1996 BMW 328i Coupe

First registered on the 1st of November 1996, this wonderful BMW 328i Coupé was built in Germany before spending the first 20 years of its life in the car-friendly country of Japan. Why do we say that? Well, the lack of winter road salt and an uncommonly sympathetic attitude towards car maintenance and conservation means that we’ve yet to see a modern classic like this from there that we haven’t admired.

Finished in Arctic Silver over a blue cloth interior, it has been in the care of the vendor for the past eighteen months and 4,000 miles. He describes it as being “simply stunning” – and this from a man who is especially particular in the sort of cars he buys.

With just the one former UK keeper since arriving here in 2017, it still has just 26,000 miles on the odometer; this low mileage, along with its pampered Japanese history, means this really is one for the BMW enthusiast who thought cars like this had long passed them by.

And, even better news comes with the fact that the vendor has sufficient faith in you lot to offer it with no reserve, so it’s going to sell from the very first bid!

With shutlines that look more like pinstripes, this BMW’s coachwork speaks of careful use and even more diligent conservation. It’s ripple-free flanks tell only a good story too, as do the rubber trims in the bumpers, which are free of the sort of parking-by-touch rubbing marks you tend to see on inferior examples.

The Arctic Silver paintwork is very good indeed. Free of the sort of swirl marks that over-enthusiastic but unskilled owners might have inflicted, only the odd minor stonechip mars an otherwise pristine finish.

And, with a full-size rear numberplate plinth, only the square front ‘plate gives the car’s Japanese origins away.

The 15-inch ‘bottle cap’ alloy wheels are, as you can see, in great shape. Free of the usual kerbing, scrapes and other damage that marks a car as being owned by a careless driver, further proof of its treasured status comes via the tyres, which are a matching set of Goodyear Efficient Grip. They’ve all got good tread, too.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

Faults? Well, aside from the odd stonechip we mentioned earlier, the offside headlamp unit has some internal condensation (#97) and a small scratch on the nearside front quarter (#101).

The blue cloth seats, a material that is way grippier and warmer than leather, are in good shape. Still firm and supportive, the heavy bolstering and adjustable under-thigh support hint as this car’s performance potential.

The rest of the interior is even better. In fact, bar some light wear to the white lettering on the stalks, this could be a two-year-old car rather than one that’ll soon celebrate its quarter-century.

The radio is still the original BMW one, and the (albeit basic) on-board computer still works. The door cards are in great shape, as is the headlining, the carpeting, the dashboard and the instruments.

The electric front windows glide up and down smoothly, and the rear quarterlights open and close as they should. The interior might not be museum quality but then it isn’t far off either.

The boot, which is home to a matching spare alloy wheel and a very good tyre in addition to the factory jack, is in great shape. The carpets and plastic compartments are exactly as you’d expect of a car that’s lived a life like this, and lifting it all out shows only solid metal underneath.

Faults? Well, as the owner himself pointed out when we were appraising the car with him, the interior cloth, whilst very good for the car’s age, is not as taut as it was and does have some very slight sagging in a few places such as the outer edges of the rear seat (#40 and #41). As a mark of his honesty, it’s important to note that we think he’s being a bit harsh there.

Also, the radio unit is still the Japanese original so the bandwidth is limited. Still, this could be easily and cheaply sorted out if that sort of thing bothers you.

Oh, and if you are of a pedantic nature, then the tool kit is missing from the plastic case in the boot lid. Still, if you are like that (and heh, we’re not judging…) then hours of fun await you as you stalk owners’ forums and eBay trying to track it all down.

May 2019 saw it receive a set of front disc brake pads, while June 2019 saw a new battery being fitted. It received an oil service and inspection in October 2019, work that also saw it fitted with an offside front suspension arm and bush. More recently, January of this year saw it receive a full service.

As to how it drives, we can do no better than to quote the owner, a man more used to driving Italian sports cars:

“I have driven it for 4,000 miles, mainly on A-roads and motorways where it really comes to its own as a smooth, characterful long-distance cruiser. It has a sport button which opens up the intake to bring all the right noises into the cabin, the classic BMW straight six snarl.”

Please take the time to watch the video to see it starting. Note how easily it revs, and the noise it makes at both ends. Quite something in a car that looks this subtle, isn’t it?

The engine bay is clean and only a little dusty, so it could easily be left as it is or, if you’re desperate to find some ‘me time’ then detailing it in the garage with the radio on and a drink of something reviving within easy reach would be a joy.

As for the underside, you’re ahead of us by now, aren’t you? But, if you need some pointers, how about admiring the factory stickers that are still on some of the components, the lack of rust, rot and corrosion, or the condition of the exhaust?

The BMW’s MOT certificate, which is valid until October 2021, was gained without a single advisory point, which is its third time of doing so since it came here in 2017.

It has a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of paperwork from its time in Japan including the export certificate in addition to the usual Shaken paperwork (the Japanese equivalent of our MOT test) you usually see.

It also still has its original owner’s handbook, handbook for the BMW radio, the rest of the book pack and the storage wallet to store it all safely together.

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.

We include an online HPI report run at the auction start which shows no finance outstanding and no insurance markers for theft or damage.

Yes, we know you’ve been lusting after M3s and Z3s for years and yes, we know that they’re currently fetching very good prices – and while this is good news for those of you who were canny enough to have bought at the bottom of the curve, cars like this 328i prove that you don’t need to spend daft money to get your hands on a sporting E36.

Because, despite that nigh-on unblemished coachwork and cockpit, and the fact that it runs and drives beautifully, we don’t expect the virtual to hammer to fall long after it’s passed £8,000 – and it might even fall as low as £5,000.

This makes it staggering value for money, and the even better news is that the owner is offering it with no reserve, so it’s going to sell from the very first bid, no matter how derisory that might be.

As to the elephant in the room, we can do no better than to quote the owner:

“It is not a manual, but then BMW manual boxes of the era were nothing to shout about being notchy and slow to use. Also, in built-up areas, the auto ‘box makes more sense.”

So, what are you waiting for? After all, the worst that could happen is that you might end up owning one of the best-handling saloons of its era for a pittance – and that’s hardly going to be a problem now, is it?

Viewing is always encouraged (within Govt. guidelines of course), 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’.