E30 Zone

Hey guys i rang up about this today and left a deposit i am due to collect next week as its having a full service and a cab belt change.

What i know about her is she is Granite silver not seen many in that hue,there are a few sport knocking about in this colour any info on the colour would be great.
I spoke to the chap selling the car and he gave me the full rundown.
She was part/x at Synters and he bought it through the trade as it was in such good condition.
Its a 1993 car on a K plates and has had 2 owners form new the first owned her from 93 to 95 and the secound from 95 until last year.
She has full service history all main dealer 20 stamps,she also has her owners pack and service book with all her history.
She has all her keys overmats tool kit etc.
The bodywork is as new no rust anywhere hood replaced a couple of years ago.

The only thing that is strange is she has bottletops instead of bbs,i have phoned bmw for the spec but it does not say.
Its an auto with a manual hood not many toys but she looks great.

The only pics i have are from the add let me know what u all think.
The pic that shows the front of the car the bonnet looks to be sitting to 1 side only saw this now could it be something or nothing

Anything else i need to ask to be checked while she is at the dealers i can always pay for the extra parts needed.
They are doing oil, filters, plugs and a cam belt change i have insisted that they use genuine Bmw parts i want prove as they could just fob me of with anything.
Do u guys think the front of the car looks okay.

You dont mess about do you ..good on yer! see something you like no messing about you just buy it

Looks great.

If there's no evidence in the service history of any of the bushes being replaced get these checked - particularly rear beam and rear top mounts.

Looks like a nice unmolested example - with full dealer history its obviously been cared for too.

I'd assume that those wheels are what it left the factory with - if you give the VIN number to your local BMW parts person they should be able to give you a print out of the original build spec.

Look forward to some better pics when you've collected it

I gave Bmw a ring this morning and they checked both system our own and the German system,the spec is 100% as to the car but there is no mention of alloys or what type of wheel should be fitted so like you say bottle tops are part of the orginial spec.

You would also thing a very late model cab would come with a load of toys nothing seems to have been ticked on this 1.
They radio does not look period to me does anybody know what would have been fitted at the time.
Do you guys think she is sitting okay and not a little high at the back or is it just me

nice car mate, good to see such a well looked after car, can only imagine the smile on the first owners face when they drove it out the dealership

Yeah must have been a nice feeling as a car this late was selling along side the new E36.
How much where these going for in 93.

Looks a cracker in those pics - a good price if its as good as it looks and sounds.

I think it looks great on the bottletops. Manual hood is a bonus IMO no nasty electrics to go wrong.

Bet you can't wait to pick her up.

Yes i cant wait to be honest just a pity about the weather hey

What the going rate these days for a nice black genuine Bmw hardtop,cant find any on ebay at the minute.
I am deffo buying a wind deflector they can still be had at the stealers

Give Z3I a pm on here.. The Zone Hardtop dealer

You need to give the dealer the last 7 digits of the chassis number and get them to print the spec out.

The reason theres no mention of wheels may be because what you have there is what they came with standard. The 15" BBS were optional.

Looks like this could be a fantastic car this. The bottle tops are in keeping with the car as it looks like the original owner ticked very few options other than the expensive switchable box. No leather, no obc, no cruise, no BBS etc.

That radio could very well be period. Check out the period ICE thread. These came with blanking plates from the factory and the 1st owner either took the car as it was and drove it to their local ICE shop and had the then current Pioneer, Clarion, Alpine fitterd OR pulled their pants down at the dealer and got them to fit exactly the same for an extortianate sum of money! 1993 K was about the time Sony were coming on line and many German models were getting Sony's at the time. Golfs, E34's, Mercs etc.

Granite Silver was a late run out colour often found on Sports and convertibles. It's more an e36 colour really as you have to remember 1991 was the e36 introduction.

If thats as nice as it looks, you've bought well. Better than a sack of shite Ata would no doubt promise you was gold plated!

That radio does look very period!

If you want something a little better, i have a sony tape with cd changer as fitted to a jag xjs in early 94 by my old man, want to fit it to mine, but i have a chav spec alpine job!

Cheers guys.
Roll on summer hey what could be better top down motoring with a slush box cant wait

Thats a really nice car, lovely & original.

Nice car mate keep the bottletops i think mine looks great on them





Cant wait for summer eh

When are you picking this up ?

The stereo head unit might be original or if not it was fitted not long after the car was new - looks identical to the one that was dealer fitted to my E36 328i in late 1995.

I am due to pick her up next week i cant wait to be honest.
A closer look at the radio and you are right it does look period well does not look out of place anyway.
Atlantis the bottle tops are staying i like them suits the cab,nice looking cab you have there

Quick update got a call with regards the 325 cab today,and now with a few issues.

Was assured that she had all her orginial overmates but now that they have checked it does not,its 1 of my pet hates as you can no longer buy them from bmw.

I also asked they to check the bonnet as i am sure its sitting to 1 side,they said its fine.

Now this is strange we agreed that the cam belt will be replaced but they have now found proof in the service book and the cam belt sticker that it was done in March last year at 100.000.
She was moted at 111.000 and she now has 115.000 thats some miles in such a short space of time me things.

I had to ring back just in case i heard wrong but no its done 15.000 plus from March until Dec.

I dont mean to be anal but that is some miles in such a short time.I have not seen the car but the new info has got the alarm bells ringing.

Maybe its just me loads of people to high miles ,what do you guys think

I did 20000 miles in my cabby in one year just driving to collect and back.

This car was used over the summer, so i wouldnt be too worried, is there any other paperwork to back the milage up?

Yep but at least thats been a few summer months rather than driven all winter.

Some 10year old cars have done twice that mileage and most of these 20year old E30 have done lots less than 200k.

9months 15k miles yep could be lots but it may have been someones summer runner.

Wouldnt worry too much about it - still looks like an honest car, proof of cambelt change is all good and the fact that its been used rather than just sat around is a good thing - looks like whoever had it last really enjoyed driving it !

As above, and if you need peace of mind change get the Cambelt changed again.
Personally, i'd probably do that anyway, along with a coolant ,Oil change.

Okay must just be me then not used to doing so many miles in 1 year
Will get the cam belt done myself at least then i will know its been done.
Whats the going rate for a cam belt change these days as he seller said he will knock a few quid from the asking price.
With regards overmats are they the same as a coupe.

Can you not get in touch with the previous owner, I did with mine and the guy gave me a ring and told me all about the car.

I had a cam belt change and water pump think it was about £200

If you dont mind me asking, how much is the car?

Cheers Andrew

Its up for £2495 which is not a bad price i guess.

SEBRINGGREY325I wrote:Okay must just be me then not used to doing so many miles in 1 year
Will get the cam belt done myself at least then i will know its been done.
Whats the going rate for a cam belt change these days as he seller said he will knock a few quid from the asking price.
With regards overmats are they the same as a coupe.

yes, they are John, and i have some sets here, as mentioned.
p.s. nothing from your mate as yet

not sure what a garage would charge to do a cambelt change, but easy enough to do yourself if you follow correct procedure. the belt itself should leave you change from a score

cheers, adi

adit wrote:

SEBRINGGREY325I wrote:With regards overmats are they the same as a coupe.

yes, they are John, and i have some sets here, as mentioned.
p.s. nothing from your mate as yet

No they are not. Cabrio ones are narrower.

i bow to the superior one.
because of the reinforcement beams, but i had standard mats in mine and they were fine

Update the 325 is from Bristol.
Mot info online from 2005.

2005/58,853
2006/62,152
2007/66,056
2008/71,256
2009/76,597
2010/93,588
2011/111,480 08/09/2011 its got 115,000 on the clock now.
What do you guys make of it
All moted at Farleigh Garage.

Going to pick her up in the morning.

Good luck, dont forget the pics when you get it.

bss325i wrote:

adit wrote:

SEBRINGGREY325I wrote:With regards overmats are they the same as a coupe.

yes, they are John, and i have some sets here, as mentioned.
p.s. nothing from your mate as yet

No they are not. Cabrio ones are narrower.

The rears are also shorter.

Sebring, the fact it's doing miles is a good thing. These do not like to sit about and like to be used. get it bought mate and send us some photos.

B7 wrote:

bss325i wrote:

adit wrote: yes, they are John, and i have some sets here, as mentioned.
p.s. nothing from your mate as yet

No they are not. Cabrio ones are narrower.

The rears are also shorter.

Yep, forgot about the rears. The fronts are deffo narrower though, i compared some in a cabrio pete was fragging with mine as they were minty mint but alas they were wrong.