1973 BMW E3 2500

It’s nice to end a busy week with a bang - and that’s certainly what we’re doing with this wonderful BMW E3 2500. The recipient of a recent respray, this left-hand-drive example is in a stunning condition.

The BMW has had two previous long-term owners in Italy; if we have interpreted the paperwork correctly, the first owner owned it until 1992, at which time it passed to its second owner who kept it until around 2019. The vendor then bought it in April 2019 from its third registered keeper, a man who had inherited it and had no desire to keep it, so passed it along quickly without really using it.

Still showing only 38,000km/24,000 miles on the clock, the E3 is fitted with the desirable manual gearbox and the 2.5-litre, 148bhp engine. It’s a lovely combination and the vendor tells us that he thoroughly enjoyed driving it home from Turin, a journey the BMW accomplished without missing a beat.

This epic road trip sealed his relationship with the car and he intended it to be his ‘forever car’ but the loss of his storage unit means it is now being reluctantly offered for sale with a very sensible reserve and a guide price that reflects the uncertain waters we’re all trying to navigate at the moment.

The freshly painted silver coachwork looks utterly stunning; the E3 is a good looking car anyway but this shade of silver gives it a hewn-from-solid appearance that elevates it from handsome to timeless elegance.

The work has clearly been done to a good standard as even close inspection fails to reveal anything of any concern. The panel gaps are tight and even, the flanks are free of ripples, and everything lines up as it should. It really is gorgeous.

As you can see from the earlier photos in the gallery, the car was free of body rust prior to the respray, a legacy of its carefully curated life in sunny Italy. However, the lacquer was peeling in places and the finish wasn’t as good as the owner would have liked so he splashed out £3,500 and six months of garage time to bring it to the condition you see today. He made the conscious decision not to respray under the bonnet and in the boot, as a testament to the car's originality, confirming its solid and rust free condition.

The colour means that the chromework doesn’t stand out to the same extent as it would on a darker colour, but we like the subtlety it endows. The brightwork is in great shape too, and it melts seamlessly into the car’s overall presentation leaving a smoother, more discreet appearance than many of its brethren.

There are a few lovely little details there too, like the petrol filler cap that is hidden behind the fold-down rear number plate. It’s a very elegant solution to an age old problem and infinitely preferable to the more usual arrangement.

The 14-inch steel wheels are fine, and while the chrome hubcaps are in great shape, the separate chrome trims on the rims have been lightly nibbled on the edges and will need replacing. Better news comes with the fact that they’re all shod with recent Michelin tyres.

As we will never tyre 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 do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

If we’re being our usual ultra-picky selves then the rubber seals between the top of the doors and the window glass are worn. Oh, and the offside rear light lens and one of the nearside headlamps lenses are slightly cracked.

The blue velour seats scream early seventies but if you’re going to have a period car then you might as well go all-in, eh? They look terrific having been protected by linen seat covers during their time in Italy and are still comfortable and supportive – and have you seen the front headrests? Wonderfully over-designed, they’re utterly fabulous and brilliantly OTT.

The very of-the-period huge steering wheel is wrapped in a steering wheel cover; we aren’t sure what lurks under there but for what it’s worth, it looks and feels quite nice as it is.

The door cards are good, as is the headlining, with both being clean and free of damage. The carpet is in great shape as well, and the protective mats in the boot will help you keep it so.

And, while the dashboard might be a little austere in places (not that we aren’t used to living with austerity in the UK by now…) it betrays none of the cracking and sun-damage that less pampered cars are prone to. If we were to guess, we’d say that it’s lived its whole life undercover and out of the sun’s harmful rays.

The boot trim is well worn and torn in places, and the metal floor is a little grimy. However, cleaning it would be easy and a good opportunity to improve this area cosmetically.

Other problems are limited to a scruffy (but probably original) gearknob and gaiter, a patch of worn paint on the steering column near the ignition key, slightly saggy material on the base of the driver’s seat and a chip in the windscreen, all of which the new owner may wish to address, or leave well alone......

The BMW performed faultlessly on the 800-mile journey from Turin to London. Thrilled with his new purchase, the vendor commissioned a full respray followed by a full service. No other work has been needed bar the replacement of the heater motor, a job his mechanic accomplished with a new unit from Bosch.

The engine bay is decently tidy, but could do with some detailing; doing so would be an easy and satisfying way to pass a lockdown weekend, and the resulting appearance would mean that the underbonnet area lives up to the high standards set by the rest of the vehicle. It would be best to leave well alone the existing and original waxoyl.

The underside, which looks strong and has been neatly undersealed, stands as a testament to how well-preserved cars are when they don’t have to battle through salt-laden winter roads.

The BMW doesn’t have a current MOT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

The car comes with four keys, the original owner’s handbook and service history booklet, and photocopies of some of its Italian paperwork. Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork.

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.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on.

Or, even better, why not contact us with your mobile number and we can set up a WhatsApp video call? You get to direct us in real-time, giving you a virtual personal viewing experience while maintaining the lockdown. We like to call it ‘The Market’s 2020 Vision’…

The E3 range of cars are elegant and very simple. Retro without being old-fashioned, they’re as fast, comfortable and easy to live with as any car of the period - and much more so than many.

And this is a good example of the breed. Recently resprayed and serviced, it appears to be mechanically strong and reliable. As you can see from our video, it starts on the button, ticks over evenly, and drives as a car with such an exceptionally low mileage should.

Only for sale because the owner has lost his storage, he is pragmatic enough to accept that he’s going to take a bit of a financial hit and has agreed a very conservative reserve price.

We think the final hammer price will be somewhere between £13,000 and £17,000, which is good value for a car that is as stylish and sought-after as this.

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’.

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

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.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.