1982 BMW 320 BAUR CONVERTIBLE

‘Time warp condition’ and ‘one lady owner’ are phrases to make any seasoned classic car buyer groan. Yeah, yeah - whatever, they’ll say. But having looked around this car and talked through its history, we’re going to pull out those two lines, write them big (in day-glow orange) and plant them squarely on the bonnet of this demur little cabriolet. So E21 aficionados, Eighties car fans and cabriolet connoisseurs; here we go - take a good look at this, because it’s a ‘time warp condition’ and ‘one lady owner’ motor. And…it has also covered only 39,000 miles with a corroborating history.

Some will tell you the 323i is the ‘sought after’ one, and, if you’re a hard drivin’ retro/evo type, that may be true. However, by not being that car, this 320 has a lot going for it. For a start (and if you’re not going ten tenths), no one thinks to tell you that the carburettor-fed 320 is considered by some to be the nicer drive. And since the cabriolet buyer probably has a slightly more ‘touring’ state of mind, there probably isn’t the worry that this example has spent most of its time on the road going sideways.

As you’ll see from the condition and history, this neat-looking (part)-drop top has obviously spent its life garaged and has come out for high days and holidays. It hasn’t been slammed, remapped, pin-striped, been given a quick coat of two-pack, or in any way otherwise ‘enhanced’. It is original, unmolested, and was one of a pretty select and exclusive group of 3 Series variants, from a time when actually every 3 Series was exclusive.

PS: For a further opinion, this very car is featured in Classic & Sportscar magazine December edition out this month within the ‘driving the ads’ section. And of course you can arrange a viewing with the vendor prior to the end of the auction by using the Contact Seller button.

The original 3 Series was and remains an unfussy, taut-looking saloon. Any aberrations to the form would easily show up, but in this example there are none to report. The vendor states that panel to panel, the coach-line crease in the metal and the chrome and rubber trim flow perfectly, one to the next. Nor are there any ripples catching the light along the sides to suggest repainting or repanelling. Similarly, the edges of the bonnet and boot lid run satisfyingly parallel to the wings on either side. Like the flanks, their finish is smooth and shut lines around the car in general are narrow and even. The paint carries a good shine, with no signs of fading, in fact the vendor is confident to say he thinks it wears its original paint.

The area around the boot and the rear lights (a danger area in these models) looks to be totally corrosion free - as are the seams between panels in the skirting under the bumpers

Any E21 enthusiast will also want to take a good look at the trim parts and bumpers - chrome and rubber - knowing that these are pretty difficult items to find if needed. They should be reassured by the clean, unpitted look of the brightwork (understandably, very light pitting under the rear bumper if we’re picky) and the deep black of the rubber insets. It’s pretty rare to find one with those parts in this condition. The chrome ‘kidneys and 320 badge are in fine form too - nothing chipped or hanging loose.

The chrome trim around the windows and that following the line of the roof over the body also appear in excellent condition - no pitting, distortions or crud in joins. The bespoke Baur parts - those B-pillars and the roof itself likewise appear excellent. No sagging - and the joints match those of the bodywork. For any cabriolet fan, it’s good to see that the rubber seals underlying the roof appear supple and retain a good colour - no fading to grey. None of these areas look as if they have suffered leaks or water ingress. All in all, very confidence inspiring.

Even more than any other aspect of the car, the interior really tells you that this is a genuine low-mileage example. The pile and firmness of the (very clean) carpets tell you that they are, in effect, new - their pile worn down neither by shoes nor cleaning. The very weave and fabric of both them and the seating looks fresh and taut. Moving up to the cloth seats themselves, they have that ‘less than 30,000 miles’ look. (Hard-used ones start to sag, and shred, and replacements are hard to source).

Again, BMW folk will be carefully inspecting the trim; like the outside, there are many hard-to-find pieces. And again - like the outside - they are all original, present and correct and in fine form. You’ll notice that the dash isn’t cracked (common on even quite nice examples) and neither is the casing around the hand brake. The rubber seals are supple and intact and, as from the outside, the roof lining appears to be in top condition, with no signs of leaks or wear from operation.

For further reassurance, take a look in the door wells - at the state of finish in and around control rod/hinge holes - the places so easily neglected - they all look very good. And finally; open the glove box - not even evidence of the ubiquitous leaky Biro - or a trace of a half-eaten jammy dodger. Spotless.

Getting down, an E21 buyer need to look closely at sills, floors and underneath doors. These are the places where this model can rot and where this example remains strong. There’s no discolouration to the pain, nor any suggestion of corrosion in any of those locations. Yes; take a good look at the footwells, the boot floor and where the fuel filler pipe goes through to the tank. All good. Our photographer was able to confirm that in the flesh it looks as good all over as in the pictures.

For its time, the baby Beemer was a well rust-proofed car and this looks to be one that had the original undersealing (an optional extra). That under the wings looks even and intact - there are the very lightest chips at the front of the rear wheel arches. Jacking points look good. That dainty front spoiler looks in rather good nick too (as does its counterpart on the boot lid) and the below-the-bumpers paint looks in remarkably good condition.

Generally, the whole underside of the car is very clean. The fuel tank is another area to check - and looks good - and the exhaust is firmly fitted and looks to have plenty of life left in it.

The McPherson suspension appears rot-free (yes - the mounts too) and, moving around the car, the suspension turrets look strong and corrosion free.

Looking into the engine bay, this doesn’t have the near concours finish of the interior and will just have to be classified as ‘very, very good’. As expected (that one lady owner thing again), the car retains its original (and sweet-running) Solex carburettor - no one’s tried the Weber ‘performance’ conversion.

There are no signs of corrosion or leaks and certainly not overheating - the under-bonnet sound proofing would have quickly told you about that. Hoses and wiring all look supple and of a good colour. The one minor point is the perished rubber sealing at the front of the engine bay above the radiator. But this is neither hard to get at nor tricky to fix.

Again, all solid and sound with nothing to hide.

The vendor reports that it drives as well as it looks with no issues to report.

In a sparsely used car with relatively low mileage, a huge history file isn’t something to be expected (and might actually be slightly worrisome), so the Cabriolet doesn’t offer a huge sheaf of papers. It does come with a main dealer-stamped service book and 16 MOT certificates, as well as invoices covering the replacement of wearable items. It also retains the original hand books as well as Baur’s instructions on how to take the top down. These carry a hand-written label saying ‘very important’. You’re not kidding. What understandably limited history there is, alongside the appearance and condition of the car, give you a lot of confidence both in its life going forward, and in helping to verify the mileage as genuine.

Originality and condition are two very strong suites with this very clean example of a defining up-market, early Eighties tourer. More than a million E21s of all variants were built, but so many eventually rusted to nothing over the decades - though perhaps less so the most exclusive ones such as this. Even so, it can’t be over-emphasised how hard it is to find these cars with all their trim original and intact - not in a cardboard box in the boot. So we’re going to pull out that big ‘time warp example’ sticker again and say; you just can’t find them like this. As such, we think it has to be estimated at £14,000 -£19,000, with knowledgeable enthusiasts willing to follow it further maybe up to , knowing it’s harder to find the bits or to ‘improve’ a car than it is to buy a good ’un. And this is a good one. 

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Faringdon; 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: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive. 

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.