1989 BMW 316i Auto

The E30 BMW we offer here is a 316i matched to the automatic gearbox and four doors which displays an unwarranted 54,550 miles on its odometer. The car has a recent MOT but is being offered at NO RESERVE creating the possibility of a Beemer bargain. It is in seemingly solid condition and should be eminently usable from day one, but there is plenty of opportunity to improve as time, inclination and budget allow.

There is unfortunately little history to back up the mileage, but there are some aspects of the car's condition that suggest it may be true. And hopefully, that automatic gearbox will have preserved the engine for many years to come.

In summary, this is probably this BMW's weakest area. It is a typical 20 yard car - once you walk closer, the faults begin to appear, and that initial, 'wow, this one could be really tidy' impression drops away somewhat! Viewing of a car like this is always recommended, but we know that it is not always sensible with a bargain classic, so, as we have the car with us, let us tell you the news, good and bad, as we find it:

Both front wings would appear to have been replaced, one with a better paint finish than the other. The bonnet and rear n/s door have been poorly resprayed. There is obvious rust in the rear valance and the rear of n/s sill is poor, but probably repairable. There is also obvious rust in the base of the n/s A-pillar. The front door frame, not the door, is out of alignment.

Better news: the o/s A-pillar and sill seem much better, but the join of sill and front wing is not great. All wheel-arches seem fine. The underbonnet is good, there are no bubbles anywhere else, the boot floor is straight and generally rust-free, and the door/bonnet/boot edges seem acceptable. Additionally, panel alignment is generally reasonable, although the replaced front wings are a little out on the bonnet.

Overall the paint quality varies from medium to poor, although the rear and roof may even be on original paint as it polishes up reasonably well. There are numerous scratches, minor dents, paint chips, fading and paint rubs through to the primer all over the bodywork - as usual we have tried to photograph quite a few, but remember on a car such as this, it is impossible to be wholly comprehensive. The bumpers are generally straight, but mediocre at best. Please check through the myriad photos to gain the most accurate impression.

It's generally better news inside. It all looks to be original and the condition is generally OK. The seats and seat material look good and have not suffered from lots of wayward cigarettes or heavy wear. The plastic mouldings are all acceptable although there are cracks in the dashboard. And the door trims are good, except the driver's one that needs help from a couple of screws and some staples.

Electrically, most functions work as intended, including the stereo; but note that the interior fan is inoperative and the brake pad warning light stays on. The manual sunroof is untested as the handle has broken off! The carpets have cleaned up well having suffered from some sort of water ingress, but it is not obvious where from.

The bonnet release has broken, but has been handily replaced by a homemade pull in the glovebox !

The drivetrain appears to be working well and parts will have been checked as part of the recent MOT, but there is no evidence of recent servicing so some health-checks would of course be advised. One of the belts is screeching at cold start, which could be the power steering as it is a little jerky when the belt is noisy. We at The Market have taken the car for a brief test drive and found all to be working as intended, but feel free to conduct your own tests (as ever, prior to auction end). The idle is a touch rough, but it's all smooth and running fine once a little throttle is applied.

This BMW is fitted with 4 matching Falken tyres with good tread on 4 good BBS wheels and a set of HID lamps at the front. We did note that the exhaust may have a little more 'bass' than originally intended...

There is no service history to come with the car unfortunately, so all views on the car's condition should be made from the photos at face-value. There is a recent MOT pass allowing for another year without test concern. A quick look at the MOT history indicates a steadily rising mileage from 34,000 in 2006 to the present day, and whilst the MOT's have not been faultless, the issues have tended to be more the running maintenance, than terminal rot variety!

What can we say? The E30 will always have its fan-base, and prices of good examples of the cabrios, the Tourings and the six-cylinder cars have all risen significantly in the past few years. Here is a no reserve example ready for any number of uses. Whilst there is no way anyone will ever be able to warrant that indicated low mileage, there are some rumours that suggest it may be true. This example could be part of a rolling restoration, a base for a much sportier project, a great starter classic or just a more interesting, and very cheap, form of day-to-day transport...it's all up to you.

Obviously the one thing that won't get in your way is a reserve, this BMW is on sale straight from the first bid. And even at the end of the auction we would be surprised to find many less-expensive examples with a full MOT. Best of luck.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen in Abingdon with us; 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.