1990 BMW E30 325i Cabriolet

Highlights

• Hardtop and soft-top in great condition
• Manual gearbox – it’s not an auto!
• Stainless Scorpion exhaust with a lovely tubular manifold
• Front seats retrimmed in Bentley leather
• Relatively low mileage at 58k

Overview

The E30 325i convertible is a truly desirable and increasingly rare classic. And, interestingly, it was never meant to exist: when the E30 launched as a range of saloons and estates, the cabrio wasn’t in the plan; BMW knew there might be a small demand for a soft-top so they commissioned Karrosserie Baur to develop one as an option.

When it became clear that an open E30 was something the public really wanted, BMW themselves set about crafting something elegant and sophisticated, a bona fide factory convertible – that’s what you see here. With the 167hp 2.5-litre M20 straight-six stirred into the mix, the result was an irresistible fusion of tasteful prettiness and entertaining grunt.

The example we have here is in rather fabulous condition inside and out, presented in the oh-so-desirable Brilliantrot, and complete with the rare and sought-after factory hardtop, plus a period-correct Scorpion stainless steel exhaust system which really helps that big-hearted motor find its voice.

A former keeper was a Bentley interior craftsman and has given the front seats a retrim in soft Bentley-spec leather, while the engine bay is sufficiently eat-your-dinner-off-it that you wouldn’t feel at all out of place leaving the bonnet up at a car show. Addictive wind-in-the-hair thrills coupled with show-winning potential mean that this is an opportunity not to be missed.

History and documentation

• Registered 1 Aug 1990
• V5 present in owner’s name
• Full document pack with original owner’s manuals
• Impressive collection of invoices, MOT certificates and tax discs
• Service book with stamps for services as follows: PDI July 1990, running-in service Aug 1990 @1,220 miles, Apr 1991 @7,354 miles, Aug 1991 @12,550 miles, Oct 1994 @30,700 miles, Jan 1996 @37,057 miles, cambelt changed Feb 1996 @38,893 miles, Sep 1996 @43,936 miles, speedo replaced @44,329 miles, Apr 1998 @44,511 miles, Feb 2001 @44,902 miles, Feb 2002 @45,278 miles, Apr 2002 @45,403 miles, Mar 2003 mileage unrecorded
• Receipt from May 2024 for new clutch, slave cylinder, timing belt, water pump, distributor, and propshaft joints
• Two keys and aftermarket immobiliser
• Current MOT expires 17 Mar 2025
• HPI clear

Interior

• Tasteful black leather trim with front and rear headrests
• Front seats retrimmed in wonderfully soft Bentley leather
• A couple of subtle M touches, with a leather steering wheel and gear/handbrake gaiters sporting the tricolour M stripes
• OEM toolkit in bootlid – a rare find!
• Aftermarket Sony CD head unit
• No cracks in the dashtop
• Good carpets throughout, including the boot
• Matching spare wheel
• Rear bench in tidy condition with a gentle patina

Exterior

• Glorious Brillantrot paint is dazzlingly bright with no notable evidence of fading
• The factory hard-top is included in the sale (value approx. £1500-2000)
• Soft-top is in great condition with no holes and a clear window; it’s easy to raise, affix and lower
• LED bulb conversion front and rear; light lenses all in good order
• M-Technic boot spoiler is a neat addition
• Private plate included in the sale (the owner’s 8-year-old son explained its meaning: you cry when there’s H2O because you want to have the roof down…)
• Original-spec cross-spoke alloy wheels in great condition with no kerbing
• A real head-turner - we genuinely could have sold it several times over during the photoshoot

Mechanical

• 2.5-litre straight-six serves up 167hp – in a car that weighs around 1300kg, that’s more than enough to keep you entertained
• A lot of 325is came from the factory as an auto, but this car has the increasingly sought-after 5-speed manual
• The stainless steel Scorpion exhaust system makes a wonderful noise – deep and rich without being boomy or intrusive
• …and just check out that delightful manifold!
• New clutch, slave cylinder, timing belt, water pump, distributor, and propshaft joints fitted – May 2024
• A front strut brace is fitted
• The owner reports that the car starts easily on the first turn of the key, idles evenly and pulls strongly through the rev range

Summary

The E30-generation 3-series is very firmly rooted in fully-fledged classic car territory now. With its successor, the E36, becoming an increasingly obscure and sought-after model, this bona fide 1980s hero is enjoying the halo effect of its values being dragged up both by the model that replaced it and, naturally, the one that came before it – the original 3-Series, the sharknose E21.

Of course, the E30 doesn’t need to ride on the coattails of either, it’s a true classic in its own right. And in drop-top spec with the characterful 2.5-litre engine and a manual ’box, it’s arguably the best spec this side of a unicorn M3. What’s more, with the fabulous aesthetic and mechanical condition of this lovely example, it’s a car that you can jump into and enjoy right away. We’ve got a lovely summer coming up – get that top off and make some memories…

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. The seller is located in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey