WHAT IS IT?
The BMW E30 325is marks the beginning of the long road back to credibility for the 3-series. The 2002tii was a tough act to follow after U.S. emissions laws did it in, and sadly, we never got the 2002 Turbo in the U.S. The E21 320i was loved by the yuppies, while derided by enthusiasts. The first E30, the four-cylinder 318i didn’t give the faithful much to love, and the first six, the dreadful 325es with its low-revving Eta engine was perhaps the nadir. The 167hp 325is however, was what the journos had been begging BMW for since roughly 1973. A 325is with a manual is peak non-M3 spec for the E30 in the U.S.
WHY THIS ONE HAS BEST ONE ON THE PLANET CHOPS
The photos of this car do the talking–its Alpine White paint, and near-perfect black interior with sport seats are simply gorgeous, a reminder of when BMW style meant something. The engine compartment presents as new, and the underside is simply astonishing–just a little surface corrosion on the exhaust and brake rotors. The 27,000 miles shown could easily pass for 2,700. The $45,000 paid on Bring a Trailer was a fairly titanic sum, but as we say with alarming frequency, go find another.
A 325is with a manual is peak non-M3 spec for the E30 in the U.S.
This example is exceptional. 25 years ago, I had the choice of one of these or an E30 M3 as a daily. Hands down, the 325is was the better choice. This Alpine white one checks a lot of those boxes in terms of condition. Since these cars were so robust, the cosmetics would go far sooner than the mechanicals. The restraint to only add 27k miles over nearly 40 years is insane. Bravo.
Now, is it the “best one on the planet?” I’m not sure. They made a ton of these and there are some that got squirreled away. I have a feeling that we’ll see many more special survivors like this one pop-up over the next decade.