Description
For sale: 2007 BMW E81 130i LE – 3. 0l N52 straight 6 in Carbon Black with Boston Lemon leather interior / 145k miles
Due to ongoing health issues that unfortunately only seem to be getting worse, and for the fact I work from home, and it’s hardly moved in the last 2-3 months; selling it on to someone who’ll properly use it makes most sense
My full build project + lots of pictures is here on Pistonheads (it’s also on other car forums such as M3Cutters, UK F30/ 31 section of Bimmerpost, BabyBMW etc) – Please Google “My 1st 'Baby BMW' - 2007 E81 130i LE" and that'll bring up the full project link
Details:
It’s covered just over 145k miles; I’ve done about 1500 miles in it since buying it from Chris, its previous owner last September 2024 (he had it for around 5 years). I’ve a raft of paperwork
Engine:
· Full engine overhaul (all gaskets, spark plugs, brand new Febi Bilstein rocker cover, BDS intake boot and K&N dry filter) – engine is now bone dry
· x2 oil & filter changes (Liqui Moly oil, Mann filters) + new OEM BMW sump plug
· Full aircon cleanse, pollen filters etc
· New belts & pulleys (INA and Gates)
Suspension:
· A FULL suspension overhaul inc. Whiteline rear subframe inserts, Bilstein B14 coilovers with all brand new OEM BMW top mounts and fitting hardware, every arm/ link replaced with Lemforder, Moog and Meyle HD. OEM BMW E46 M3 gearbox mounts and brand-new Meyle HD engine mounts. Unbranded front upper strut brace fitted. All professionally fitted, full tracking and alignment (old skool via a string-box rather than lasers) and fast road set-up by Grinspeed Motorsport, Leyland
Brakes:
· OEM BMW F3x 340mm Brembo brake calipers fitted up front (DIY refurb’d in silver with new HEL stainless bleed nipples); fitted with Pagid Street+ pads & Brembo 340mm 2-piece discs
· Geniune BMW rear brake discs and pads with OEM calipers
· HEL braided brake lines (all 6) all round with Motul RBF600 brake fluid
Gearbox & diff:
· Gearbox - CDV removed; full oil change with Redline fluid and new plugs; Diff - new plug; new Liqui Moly fluid
Bodywork:
· All the rear subframe was in excellent condition, some simple surface rust that was wire brushed, treated with Bilt Hamber Hydrate and the whole area inc. diff coated with Bilt Hamber Dynax UB inc. cavities. When I had the suspension overhauled; I got the car home, stripped the arches right back, cleaned them all and then treated them with BH Dynax UC (inner arches and all suspension) to keep it well protected. The bodywork itself is good; no corrosion; but plenty of marks. It’s covered 145k miles and it’s a 2007 car; it isn’t a show car; it’s a driver’s car. It cleans up superbly though and I’ve done my best to look after it., as well as giving it a machine polish, coating of Soft99 Fusso and Autoglym’s Rapid Ceramic spray etc – but I’m not a detailer, it is not perfect. The exterior trim was changed with the gloss black trim from another BMW E81 by the previous owner, it doesn’t have the OEM exterior alu trim with it
Wheel & tyres:
· Brand new Protrack One alloys in anthracite (18x8 ET45) running 10mm spacers on the rear, 5mm up front, with a 75mm stud conversion) with 235/ 40/ 18 Michelin PS4S tyres all round, DOT2024 and have covered less than 500miles – all mark free/ as new/ treated with Gtechniq C5 ceramic coating
Interior:
· OEM BMW steering wheel re-trimmed in half leather/ alcantara with the 12 o’clock blue marker; OEM BMW ZHP gear knob fitted with an OEM BMW E9x alcantara gaiter. Genuine BMW velour floor mats. The interior alu trim was marked and showing its age; I’ve 3M carbon vinyl wrapped it (easily removed). The rest of the interior is OEM; the seats show their age; I had planned on re-dying them but haven’t got round to it. A £35 kit from Furniture Clinic in Boston Leather will soon have the front seats done
All the work I’ve had done to the car has been done by Grinspeed here in Preston, Lancashire – they’re well known and respected motorsport mechanics and do superb work. Full tracking, alignment and fast road set up done by them as well.
- The MOT is dated until July 2026.
- As it stands the car literally needs for nothing bar a new owner who’ll use it properly and give it the attention it needs (ie driving and enjoying – unfortunately I cannot offer it that)
- I’m selling the car as it is; I’m not stripping any parts off it or swapping anything – I haven’t the time, inclination or physical health to do anything like that
- The V5 is in my name and present
Location: Preston, Lancs (5mins off the M6) – happy to collect anyone from Preston train station in our other car so you can hear the 130i start from cold
Asking price: £7000 or very near offerFull clean MOT until late July 2026
