Price: SOLD
Mileage: 165,200 Miles
Transmission: Manual Transmission
Owner: 2-Owner Colorado Car
Exterior color: Royal Blue Metallic Exterior (BMW Paint Code 198)
Interior: Natur (Tan) Leather Interior
Additional features:
Crack Free Dash
Projector Headlights
Leather Sport Heated Seats
3-Spoke Sport Steering Wheel
13-Button On Board Computer
Premium Sound
Manual Top
Factory Wind Deflector
Borbet 16” Wheels (including a spare)
Stock 14” Bottle Cap Wheels
Kenwood KDC-162U Head Unit
Original Factory Option Codes:
BMW E30’s (1984-1991 3 Series) are one of our specialty vehicles at Glen Shelly Auto Brokers. I have restored, rebuilt, and sorted a dozen E30’s over the years. I currently own three 1989 E30’s including an IX, an IS and a Touring. This 1989 325i convertible checks all of the boxes for a proper drop top E30. The Royal Blue Metallic over Natur Tan leather is a striking combination. When I saw it I had to have it. The matching dark blue top is in excellent shape with a crystal clear new rear window. The factory wind deflector makes top down motoring wonderfully civilized. Inside heated sport seats, premium sound, and a 13-button on board computer are desirable appointments in the E30 world.
1989 is one of the best model years for E30’s. Unlike the Coupes and Sedans, 1989 was a pre-facelift year for the convertible. This is a good thing because it has a manual top, opposed to the failure prone power top on later models. 1989’s also had projector headlights and non-airbag 3-spoke sport steering wheels, opposed to the less desirable sealed beams and the 4-spoke airbag steering wheel. The aluminum (diving board) bumpers look fantastic against a Royal Blue backdrop, especially with the color-matched trim that convertibles received. I added a set of Borbet 16” wheels. They are IX fitment so I used 15mm spacers to match the non-IX offset. Also included are the stock 14” BMW bottle cap wheels that look equally as nice. Convertible season is year round in Colorado. Fair weather days in the spring, fall, and winter are often more enjoyable than the nuclear hot days of summer. I’ve had this car since early December and put the top down on every drive! It must be seen in person to be appreciated.
This is a 2-owner E30 that has spent its entire life in Colorado. The first owner registered it in Colorado Springs and drove it for 106,000 miles. The second owner purchased it in 1998 and kept it in Colorado Springs until they moved to Littleton in the spring of 2011. It was traded in to Schomp BMW in October of 2015. I purchased it from them through auction after watching it for a few weeks. When I got it I did a full service. All work was completed by me or Autosport Werks, a BMW specialist shop well versed in E30’s. Here is what that service included:
The following items were also replaced:
The last oil change was at 164,536 (about 250 miles ago).
The result is a turn-key E30 that needs nothing. The M20 engine starts on command and has no running issues. It idles smoothly and pulls strong in that wonderful way that only an M20B25 does. It doesn’t leak or spot. The clutch engages smoothly and the shifter is super tight thanks to the rebuild (not the spoon in the bowl of spaghetti that so many are). There are no drive shaft U-joint, center shaft bearing, differential, CV axle, or wheel bearing noise or vibration. The shocks (KYB brand) and suspension bushings are firm and compliant. The E30 is one of the most reliable BMW’s of all time. I’ve owned one with over 350,000 miles on one that I regularly drove across country with confidence. This example is properly sorted and ready to be enjoyed for many hundreds of thousands of miles.
Royal Blue Metallic is one of the best E30 colors and one of the more exclusive hues. It looks fantastic with the dark blue cloth top. The paint and clear coat are in very good condition with much less wear than would be expected for this E30’s age and mileage. A close inspection reveals imperfections, but compared to most E30’s it looks very good. Based on its condition I suspect it was always stored indoors. The aluminum diving board bumpers, black inserts, and the paint-matched trim are in great shape. The dark blue cloth top has no excessive fading or holes. I had a high-end upholstery shop replace the rear window. The windshield is free of the pitting most Colorado cars get. It has no cracks and there is only one small chip about 3mm in diameter. The Borbet wheels I mounted have no curb rash, bends, or paint chips. The stock bottle caps are also in very good condition. All VIN tags are in place. The projector headlights are not cracked, pitted, or cloudy. The same is true for the indicator, brake, and taillights. The lower lip valence appears to have been replaced with an OEM unit. The fog lights have been deleted, which tidy’s up the front end considerably. Overall the exterior is in fantastic shape. The biggest defects I could find were small chips on the lower leading edges that someone addressed with touch up paint and some chips low behind the passenger wheel well. They are small and infrequent, the largest being about the size of a nickel. The power antenna does not retract completely. If I were keeping the car I would replace it with a Z3 antenna.
The interior condition is the biggest clue this car has lived indoors. The dashboard is crack-free and not UV faded. The leather sport seats are in good shape, but they do have some wear. The worst areas are in the common spots on the outboard cushion and backrest bolsters. There is what looks like a previous repair on the driver’s side backrest bolster. The other areas have superficial cracks in the leather dye, but nothing down to the foam. They present well and are both supportive and comfortable. All functions work (most importantly the seat heaters) although the driver’s side recline and height adjustments can be finicky. The door cards, rear trim, and rear seats are in good shape. The convertible top storage deck lid (directly behind the headrests) has a few weird circles in the finish, but they are not glaring (pictures are on our website). All controls and options work correctly. The heat is warm and the air condition is cold. The odometer and trip meter work. All dashboard and console lights work. The 13-button computer has no blown out pixels and good back lighting. There are no lights on the overhead check panel. The horn, windshield wipers & washers, turn signals, and cruise control function correctly. The window switches all work, as does the central locking system. The Kenwood head unit illumination is similar to the factory BMW. It sounds great through the premium sound speakers and has aux and USB inputs. The carpet is not stained; it has been protected by matching factory floor mats, which are in fair condition. The convertible top latches operate smoothly and correctly. The top instructions on the driver’s sun visor are present, but in very poor condition. The original owners manual is in the glove box. There is a complete tool kit in the trunk.
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