It’s been a balmy couple of days in DC, with temperatures shooting up to around 60 degrees. One could be forgiven for wondering where the winter went. It will soon be here, I’m sure. And with it the snow and ice, the city-wide shutdown, and the terrible drivers causing pile-ups around the beltway. What would be the ideal winter warrior for times like these? The E30 325iX quickly comes to mind. A brief search on Craigslist throws up a number of tidy options (as well as the usual plethora of over-priced rust buckets). But one in particular stands out, a bit of a unicorn. AWD? Check. Manual? Check? Wagon? Check! Eye-watering price? Double check!
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 BMW 325iX Touring on Columbus, OH Craigslist
Year: 1989
Model: 325iX Touring
Engine: 2.5 liter inline-6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 155,000 mi
Price: $13,900
1989 BMW 325ix Touring. Ultra rare 5-speed all-wheel drive E30 wagon. Alpine white with black leather. One of less than 5,300 ever built worldwide over multiple years. Extremely difficult to find and import into the US. Possibly only one in Ohio. The Touring currently has Konig Roller polished aluminum 4×100 deep offset rims with BF Goodrich tires. Car has original factory premium rare feature headlight wipers, BMW security system, hitch, and M-Tech steering wheel. 155k miles (250km on functioning ODO). Exceptional investment and blast to drive. Serious inquiries only. I do not need help selling.
The Touring (wagon) version of the E30 was never offered in the US, but they are now eligible for import under the 25-year rule. As a result, a trickle of them have now begun to show up on these shores having been sourced from Europe, often with quite inflated prices for even poverty-spec examples (crank windows, no A/C etc). But the AWD 325ix Touring, powered by the 2.5 liter M20 engine and distinguished externally from the rest of the range by subtle, iX-only fender flares and side skirts, is probably the most desirable of the lot. Especially with a 5-speed manual transmission.
No information is provided in the ad about how this one made it’s way to Ohio. The car presents nicely in Alpine white over a black leather interior, with the only flaws apparent being some wear to the driver’s seat and two keyholes on the driver’s door (a lock mishap, perhaps?). The aftermarket rims don’t do anything for me, but at least they’re not hideous. I do like the M-Tech steering wheel.
The $14k asking price will scare away all but the most diehard E30 fans, especially since the mileage isn’t all that low. Still, it’s a neat car.
– Craig
I think thats an alarm system on the drivers door. Idk. It’s calling to me…….what do you guys think is a fair price for this? Sunroof and 5 speed checks the boxes for me…the all wheel drive if like the E 91 (X3 can be problematic and may need attention. What do you think?
I meant the E 83 X 3 AWD system
@Woodie. Need a good P.P.I. The seller doesn’t mention any major maintenance.
I think the price is high. There was one for sale with 60k miles for $16k a year or so ago. 5spd, sunroof, but no headlight washers iirc. These have an entirely different AWD system than the e83, or e46, and a much better performer in the snow. More akin to subaru’s system, but with rear torque bias. Center and rear viscous couplings, no electronic locking or DSC. What happens is the VC fluid cooks itself when owners run mismatched tires and becomes permanently locked, or worse permanently open. Then the intermediate shaft splines get stripped and power is no longer capable of being sent forward. I’ve owned several of these cars, but the last one I had was at least 15 years ago, so I’m not sure what the current maintenance approach is to the AWD system.
I love these cars, but the touring just doesn’t do it for me. It may be one of the few cars in which the sedan looks so, so much better to my eye. And I couldn’t live with that lock thingy on the door.
Definitely the additional key hole is for an alarm. I have sold several imported tourings and Mtechnic cars and have seen a lot of aftermarket alarms on them. They normally all come with Hands Free setups with little microphones mounted everywhere too. With the miles the asking price is a little high, but I’m sure he probably leaving a little room for negotiation…..or maybe not 🙂
I wish aftermarket rims would just go away. Wonder what the OEM were, exactly.