Every time an E30 BMW 3 series comes across on our site, I get nostalgic about my ’88 325is. I can’t think of a car that epitomized the optimistic atmosphere of the ‘80s more than the E30 3 series convertible. Introduced in 1987 amidst a rapidly expanding 3 series lineup, the convertible was offered with the 2.5 liter inline six found in the 325is producing 168 horsepower. This convertible became the face of BMW in the media almost in the same way the R107 Mercedes-Benz SL became the de rigeur Stuttgart darling. The convertible 3 series made appearances in a number of movies including PCU, Revenge of the Nerds and Pretty Woman, as well as television series such as Perry Mason, Columbo and Beverly Hills 90210.
Here is a very clean example for sale at EuroWerkz in Pleasantville, Iowa.
1990 BMW 325ic with 48k miles for sale at EuroWerkz
From EuroWerkz:
What is better than a barn find? How about a heated garage find? We have been trying to buy this car for two years. Finally early last winter we did and I spent many hours putting this ONE owner since new BMW back to as close to perfect as I have ever seen in a car like this. This car is like stepping back to the 90’s as not only does it look the part but it drives as new too. This was a fair weather third car for a Doctor in Des Moines and the rest of the time it spent in a climate controlled garage at his homes in the area over the past 21 years. The condition is nothing short of amazing and this could well be the nicest example of this car in the country. A once in a lifetime chance at a resonably priced beautifully preserved near classic.
This is by far one of the cleanest, lowest mileage E30 convertibles I’ve seen in a long time. The red paint appears flawless and suits the character of this car well. I’d be hard pressed to find a more original and well preserved example. For those looking for a classic, open top BMW tourer, the automatic transmissions is a logical pairing, especially for the US market.
This car’s iconic status was recently highlighted in an episode of Top Gear last season, as we see here. Thankfully, the boys didn’t get their hands on quite such a pristine original, like our subject car.
-Paul
Please note this is a sponsored listing. We welcome EuroWerkz as our latest sponsor and are proud to feature their inventory on the site. Please contact me directly with any questions about sponsored listings. Thanks for looking! -dc
I’ve been eyeing this car for a couple of weeks, and now it appears on this blog. Too funny!
I’m about 20 miles from Eurowerkz, and I’d love to buy my bimmer from them someday. I was impressed with them when I talked with them a few years ago.
But, am I missing something, or is there no mention of the transmission type? A good condition driver of similar vintage can be had for a fraction of the asking price without a lot of searching.
@ always_fixing:
You’re right – the transmission (and interior photos) should have been more explicit. It’s an automatic (as indicated by the 325ica designation, and Paul’s description above).
@ Paul:
You are absolutely right – despite the ’91 model year on this car, nothing says 80’s for a GCFSB reader quite like an E30 convertible (maybe a guards red 944 with black Fuchs wheels would be a close second).
Despite it’s reputation as a hairdresser’s car (reinforced by the auto tranny), I always thought these were beautifully clean designs. This particular example certainly looks pretty good (although fixing the misaligned tonneau cover would improve the presentation).
@ EuroWerkz:
Nice selection and very interesting inventory, but please provide more consistent detail in the photos and descriptions. Premium pricing warrants premium presentation and info, right?
@ Dan:
Thanks for making it clear this is a sponsored listing. Full disclosure benefits everyone and maximizes the site’s credibility.