1989 BMW 325ic Convertible E30 - Ready to drive!

Description

This 1989 BMW 325 I Convertible ( E30 chassis ) is an un-modified turn key car ready for a worry-free cross-country road trip today.

The condition is excellent cosmetically and mechanically. I have 5 keys, original manuals/literature, and partial records going back to when the car was new. There are about $12,000 in receipts included, $9,000 of them from the past 4 years. Every typical E30 problem area has been addressed including the suspension, soft top replacement, fuel pump, and of course, the dreaded timing belt with accessories. I will outline the condition below and have nearly 200 pictures and videos detailing the vehicle condition. I also have time line type excel list documenting all of the known records in order of date.
Exterior:
Original paint is in excellent shape with no door dings. There are some minor scratches as expected from standard use. The body is straight as an arrow. This car has had garage sparking for most of it’s life and you can tell by the condition. Even the plastics around the metal bumpers are not warped at all (most are warped from the sun).

The rear trunk pockets are rust free inside and out which is rare for even California cars. The tail light seals tend to dry up and let rain in that pools in the pockets. Not the case here. I replaced the seal with new ones for good measure.

All of the lights front and rear are in excellent shape. The typical tail light lens spidering is non-existent on this car. The fog lights look new as well.

The top is a new German fabric replacement top. The top and the tension straps were replaced under 20k miles ago and as noted above, the car was stored in a garage. I treated the top to “303 convertible fabric guard” which protects against sun while repelling water and dirt.

The power antenna works flawlessly and silently.
The door handles and locks all work well.
The windshield seems to have been replaced and a new factory chrome trim was used or, the trim original is in like new shape. All other glass is original.

All of the vehicle seals are in great shape. I replaced the tail light seals proactively.

Interior:
The interior is all original including the factory radio which sounds great.

Dashboard is crack free.

The black seat leather appears to be original and has no tears, seam splits, or holes. The leather is soft and not dry. The car has heated seats from the factory and both sides warm up quickly.

The carpet is very clean with no significant wear, cigarette burns, or stains.

All of the switches, buttons, levers, controls, and gauge cluster with associated lighting work well. There are no signs that the gauge cluster has ever stopped working. The included records back the mileage.

The HVAC works as it should. The vents all direct air as expected. The heat blows hot, the AC blows cool but, not cold. My guess is a recharge of R-12 alternative is needed. The compressor kicks on and engine compensation performs as expected.

The cruise control works well.

Mechanical:

The car is in excellent mechanical condition. I would drive it across country right now without hesitation. Every common E30 problem has been addressed to assure a safe, fun, and reliable experience. Classic cars will always need some minor tinkering so, there is no warranty implied here but, I there are not many classic BMWs for sale that are ready for a worry free road trip like this example. The car runs quite and shifts perfectly. Here is a list of notable maintenance items:
5/10/2019: Timing belt and tensioner, head gasket, water pump, cap and rotor, exhaust manifold gasket/plug wire heat shield, thermostat, coolant pipes, coolant flushed, and oil changed.
5/13/2019: Rear OE Bilstein shocks replaced along with Lemforder HD top mounts.

8/20/2018: New brake rotors, pads, and sensors.

7/26/2018: New alternator.

11/17/2017: New tires.

5/12/2016: New OE fuel pump.

4/28/2016: Replaced right control arm, front struts, front strut mounts, front bearing, and rear diff reseal.

6/10/2015: Replaced left control arm and added a new exhaust.
Other large items: new oil pan, new crank position sensor, new battery, new oil pressure sender, new power steering hoses.

Wear and tear: The driver’s side fender was repainted at one point and the vin label was painted over. This is the only body vin I cannot confirm as a match for originality. The new paint was blended into the hood and driver’s side door as expected. Both the hood and door have matching vin numbers indicating they have never been replaced. The paint match is excellent. There is a small paint chip with very minor rust starting to form in the bottom of the repainted fender. The mirrors and third brake light have some sun fade. Quotes I got for the lower fender paint chip repair, repainting the mirrors, and repainting the third brake light cover have ranged from $400-$500 in the Boston, Ma area. The rear metal bumper is oxidizing a bit on one side. These are readily available used for around $50.
Please feel free to look at my flickr album where I have 124 detailed photos and 12 videos. Cold start, driving, convertible top operation, etc. Use the link below.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmEjbZf5
Happy bidding and good luck!