Sometimes you could go a year and get off easy...just routine stuff. It's when stuff breaks that it gets expensive. A lot of it has to do with driving style. The harder you drive, the more preventative maintenence you should be doing. The more you can do yourself, the more money you save.

Valve job every 15k, if not every 12k miles.



As far as other preventative maintenence, its a matter of keeping your eyes open. If you start getting seepage from your waterpump, replace it. If you see a worn hose, replace it. If you develop a vacuum leak, fix it. Keep on top of your ignition components...wires, plugs, cap, rotor, coil...ETC ETC ETC