1992 BMW 316i Touring (E30)

Highlights

• Classic BMW styling meets load-lugging practicality
• Excellent Sterling Silver paintwork
• Well-preserved interior
• Extensive service history
• Very original throughout 

Overview

Round headlights and thin A-pillars are two features banished to the history books, so they help to give this BMW a definite ‘classic’ look. The E30 is unashamedly from another era, with its chunky dashboard switches and grey cloth upholstery.

So it comes as no surprise to hear from the vendor that this particular 316i has been used mostly for driving to classic car shows. And we can see why: with paintwork, interior, and engine bay all of which you could eat your dinner from, it’ll certainly garner its fair share of admiring glances.

The accompanying paperwork details extensive service history covering most of the past three decades, showing that it has always been well cared for. It has reportedly been stored in garages and underground car parks, with the condition of the plastic, rubber trim pieces and dashboard providing evidence to support this claim.

So if you’re after a true modern classic with plenty of load-carrying capacity, then this 316i Touring is about as practical a choice as you can make.

History and documentation

• Registered 24 January 1992
• Invoices and stamped service book with services as follows: Jun 1992 @ 1,330 miles, Jan 1993 @ 3,081 miles, Nov 1993 @ 6,626 miles, Jan 1994 @ 7,315 miles, Jan 1995 @ 12,741 miles, Feb 1996 @ 18,884 miles, Feb 1997 @ 27,284 miles, 1999 @ 33,644 miles, Mar 2000 @ 36,310 miles, Mar 2003 @ 43,863 miles, Apr 2004 @ 45,368 miles, Mar 2006 @ 48,735 miles, Mar 2007 @ 50,776 miles, Mar 2010 @ 55,463 miles, Mar 2011 @ 57,463 miles, Mar 2013, Mar 2014 @ 63,228 miles, Mar 2015 @ 63,980 miles, Mar 2016 @ 67,629 miles, Mar 2017 @ 69,035 miles, Mar 2018 @ 69,417 miles, Oct 2020 @ 75,798 miles
• The seller tells us that they mostly use the car to attend classic car shows
• Original document pack
• Extensive collection of invoices
• Two keys
• Current MOT expires 26 May 2025
• V5 present in owner’s name
• Only three former keepers on the V5 — the seller informs us that the first owner purchased the car through his company then transferred it to his private ownership
• Current keeper since January 2020
• HPI clear

Interior

• Stepping into this BMW transports you straight back to the early 90s
• Tasteful grey cloth upholstery with black trim
• There is a small mark on the driver’s seat cover
• Manual seat adjusters
• Grey carpets in good condition for their age
• Door cards in good condition
• Unlike many E30s, the dashboard is crack-free, probably as a result of spending much of its time out of the sun
• BMW M-Tech 1 steering wheel, installed by the owner for comfort
• Chunky buttons and switches on the dashboard
• Bold, clear analogue instruments
• Stereo/cassette player
• Electric windows and sunroof
• The seller tells us that everything works as it should do
• The rear seats show very little sign of use
• Manual rear window winders
• The headlining has a few light marks
• Enormous load area to the rear
• Original tonneau cover
• Warning triangle, first aid kit and jack stowed in the rear
• Full size spare wheel under the boot floor
• Spare wheel well in good condition

Exterior

• Classic BMW styling which has aged well
• Overall, this 316i is presented in extremely good condition
• The Sterling Silver paint is excellent
• The seller tells us that the car has been ceramic coated for protection
• For its age, there are very few chips, marks, or scratches that we could find
• The body panels all appear to be straight, with no damage reported
• 14-inch alloy wheels
• Very few signs of kerb damage or scuffs that we could see
• Matching set of Nexen tyres, which are said to retain good tread
• Even the wheel arches appear to be very well presented
• A little fading to the bonnet badge
• Headlights clear and bright
• Discreetly located rear parking sensors in the black rear bumper insert
• The rubber and plastic trim pieces look very good for their age, with no obvious UV damage
• One small area of bubbling on the nearside C pillar
• Single-exit exhaust

Mechanical

• 1,569 cc, four-cylinder petrol engine
• 98 bhp and 107 lb ft
• Four-speed ZF automatic transmission
• Rear-wheel drive
• The engine bay is extremely clean and tidy — ready to be displayed at classic car shows
• On the underside there is some surface corrosion to most of the suspension and drivetrain components
• The exhaust pipe has an area of localised corrosion just before the rear silencer, which may explain the slight noise reported by the vendor
• There is an invoice on file for replacing the timing belt and water pump in Jun 2021 @ 75,000 miles
• Steering rack replaced in 2015
• The filter in the automatic transmission has reportedly been replaced, along with the transmission fluid and differential oil
• No warning lights reported
• The car starts easily and is said to comfortably sit at 80 mph on the motorway

Summary

You could be forgiven for mistaking this BMW for a car half its age, thanks to the condition of its paintwork and interior. But then you notice the unmistakable classic styling and get that indescribably warm fuzzy feeling, only present when driving a true survivor.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Newcastle Upon Tyne