1988 BMW 3-Series

Convertible

2.5L 2494CC 152Cu. In. l6 GAS SOHC Naturally Aspir

Manual

wbabb1300j8273184

Clear

Gasoline

Normal.dotm 0 0 1 1101 6279 University Of Vermont 52 12 7711 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false The Basics: · 1988 · BMW 325i Convertible · 5 Speed Manual · ZINNOBERROT Red (138) · Natural Leather (0295) · Black Soft Top (manual) · 83,120 Original, Documented Miles · M20B25 Straight 6 cylinder · Production Date- 1988-02-01 Factory Options: · 209 LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL (25%) · 219 SPORT LEATHER STEERING WHEEL · 370 STOFFVERDECK SCHWARZ · 494 SEAT HEATING F DRIVER/FRONT PASSENGER · 530 AIR CONDITIONING · 540 CRUISE CONTROL · 551 ON-BOARD COMPUTER II W REMOTE CONTROL · 675 BMW SOUND SYSTEM History- The car was purchased by the original owner in early 88 from a dealer in California. Shortly after the car was repo’d….The second owner was a German restaurateur with a love for BMW and purchased the car in late 88 with approximately 9,000 miles. The car was in his possession from 88-2016. From 88-94 the car enjoyed cruising the canyons and driving around the bay area in California. This car was never a daily driver and has been covered/garaged since 88. I contribute the condition of this car to its pampered life. In approximately 94 the owner moved to VT and brought the car with him. From 94-2016 the car was stored in a garage under a BMW cover (included with the sale). The car was stored every winter and detailed/tuned up when it was taken out of storage every year. The owner was very meticulous in keeping the car in tip-top shape. No service or repair was ever delayed and always done at a BMW dealer or independent BMW mechanic. The local BMW dealership knows the car and confirmed how well the previous owner cared for his cars. In the recent years the owner was getting older and put very few miles on the car. In the spring of 2016 I started looking for another E30 and as soon as I saw this one I knew I had to buy it. Just prior to my purchase the PO took the car out of storage and did the oil and some other miscellaneous spring services. The previous owner wanted a reliable summer car that he could get in on a whim, start up and enjoy the breeze blowing through what little hair he has left. Why I am selling- So I am sure your asking yourself why I am selling it so soon after purchasing…I am asking myself that same question but it ultimately comes down t time and money. I am going to need the money to grow my business…That same business is what is consuming all my times and not allowing me to enjoy that care as much as it deserves or as much as I would like. I truly hope this goes to another enthusiast who will enjoy and care for it the way it has been for the past 28yrs. Condition- Overall 9/10- It’s a 28y.o car so it is not perfect. However, it is the cleanest E30 convertible I have personally both cosmetically and mechanically. Exterior 9/10- The car is 28y.o and has all original paint minus the driver front fender. The slight color difference in the fender is the biggest exterior flaw in my eyes. All body panels are free of major dents or scratches. There are some stone chips and slight wear from being a 28y.o car. There is no clear coat fading and there is no signs of rust or rot of any kind, anywhere. The spare wheel well and battery tray are in 100% perfect condition. The car is 100% rust free. · Hood- free of any dents or major scratches. Slight stone chips from the age but overall near perfect. I will do my best to photograph the imperfections. · Front fenders- Drivers side has been replaced or painted at some point in very early ownership. This was done before the PO bought the car in 88. There is a slight difference in color. Passenger side is as good as it gets. · Front bumper/Valance- Slight color fading on the black plastic strip ling the bumper. Lower valence is in perfect condition. · Doors- Drivers door is free of dents and scratches, paint is perfect. Passenger door has small 3in scratch that is noticeable from 3ft or closer. There are 2 small door dings that are only noticeable from certain angles. · Rear quarter panels- Both in perfect condition with no damage and flawless paint. · Trunk Lid- No damage, perfect paint. · Top Lid- The leather on the lid that covers the convertible top has glue that is lifting slightly and causing some small bubbles in the leather. Not extremely noticeable. · Top- 10/10 it was replaced by the dealer in 2006. It function perfectly and the fabric and plastic window look new. · Rocker panels- Perfect condition. Slight paint wear from road debris and by the jack mounting point. Interior 9/10- The interior of this car is almost perfect and with a little investment could very well be a 10/10. · Dash- Flawless, no cracks, no imperfections · Steering wheel- Leather is a bit worn but still looks great. A replacement could be had cheap. · Center Console-The shifter and shift boot are showing signs of wear and age. Still function 100% and again these could be replaced for little money. · Carpets- Flawless front and back. They have always been protected by rubber mats. · Front seats- The drivers seat is the biggest downfall to the interior. Both seats are heated and work great! While it is in good shape, there is some wear from usage and age. The seat bottom is near perfect. The backrest left bolster has a slight tear maybe a 1/4in and has some fading in the color. The passenger seat is almost perfect with the exception or some slight discoloration on the right side bolster. · Rear seats- Flawless! No rips, tears, or wear marks. This is rare as most convertible rear seat backs split at the seam. Mechanical 9/10- This car runs and drives incredibly! It is the best driving, stock, e30 I have driven. There are no strange noises and everything works and performs, as it should. The car has been meticulously maintained since 1988. The timing belt and cooling system have been serviced. No expense was spared in keeping this car in perfect condition. The odometer is currently working and has never broken. The miles are 100% accurate and verifiable. The getrag 5 speed shifts perfect through all the gears. The clutch engages well and is in great working condition. There is plenty of power and the motor is dry. The m20 is very quiet compared to others I have heard/driven. I will disclose that I am not a mechanic and I welcome any 3rd party inspection. the sport oriented 325i had a much shorter 3.73 rear end (4.10 in automatics). Although the "i" models had a smaller displacement engine, it had much more horsepower: 167 horsepower, 164 lb-ft torque and a higher compression ratio (9.7 vs 9.0). As a result of its peaky powerband, the "i" also had a higher redline at 6700 RPM. · Motor- M20B25 with all 160hp starts right up and makes great power. The engine compartment appears to be dry and there are no suspicious noises or vibrations. · Trans- The Getrag 260 shifts beautifully through all of the gears. The clutch engagement point is ½-3/4 to the top. The clutch holds power through every gear and does not slip at all. · Suspension- The previous owner did a full front-end suspension refresh in approximately 2008. The car is very tight and handles incredibly for a 28 y.o car. There are no creaks, clunks or any other noises coming from the suspension components. · Brakes- New pads+rotors front/rear approximately 8k miles ago · Tires-Will be brand new. Side Notes & Extra Info- This is one of the few survivors left out there. I doubt anyone will be disappointed in this car. I will entertain trade offers as well as realistic cash offers. I would be most interested to trade for another BMW of pretty much as vintage/configuration for the right deal. However, as stated in the “reason for selling” section I would prefer a cash transaction. I am 100% open to having a prospective buyer get an PPI.