Friday 31st October 2008

SOTW: BMW E30 320i

It was acceptable in the 80's and it's still more than acceptable today.

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Since the 80’s are having a revival right now, I thought it would be nice to have a wander down memory lane when mobile phones were brick-sized and you could get away with a Winchester shirt.

This was one of THE cars of the mid-80’s. It symbolised you had arrived; it matched with the wine bar lifestyle and the shoulder pads. If you had one of these you were a player, and probably listened to Tears for Fears.

Sadly, these old 3-series are becoming a rare sight and getting rarer as time marches on. It was for that very reason why, when I stumbled across this little beauty, I contacted PH to ask if I could spend the weekly imaginary £1000. Well a nice E30 has to be better than that old Golf hasn't it.

This E30 was registered in 1986 on a C plate, and has a vague sounding 80k miles. Finished in silver, it's complimented by the 80’s-tastic chrome trim, dinky little 14 inch BBS alloy wheels, oh and the jewel of a 2.0 straight-6 engine giving 127bhp propelling not much over a ton in weight.

The M20 straight-6 is really the only way to go for the E30 as most of the 4-pots (save the M3) were a bit anaemic, and a decent 325i was way over our £1000 budget.

Reading the ad, it doesn't mention if it’s got leather so let's assume not, but it has got the optional electric windows and sunroof. It's hard to believe that these features were an optional extra back in 1986, but hey BMW used to charge you for a radio in those days.

So £750 doesn’t seem a lot for this almost time-warp BMW, and is a cut above most of the other growlers you see at this kind of money. In fact this could be a SOTW first, a tip for a car that might go up in value over the next few years. How many Sheds’ could you say that about?

Advert Says:

Nice little 3 series, long mot and tax, service history, 80k miles, manual box, electric windows, electric sunroof, alarm/imob, alloys, chrome bumper model, lots of work carried out recently.  £750

[205gtinut]

Love this shape, even today. Good SOTW!!!

[williamp]

Lovely. I had an 'e-reg one in black. Found out later it had been subterly lowered. Nicely quick, looked good (still does to my eyes) but I had the only spin in my driving career in it. Still cant explain what happened, as I wasnt even driving quickly.

[OJ]

Sorry, but every time I see one of these all I can think of is 'Sol, who is going to mug two black fellas, holding pistols, sat in a car that is worth less than your shirt?'

[princeperch]

OJ said:

Sorry, but every time I see one of these all I can think of is 'Sol, who is going to mug two black fellas, holding pistols, sat in a car that is worth less than your shirt?'

if that was out of Lock, Stock etc I thought that car was an old school rover saloon?

[dan101smith]

princeperch said:

OJ said:

Sorry, but every time I see one of these all I can think of is 'Sol, who is going to mug two black fellas, holding pistols, sat in a car that is worth less than your shirt?'

if that was out of Lock, Stock etc I thought that car was an old school rover saloon?

The Business, unless I am much mistaken?

[S3_Graham]

had 2x 325 sports, love them... want another so badly... that straight 6 noise is the best!

[bencollins]

what a beautifully styled car the triumph dolomite was, hardly dated at all, oh wait, erm hang on......

[snotrag]

The M20 straight-6 is really the only way to go for the E30 as most of the 4-pots (save the M3) were a bit anaemic


Noooo! what about the 318IS? (M52 Engine? Cant remember) They are awesome!

[rockystarr]

I have always had a soft spot for the E30. Now then my uncle has a 4 door 325 version that he bought back in June, just needs a goin over for Mot, (far as I know the previous had in a lock up for a year.) would this be an acepptable track toy? I Know the 3 doors are cooler but hey I could get this for free!

[dougc]

dan101smith said:

princeperch said:

OJ said:

Sorry, but every time I see one of these all I can think of is 'Sol, who is going to mug two black fellas, holding pistols, sat in a car that is worth less than your shirt?'

if that was out of Lock, Stock etc I thought that car was an old school rover saloon?

The Business, unless I am much mistaken?

Its from Snatch, before Sol and Vincent hold up the Bookies.

[Strawman]

Are we allowed to say 'growler' on here?

[fathomfive]

dan101smith said:

princeperch said:

OJ said:

Sorry, but every time I see one of these all I can think of is 'Sol, who is going to mug two black fellas, holding pistols, sat in a car that is worth less than your shirt?'

if that was out of Lock, Stock etc I thought that car was an old school rover saloon?

The Business, unless I am much mistaken?

Snatch IIRC. Red 3-series.

The Rover SD1 was in there too. Just not that scene.

[Dubmaster77]

dougc said:

dan101smith said:

princeperch said:

OJ said:

Sorry, but every time I see one of these all I can think of is 'Sol, who is going to mug two black fellas, holding pistols, sat in a car that is worth less than your shirt?'

if that was out of Lock, Stock etc I thought that car was an old school rover saloon?

The Business, unless I am much mistaken?

Its from Snatch, before Sol and Vincent hold up the Bookies.

And they where in an E12 5 series!

[peter450]

I do like the 80s shape 3 series, the later shapes were not quite as distinctive, i'd love a Alpina B6

That is truely the ultimate, M3 chassis with straight six power

http://home.online.no/~krimp/sweb/photo_alpinabB6_...

[OJ]

dougc said:

dan101smith said:

princeperch said:

OJ said:

Sorry, but every time I see one of these all I can think of is 'Sol, who is going to mug two black fellas, holding pistols, sat in a car that is worth less than your shirt?'

if that was out of Lock, Stock etc I thought that car was an old school rover saloon?

The Business, unless I am much mistaken?

Its from Snatch, before Sol and Vincent hold up the Bookies.

It was actually near the end as Sol is sticking the diamond into his undercrackers... a few seconds before Vinnie Jones taps his Desert Eagle .50 against the window!

[OJ]

Dubmaster77 said:

dougc said:

dan101smith said:

princeperch said:

OJ said:

Sorry, but every time I see one of these all I can think of is 'Sol, who is going to mug two black fellas, holding pistols, sat in a car that is worth less than your shirt?'

if that was out of Lock, Stock etc I thought that car was an old school rover saloon?

The Business, unless I am much mistaken?

Its from Snatch, before Sol and Vincent hold up the Bookies.

And they where in an E12 5 series!

Was it a 5-series? I knew it was the older model, the E30 in that kind of frumpy spec just conjures up that 'old bimmer' image for me!

[Dubmaster77]

snotrag said:

The M20 straight-6 is really the only way to go for the E30 as most of the 4-pots (save the M3) were a bit anaemic


Noooo! what about the 318IS? (M52 Engine? Cant remember) They are awesome!

Exactly! In fact as someone who as owned various E30,s both 4 and 6 cylinder I have to say its the 320 that is the poor relation, The fours all pulled well though maybe not "fast" They did gie good economy.
The 320 may have been quite smooth but had the thirst of a 325 with just slightly better performance than a 318i, The is was a different matter all together!! Baby M3!

Id much rather keep my 16v golf over this but i would be tempted into an Is or maybe another mint 325 sport!!! One car i do regret selling!!

[pSyCoSiS]

dan101smith said:

princeperch said:

OJ said:

Sorry, but every time I see one of these all I can think of is 'Sol, who is going to mug two black fellas, holding pistols, sat in a car that is worth less than your shirt?'

if that was out of Lock, Stock etc I thought that car was an old school rover saloon?

The Business, unless I am much mistaken?

The Business had a black E30 325i Convertiable in there....

I thought Lock Stock had an E28? Or was that Snatch?

[fastgerman.com]

That's what I'm talking about!

Good fun with some wet leaves on sweeping corners!

[kmpowell]

OJ said:

Sorry, but every time I see one of these all I can think of is 'Sol, who is going to mug two black fellas, holding pistols, sat in a car that is worth less than your shirt?'

Sorry fella, that wasn't a 3 series, it was a 1982 520i [E28]