1988 BMW 325i Touring

This 3-Series Touring passed a recent MOT test, with it valid until July 24 2020. The certificate also shows that it’s covered just less than 4000 miles since 2009 (in fact less than 6000 in the last 14 years!), so the majority of its mileage was completed early in its life.

Vendor Nigel is selling the car on behalf of his friend who’s owned it for the last seven years. ‘It’s in really tidy condition,’ he says. ‘The cambelt has been changed, and new plugs, oil filter and HT leads fitted. It’s also been treated to new shock absorbers and bushes, as well as fresh gearbox and differential oils.’

He says it’s mechanically strong and faultless to drive. ‘Everything works on it. There’s plenty of power and all the suspension has been completely re-bushed, which means it rides beautifully. The next owner is getting a nice sorted example.’

Seven previous keepers are indicated on the supplied V5 document and it’s clear the car has been well treated by each; this is backed up by invoices that show work being carried out when necessary to keep it in good running condition.

Viewing this car’s stance had us working our memories hard trying to recall if they came away from the factory, or asking whether this car had been lowered. A quick look in the history file gives the answer, as a 30mm Apex lowering kit was fitted in 2011.

This, combined with the re-finished original BBS alloy wheels in black and low profile Toyo tyres, endows it with marginally more aggressive visuals. It’s particularly effective on a white car, given its contrasting black plastics and trim parts.

If we’re being honest the paintwork isn’t the shiniest, but neither does it have any substantive issues. ‘It’s got a few minor car park dings on it, but you only see them if you look really closely down the flanks, and there’s no paint damage,’ says Nigel. ‘But it’s not rusty at all. Door bottoms, rear arches and the sills are all good.’

It has had a bit of restorative work over the years to keep it this way; there’s an invoice in the history file from 2012 for fabrication and fitting of new metal inserts on the o/s engine compartment and o/s lower wing, and it has recently had a new rust-free secondhand tailgate fitted.

Panels do fit well, but if we’re nitpicking, then the black trim line and upper swage line are a little misaligned between the front offside door and wing – however this may be rectified with a little bit of door adjustment. The paint gives the impression of having been on the car for quite a few years – this is thankfully not some recently-tarted-up example.

Nigel says that everything works as it should – including the roof-mounted condition check panel and we can confirm that. The first owner spec'ed this example highly. As such it comes with a manual sunroof, front electric windows, three-spoke M-tech sports steering wheel, gear knob and leather seats.

Unusually there are no cracks in the dashboard, which is a plus and up top the Anthracite headlining (something we are told is a rare option?) is in top condition. The leather on the front sports seats is good but a bit cracked here and there, and the driver’s bolsters are a little worn; that said, we feel they’ll benefit well from a good feed and a bit of restorative TLC. That’s also applicable to the steering wheel and gear knob. The rear seats look to have seen much less use and are in good nick.

At foot level the carpets have scrubbed up well, but we’d recommend the next owner get some mats down to keep them protected in future. In the rear the fitted carpets and overmat are in place, as is the luggage cover.

On the road, we all agree that this is one of the strongest E30s we’ve had here at The Market. The 2.5-litre engine is strong and responsive, but it’s the re-bushed suspension (it also has Bilstein shock absorbers all round) that makes the biggest difference to how it drives. The gear lever is a little ‘floppy’ but changes well enough.

The engine bay is used but reasonably tidy, with no leaks evident (although some oil around the filler cap suggests a shaking hand recently filled it) and all fluids are fresh.

The underside appears as solid as the rest of the body, although there’s a touch of surface rust on some suspension components and also on the rear jacking points – the latter in particular would benefit from a quick tidy up and application of protective stone chip.

There are a large number of invoices and expired MOT certificates in this car’s history file. Also present are the original owner and service handbooks, with the latter showing 13 stamps in total.

A quick online check of its MOT history shows nothing untoward. There were two MOT failures (in 2011 and 2012), but each was followed quickly with a PASS after the necessary work had been carried out.  

A quick glance through the invoices shows that the power steering rack was replaced in December 1999, with a replacement clutch fitted at the same time – with mileage then 103,612.

In 2011 a 30mm Apex lowering kit was fitted, with a short shift gearbox kit incorporated and fresh Toyo 205/55R15 PXT1-R rubber. The following year it also received a new intercooler.

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 high standard.

The visuals, particularly the alloy wheels finished in black, have us divided here at The Market – you either love the look, or you don’t. Personally, I do. It gives the car an aggressive, sporty appearance that it’s more than able to match on the road.

This generation 3-Series is becoming an increasingly rare sight on UK roads, even more so in Touring form. There’s no doubt the new owner of this example would certainly stand out. That said, the alloy wheels could easily be returned to Silver for more of a standard look.

We think it’ll sell for between £6000 and £9000, which is good value for a supremely solid example of what is now becoming a rare estate beast. And let’s not forget its pivotal role in changing family motoring, and the image of the estate car, in the decades to come.

We have driven the car locally and of the opinion it should be more than capable of munching many more miles. For the next owner it’s time to go back to the future, with the ultimate family-driving machine.

Viewing is always encouraged, and as stated this car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; 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.