Modified
1989 BMW 325i —
SOLD!
235,600 Miles – Clean Title
Located in Star, ID (near Boise)
matt@e30forsale.com
The specifics:
- Year/Model – 1989 325i Coupe
- Transmission – 5 speed, MT
- Exterior – Delphin Grey
- Interior – Black with Sparco seats
- VIN – WBAAA1303K4144220
- Mileage – 235,600 miles
- Engine – S50 swap with working A/C
- Title – Clean Idaho title in hand, no liens
I’m selling my modified Delphin Grey 1989 325i. With an S50 engine swap, this car is a German hot rod. It’s lightweight and zippy on the road. Steering is direct and, with a Z3 steering rack, very responsive. Downshifting into the correct gear to exit a turn is precise with the Z3 short-shifter paired with a ZHP shift knob. The CA Tuning coilovers keep the car planted while cornering and the custom exhaust has a lovely, growly tone. Oh, and it has orange wheels.
All this contributes to a driving experience that always leaves a smile on my face.
I bought this car from a fellow enthusiast in Oceanside, CA in February of 2019. During my ownership, I’ve put more than 36,000 miles on the clock and driven some of the best roads in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, California, Utah, and Colorado without suffering any breakdowns or problems.
The car is currently in “race mode” with the bolt-in roll cage crossmembers and race belts installed, but it’s pretty quick to switch to “dad mode” and re-install the kid’s booster seats for a cruise around town as a family.
I’ve had a lot of maintenance done during my ownership all with the goal of reliability first and drivability/performance second. In addition to regular maintenance, highlights include:
- Getting the odometer and fuel level senders working correctly
- Reinstalling the A/C for comfortable driving in the summer
- Custom exhaust with cat delete from Snake River Speed Shop
- Installing a JR Parts Oil Temp/Pressure digital gauge
- Making sure the drivetrain and suspension parts were working correctly
Unlike previous owners, I’ve done very little of the work myself relying on the expertise of Solely Bimmer in Mission Viejo, CA, BimmerHeads in Santa Clarita, CA for the A/C component replacement, and most recently, Nick Tomanelli and the crew at Hurless Brothers in Boise, ID. I always opt for doing repairs the right way instead of the cheapest or quickest.
I’m open to a long-distance sale and would be happy to work with a buyer to ship the car, or pick them up at the Boise Airport for a fly out/drive back situation. I also head down to Southern California on a monthly basis for work, and could drive the car down.
A note to California buyers:
The previous owner was setting the car up to be BAR certified in California after the engine swap. I started moving in that direction after I bought the car, but dropped the project when I moved to Idaho. With it’s current exhaust (which has no catalytic converters) it will not pass California emissions requirements. I’m happy to sell to someone in California, but you’ll need to know a guy if you want to get it properly registered.
Want more info? Drop me a line!
My email is matt@e30forsale.com. If you include your phone number, I’ll be happy to set up a call so I can answer your questions!
Photos
Known Issues
- Slight oil leak from the valve cover gasket
- Driver’s side rear shock is seeping; the shocks are an aftermarket set and should be changed out as a set based on the new owner’s preference
- Passenger left seat bolster has a wear hole, and both seats are worn
- Hood has slight buckle near the rondel from a parking lot bump (see photos)
- Paint on roof and trunk have spots/chips consistent with age (see photos)
- The seal between the screws holding the rear wing and the trunk lid leaks when the car is left out overnight in a rainstorm with the nose slightly up (so the rain pools along the edge of the wing). I’ve never had an issue with leaks while driving in the rain, but did have one on an overnight trip. It’s not been a major issue for me as the car lives in my garage and I work from home
- The car was incorrectly jacked up at some point in the past leaving the pinch welds below the door sills crushed and the floor in the passenger side pushed up slightly
- The lower lip is an eBay sourced M-Tech style model. On my last road trip I broke the holes on the lip I was using to attach it to the metal of the car. I’m currently running a zip tie around the driver’s side end of the lip to keep it on. I have another lip to install, just haven’t put it up in a rack yet. I’ll have it done before the sale, but it shows up in the photos and I wanted to mention it in the listing to prevent confusion.
Minor Annoyances
- BMW no longer sells a replacement tumbler set for re-keying the car. During my ownership, I’ve had to replace the ignition tumbler and the tumbler in the driver’s door lock. This means that there’s a key for the ignition, a key for the driver’s door and a key for the passenger door/trunk lock/glovebox.
- The car is loud, low, and stiff. When cruising above 75MPH in 5th gear, the engine is around 3700-4000RPM and it drones. I don’t mind (as evidenced by the many 2k miles road trips I’ve done with it), but it’s not for everyone. Caveat emptor 😜
Maintenance Timeline
When buying an older car like this, you’re buying the previous person’s maintenance history. I’ve spent over $14k in parts and repairs during my ownership. Here’s a list of the highlights by month.
March 2019
- Replaced fuel pressure regulator
- Brake fluid flush
- Replaced non-op driver’s door tumbler
- Repaired non-op odometer
- Reverted fan switch to thermostat instead of manual
- Replaced leaking steering rack with one from a Z3 (shorter than the ZHP rack previously in use)
- Replaced fuel level sender
- Installed Polk Audio DB 522 speakers in the rear for better audio quality
May 2019
- Replaced wheel studs
- Replaced damaged wheel hub/bearing
September 2019
- Replaced leaking speedometer sensor o-ring
- Replaced spark plugs
June 2020
- A/C re-install; many parts were broken or missing. $4,124.29
- Replaced fuel filter, fuel hoses and hose clamps in the engine bay area
April 2021
- Sway bar end links
- Front right wheel bearing
- Inner and outer tie rods
- Axels, nuts and locks
- Brake reservoir seals, brake flush
- A/C belt tensioner
- Valve cover gasket
- Firewall grommet
- Oil change
August 2021
- Crank position sensor
- Heater core
April 2022
- Sway bar bushings
- Water pump, thermostat housing
- Rear right wheel bearing and hub
- Control arm bushings
- Wheel studs/lugs
May 2022
- FR digital oil temp/pressure gauge installed
- Driveshaft
August 2022
- Hood release cable installed
- A/C leak; recharged system with dye to find where the leak is
January 2023
- Replaced two wheel bearings
February 2023
- New exhaust installed (Snake River Speed Shop)
May 2023
- Tracked down A/C leak to leaky valve; replaced valve and recharged system
- New O2 sensor
August 2023
- New ignition switch and ignition tumbler
May 2024
- Oil change and inspection in preparation for sale (see known issues section)