∙Under 90,000 miles ∙Original BMW center caps ∙Lots of paperwork ∙Well Looked after
The Background
Everyone knows the body shape of the retro classic E30 BMW, it takes no introduction and in recent years this model has gathered a massive following thanks to its clean lines and racing heritage in many saloon car championships of the time.
The BMW E30 was the entry level luxury car that BMW produced between 1982-94. It was initially offered as only a 2 door, but several different versions soon followed. These included a Four door, Convertible, and an Estate version.
When it was designed in 1978 it kept the twin headlight design from the previous E21 version but there were several other changes implemented in this new 3 series. These include new interior features and revised suspension to help combat the oversteer issue the E21 had. The E30 benefitted from a design change in 1987 with new front bumpers, redesigned rear lights, and a whole raft of other little changes. In all 2,339,520 E30s were produced but they are now revered amongst collectors and enthusiasts as one of the best 3 Series’ to be produced.
Looking at the paperwork that comes with the car it was purchased at the start of 1990 at H. E. Averill and Sons in Norwich, to this day still wears the original number plate in their name. It would stay in the Norwich area for the majority of its life up until the current owner bought it and took it to London. Since then, it has been well looked after and has been taken to the same BMW specialists throughout the current ownership period.
This E30 has a lot of paperwork to evidence all kinds of work that has been done. The car has the original service booklet which even has the ‘free delivery pre-inspection’ stamped on the 22/01/1990 and little bits within the booklet like body inspections that were done yearly at H. E. Averill and Sons (the dealership the car was bought from).
More recent paperwork shows works like new front brake discs and pads, anti-roll bar links, shock absorbers and a fuel pump a few years ago. You’re able to see that during the current ownership it has been looked after by the same BMW specialists.
The interior has been well looked after. There aren’t any marks on the seats nor are there any cracks in the dashboard. It is fitted with an electric sunroof which still works and doesn’t leak, it is also now fitted with an Autowatch 457RLi remote alarm/immobiliser which was fitted in 2016.
A few little niggles inside are, a crack to the driver's door bin, the onboard computer reads the wrong temperature (the outside temperature sensors needs replacing) and the front passenger interior door handle will pop out if you pull it too hard.
Although there are a few niggles, the cabin of this E30 is clean. The current owner has fitted a new DAB radio that can be removed when you leave the vehicle. This new radio is played through massive audio front speakers and MB Quart rear speakers, the current owner even went to the trouble of sourcing and fitting the American spec front tweeter speakers to add to the audio quality. The interior of this car is a nice and comfortable place to be.
The exterior of the car is in great condition; the paint still sparkles when it is clean. There aren’t really any marks on the paintwork, which highlights just how well this car has been looked after.
Another testament to the condition of the exterior is the fact that this E30 320i still wears its original BMW center caps on the wheels. This is sometimes rare to see these days.
A slight issue with the exterior is the fact that the aerial will not retract so this probably needs a new motor. You can return it manually, but this involves a lot of force that may damage the delicate aerial.
The mechanics of this car are as good as you’d expect them to be. This car has been looked after very well when it comes to the mechanics. Judging by the paperwork it has usually gone to a BMW dealer or specialist for the most part.
A few things to note with the mechanics of this specific car are; the brake line warning light is lit in on the dash but there appears to be no issues with the lines themselves; it will come on and go off randomly. The temperature gauge will not always flick on straight away and may take a little bit of driving for it to come into life (it is evidenced as working in the pictures) and the rear light warning light is on in the cabin but once again there doesn’t appear to be anything untoward with the rear lights.
From the receipts that come with the car you can see that there have been some big works done within the current ownership from a differential overhaul to the usual brakes and pads. All the works have been done when they have been needed to be done and they have usually been completed at a BMW specialist.
The E30 3 series is probably one of the best known 4 door family saloon cars of all times thanks to the halo car of the E30 M3 which now receives legendary status amongst car people. This 320i edition is every bit as worthy of the name as the M3.
This example has been well looked after by all of the previous 3 owners, with the major works and servicing done by people who know these cars well. The interior and exterior of this example are also in great condition, which means no matter where you park it, you’ll also turn back to admire the car as you walk away from it.
With this being the automatic variety of the E30 you can be sure that it hasn’t been driven hard like a manual would’ve been and with the little bits like original center caps, original BMW dealer key fob and the original tool kit in the boot. You can be sure that is an excellent example of an E30 3 series that would look as great on the road as it would in a collection.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
Car & Classic's secure payment system protects buyers and sellers. At the end of the auction, the winning bidder transfers payment into a third-party escrow account. Once the transfer of the vehicle is complete, both parties confirm they are happy with the sale and the money is released to the seller.
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1990 BMW 320i E30
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