MARIUS'S E30

For the lack of time and my broken camera I couldn't meet with Marius, so we did like a chat interview, where he walked me through his history of cars and one particular he owns now - BMW E30. Of all drifters I have talked to or just known in general, I picked Marius, because I've had my eyes laid on his car for a long time. I remember the first time I saw this E30 at Refresh event last year, I was speechless. The first thing that caught my eyes were these big tyres with red rims that just popped out. The car itself was silver at the time, so every color on it worked out very well. All year I was guessing who's car was it, because I coulnd't take my eyes of it for a long time. When I started talking to Marius, I realized that this bimmer was his, but it was kind of hard to believe, because throughout the year it changed a lot, but about that I tell everything later on.

So, the first thing I always ask people - what their first car was, because it always transitions into something they didn't even liked before, that happened with Marius too. His first car was Opel Astra, 1992, which he got as soon as he got his drivers license. "GSI finish, the insides of a car, r16 9j tyres, equipment - everything looked really cool at the time", Marius smiling. "I've picked this car because my father was driving Astra and GSI models always fascinated me". When I asked what attracted him towards BMW's he said that he didn't liked them at all, specially, BMW E36's. But as soon as he bought one of bavarian cars, Marius thought that it's not that bad.

When Marius told me how he purchased his E30, I though this guy is crazy, but it turned out good, as I look at the car now. In his first year of studies his roommate bought an E30, "I saw the car and my mouth started watering. I bought my own E30 in the middle of the night at some gas station and didn't even look what's under the hood". Marius says it was love at the first sight. I can only agree here, because I loved it when I first saw it, too. "This car is like japanese drift legend - Toyota AE86. Short chassis, lightweight body, it's very easy to handle the car, I like it a lot. Besides, E30 has some kind of charm to it."

I, like everyone else, am interested what's under the hood, so Marius told that his car originaly had 1.8l m10 series engine and that's about it, the interior was stripped down naked. Driving throughout the year car had a lot of changes in the engine section, in the chassis and of course in the outside looks. Currently, almost everything is modified - 2.8l engine, which can develop 142kw/280Nm. E30 also has modified gearbox, whole chassis, which is actually from E36 model; bigger steering lock, new body kit, bucket seat with racing belts, BNC Graphics on the outside of the car and much more. 

I saw this guy drifting couple of times and I can say only good things, though we all have parts where we need to improve ourselves. Marius started "going sideways" when his father gave him Opel Omega, it was his first RWD car. First testings were on gravel, in winter time on the snow, and later on, when he first saw videos of drifting champioships at Urmas, Kaunas and as he bought his E30, he started to practice drifting on the road. 

I asked Marius what was his achievements in drift world, he said that up to this year he had attended only couple of drifting events and didn't get into top16. Though this years season, Marius says, he started stronger and better, "BSDC in Kėdainiai got into 6th place, DDC at Kaukuro Ring in Vilnius again 6th place, in Alytus at BSDC 14th and DDC 16th places". Marius has set his goal - attend all of the BSDC and DDC stages and Autoplius Lithuanian Drifting championship. "I have to improve myself more", he's smiling. 

 As for now, Marius won't do anything to his E30. "I know how it handles with the current setup, so I'll leave experiments for winter". He has a lot of plans for the future, "Reducing weight, chassis configuration and if finaces let me, maybe an engine, we'll see in the future..", says Marius. As for me, I want to thank Marius for sharing, it was interesting to listen and I hope he will get where/what he wants. :)