E30 Zone

I really don't want to sell it, but I've got an itch that I can't help but scratch in the form of either an E3 3.0SI or an E28 M5 - I've seen a few and I'm VERY tempted!

The car is a 1988 320is in diamant schwartz with black sports leather interior.

It was imported from Italy in summer 2006 by Wayne at German Cars in Kings Lynn.

It's got 130k km on the clock and lots of history.

Since I bought it (first owner in the UK, second since new), I've done the following:

Full glass out respray by a BMW dealer body shop

M3 suspension/5 stud hub conversion

New Bilstein B8 shocks/Eibach springs

Fully rebuilt gearbox

Fully refurbished 16'' Evo wheels with new Toyo Proxes 225/45x16 tyres

New Supersprint exhaust

Z3 short shift gearlever conversion

E36 timing chain tensioner

The list goes on and on, but you get the idea! I know that a car is only worth what somebody is prepared to pay for it, but I'd like a rough ball park figure of what people think it may be worth.

One thing's for sure though - I certainly won't get back the money I've spent on it!

anothere21323i wrote:I really don't want to sell it, but I've got an itch that I can't help but scratch in the form of either an E3 3.0SI or an E28 M5 - I've seen a few and I'm VERY tempted!

The car is a 1988 320is in diamant schwartz with black sports leather interior.

It was imported from Italy in summer 2006 by Wayne at German Cars in Kings Lynn.

It's got 130k km on the clock and lots of history.

Since I bought it (first owner in the UK, second since new), I've done the following:

Full glass out respray by a BMW dealer body shop

M3 suspension/5 stud hub conversion

New Bilstein B8 shocks/Eibach springs

Fully rebuilt gearbox

Fully refurbished 16'' Evo wheels with new Toyo Proxes 225/45x16 tyres

New Supersprint exhaust

Z3 short shift gearlever conversion

E36 timing chain tensioner

The list goes on and on, but you get the idea! I know that a car is only worth what somebody is prepared to pay for it, but I'd like a rough ball park figure of what people think it may be worth.

One thing's for sure though - I certainly won't get back the money I've spent on it!

Don't sell yourself short. These cars are worth their weight in gold and in my opinion are rarer than M3's. Providing that your car's had a good service history and well looked after, you should see a strong resale value

Sadly they may be rarer but not worth more than a real m3.

I had one of these babies a few years back... and would love another one!

Right now is not a good time though unfortunately.

What sort of figure did you have in mind?

Let's not start an "M3 is worth more than a 320iS" argument here though. In my eyes, the 320is is a much better all-round car to use as a daily, even if it still is a LHD model.

I know what I would rather own

First of all maybe ad a picture when you ask those qestions, but let me say it like this, if you do a lot of mods to an car, dont expect that you will get all your money back dude. An 320iS have a price range from 4000 euros to 8 or 9000 euros on the European continent.
Have you got tierd of it and want to try out a new motor?

Yup here they seem to sell for £4000 - £7000 from what I have seen.

From your desciption of the car Id say its gotta be worth around 7k as it sounds top nothch.
Ive seen some Very nice Sports at around 6k recently so With the 320is being that bit rarer id say7k for sure.

hilst it does sound like an amazing car, you have to remember that most people prepared to pay top money for a fairly specialist car (like an old e30) are going to want the most standard and original car they can get.

whilst things like the 5 stud conversion, m3 wheels, and full respray may make the car a lot nicer to most people, they may be a turnoff to someone wanting a truely mint unmolested example.

harry_p wrote:hilst it does sound like an amazing car, you have to remember that most people prepared to pay top money for a fairly specialist car (like an old e30) are going to want the most standard and original car they can get.

whilst things like the 5 stud conversion, m3 wheels, and full respray may make the car a lot nicer to most people, they may be a turnoff to someone wanting a truely mint unmolested example.

Only genuine unmolested sports command top money. Its where the money is.

Not an option to put it back to standard I suppose?

Why would you want to put it back to standard?

Everything he has done is OEM+ therefore making it a MUCH better car. People who buy cars like 320iS's and M3's will DEFINITELY appreciate the modifications carried out to this vehicle. It's hardly been chavved up... has it.

Would be nice to see some pics though.

what its worth and what you'll get are two completely different things!

I'll ty and put some pics up but it won't be any time soon - I'm working away from home at the moment. Every mod I've done on the car has been genuine OEM BMW parts (with the exception of the shocks, springs and brake pads) so it looks completely standard.

When I got the car painted, I replaced every rubber seal with new, new grills, wiper arms, trim, the lot!

I don't really need to sell the car, I've just been thinking about it. But now is not really the time given the credit crunch etc...!

Dont sell it Tony!

Just to add this car is perhaps the most solid rust free E30 i have ever seen, it really is that good. It no longer has the mtech kit, so it can be clearly seen that there is no rust at all. Its also clearly been well looked after recently.

Do you have your new M3 yet Tony?

Not yet, should collect it last 2 weeks of September - will you be around?