As a former owner of a 1988 325is, you’ll find me preaching the E30 gospel often. While the original M3 has reached cult status in the last few years, the 325is hasn’t gained as much attention. This is a shame, because they are fantastic cars in their own right. Here is a clean, lower mileage example for sale in Milwaukee that presents well in Lachsilber metallic.
1989 BMW 325is on eBay
For sale is my 1989 BMW 325iS with 96,000 original miles.
Lachssilber (salmon silver) metallic with Silber (light gray) interior.
Fully equipped with leather seats, power sunroof, on-board computer, rear view mirror with integral map lights and ellipsoid headlights.
This is one of the nicest surviving E30s you’ll find anywhere!ENGINE
2.5 liter SOHC inline 6 cylinder. Maintenance is current, valves just adjusted. Runs great and happily winds out to redline with no issues.
TRANSMISSION
The 5 speed manual transmission shifts perfectly. The shift lever action is nice & tight with none of the bushing sloppiness found in most E30s.
EXTERIOR
The body is in superb condition with no dents and only a few nicks & scratches. This car has never been in an accident and has always been garaged and cared for The paint is original except for the hood, the lower part of the driver’s door, and the driver’s side rear quarter panel. These areas were repainted in April 1994 to repair dings and scratches. No body work has been done since then. There are a few minor spots of surface rust (see pictures): below the Roundel on the trunk where it was pried off by a thief long ago, around the left license plate light, and on the rocker panel behind the right front wheel where there is a stone chip. The paint on the downward-facing edge of the plastic lower front valence is scuffed. There is a scratch & scuff on the black plastic impact rail of the rear bumper.
INTERIOR
The interior is every bit as nice as the exterior. The original leather seats have no cracks or tears and have never been re-dyed. The carpet is free of spots & stains and is clean even under the seats. No french fries or candy wrappers! The dash is completely crack-free. The headliner has a couple small dirt spots which I’ve never bothered trying to clean. The center console storage compartment ahead of the ash tray has a small blemish in the right corner (see pictures.) This car has never been smoked in.
EQUIPMENT
All equipment and options work correctly including power windows, sunroof, door locks, mirrors, rear defrost, all on-board computer functions, and check control system. It has the original Alpine “infrared” cassette stereo with BMW Sound System, all in proper working order. The A/C blows cold even on the hottest, most humid days.
WHEELS & TIRES
It has the original BMW cross-spoke 14″ wheels (including the spare.) Contrary to what everyone else says, these wheels were made for BMW by Lemmerz, not BBS. The tires are Sumitomo HTR H4 205/60-14 with about 13,000 miles on them. They have more than 50% tread remaining. The wheel balance weights are the correct BMW/Mercedes 2-piece type.
MODIFICATIONS
The previous owner made several tasteful period performance modifications including: upgraded front sway bar, BMW adjustable-camber upper front strut mounts, Koni adjustable shocks all-around, and braided stainless steel brake lines. All windows except the windshield were tinted (not too dark) when the car was new and are still in great condition with no peeling or purple fade. I’ve installed an HID Xenon headlight retrofit kit with no modification of any kind to the wiring — they work great with the ellipsoid projector headlamps. I have also installed a Mercedes-Benz AGM battery, which is the same size and terminal configuration as the OE BMW battery.
OWNER HISTORY
I bought the car from a friend in Summer 2007; he bought it off-lease in October 1990 with only 18,732 miles on it. We are both BMW enthusiasts who have owned many BMWs from the 1980s onward.
I am a professional Mercedes-Benz mechanic specializing in models from the 1950s -1980s with a focus on preservation and originality.
With a couple days left, bidding is strong. If I had to guess, I think anywhere from $7,000 to $7,500 would probably be realistic. The sellers description is rather comprehensive and should help answer the important questions. I hope this car goes to a home where it is appreciated, because it is truly one of BMW’s greats. As much as the original M3 is a legend, the 325is is a legend in its own right. It has a completely different character than the M car, but the inline six is a fantastic motor. The handling and responsiveness also reminds the driver of what things were like in the days before electronic controls took over.
-Paul
Love these cars, and pondered getting one for a while. Recently a black one has shown up on my block and I met the owner, a young guy who’s set it up with some period Hartge wheels and a DTM-style single upright wiper. It’s a great little car, nice find!
Can’t argue with the condition of this one – fantastic. You would never know there’s almost 100K on the clock. Impressive.
While I respect why these E30 325is’ are now bringing significantly higher prices than a few years ago, I’m equally disappointed that they are getting out of the range I’d be willing to pay for one.
Looks great, wish I needed a car. But it does seem a little pricey. A little more money would get one a much more modern bimmer.