Modified 1988 BMW 325i Convertible 5-Speed Project

This 1988 BMW 325i convertible is a non-driving project that spent time in California before it was acquired by the seller in 2020. Subsequent work is said to have included repairing the rear bodywork, installing an M-Technic II-style body kit, refinishing the car in beige, and reupholstering the seats in brown leather as well as replacing the head gasket, throttle position sensor, mass air flow sensor, and distributor cap and rotor. Modifications added under current ownership include a Mishimoto radiator, a Z3-sourced steering rack, 17″ Enkei RPF1 wheels, Fortune Auto coilovers, polyurethane bushings, front- and rear-facing cameras, a three-spoke steering wheel, a short-throw shifter with an aftermarket knob, and a Pioneer CD stereo linked to aftermarket speakers and a Kicker subwoofer. The car is equipped with a 2.5-liter M20 inline-six paired with a five-speed manual transmission as well as a soft top, air conditioning, cruise control, heated front sport seats, and power windows and mirrors. The seller notes that the head gasket and the transmission seals are leaking. This modified E30 shows 189k miles and is now offered at no reserve with refurbishment photos, an accident-free Carfax report, and a clean California title in the seller’s name.

The Bespoke Project

The car left the factory finished in Bronzit Beige. Per the seller, the rear panels were repaired, and the car was fitted with M-Technic II-style bodywork before it was refinished in its current shade of beige under current ownership. Additional exterior details include a rear spoiler, a soft top, aftermarket headlights and badges, tinted taillight and turn signal lenses, and a Racing Dynamics-branded twin-tip exhaust outlet. Blemishes on various panels and components are identified by the seller in the gallery below.

Bronze-finished 17″ Enkei RPF1 wheels wear Roundel center caps and are wrapped in 215/40 Federal 595 RS-RR tires. The suspension has been modified with Fortune Auto coilovers, polyurethane bushings, and an H&R anti-roll bar, and the car has reportedly been fitted with a Z3-sourced steering rack. Stopping power is provided by four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, which feature ventilated front rotors along with braided stainless-steel hoses at all four corners. The seller states that the parking brake cable and the wheel bearings and hubs were replaced under current ownership.

The Interior

The cabin features seating surfaces that were reupholstered in brown leather with diamond-stitched inserts, and color-coordinated trim accents the contrasting door panels. Appointments include air conditioning, cruise control, an onboard computer, heated front sport seats, and power windows and mirrors. Modifications fitted under current ownership reportedly include an ECS Tuning short-throw shifter, an aftermarket shift knob, aluminum-look pedal covers, aftermarket insulation, and a Pioneer CD stereo linked to aftermarket speakers and a Kicker subwoofer. The car is reportedly equipped with front- and rear-facing cameras. The air-conditioning receiver-drier is said to have been replaced under current ownership.

The replacement three-spoke steering wheel fronts a 150-mph speedometer, a tachometer, and gauges for coolant temperature, instant fuel economy, and fuel level. The six-digit odometer shows 189k miles, approximately 1k of which were added under current ownership. The seller notes that the ABS warning light is illuminated.

Under The Hood

The 2.5-liter M20B25 inline-six was factory rated at 168 horsepower and 164 lb-ft of torque. Work performed under current ownership is said to have included replacing the head gasket, throttle position sensor, mass air flow sensor, and distributor cap and rotor as well as installing a Mishimoto radiator, HPS silicone hoses, an aftermarket oil cooler, and a Chase Bays power steering reservoir and hoses. A red-finished strut tower brace spans the engine bay. The seller states that the power steering pump and the idle air control valve need to be replaced and that the head gasket is leaking.

Power is sent to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. The driveshaft was replaced along with a clutch line under current ownership, and the car is reportedly fitted with an aftermarket exhaust system as well as underbody reinforcements. The seller states that the transmission leaks fluid and needs to be rebuilt and that the car is not currently drivable.

The Carfax report shows no accidents or other damage and lists history in California from its initial entry in May 1991. Several entries note that the car was designated a gross polluter by the state of California in August 2005, April 2007, May 2007, June 2012, July 2014, and March 2015.

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