Description
Presenting for sale quite literally one of the best, if not the best E30 (condition wise) we have ever seen. This is a considerable statement. At Classic Bahnstormers we see these cars day in and day out and I therefore do not say it likely. This is quite possibly the best and lowest mileage E30 touring in the country, certainly in both cases we are not aware of a comparable vehicle.
The car has only had the one original owner who specced and purchased it new at Mill cars in Watford. The car has been maintained by the supplying dealer for the majority of its life and despite its very low mileage has been serviced proactively, this is likely down to the owner being of engineering background and thus being aware of the need to service a vehicle properly, despite lack of mileage, and the benefits of doing so. It's is fair to say that this is not your average low mileage vehicle. Low mileage is often not a guarantee of care, it simply indicates the vehicle has not been used. In this case we were pleasantly surprised to discover that the car drove well on our initial inspection.
Nevertheless we concluded that some preventative maintanence would be prudent to ensure that this car drives as well as it looks, and to that end the following works were completed to get the car ready for sale:
Both front wishbone have been replaced along with the thrust arms, bushes and front anti-roll bar links. The rear axle carrier bushes and rear anti-roll bar drop links have also been replaced. All of the rear brake flexible hose have been replaced (fronts had been done recently) and the brake and clutch fluid replaced. Discs and pads were replaced at the front and rear as well as the rear handbrakes shoes and various fitting kits and anti-rattle clips. The car has undergone a full inspection 2 service in accordance with BMW directives. This includes an inspection of all major systems. The timing belt and various tensioners were replaced along with a new thermostat and water pump for good measure. Coolant replaced, gearbox and differential oils changed, engine oil and filter as well as fuel and air filters changed. The ignition systems were inspected and new spark plugs fitted. All the rubber fuel hoses have been changed for preventative maintenance.
The car is in incredible condition. We have replalced a few pieces of external trim such as bumper corner trims which had off scuffs and the new trims blend seamlessly with the old. In fact the single most impressive aspects of this car are things such as the lights which gleam as though they are new and the shadowline trims and rubber seals which are unmarked, free of signs of wear. Primarily we are a restoration company and these are the items which we know from experience really make a good finish.
There is one mark of note on the entire vehicle which is on the tailgate. The car has been detailed and this has done much to improve it. It is hard to capture with a camera but nevertheless it is there. Otherwise the exterior is quite remarkable. Free of stone chips and dings. The beautiful Laser blue metallic paint is a sophisticated choice and reveals its depth when the sun shines on it. Bodily this car is in fantastic condition with faultless trim, lights and decals. We have replaced the wheel centre badges on the 14 inch bottle top style wheels and these too are in excellent condition, shod in matching recent tyres which are as new.
Internally it is much the same story, with minimal wear to items such as the steering wheel and gear knob the interior is pristine. We have had the headliner retrimmed in original fabric due to the beginnings of the common issue of sagging above the load compartment. Now this issue is rectified the interior is without fault. Seats, carpets, dash and matts are all in exemplary condition.
The engine bay and underside of this vehicle are exactly as you would expect from such a low mileage car with the notable exception of the new parts which have been added. Otherwise the underside is in fantastic original condition, free of any previous repairs and generally quite spectacular. The engine bay retains all its original warning stickers and decals and has simply been sympathetically cleaned to remove the light layers of dust that were present. No cleaning has taken placed and no coatings have been applied to the underside of the car at this point so prospective buyers can see exactly how good it is.
Quite simply put this car is magnificent, benefiting from the preserved originality but having recently been future-proofed for reliability, or possibly even posterity. To my mind, cars are for using and this is quite literally the dictionary definition of a practical classic, ideal for a young family or for those with four legged friends in tow, but this car is quite special and would not be out of place in a collection or even on display.
In summary this car runs and drives faultlessly, everything works as it should and significant steps have been taken to future proof it for the next owner.
The car presents beautifully and nowhere does the incredibly low mileage show more than in the interior which is unmarked and spotless.
This is all the more unusual for this vehicle being a touring. As utilitarian vehicles we find they do tend to be well cared for but almost always a little scruffy and therefore finding one as stellar as as this really is an unusual opportunity, dare I say potentially never to be repeated.
Please do make contact if you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them, provide any further images you may require. We have videos of the underside of the vehicle and a general walk around of the body work. Seeing is believing after all so I would advise any serious buyer to pay us a visit where by we have the facility for the car to be inspected on a ramp. We are aware of the interest in the touring models from Australia and South Africa and happy to work with anyone who may wish to export the car and we have some experience of selling to such clients and helping in the process.
