Description
ONE-OWNER 1998 BMW E36 318is 4-DOOR SALOON — AVUS BLUE — TIME-CAPSULE CONDITION
"I have not found another one like this anywhere — this is genuinely the finest surviving example."
THE STORY
This is not just another E36. This is a genuine, one-owner-from-new 318is 4-door saloon — the rarest variant of the entire E36 range — purchased new from L&C Croydon BMW, who later became Cooper Croydon BMW — the same dealership, unbroken service history until 2019. Cherished by the same single owner its entire life. Always garaged. NEVER driven in the rain. This is a time capsule that has barely aged — and I defy anyone to find a cleaner one.
SPECIFICATION
- Year: 1998 — S Registration
- Model: 318is — 4-door saloon (M44B19 16-valve twin-cam — 140bhp)
- Exterior: Avus Blue Metallic
- Interior: Grey Cloth
- Mileage: 95, 000 genuine miles
- Transmission: 5-speed manual
- Owners: ONE — from new
- Keys: FOUR original BMW keys
- Original NEW VEHICLE INVOICE + PRE-PURCHASE OPTION ORDER FORM: Both present and intact — detailed below
ORIGINAL DOCUMENTATION — FULL PURCHASE HISTORY
This is the complete, preserved paperwork trail from day one — including the pre-purchase option selection form AND the final invoice:
Original Pre-Purchase Options Selection Form
Retained perfectly — the actual document showing exactly which factory options were chosen before the car was even built. A piece of history that is almost never kept.
Final New Vehicle Invoice — L&C Croydon BMW — 1998
Item Price
Base Vehicle — 318is 4-door £17, 276. 60
+ VAT on base vehicle £3, 023. 40
Base Vehicle Total £20, 300. 00
Factory Options:
Avus Blue Metallic paint £378. 72 + £66. 28 VAT
Remote Control Anti-Theft Alarm System £455. 32 + £79. 68 VAT
Front Fog Lights £157. 45 + £27. 55 VAT
Options Subtotal £991. 49 + £173. 51 VAT
Options Total £1, 165. 00
Vehicle Subtotal (after allowance) £17, 811. 39 + £3, 116. 99 VAT
Vehicle Total £20, 928. 38
Accessories Fitted:
BMW Floor Mats £80. 86 + £14. 15 VAT
TST £399. 00 + £68. 83 VAT
Accessories Subtotal £479. 86 + £83. 98 VAT
Accessories Total £564. 84
Other Items:
Delivery Pack £400. 00 + £70. 00 VAT
Fuel £35. 00 + £6. 13 VAT
Road Fund Licence £150. 00
Registration Fee £25. 00
Other Items Subtotal £610. 00 + £76. 13 VAT
Other Items Total £686. 13
GRAND TOTAL — NEW IN 1998 £22, 178. 35
That's over £22, 000 in 1998 — equivalent to roughly £50, 000+ in today's money. Both the pre-order options form AND the final invoice are preserved — a complete history file that simply does not exist on other cars.
WHY THIS IS SO RARE
Most people know the 318is as the 2-door coupe. The 4-door saloon version was a limited run-out model — produced in tiny numbers before the E46 launch. Fewer than 100 are believed to remain on UK roads.
Combine that with:
- One owner from new — with BOTH the pre-purchase options form AND the full original invoice showing £22, 178. 35 cost
- Unbroken BMW main dealer history for 22 years
- Zero rust, zero dents, zero scratches, never driven in rain, always garaged
- Immaculate interior, engine bay, boot, and undercarriage
- Original everything — windscreen, seals, floor mats, keys, paperwork
This is not just rare — this is quite possibly the best example in existence. E36 values are rising fast, but examples in this condition simply do not come to market, cherished it beyond measure, and now it's time for another enthusiast to take the wheel.
WHAT COMES WITH THE CAR
- Original Pre-Purchase Options Selection Form — the actual order paperwork
- Full Original 1998 New Vehicle Invoice — £22, 178. 35 grand total breakdown
- Original bill of sale from L&C Croydon BMW
- Full service book — fully stamped (L&C + Cooper Croydon)
- All receipts for recent servicing
- FOUR original BMW keys
- Current MOT valid until 7th August 2027 (10 months remaining)
- Original owner manuals and wallet
SELLER'S NOTE
I have not found another 4-door 318is in this condition anywhere in the UK. The complete paperwork trail alone — from the day the options were selected to the final invoice — tells the story of a car that was special from the very beginning. Specified with care, purchased with pride, and protected like a member of the family for 28 years. If you are looking for a perfect, unmolested, time-capsule E36 — this is it. Serious enquiries only, please. No test pilots, no dreamers. If you know, you know.
SERVICE HISTORY — ABSOLUTELY IMPECCABLE
- 1998–2003: Serviced by L&C Croydon BMW — original selling dealer
- 2003–2019: Continued with Cooper Croydon BMW — same dealership, renamed, unbroken main dealer history
- 2020: Final main dealer stamp
- 2021: Mobile mechanic service — receipt provided
- 2022 & 2024: Kwik Fit services — receipts provided
- 2025 & July 2026: Independent specialist Fresh oil change + NEW MOT — done!
- MOT'd and serviced EVERY single year — without exception
22 years of unbroken BMW main dealer stamps, plus receipts for every service. Not a single gap. Perfection.
CONDITION — METICULOUSLY PRESERVED THROUGHOUT
Area Condition
Bodywork — 9. 9/ 10 Immaculate throughout. ZERO dents, zero scratches, zero marks. Absolutely straight panel alignment. Original Avus Blue paintwork still has that deep, glossy showroom shine — zero UV fade, zero dulling. A car that has literally never been damaged.
Interior — 9. 9/ 10 Immaculate. The Grey Cloth cabin is like stepping back to 1998. Seats show virtually zero wear — no bolstering, no fading, no stains. Original door cards, headlining, carpets, and BMW floor mats — all perfect. Headlining is fully intact — zero sagging. No cracks, no discolouration, no odour. It feels and smells like a low-mileage modern car.
Engine Bay — 9. 9/ 10 Beautifully preserved. Original finishes, no grime, no leaks, no corrosion. It is genuinely showroom standard — a sight to behold on a 28-year-old car.
Boot — 9. 7/ 10 Pristine. Original carpet, side panels perfect, spare wheel well dry and clean. Everything as it left the factory.
Undercarriage — 9. 8/ 10 ZERO RUST — anywhere. Not even surface corrosion. Sills, floor pans, wheel arches, subframe — all completely clean. All door seals, window seals, and lower door rubbers are still soft and supple — like brand new. Original windscreen — NEVER replaced.
Overall — 9. 8/ 10 The finest preserved E36 I have ever seen. Every panel, every surface, every detail — it is obvious this car has been loved and protected every single day of its life.
MECHANICAL CONDITION
- Matching Pirelli tyres all round — excellent 5–6mm+ tread depth across all four
- Alloy wheels: Never refurbished — just a few minor brake disc marks on one spoke — otherwise perfect
- Brand new front brakes fitted recently
- New front left brake caliper fitted
- Factory-fitted options working perfectly: Remote alarm + Front fog lights
- Engine: Starts instantly, pulls strongly, smooth as silk — the M44 16v twin-cam sings beautifully
- Gearbox: 5-speed manual — crisp, precise, effortless
- Brakes: Excellent, solid, confidence-inspiring
- No knocks, no rattles, no leaks — this car drives as well as it looks
- Air Con blowing Ice Cold!
- Dealer entry Mud - flaps fitted
