Buying an E30 from Germany

[Motorhole]

I'm interested in doing this within the next year or so...mainly as I want a LHD E30 325i or 318is in good nick to kick off a project.

Has anybody gone over to buy an E30 from Germany or otherwise before? Whats the best way to do this? I mean if I go and doss around a city for a week I'm not guarunteed to come back with anything and it could be a waste. Alternatively, contacting someone via E30.de or ebay could be a waste if I get there and the car is a shed...

Any advice?

[jon_pure_british]

how about an 320is

[Motorhole]

I wouldn't mind a 320is, but I'm not sure I fancy something that rare as a tuning/track car project, could end up spending a fortune!

[Simon]

how about an 320is

Not in Germany. They were an Italy and Portugal model only, though a few may have been imported into Germany.

[SCOTT325SE]

speak to ian ross (H35-Ian) he imported his hartge h35 from there. he may be able to help.

[A1BMW325iSport]

best bet is to find one for sale on the forums and get photos and full details so you can be sure before you make trip over.

if u need help drop me a line i speak german

[Taxin]

Hi I lived in Germany for 16 years itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s easy to find a car I use http://www.autoscout24.de/ if you buy 1 you can get export plates from the local German DVLA (strassenverkehrsamt) for it and drive it home the car must have TUV to get these plates

[eun]

excuse my stupidity but whats tuv?

[mrLEE30]

TUV in this case is basically german equivilant to MOT (but much stricter), but TUV extends to much more then just an MOT, it also is a national safety type standard, so for example if you modify a car, all the extra bits you stick on there should be TUV approved (similar to uk kite mark), and if you buy things like power tools, they will also be TUV approved.

to see if can has TUV it should have a sticker in the licence plate (like the round one above) which shows the validity of the TUV

mrlee

[Motorhole]

Thanks folks, keep this coming...

My German is poor, but I need to pick it up again so should be good practice...thanks for the offer!

I was aware of the TUV, but not getting the export plates...does anyone know what has to be done when it comes to the UK?

Cheers chaps!

[Andyboy]

I've brought stuff back from Germany. The last one was a 320i 2 door, 1989 in Diamond black with a really mint shell. For whatever reason E30's don't rot as badly there as they do here. You can still find decent Chromers.
I bought mine from a kid in a small village. It was an '89 car with Bilsteins, iS lip and sports seats. He took the number plates down to the registration office and de-registered it within 30 mins. I gave him Ԛ£150 (well, 250 Euros) and drove it through the night back to Calais via the 'Ring. Couldn't get on the circuit because it didn't have a TuV sticker
It didn't have a TuV (German MOT) but I didn't really give a shit.
I was on the way back to the UK and didn't have time to piss about with export plates. I went through Dover Customs and got a tug - I showed them the 'brief (German log book) and a reciept, asked me if I was in the Army out there and let me go.

Some things to consider;
There is no such thing as a 325i Sport in Germany. They have a 325i 'Sport Edition' but it doesn't have a standard LSD. However, lots of 325i's have slippers. Lots of 318iS have LSD's too - you'd be surprised how many.

As for where to buy one from a dealer - there are loads of 'bombsite' car dealers. The best place would be Hamburg as it's a huge city by the coast and there's a lot of export going on. I would fly out there from Bristol (about Ԛ£40 with Easyjet) and pick up a newspaper called Avis as well as the usual AutoTrader type mags. There are loads of cheap old BMW's. There are also a few BMW specialists. The trouble is, a car from a dealer will have no plates at all so you'll need a car with TuV (more expensive) and export plates. I really would buy privately.

As for getting back, drive 150 miles North to Esbjerg in Denmark (all m'way) and get a ferry to Harwich. About Ԛ£140 one way.



If a car has no logbook, it's useless as you can't register it in the UK.

A very good mate of mine runs bmwE30.teile (E30 parts) in Kassel which is right in the centre of Germany. He turns over quite a few cars and has some interesting morsels.

[Motorhole]

Fantastic Andyboy, lots of info