Back to Basics: 1988 BMW 325i E30
I love featuring random crazy kit cars and super well preserved malaise era boats as much as the next guy, but there are times when you’ve got to get back to basics when it comes to finding your “daily turismo”. Let’s rewind the clock to July 17th, 2012 when this little website was first launched, and some dude (me) wrote that cars on DT would be; Fun (which was loosely defined as: 1) Manual transmission 2) Rear wheel drive 3) Fast) and Cheap. That’s it. So here is something that gets back to basics. Find this 1988 BMW 325i E30 offered for $3300 in Phoenix, AZ via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.
From the seller:
1988 BMW 325i
fuel: gas
title status: clean
transmission: manual
1988 BMW 325i E30 Clean Title
5 speed manual transmission, clean interior, OEM BMW Style 10 Wheels with brand new tires, Raceland coilovers and Raceland shocks. Rebuilt top end, New head gasket, Brand new timing belt and water pump. Runs and Drives great.
$3300 Cash. No Lowballers. No Trades.
See a better way to drive in the ultimate yuppy machine? tips@dailyturismo.com
Posted on Craigslist, mentioned by DT, promptly deleted from Craigslist. Had this been in my locale I would've shouted "clear a path M-f'ers I'm coming through" and teleported there. A minty e30 or a 3rd or 5th gen Prelude are on my current shortlist of used whips to make a ruckus over as I've given up on finding a decent but affordable Datsun Z.
You made me think of my 2nd gen Prelude. Such a great car. I didn’t think I would fit in it, but it was like a perfect glove, everything in the right place and in reach. It had high miles and coastal roof rust so it wasn’t “worth” anything, but I drove it long daily distances for a couple of years with zero issues (except a leaky sunroof) until…
At a stoplight on a hill, the pickup truck in front of me started rolling back very slowly. By the time I noticed, I couldn’t get into R, the hill wasn’t steep enough to set me rolling back fast enough, and anyway there was someone behind me. Crrrrrrrrrrunch. The bottom of his bumper caught the top of my flip-up lights, tilting them back half an inch. But they were broken, wouldn’t flip down, and blocked the hood from being able to open. The mechanic scratched his head and said he could even imagine how he would get it apart. I distinctly recall him saying “Can opener?” Then sourcing a new hood and light assembly, bla bla bla. Totaled. I suppose I could have sorted it with some time and tools (wish I’d known Vince and CFlo in those days), but I was poor and needed a car immediately for work.
Yikes – and thx for sharing. I feel your pain, a vintage 80's Honda is close to being a living, breathing friend. Having one ruined on your watch would suck. I had a 3rd gen Prelude Si AWS from '97 to '04, bought at 100k miles and sold at 212k miles with no more effort put into it than brake pads. I haven't owned another car since that had such a profound air of solidity and control. The German student I sold it to in Texas said he'd wanted one for years and didn't blink twice at the miles. I'm hoping he took it back to Deutschland when he finished at U.T.