1988 BMW 316 Baur

A BMW 316 Baur, this 1988 Cabriolet is finished in Zinnobar Red with an Anthracite interior. Supplied new to the Isle of Man where it remained until 1993, it then moved to Belfast until 2019.

Sitting four-square, it is being offered in an exceptionally well-maintained and original condition. Being sold on behalf of a friend of the vendor, it was purchased for his daughter to use. Sadly, she found it difficult to drive as it doesn’t have power steering and, as you can see from the mileage since its last MOT, it has barely been used having been kept safely in his garage until now.

Wonderfully minimalistic and delightfully retro, this is your passport to relive all your 1980’s yuppie fantasies. That you’ll almost certainly be able to do so for a four-figure sum is one of the wonders of 2020.

Zinnobar Red is a classic colour for a 1980’s E30, and the condition of this one is nothing short of sensational. Still sporting the sort of panel alignment and shutlines that enabled BMW to crow about building the Ultimate Driving Machines at the time, the absence of dents, dings and ripples says only good things about its subsequent owners.

The rubber trim is still a deep black too, and it’s in the same good condition as the badges, glazing, and light lenses. The all-important Baur badging is present and correct, as is the build plaque inside the passenger’s door that confirms this as a genuine conversion.

The combination of a black roof and sills slims the car’s profile considerably, and the latter are utterly solid and well finished. Chrome trim around the doors and on the grille adds a welcome touch of bling to an otherwise understated design.

The fabric roof is in a very good condition. Fitting beautifully, it is taut and easy to remove and refit. The plastic rear window is in great shape too. Still clear, it doesn’t show any of the yellowing or opacity that older, ill-maintained examples are prone to. There’s a tonneau cover as well, which neatly hides the furled roof.

Problems? Well, while the BBS-style 14-inch alloy wheels are in a fine condition - and sit in front of a pair of BMW mudflaps - they are fitted with a mixture of Arrowspeed and Furio tyres. Frankly, the car deserves better than that.

That’s the bad news. The good is that because they’re a modest 195/65R14 in size, a set of decent rubber will only set you back around £250 fitted.

The grey and black cloth interior is very good. The front seats, for example, are still firm and comfortable, and the cloth covering them shows almost no wear at all. The rear seats are in an even better condition.

The seats aren’t the only signs of careful use and fastidious conservation either because the white lettering on the controls and switches is still bright and vibrant and even the stickers on the side of the front seats, which show how to adjust them, are fresh and unblemished.

The carpets are undamaged too, and even the over-mats show almost no wear bar some light scuffing under the driver’s heels. Even the plastic protective insert under the driver’s feet is complete and unmarked, and the pedal rubbers are still in an excellent condition.

The door cards might be ultra-simple but they are beautifully preserved, as is the dashboard, which is free of both sun damage and extraneous holes. Heck, even the steering wheel could be only a couple of years old rather than well into its fourth decade.

There’s also a Blaupunkt Milano headunit, which we think is the original, plus a very of-the-period cassette holder between the front seats.

Speaking of originality, the (very clean) boot contains the original first-aid kit and what looks to be a complete and unused tool kit in its case under the boot lid. There’s a solid metal floor under it all, too.

Faults? Well, we think a fuse has blown because neither the interior or boot light come on, there is some mildew on the underside of the folding roof, and there are a few minor scratches to the gearknob. That we feel the need to mention these tells you all you need to know about the quality of the rest.

The BMW’s service history booklet shows the following:

• 24.02.1988 – pre-delivery inspection by BMW Carriages Ltd of the Isle of Man

• 19.07.1988 and 1,213 miles – inspection by BMW Carriages Ltd of the Isle of Man

• 03.03.1989 and 2,314 miles – service by BMW Carriages Ltd of the Isle of Man

• 27.06.1989 and 7,245 miles - service by BMW Carriages Ltd of the Isle of Man

• 15.03.1990 and 8,610 miles – service by BMW Carriages Ltd of the Isle of Man

• 15.02.1991 and 11,794 miles - service and fresh brake fluid by BMW Carriages Ltd of the Isle of Man

• 11.11.1991 and 15,417 miles – service by Martin & Watson

• 28.10.1993 and 20,248 miles – service by Harry Brown

• Unknown date and 29,293 miles – service by Harry Brown

• 03.03.1995 and 30,493 and miles – service by Harry Brown

Further work is recorded as follows:

• 15.05.2018 and unknown miles – new rear crankshaft oil seal

• 25.02.2020 and 71,340 miles – service by AutoTechnics plus fresh coolant, brake fluid, HT leads, and a battery at a cost of almost £600

It drives well, and, as you can see from the video, starts promptly and ticks over nicely.

The engine bay is neat and clean but given how good the rest of the car is, we can see the new owner is likely to be a fastidious sort and so will probably want to detail it further.

The same is true of the underside. Completely solid and free of serious corrosion and rot, there might be some very light surface rust but wire-brushing that off and undersealing it would be an easy, cheap, and satisfying job.

The BMW’s MOT certificate, which is valid until May 2021, was gained without a single advisory point.

The extensive history file also includes the original service history booklet with various stamps from 1988 to 1995, the MOTs that were issued in Belfast between 1994 and 2018 plus a few other receipts.

Other goodies include the owner's handbook, book pack, and the resin storage wallet plus a Hayne’s Workshop manual and a trophy for Class Runner Up at the Ballymena Carfest 2015.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

The closest you are going to find to a new E30 316 these days, that this is also a Baur Cabriolet just sweetens an already very sweet deal. In genuine time-warp condition, we are constantly amazed that cars of this quality are still being found – and selling for so little.

How little? Well, despite its nigh-on museum-quality finish and impeccable provenance, we estimate that the lucky winning bidder might get to waltz off in this Zinnobar Red cabriolet for somewhere between £6,000 and £10,000, a sum so trifling we can’t believe we’ve actually written it.

Happy Christmas folks. Happy Christmas.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.