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BMW E30 3 Series: A Better Investment than Gold

The recent economic and financial world crysis gave us all in a bit of trouble. No matter the income level, we have all begun to think about what is best for our future investments, in case something like this ever happens again.
Alpina E30 1 photo
Photo: Mobile.ro
After all, everyone needs to feel secure, it's a basic human need and, as time goes by and human evolution takes us further, the "security need" might change its meaning. Today we can talk about financial security, spiritual security and so on, things that didn't even exist for some a couple hundred years ago.

Most of us have been searching for a way to ensure our financial security for the long run. One of the best investments over time has been gold. The annual rate at which gold increases its value is about 10% today. We found an area of interest better than gold, that has an annual rate of growth of 20%: classic cars.

Combining passion for cars with future investments is probably a match made in heaven for some of us.

Our recommendation for today is the E30 3 Series BMW. Experts say that in 4 or 5 years from now, a E30 3er will be worth around €17,000 or $20,000. Doing some searching online, we found out that you can buy a E30 3 Series today for prices starting from €650. Of course, those models will be in definite need for investments and if you don't feel up for it, some better cars can be found for up to €40,000. We'd say that a mint, good condition 3er will set you back around €2,500-€3,500.

You should definitely be careful though, when buying this sort of a car. First of all, make sure that is has a full service history. It should be quite long due to the car's age and having it will help you sell it in turn, when the time comes.

This model has always been interesting for young adults. That is why most of the cars you will find will definitely be modified in one way or another. Try to find one that had little interventions done on it, in a state as close to the original as possible.

The BMW brand is know for its reliability so the car will probably be very fun to drive and handle as if it was day one. If you can get your hands on a convertible, it's even better. They have a bigger price tag now, and thing will be the same in future years. Also, being a convertible makes it easier to sell (since it's more exotic).

When buying the car check the sills and arches for signs of rust or repairs. In case the car has rust spots or visible signs of repair, fixing those might set you back another €500 or even more.

Another common problem with the E30 is the fuel pump. It usually breaks down around 150,000 km and most of the cars you will easily have that much on their odometer. If the fuel pump is faulty, you will hear a humming noise coming from beneath the back seats when the engine is running. Fixing one of those will set you back around €400 at a BMW dealership or less if you decide to fix it yourself.

You should also check the smoke coming out of the exhaust. If it has a blueish hue it could mean that the oil seals in the engine are perished and that could cost you €600 to fix.

Keeping all that in mind, if you manage to get your hands on a pristine E30 you might sell it for 4 times its value in a couple of years.
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