Beschreibung
Hi,
For sale is my extremely rare BMW e36 Open Air Compact California edition. As far as I’m aware there was only around 50 right hand drive manual models ever made and this one benefits from the best combination of Cosmos black paint work, Cream two tone nappa leather interior, facelift end of the run and low mileage. Ideal car for a collector / restoration project, or as a first unique car for a beginner due to cheap insurance.
I am a huge enthusiast and was looking for a BMW to add to my collection as I had many examples before and was specifically after something special. My plan was to get an e36 328 or M3 and slowly completely restore it. This car came up and I couldn’t resist not buying it. In the half year that I owned it I serviced the engine so it runs smooth, installed genuine replacement wheels with brand new tyres, fitted Focal speakers, installed a genuine classic fully re-trimmed BMW steering wheel and finally replaced the front wishbones so the car passed the MOT easily. M50B25 non vanos engine was removed from a donor car that had an auto box and low mileage so I could do a conversion in preparation for a trip to Nurbugring.
Sadly I rarely find time for this car as I have 2 other big projects (classic CRX and RX-7) and a big house redecoration so decided to sell on or exchange it for something that won’t need much time and work.
Specs:
Year: 1999
Mot: 30 June 2018 !! (Fresh MOT with new 2x front wishbones/ bushings)
Hpi: Clean
Mileage: 74709 (done 1000 miles since I bought it)
Vin: AM36951 (Please do a full check to make sure you are aware this is a genuine one of a kind original car)
Engine:
316i has a 4 cylinder 1. 9 SOHC 8v engine with 104bhp but great torque. I have serviced the engine with a: Replacement MAF, 4 NGK spark plugs, Mahle oil filter and Castrol oil. Starts and drives perfectly, pulls well, no oil or coolant consumption, no smoke, knocks or rattles. My plan was to replace it with an M50B25 non vanos 190bhp engine. I just serviced it to give me more time of worry free driving to prepare all the parts for the build. (Conversion engine not included in the sale but can be agreed to be sold as an extra).
Suspension/ Brakes:
Completely standard suspension and brakes. Feels ok to drive with no nasty knocks or bangs, brakes work well. These are known for fun driving characteristics incorporating older style e30 rear suspension, simple e36 front suspension with a light modern body.
-Brand new front wishbones/ bushings (at MOT)
Exterior:
Finished in the best BMW Cosmos Black colour which reflects like a mirror and has lacquer that reflects in multiple colours- hence the name.
Overall the bodywork is in great condition for the age! There is a minimal amount of dents and scratches throughout the whole body and it only has 2 tiny 5p size bubbling areas. It is very rare to find a BMW in such good condition.
-Clear and orange front indicators included (Came with clear but I prefer the orange)
-M Sport door trims fitted
-M Sport Rear bumper in blue (included in the sale, great condition)
-M3 Side skirts (included in the sale, need to be fitted)
Interior:
Open Air California Webasto roof- the main feature of the car which makes it very unique. The roof is electric and it folds down in a few seconds unleashing a unique experience of a rare rear wheel drive hatchback with convertible features. Being a facelift model it also benefits from an improved design with a wind deflector at the front, I have tried a e36 and e46 convertible and this is much nicer as it gives you an open roof experience without the unwanted cold breezes around the neck in a simple soft top.
Individual soft M Sport Nappa cream leather interior with black piping and multi tone finish door cards.
Black non airbag dashboard
M Sport Classic steering wheel refurbished in genuine Nappa leather with M stitching.
Focal top of the range front speakers (They fit inside the original holders+ use the same wires so no modifications done)
Optional extra cup holders and traction control
Electric windows/ mirrors/ roof
Wheels:
** REMOVED, cheap alternatives will be fitted for you to drive home and replace with your own set, hence price reduced**
Faults:
As I bought this car as a future investment I didn’t mind the small faults and was planning to resolve them slowly as I go+ modifying to an upgrade if possible.
-No service history. The car was purchased with intentions to keep and fully restore, it drives fine and I was planning to replace/ refurbish all the suspension elements and upgrade the engine so the history never bothered me.
-Drivers window motor mechanism needs replacement (£30 part)
-Needs new door and trunk rubber seals. The car was stored for a while and the rubber seals are showing ware. They are around £30 used
-Interior needs a good clean due to colour and the front seats are showing age related ware. (the tear can be redone for around £80 and I would buy a big bottle of leather dye to refresh the front seats for a nice finish)
So as I don’t have enough time to spend on this future classic I would like to sell it on to an enthusiast who will take good care of it. The price is not the lowest for an e36 but I will not entertain silly offers and it can only go up as I fix the issues above, don’t forget- with around 500 ever made and 50 of them being RHD manuals this is a worthy investment in to any BMW enthusiasts collection.
Located: Southampton
the details below - Please text due to working hours
