The E30 M3 mythology continues to grow unabated, with more articles and videos attesting to its perfection coming out each month. As this was the BMW that caught my eye and got me hooked almost 20 years ago, I can’t say that I’ve stopped believing either. The ludicrous prices have made it hard to have dreams seem like anything more than that these days, yet every time I see an M3 like this one, a little voice starts chirping in the back of my head, trying to calculate what it would take to come up with the cash and live the dream. It looks outstanding in Schwarz with Sport Evo bumpers and spoiler – those red stripes are a nice piece of flare to accompany the massive flares and wing. The history has a few holes as the block was replaced but there aren’t any details. If there were, however, it’d probably be for sale for even MORE money. Let’s see… if I sold the E28 and a kidney and drained my savings…
Click for details: 1988 BMW M3 on eBay
Year: 1988
Model: M3
Engine: 2.3 liter inline-4
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 168,000 mi
Price: $30,990 Buy It Now
1988 BMW E30 ///M3 Coupe
Stock #0592
VIN # WBSAK0306J2196857
ENG# 60034228 23 4E (Possible Factory Replacement Short Block)
HEAD# 14969 (Original Factory Head)
Manufacture date of 11/87
168,000 Original Chassis Miles
Engine Rebuilt (do not know specific miles on engine rebuild)
Diamantschwarz – Metallic (original color) on Black interior
Repainted BMW Jet Black (668)
5-Speed Manual Gearbox
Clean and Clear California Title
BMWCCA Member Owned
No Accidents/Straight Body
Many refer to the E30 M3 as the “real M3.” This is what started it all. These were race-bred hot rods that were homologated for the European and DTM touring championship and any one with a spare $40,000 ($82,000 in today’s money) could buy one for the street. With a mere 4,000 examples brought into the U.S. over a 4-year period, it is harder and harder to find good ones. As many experts predicted, these are quickly becoming one of the most collectible late model BMWs.
The car was sold new out of a BMW dealership in Massachusetts on August 8th, 1988. Within a few years, the car relocated to California where it has lived ever since. Although we don’t know a lot about the previous history, based on condition, it is clear that this BMW was never abused, raced, or neglected.
The current owner purchased the car from a local seller who was going through a divorce and had to sell the car. We are not sure how long this owner had the car but he was in the process of restoring it. In fact, this M3 only saw 20k miles over the last 12-years. Robert at E30 Motorwerks in Huntington Beach, CA did most of the restoration/build. A list of recent work done includes:
Rebuilt fuel system
New injectors
Gaskets replaced
Miscellaneous leaks addressed
Turner Motorsports M3 intake manifold gasket set
Koni yellow adjustable shocks
H&R springs
Stromung exhaust (passes CA smog)
UUC EVO 3 short shifter (all bushings replaced)
Ground Control camber plates
Replaced differential mounts, subframe bushings, and rear trailing arm bushings
Reinforced sway bar mounts
New front wheel bearings
New rear brakes / pads rotors
New motor mounts: AKG poly
Pair of Recaro Speed front seats with Wedge Engineering seat brackets
Mass air flow (MAF) upgrade from VAC Motorsports
New fog lights
New sunroof seal
New windshield sprayers (not hooked up)
New Yokohama Advan Neova tires
Repainted car to Jet Black
Upgraded headlights to HID
Reproduction EVO rear wing with carbon fiber flap (original rear wing is available)
New battery
Replaced drivers door locks
All fluids have been replaced
Major tune up/service including plugs, wires, and distributor cap
Replaced catalytic converters
Replaced fuel pumpAll in all, the current owner recently invested nearly $10k and this doesn’t include the thousands spent by the previous owner (paint job, cats, etc.). We have copies of current receipts and they are included with the car. When the current owner purchased the car, he had a full inspection performed including a compression test. He doesn’t remember the specific numbers except that the engine was quite strong with even and correct compression/leakdown. It appears that the engine could have been rebuilt fairly recently but we have no receipts documenting it.
The car looks great and presents well. It may not win a BMWCCA concours event, but it would certainly be respectable displayed on the lawn of your local show. The panels are straight and the gaps are spot on. The paint looks nice with some minor flaws that are only visible upon very close inspection. The window frames were painted jet black to match the body and have since been wrapped in vinyl to match the original factory look. The stance looks perfect with the 16†OEM BBS E38 wheels.
The interior looks equally as nice. It is very clean. The dash is perfect with no cracks or warping. The Recaro front seats are new and are probably the best alternative to stock. They are reminiscent of the Euro Evolution sport seats. Also, they are incredibly comfortable with great lateral support. The owner has the original seats (see pics), which are in decent condition. They have been reupholstered some time ago and are showing a bit of age. The rear seat is original and in decent condition with minimal wear signs. The carpet, headliner, and door panels are original and in excellent condition. The stock radio has been replaced with an upgraded radio that plays MP3s. The speakers are still stock and no holes have been made. Most everything works properly except the A/C. It appears to be complete and does blow but not cold. The “oil service†light shines very dimly as a result of the instrument cluster battery problem. This issue is very common with this era BMWs.
The car drives exactly how you imagine a well-maintained E30 M3 should. It is tight with great throttle response. It shifts easily with no grinding. The handling and braking are spot on. It is clear this is a very nice M3 that would be wonderful to still enjoy for any club or vintage touring events.
California registration paid through September of 2015
Maintenance does look strong, and the block replacement is the only question. It’s a beautiful car that would be the envy of all the fanboys in the world. I’m not getting rid of the M5, as I have grown to love that car with all my heart and its rarity and personality make it as desirable to me as the M3. That said, I long to feel the lithe, exquisite balance reported by all those articles and videos. My only experience is in Forza Motorsport, where even digitally it is truly unique and amazing. If $20k is the baseline for decent M3s today, $30k isn’t too far off for this beauty. The Recaros aren’t that attractive to me, but the original seats come with it, completing this total package. As prices continue to skyrocket, those calculations must include real and continuous appreciation. Maybe I could just make room for one more car from 1988 in my stable…
-NR
@Nate…..as an owner of an 89 I can tell you that an E30 at the track is like riding an Aprilia 250GP bike…always on the throttle and carrying momentum through the curves…on the street they are a buzzy little car still fun but buzzy…
as to this car…it is a bit of an oddball…
to the guy willing to pay TOP $$$ this car has too many issues:
engine replacement that can’t be verified?
previous owner records sketchy to say the least
non OEM bits through-out the car
repaint in non OEM E30 M3 color..
to someone who wants to get into an E30 because they want one….30k might just be the top of their budget….
just saying
For asking $30k you’d think seller could afford a fresh compression test result instead of a terribly awkward “he doesn’t remember, but we promise, seriously” paragraph. Agree w/ @mdriver, this is for someone that just wants to get one and can overlook some slight bafoonery (re-paint color, etc).
I agree on the prices of these cars skyrocketing. Hard say exactly why, but based on cars available and demand, the prices keep going up. Although this car is not a perfect original car, several BMW enthusiasts have looked at it and say the same thing. It has good bones. We have the original seats and wing. Stock wheels aren’t hard to come by. The interior is mostly original and in decent shape. The car has lived in California for over 20-years. It is dry with no signs of accidents or tracking, etc. So, the paint is the wrong color and not a concours job…drive it for a few years and have fun without worrying about marring the original paint.
Regarding the engine, It looks like the block was replaced within the past 10-years and based on the Autocheck report, that was around 15k miles ago. It was clear that this car was a daily driver and not abused. Block failure was not uncommon in these cars. The engine appears to be rebuilt to stock specifications. Everyone who knows us knows that we encourage and welcome a local pre-purchase inspection to verify the condition before buying. The current owner just put $10k+ into the car fixing lots of small things and making this a nice driving car. Nope…it isn’t perfect, but down the road when these cars double in value again, it would be a great candidate for a cosmetic restoration.