318is 'M3'

[jonny320is]

Sorry if this is a repost but is it me or is this a bit of a good effort at faking an m3?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/bmw-e30-m3-1990-3 ... dZViewItem

[Kedge]

Looks like some eoffort has gone into that, probably cost as much as buying an M3.

[maxfield]

The last time it got posted up people said it was dodgy.

[jonny320is]

It almost looks like an M3 chassis with an is engine in, If it wasn't for the right hand drive I would of said it was!
Did they still do that style of rear lights on a H reg apart from the M3?

[touringandy]

i heard it was a m3 but the engine was phuked an he put a is in it but still has original one there

[maxfield]

Don't think so apart from Motorsport cabs.

[jonny320is]

i heard it was a m3 but the engine was phuked an he put a is in it but still has original one there

[ShepsEvo3]

Also from what I remember the last ebay listing for this car was describing it as an M3 with the engine in bits in his garage.

I'd buy it for a bit of fun - at the right price ofcoarse!

[jonny320is]

Sounds like it could be good for spares, at the right price!

[touringandy]

i heard it was a m3 but the engine was phuked an he put a is in it but still has original one there

what !! this car was listed on another site an it read buy the seller, that it was an m3 with a fuc**d up engine so he put a is in it for time bieng until m3 engine was rebuilt ok .if hes readvertised it as somethink along them lines hes bin caught out an is now selling it as what it relly is ok !!

[ShepsEvo3]

I think if you do a check on the reg number, it will come up as a 318is.

[shedrool83]

I think if you do a check on the reg number, it will come up as a 318is.

Does,just checked on rac

[jonny320is]

It is an odd ball then!

[curryp]

why would a 318is have clocks in kilometers?

[curryp]

Quote: Q: Hi there,just wondering if this a genuine M3 with steel arches etc and a 318is engine or is it just a replica with fibreglass arches and kit,if it is genuine...more 17-Sep-07

A: no fibreglass what so ever all steel and it says 318is on log book hope this helps

a RHD with real arches and boot? could be a good buy

[Colonel Sanders]

he wants 3600 for it, asked him last time it was on, its still got the 4 stud wheels an is deff not an m3, but dont look bad for a rep though must admit

[jonny320is]

That could just about be the rarist 318is in exsistance!
I would love to know the true story behind this car

[fozzymandeus]

what a strange thing. and what is the deal with the odd air filter?

[jonny320is]

There's too many odd things going on with that car.
To fake a H reg 318is into a proper M3 look-a-like then he would of had to change the bumpers, front wings, rear quarters (pretty mean feat in itself), rear bumper, bootlid, and the hardest things of all, which make me wonder about this car, he'd have to change the rear window(!!!!) and the rear lights to the old mark 1 style!!
Even the wheels sit properly in the arches, yet its still 4 stud and registered as a 318is.
Thats way too much work to do to fake it. You'd be better off buying a genuine one.
This car really is something else!

[DIBLY]

I think its whats known as a "ringer" he says its an "is" but clearly the shell is an m3. love to see the serial numbers off the fenders etc as they all come with ids and find out where the m3 came from?

[dannyboy759]

Where does it say its got the four stud hubs on it?
But the front discs dont look like M3 ones, look like standard e30 ones.
It is possible to change the rear screen, but like someone said here its a mean feat to do.
But what ever it is its a B$"tard, i wouldnt touch it if it was lhd then it might be worth a look as a least it would have the brake feel on a lhd

[Colonel Sanders]

he told me it was 4 stud

[snoops]

why would a 318is have clocks in kilometers?

not very hard to change the clocks

[harry_p]

the first word that popped into my head - 'ringer' it all looks very dodgy. wonder if it's got a standard front sceen or an m3 bonded type one (which i believe means using a different screen surround / scuttle pannel)

[touringandy]

looks like pikeys in the pictures lol dags

[curryp]

not very hard to change the clocks

why change them? does it mean the cars only done 87000 miles?

too many strange changes

[tim_s]

im intrigued about it; rhd m3-shelled version of my car with the 2.1 and all my bits would be very cool. clearly dodgy as hell though.

[Speedtouch]

It's come up for sale at least 3 times on E-bay now - very fishy! Background landscape does it no favours this time round, though maybe it's a good car being marketed badly?

[ShepsEvo3]

Is it all by the same initial seller?

[Speedtouch]

AFAIK, yes. Same area anyway.

[Bob_S]

maybe it's got a 318is identity wheich has been transferred onto an M3 shell and when he put the m42 in he thought I may aswell make it rhd as I dont have the power any more and it's feasable.

simple explanation?

[DanThe]

Why doesnt anyone think its just an iS with M3 panels swapped onto it?

[tim_s]

Why doesnt anyone think its just an iS with M3 panels swapped onto it?

shell looks too much like an m3 to me. most reps look wrong at the back; this one looks right - pre facelift lights, roof and rear window etc i *think* looks right too. anyone else have an opinion on this?

[Bob_S]

tim, yes it looks like an m shell not a kitted up version

[jpboost]

maybe it's got a 318is identity wheich has been transferred onto an M3 shell and when he put the m42 in he thought I may aswell make it rhd as I dont have the power any more and it's feasable.

simple explanation?

Yes a relatively simple explanation. But a completely illegal one.

The car 'has' to be a ringer. I'm not saying it's neccessarily been stolen, but it has the wrong identity for the type of shell. There can be no other answer. Conseqently it's got little value as a car. It'd be interesting to see what they've done to the vintag on the scuttle.


The shell's value is probably highest to someone who want's to build a non road legal track car. As a road car, there is potential that it'd get impounded (and crushed) if the 'irregularities' are noticed by the DVLA.

FWIW The shell looks spot on for an m3 shell. The boot hinges, the rear wondw bits, all the panels look right, and line up. if it's a panelled up normal e30, then they've done a better job than anyone else has done....