BMW's 3 Series is arguably its most important and most iconic product, and of all the models it's produced over the years it's the second-generation E30 that still seems to hold the fondest memories.

Introduced in 1982 to replace the E21, the E30 refined the recipe and went on to become the longest-lived 3 Series – lasting eight years before it was succeeded by the E36 and 12 years in production in total. BMW also offered its own cabriolet version of the 3 Series for the first time with the E30 – previously being a Bauer-built car – which was introduced in 1985.

The current owner purchased this BMW last year with the aim to fix the car up to sell it on, the car was in good condition upon purchase and has clearly been looked after well by its previous 5 owners. After fixing the few issues it had, the main job was to tackle the paintwork. 

Considerable time, effort and finance was spent getting the BMW back to its shining former aesthetic glory and as a result it now shines in its Lagunengrun Green.  

The BMW comes with a series of service books and owner’s manuals, with the former having regular stamps from what look to be BMW dealerships. There is an invoice for some recent repairs carried out this year, as well as some older receipts a summary of which is given below, as well as some MOT certificates that go back a few years. 

The work on the receipts is as follows:

The upholstery in the BMW is grey leather which is surprisingly subtle for a 90’s German car with a green exterior. The condition of the Leather is rather good, with only the driver’s side bolster seeing any real wear. We imagine that some time spent with the leather feed and leather restorer these seats would look new once again. The carpet is also in great condition with no stains, rips, tears or signs of water damage which bodes well for the water tightness of the roof. In the rear of the car, there are a few signs of small knicks in the cushioned side units housing the speakers, but these are minor and don’t detract too much for the overall condition of the interior. 

The dashboard is in great condition too with only a small crack to the side of the passenger side storage area on top. The simple three spoke BMW steering wheel is in fantastic condition however and shows little sign of wear, rips or fraying. All electrics work in the car, with the switches, dials and controls all working as intended. The centre console and gear lever is in good condition also and goes someway to evidence the care this car has received from its previous and current owner. 

The paintwork of the BMW is brand new after receiving paint work treatment in January of this year, the bonnet, front window A pillar, offside front wing, offside front door, offside rear quarter, boot lid, mirror casings and surrounds, nearside front wing, door, rear quarter and lower bumper corner have all been rust treated, repaired, repainted and polished as the paint was showing its age. The fabulous BMW ‘Lagunengrun’ green is a pleasant deviation from the drones of grey, silver and black commuter cars of today. 

Couple the new paintwork with the recently refurbished alloys and the exterior of this 30-year-old BMW is brought screeching back to how it would have looked rolling off the forecourt in 1992. All glass, lights and windows operate as they should, the trim is not missing any clips and sits flush to the bodywork and the famous kidney grilles show no signs of pitting or fading.

This is the 320i version so has the 2.0L straight six M20 engine offering, when new, 127bhp and 121 lb ft of torque, which you’d think might not be winning you any races, but it was more than enough to power the 1200kg cabriolet to your destination with ease. 

You’ll be pleased to hear that this 2.0L engine is in fine health and during the photoshoot fired up on the button, idled very smoothly and gave all the right noises whilst we heard no nasty ones. Being the manual, the gearbox is believed to engage all gears smoothly and the engine delivers power consistently throughout each gear as reported by the owner. 

From the look of the service records for the BMW, it has been maintained regularly in accordance to manufactures guidelines and should have plenty of life left in it should the servicing carry on to such a high standard. 

The E30 was and still is a fantastic shape and design from BMW and has aged beautifully into the modern day. In recent years the E30 shape has seen a surge in value but continues to be a fantastic entry point for those wanting a reliable, interesting and appreciating modern classic. 

This cabriolet is in fantastic condition and presents as a great opportunity to get your hands on this modern classic for nothing but thrills in the summer sun which we sincerely hope is just round the corner.