BMW unveiled an open-top version for its successful 3-Series in 1986, four years after the model's second generation.
The German carmaker was not at its first open-top 3-Series, but unlike the E21 3-Series, it was fully convertible. Its predecessor was only a top-cabriolet produced by Karroserie Baur had the side windows, B-pillars, and C-pillars kept in place. With the 3-Series Cabriolet, BMW entered the world of accessible, daily-driver convertibles.
Its front fascia was similar to the rest of the range, featuring double headlights and a black grille at the front. Its wrapped-around, front plastic bumper featured a lower apron for the fog lights, offered as an option, and a small lip underneath. Its straight lines and slightly flared wheel-arches made it a timeless classic, proving the value of its minimalist design.
The 1987 "Series 2" update introduced a new four-cylinder SOHC engine, the 1796 cc (M40B18) with 85 kW (116 PS; 114 hp). This engine incorporated Motronic fuel injection . The 316 was replaced by the 316i, which used a 1596 cc M40B16, producing 75 kW (102 PS; 101 hp). This was not quite as torquey as the 66 kW (90 PS; 89 hp) 1766 cc M10 it replaced - nevertheless, it offered superior performance overall. In South Africa and perhaps some other markets, the old M10-powered 316 continued until 1991, gaining the new bumpers when the range was updated. The 316i model (and previous 316 model) was not sold in Australia, where the base model continued to be the 318i.
Bought from Lesley Trainer in Swansea in 1987, the owner has had this car from new. You can tell that it has been their pride and joy for 34 years. Always garaged, cleaned regularly, and admired by the owner’s friends and family. It’s always nice speaking to someone who could tell you story after story about the journeys and memories they’ve created with their car, and the current owner was no exception. From family days out to using it daily before it became their second car and now only taken out on dry days, but still enjoyed as much as the day they collected it.
There is extensive paperwork that comes with the vehicle. Most importantly the V5 is present and clearly states that the car has had no previous owners. There is also a receipt for the Cobra alarm which was fitted in 1995. (Please note: as mentioned above, the car was on a private registration at the time – Ron 700, which isn’t the same as the car’s original reg). Lots of old MOT’s and work that has been completed over the years is in a folder and shall come with the car, that will provide some enjoyable bedtime reading for someone! It has had 2 belt changes, the first one being in 1998 and the second in 2010, both of which have received work.
The Interior is in good condition overall. The seats, (especially the driver’s seat) are showing signs of wear and tear (this is quite normal for leather seats that they used to fit in these days), seats are still very comfortable and fully functional. There is a 6-cassette tape holder, which was an optional extra and a Pioneer Radio Cassette player which is fully functional. All the electrics work as they should and there is a lead in the back that was connected to a power unit for a mobile phone (initially).
The Exterior of the car looks great. There aren’t any (visible) signs of rust. The car looks like it has been kept in a garage for most/all its life. The paintwork is all original and looks lovely on a summer’s day after a good polish. The roof is in lovely condition, no rips or tears, just the normal “chaffing” with the movement of the hood going up and down, no leaks or issues. The car also comes with a hard top, which, also looks in fantastic condition. This was, by all accounts a £2,000 extra when the owner purchased it with the car, this is a lovely little bonus that comes with the car. There are a few little marks, door edge chips, a reverse ding on the bonnet (apparently the mechanic closed the boot on of his tools). However, this is probably about 1cm in diameter and barely noticeable. Overall the condition is very, very good considering this car is over 30 years old and is the original paint. The engine bay itself could do with a tidy up, but no signs of a leak on inspection.
Mechanically, the car sounds brilliant. Started every time without hesitation. As mentioned before, it has a lot of receipts for lots of work over the years. The owner did say that he did most of the oil and oil filter changes himself due to his knowledge of engines etc, but obviously there is no receipt of work for this. There is a full spare wheel in the boot and there is an extra skirt on the bottom of the front bumper, which was added to the car when the owner bought it. The one thing to note is that the rev counter seems to work intermittently. It works when you first start the car up, but then stops working, however the owner has said, if you go on a long journey it does come back and work again.
These cars are very quickly becoming an admired classic car worldwide. With their sleek lines, they are full of character. It is a fantastic car and clearly been loved by the current owner from the day it left the Manufacture on the 2nd January 1987. It has apparently been garaged ever since, and the condition of the paint suggests that this could well be the case. With a bit of work this car could well be a concourse car. A bit of tidying under the bonnet, and a few marks here and there, it could (and does currently) turn heads wherever it goes. The owner says that wherever they go in the They have people asking questions about the car and its condition. The car sounds fantastic and can imagine the noise as you tear along country lanes with the roof off, listening to every single rpm as you go through each one of the 5 gears. In the cockpit, it’s a lovely place to be and this car needs to be seen by more people – only averaging just over 2,100 miles a year means, that the car hasn’t been driven as much as it deserves to. This is a fantastic opportunity to find this car’s new companion to go exploring the big wide world!
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Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion..
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1987 BMW 325i
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