1980 BMW E21 316 – Project Profile

German cars always make for popular classics. The level of engineering that goes into them serves to ensure that even today, they still hold up as being enjoyable, reliable drivers. The kind of classic that you can own and use on the regular, and that will be no more difficult to drive than one of its modern counterparts. Just look at the likes of Mercedes-Benz, with a back catalogue of cars that, even though they have reached classic status, are still driven daily. And it’s not just Mercedes-Benz, there is BMW, too. Take this E21 3 Series for example. It might look a bit tired, but it’s a running, driving car that recently undertook a 300 mile journey to the garage that has it now.

And when it comes to BMW, there are few models more popular right now than the E21 3 Series. It’s genesis for that model, a model that still has a spot in dealerships today. Rich in heritage, the E21 is for many the most pure and as such, the most desirable. Sure, there was the 2002 before it, but the E21 represented more. More of them were built, more of us had them and as such, more of them have survived to reach classic status. People, however, love them. This is great if you own one, but not so much if you want to buy one. When they do pop up, they don’t hang around for long. You need to pounce on this if you want to scratch that E21 itch.

What is it? 

What we have here is a 1980 BMW E21 316 automatic, which is arguably one of the most ubiquitous specification levels for the E21 in general. Launched in 1975, the E21 was brought in to replace the 02 series cars. It was also a car BMW had huge plans for, as it wanted to position the E21 as a global product. This of course worked, as the E21 was popular in Europe and America, the latter of which was coming round to smaller import cars at that time. Add in the quality engineering, the resultant excellent reliability, the way it drove and the impressive spec, and it’s not hard to see why the E21 was so successful. Purists will tell you that the six-cylinder cars are the ones to have, but don’t be quick to dismiss the four-cylinder models like the one here. They were still brilliant to own and drive, and because of that unjust opinion on the six being better, the four-cylinder cars are often cheaper to acquire.

Why is it a project? 

First of all, let’s look at the good. This E21 is complete, it’s had the same owner for the last 19 years, and it’s in running, driving condition. In fact, the vendor (who took the car in as part exchange) even said the car drove 300 miles to them with no issue. Great stuff. It’s also tax and MOT exempt, and provided the V5 is updated to historic status, it’s ULEZ exempt, too. It is, however, a little tired. It’s only done 73k over the course of its life, but even so, time has caught up with it. Looking through the MOT history, we can see that there is some blue smoke, some corrosion and the wheel bearings will need changing soon. Looking back further, there have been bulbs and tyres, but the corrosion has been a constant, so that’s something you’re going to need to get at first. But remember, this was all mentioned under advisory status, not an MOT failure. So it shouldn’t be too bad, hopefully.

Five things to look for:

1) Rust 

As we have mentioned above, the MOT history shows some concerns over corrosion. The sills, boot floor, subframe mounting areas and so on will all need inspection. The wings look like they need some love, as do the front and rear valances. The arches are good though, as are the roof gutters and the screen surrounds. The boot-lid looks spot on, too. There are some sundry dings and dents, but really, you’re going to respray this car, so it’s nothing to worry about too much.

2) Past Repair

Old cars that have been on the road constantly can often fall victim to ‘just get it through an MOT’ repairs, which may not be to the highest standard. This E21 strikes us being a rather honest old beast, but even so, it never hurts to look for old welding, check the wiring, look in the engine bay for any old ‘fixes’. Make sure it’s as original as possible.

3) Transmission

The three-speed automatic transmission fitted to this E21 isn’t the most sophisticated out there, and as such, it’s not hard to make sure it’s working as it should. Check the fluid, make sure it’s a nice red colour, smell it for any burnt odour, check the car shifts up and down the gears as it should and make sure it engages park and reverse, too. Having driven 300 miles to where it is now, it should be in decent fettle.

4) Engine

The little four-banger in this E21 – the M10 – is a hardy little lump. BMW used this and variations of it across the range for a long time, and as such, getting parts and so on is nice and easy. This one has some smoking issues according to the MOT history, which is most probably valve stem seals. Not a big job, and the M10 is easy to work on. Get a manual and some tools, and you can tackle the bulk of the work yourself, though you’ll need a machine shop to complete the job.

5) Trim

Trim is getting hard to find for the E21, so you need to make sure that what is fitted is usable. The lights, grilles, indicators, window chromes and so on all look good. Inside, the dash looks to be free of any cracks, which is remarkable. The seats are worn though, and you’d need to check the switchgear and so one to make sure it all works as it should, or at the very least, is restorable.

What should you do with it? 

While this 1980 BMW E21 is indeed a running and driving car, there is no escaping the fact that really, this needs a full restoration. You could drive it as is, for a short while, but ultimately it’s only going to hurt the car. The corrosion has started to creep in, and any more exposure to the elements isn’t going to be good for it. So, buy it, strip it down and then build it back up. This could be a stunning little car when restored, and thanks to the fact it’s so simple to work on, you could do a great deal of the work yourself. At the end of it, you could have a car worth in the region of £15k (and rising). Of course, it’s not all about profit. It’s about restoring this most deserving of cars, maybe convert it to manual transmission for a bit more fun in the process, and at the end of it all you’ll have yourself an exceptionally cool, classic BMW.

If you miss out this time, here’s where to keep an eye out for other examples of a rare Rolls Royce for sale.