Options changed in what year?

[djminkin]

Hello new member here, had a couple questions I cant find answers to. When did BMW stop putting in recaro seats in and did it still remain an option? Also the rear deck spoiler and front lip spoiler? I am looking at a 91 car to purchase and I notice it has the ugly seats and no front lip or rear deck spoiler. Maybe someone can fill me on the options and how things changed through the model year. Thanks

[DesktopDave]

I thought the genuine Recaro option stopped really early in E30 production IIRC. I'd assume most were added after the cars were sold. I think the Scheels were sold that way too. BMW's sport seats took over, usually offered as standard equipment on the iS models.

All the facelift cars (> build date 8/87?) got the updated front fascia. No large front plastic spoiler was offered, just an integrated lip in two different styles. Later cars still offered a trunk spoiler option. Likewise, it was usually installed on the iS models.

There were a few M-Tech cars with more aggressive aerodynamics, but they are very rare.

[djminkin]

So after the first year there was no longer the "is" type sport seats offered and the trunk lip spoiler became an option? The is seats are what I was referring to as recaros. It seems after 88 they were no longer put on the cars and a standard ugly seat took over.

[nando]

I'm pretty sure they were always optional. They were standard on the '88, but the cars were too expensive so they had to make most things optional to reduce the price.

anyway it hardly matters by now as you can put whatever seats you like in, and the 25 year old leather is usually hard as a rock, if it's not completely degraded, cracked & torn. plus the seat frames tend to crack and need repaired.

as far as the front lip, I wonder how many cars have their original lip? I'd guess very few since people like to pull up over curbs and knock them off. even if you found a car that came with an "is" front lip, it would probably be long gone by now unless an enthusiast owned it.

[DesktopDave]

So after the first year there was no longer the "is" type sport seats offered and the trunk lip spoiler became an option? The is seats are what I was referring to as recaros. It seems after 88 they were no longer put on the cars and a standard ugly seat took over.

No. You've got this all confused. The standard (ugly) seating is BMW's "Comfort" seats...usually upholstered in vinyl but occasionally in leather. It was always the standard seat from beginning to end of E30 production. The sport seats were offered from '85-ish until end of production.

Genuine Recaro seats were offered really early on (count yourself lucky if you find a set, they're rare as hen's teeth). BMW then offered their own Sport Seats, which are not Recaros. BMW sport seats were offered through the entire production run in coupes. From what I recall, they were usually installed as part of the factory Sport packages (325eS, 325iS, 318iS), rarely as an individual option. They were never offered on any E30 sedan AFAIK (though I have them in mine :devil:).

A similar power sport seat design was available for the E24, E28 535iS/M5 and SA market E23 745i but it's slightly wider and won't easily fit in the E30.

[djminkin]

Ok thanks for the info. I haven't seen too many pictures of cars post 88 with sport seats. Always seem to be those ugly vinyl seats

[DesktopDave]

The sport seats are rare, no doubt. I know that BMW had a lot of trouble with exchange rates in the late 80s; they really tried to keep costs under control by cutting options. IMHO the late-model iS coupes are pretty special because of their relative rarity.

The sport seats were also offered in vinyl...you can (usually) tell by the perforated pattern going down the center pads.

[nando]

there actually are 4 door sport seats. but they are not very common. and 2 doors fit fine. also, all E30s are sedans. ;)

[flyboyx]

Not cabrios 8)