A collection of about 20 BMWs, mainly E30 series
The “30 Meeting” is a gathering of BMW owners of the same age in 1980s fashion: on 30 December 2023, about 20 BMWs, mainly E30 series, gathered at a motorway parking area to enjoy an offline meeting. From the venue, here is the owner of the BMW 318i that caught our attention.
Equipped with the M10 engine that has been used in many models
Of all the cars participating in the day’s event, this “318i” rather caught the eye with its unassuming nature. The owner, Mr. Hitoshi Noguchi Hitoshi, was born in 1954 and is a relatively experienced veteran among the day’s participants.
“Until then, I had driven Isuzu 117 coupes and Berret 1300s, but I bought this 318i early model as a new car in 1986. I love the feel of the M10 engine.”
The M10 engine, also used in the E30 3 Series, is an SOHC in-line four-cylinder petrol engine that BMW began producing in 1962 and is known as a famous machine that has been used in many models for over a quarter of a century since its debut.
“I drove a Porsche 924 for a while, but the parts and maintenance costs of a Porsche were quite expensive. I also chose the BMW because it was more economical than the Porsche,” he said.
“The speedometer broke once, the second one, but the odometer has about 440,000km on it. When I was still working I used it to commute to work. Now I use it for everyday use and occasionally for touring.”
Although the car has been updated to suit the times, such as changing the gas in the air conditioner to an environmentally friendly type, it is basically completely stock, and maintenance is taken care of by a mechanic who was the dealer’s representative at the time.
Because BMW has a strong sporty image, we tend to focus on the more agile grades that come with the role, such as the 3.5CSL and 2002 Turbo in the past, and the M3 in the E30 generation, but this is of course based on the fact that it is a practical sedan with the quality that is close to daily life. Mr. Noguchi’s 318i, which is so natural in every way, reminds us of this once again.
translated by DeepL