The average price of a BMW E30 is $9,791, however that figure includes all variants, including the 318i, M3, and grey-market Touring versions. The real query is how much do the 318s, 325s, and M3s cost.
- The typical price of a BMW E30 M3 is $50,249
- A BMW E30 4-cylinder 318i typically costs around $4,900.
- A BMW E30 6-cylinder 325i typically costs around $6,500.
In This Article...
What is the value of a BMW E30?
It all comes down to the kind of bargain you get. Who knows, if you’re lucky, you might get a good E30 M3 for less than $40,000. Here is a 1988 BMW E30 M3 that is now being auctioned off by RM Sotheby’s. The auction is scheduled for March 24; the listing was posted not long ago.
The BMW E30 is it rare?
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There are rare classic automobiles and then there are the really rare ones. With only 25 examples produced solely for the UK market, the Roberto Ravaglia edition E30 M3 is the most rare of all E30 M3s (BMW classifies the 480 Cecotto editions and 25 Ravaglia editions together, therefore the plaque reading 74/505). Only 16 of the 25 were made in Misano red, which is considered the model’s defining color. By winning nearly all of the races they contested, Johnny Cecotto and Roberto Ravaglia established the E30 M3 the most successful touring vehicle of all time and ensured the M3’s unquestionable legendary position. BMW created the M3 Cecotto and M3 Ravaglia as two limited edition versions as a tribute to their idols. The only E30 M3 made expressly for the UK, the Ravaglia is distinguishable by its limited paint colors (either Misano red or Nogaro silver), unusual wheels, body color painted rocker cover and plenum, and, of course, special edition plaque. It is unclear how many of the original 25 are still in existence, and even more critically, how many have the kind of provenance and history that today’s prices make crucial for any potential owner. This gorgeous M3 Ravaglia is one of them. The homologation special EVO II created towards the end of the chassis run is essentially a rarer variant of the Ravaglia and Cecotto cars.
Due to its near-perfect provenance, this excellent E30 M3 Ravaglia was delivered as a brand-new vehicle to Bolton BMW in September 1989. In its 28 years, the automobile has only traveled 53,500 miles with 4 keepers; the most recent owner, our customer, has had the vehicle since 1994 after purchasing it as an authorized used BMW from Vines in Horsham (which no longer exists as a branch). In his 23 years of ownership, this man has only driven 14,500 miles; he keeps the car in a heated garage and only uses it sometimes on dry days.
Munich Legends has had the good fortune to care for E30 M3s for well over 20 years, and we are renowned across the automotive industry for our knowledge of these incredible vehicles. Our technical team thoroughly and meticulously examined this exquisite Ravaglia, and they are really pleased with what they found. The Misano red paintwork is in exceptional shape, has a deep, lustrous shine, and is quite original. It is also corrosion free, sturdy, and mechanically perfect. With a beautiful patina on the leather and barely any evidence that the car has traveled 53,000 kilometers in its 28 years, the interior is pristine. It’s all precisely how it should be.
With a fresh inspection, two services, a MOT, a pre-delivery check, and four new tires, this exceptional M3 Ravaglia will be handed over to its new owner.
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A BMW E30’s dependability?
After going over the fundamentals of the E30, let’s go on to discussing things to watch out for while buying one. The superb engineering of E30s is one of the main factors that attracts people to them in the first place. E30s are dependable, cozy, and simple to keep up on the whole.
The BMW E30—is it a classic?
The E30 has undeniably become a classic, and prices reflect this. The six-cylinder model is finest in an ideal world, but prices now reflect this, making the 325i Sport especially out of reach for many. Lowlier models can still provide much of the same feeling, though, if you’re willing to give up power and performance. They also provide a perfect starting point for DIY classic-car ownership.
It pays to get the nicest example you can because condition is everything and large projects are almost never beneficial, especially if rust is a problem. It is far wiser to purchase a really excellent 320i than a rough 325i!
How numerous BMW E30s were produced?
In the 1980s, small rear-wheel drive saloons were hard to come by. The Alfa Giulia, Triumph Vitesse, and other sporting vehicles of the 1960s and earlier were all reminiscent of the E30.
There were several different variants of the well-over two million E30s produced, with engines ranging from the 86 bhp diesel to the 238 horsepower M3.
Despite having more features than earlier models, the weight of the construction was kept to a minimum thanks to stress analysis, and a five-door Touring joined the two- and four-door saloons, with two-door dropheads, which were originally built by Baur and then produced as a factory convertible.
BMW resisted the urge to alter a successful formula, instead improving nearly every aspect of the E21 for the E30. Electronics were utilized in fuel-injected vehicles, a lovely new five-speed transmission was available, the E21’s tail-happy handling had been dialed back in favor of a nice ride/handling compromise, and the heating and ventilation had been greatly enhanced.
In 1987, the five-door Touring was added to the lineup (left); the 325iX gave the 3 Series all-wheel drive.
The 323i offers a close-ratio ZF ‘box as an option for performance fans, but when the E30 was tested, sophistication really stood out. The 323i’s “excellent blend of elegance, smoothness, and reactivity” and its “high quality feel” were praised by Motor.
Although the back seat space was limited, the boot was enormous. The driving position “fits like a glove” and the “teutonically hard” seats were unexpectedly pleasant.
One of the few unique elements was a warning-light panel on the roof above the rearview mirror. Remember that the block from the four-cylinder engine served as the foundation for the turbo F1 engine in the 1980s, in case you thought it was the poor relation!
In order to set it apart from Baur’s Top Cabrio, BMW’s soft-top, which was gorgeous with its top disappearing out of sight, was unusual for the 1980s by having an open cockpit. The only issue the testers had was loud wind noise when standing. It was heavier due to additional bracing, and considerable scuttle shaking was unavoidable with the Sport setup typically used on the 325i, but in 1986 it was dubbed “the fastest production four-seater convertible you can buy.”
With 150 imports in 1986 and 250 in 1987, it was only available in the UK. The Touring, a true performance estate with a modest but useful load capacity that was slightly lighter than the convertible, debuted in 1988.
The M3 is not listed here because it will soon be discussed in its own buying guide. The same is true for other versions that were only available in specific markets, like 2.4 diesels and the 320iS.
What is so unique about the BMW E30?
The car had everything, despite being considerably smaller than most of its luxury competitors. One of the few things that many people think is ageless is its boxy wedge form, which was a recurring motif throughout the automotive industry in the 1980s. It had the typical explosion of buttons, as is typical of most cars from this era, but aside from that, the interior was pure class, with only quality materials being used.
How much was a brand-new E30 M3?
Keen M Series enthusiasts are aware that in 1986, the E30 M3 wasn’t yet offered in the US. Let’s be clear about one thing, though: according to NHTSA criteria, a Euro-spec E30 M3 can now be imported freely into the United States as a historic automobile. Examining the models we couldn’t have back then is even more significant in light of the increasing worth and growing appreciation for these models (more on that later).
At the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1985, BMW unveiled its DTM touring-car homologation special. This new M3 featured numerous exterior modifications to the coachwork of the E30 coupe, including wider fenders, deeper front and rear bumper valences, extended rocker panels, a massaged C-pillar (which enabled a re-angled rear glass), a bold rear-deck spoiler, and a distinctive, taller trunk. All all, these adjustments brought the coefficient of drag down from a respectable 0.38 to a much more sporty 0.33.
The M3’s excellent performance was backed up by the motorsport-focused engineers at BMW M, who began by adding more caster to the suspension, five-lug hubs, stronger antiroll bars and relocated endlinks, stiffer and lower springs, and a clutch-style limited-slip differential. The Bosch ABS system and four discs from the E28 5 Series were used to upgrade the brakes on the M3. With double overhead cams, four separate throttle bodies, machine-finished ports, solid lifters, an oil cooler, a powerful 197 horsepower (192 when equipped with a catalyst), and a powerband that begged the driver to rev the engine hard to its 7250-rpm redline, the BMW S14 inline-four served as the beast’s brains. An S14 was kept in its sweet spot with a Getrag five-speed manual with a dogleg first gear and close ratios.
Unique sport seats, an M-specific shift knob stitched into its leather boot, upgraded instrumentation (160-mph speedometer, 8000-rpm tach), an M-Technic steering wheel, and other interior features set the M3 apart from the herd of standard E30s. The air conditioning, power windows, sunroof, and leather that one might expect from a BMW were still available, but at an additional fee. Nevertheless, the E30 M3 had a starting price of 58,000 Deutschmarks (about $30,000 at the time), which was almost twice as much as a regular E30.
What number of BMW E30 325ix were produced?
When we looked at the BMW E30 Touring a few months back, we mentioned that the all-wheel-drive E30 325iX was deserving of its own tale. Today, we have Anthony R.’s superb iX.
Less than 3,000 325iXs, mostly American-spec models, were sold in the country across four model years (1988–1991; 60% of M3 sales in the country; less than 10% of iX manufacturing).
Both the M3 and the iX made their debuts at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1985, though the iX was first known as the “325i Allrad” until the moniker “iX” was added for production in early 1986.
The iX was BMW’s first all-wheel-drive vehicle, but it wouldn’t arrive in the United States until the very end of 1987 (as a 1988 model) and then only with a small lineup (no Touring).