SHARE
THIS
LISTING
Exterior photo of 1988 BMW (E30) 325i Touring

1988 BMW (E30) 325i Touring

INQUIRE ABOUT THIS VEHICLE

Details

Price: SOLD

Mileage: 148,000 Miles

Engine: M20B25 2.5-Liter 6-Cylinder Engine

Transmission: 5-Speed Manual Transmission

Exterior color: Malachite Metallic Exterior (205)

Interior: Anthracite Cloth Sport Interior

Additional features:

Cone Filter Intake

4:10 Limited-Slip Differential

Right Hand Drive

M Tech II Steering Wheel

Sport Seats

Euro Smiley Projector Headlights

Intensive Cleaning System (headlight wiper / washers)

Suspension Techniques Lowering Springs

Bilstein Shocks

Pioneer CD Player

Virtually No Rust

Shadowline Trim

Black Suede Headliner

Power Windows (Front and Rear)

Power Sunroof

Fold Down Rear Seats

Cargo Cover

Euro Analog Clock

Kooks Muffler

BMW Mudflaps

17-Inch 5-Spoke Alpina Replica Wheels

Falken Ziex High Performance Tires

UK Market Touring

25-Year Exempt

Clean Carfax

Colorado Title

Background

1988 BMW (E30) 325i Touring exterior photo

The 1984-1991 BMW 3 Series, known generationally as the E30, is the one model more than any other that earned BMW the Ultimate Driving Machine reputation. E30s are one of our specialty vehicles at Glen Shelly Auto Brokers. The E30 Touring was the pet project of BMW engineer Max Reisbock. He literally built the first E30 touring out of a wrecked 323i in his garage after work—it was so good that BMW put it into production (with a few minor changes). The E30 Touring started a legacy of sporty BMW wagons that remains to this day. All late-model tourings were spec’d with the 325 suspension and 4-wheel disc brakes. The extra pillars added rigidity over the Coupe and Sedan and there is slightly more rear weight bias, giving it superb handling characteristics. Fold down rear seats, shadowline trim, and Euro headlights make the Touring one of the most exclusive and sporting E30s. The U.S. market never got the Touring, but they are legal now, thanks to the 25-year exemption.

Summary

 exterior photo

This Malachite Green Touring came to us as a consignment car from a fellow E30 enthusiast. Malachite Green was an exclusive color never offered in the US market, and it looks fantastic over seventeen-inch Alpina rep wheels. The factory Intensive Cleaning System and European smiley projector headlights are other Euro bits we never got in the States, either. Inside it is outfitted with an M Tech II steering wheel, cloth sport seats, a suede headliner, and the analog clock. Upgrades include a high-flow intake, custom Kooks exhaust (it’s one of the best sounding E30s we’ve had), Sport Techniques lowering springs, Bilstein shocks and a 4:10 limited slip differential. It came to the United States in 2015 at 145K miles and to Colorado shortly afterwards. Since then it has been driven sparingly and treated to significant maintenance including the timing belt, water pump, thermostat, fresh cooling hoses, larger US market radiator, spark plugs, suspension bushings, and a catalytic converter was added so it passes emissions. It comes with a clean Colorado title and recent emissions test results.

Exterior

1988 BMW (E30) 325i Touring exterior photo

The Malachite Green paint is in good condition and always garners compliments out on the road and at the local Cars and Coffee. It has been repainted at some point, but it was a quality paint job. Close scrutiny does reveal minor dings and scratches. There is no rust, except for negligible corrosion where the paint has worn off on the bottom of the door seams and the very bottom of hatch (all are pictured on our website if you are reading this elsewhere). The Euro VIN placard and firewall stamp are in place. The body and panel gaps are perfectly straight. All black-work and trim are present and intact; the Touring-specific side skirts are paint-matched and look great! The right of the front bumper has a small crack in it. Factory mud flaps are fitted behind the rear wheels. The windshield has one small crack in the upper right hand corner, but it is out the field of vision. The Euro smiley headlights are functional, but do have cracks in the passenger side low beam glass. The turn signals, marker lights, and tail-lights have good lenses. The fog lights are covered with yellow film; the left side has a cracked lens, which is masked by the film. The roof antenna shared with the E30 M3 is present and it looks great mounted to the slick-top roof. The Alpina replica wheels are straight and true with minor curb rash and perfect center caps. The Falken Ziex High Performance tires have 50% tread remaining.

Interior

 interior photo

The interior is in very good condition. There are no odors and it has never been smoked in. The carpet is in good condition and an aftermarket suede headliner is installed. The cloth E30 sport seats have M Tech badges and are in great shape except for a few small runs in the driver’s seat bottom fabric. The rear seats have the factory headrests. The dash has minor cracks, but it is still presentable. The M Tech II steering wheel is in great shape, as are the shift knob and boot. All instrument cluster functions, including the odometer, work correctly. The analog clock is a nice European touch. The Pioneer Stereo sounds great through aftermarket speakers. The front and rear power window switches work. The rear hatch cover also has the super rare retractable cargo net. There is a fire extinguisher mounted under the driver’s seat. The owners’ manuals, stereo manual, first aid kit, safety vest, and road flares are also included with the sale.

Mechanical

 engine photo

No common E30 issues are present, thanks to the list of recent maintenance listed in the summary paragraph. The engine idles smoothly and pulls very strongly to redline. The exhaust sounds amazing! The 4:10 limited slip differential adds notable acceleration. The clutch does not slip, the take-up is correct and the shifter is tight—not the spoon in a bowl of spaghetti that so many E30s are. The transmission and driveline are quiet and free of vibration. The suspension is firm yet compliant and the bushings are tight, many have been recently replaced. A US Market catalytic converter was added for emissions compliance in Colorado.

VIN Decode

 exterior photo

VIN Decode

  • VIN: WBAAG520X03196390
  • Type: AG52
  • Model: 325i – EUR
  • Development Code: E30 (5)
  • Chassis: TOUR
  • Steering: RL
  • Doors: 5
  • Engine: M20
  • Displacement: 2.50
  • Power: 169 Horsepower
  • Drivetrain: RWD
  • Transmission: Manual
  • Color: Malachite Green Metallic (Malachitegruen Metallic – 294)
  • Upholstery: Anthracite Cloth (Anthrazit Stoff 0274)
  • Production Plant: Regensburg
  • Production Date: 6-4-1988

Options

  • 200 Without Catalytic Converter
  • 215 Power Steering Depending On Engine Speed
  • 288 BMW Light Alloy Wheel Cross Spoke 29
  • 300 Deleted Model Lettering
  • 410 Sunroof
  • 481 Sport Seats
  • 500 Headlight Washer Intensive Cleaning
  • 510 Headlight Vertical Aim Control
  • 681 Roof Antenna
  • 708 M Tech II Steering Wheel
  • 812 Great Britain Version
  • 850 Additional Export Tank Filling
  • 925 Dispatch Protection Pack