Owner claims it's a 325i, but VIN says 325is?

[TrentW]

Luke is correct, metallics were the only colors with factory clearcoat.

The LSD was an option on the "is" models though. The Vehicle Description for my 1989 325is lists the LSD as Option 0209. The majority of the E30's sold in the midwest were lsd cars though.

[McGyver]

OP, what you should get from this is that their is no rhyme/reason why BMW put options in their cars. i have an 89 vert with a 5/7 series premium sound stereo....

the only way to know what options a car has after 20 years is to look the whole thing over and just wait to buy one that matches your list or is close enough that you can upgrade it.

[StereoInstaller1]

OP, what you should get from this is that their is no rhyme/reason why BMW put options in their cars. i have an 89 vert with a 5/7 series premium sound stereo....

the only way to know what options a car has after 20 years is to look the whole thing over and just wait to buy one that matches your list or is close enough that you can upgrade it.

Your car came with 10 speakers? I doubt it.

[mcaden]

By the way, if you ever want to know about your VIN or the VIN of an E30 you are looking at email Andreas Harz at BMW Classic in Germany. Give him about 24 hours to respond with info including: date mfd, date delivered, model, and original paint code #.

Info:

Andreas Harz
------------------------------------------------------------------------
WAY GmbH
Andreas Harz
Leopoldstraße 244
80807 München
Url.: http://www.way-services.com/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WAY GmbH
Geschäftsführer Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Peter Schmidt
HRA 164739 Muenchen
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Erreichbarkeit bei der BMW Group Classic
Tel.: +49 (0) 89-382-68281
mailto: info.grouparchiv@bmwgroup.de

[McGyver]

Your car came with 10 speakers? I doubt it.

i guess i should have clarified, i have the standard 6 speaker e30 premium setup, but with a 5/7 series premium head unit factory wired in.

[mrsleeve]

These cars didnt come with clear coat in my experience.

Flat colors were single stage, basic reds and Alpine Metallic's were base clear

[BMC227]

In SA it's different ;)
iS had a 2.7 motor while i had 2.5 with less power.

I'm referring to the US cars :) the SA cars are awesome!

[Pantless Spency]

Flat colors were single stage, basic reds and Alpine Metallic's were base clear

would that mean my 86 zinno has a clear coat?

[Shangsta]

My 87 coupe say 325i/2

Nice opels you have, I used to have a 200ts when I lived in Joburg

[Nsquared97]

To the OP; What year is the car? Any pics?

[StereoInstaller1]

Flat colors were single stage, basic reds and Alpine Metallic's were base clear

No, that is not correct.

All paints with the word "Metallic" in the name were base/clear, ALL other colors were single stage...including Zinno.

[Mercury[BKM]]

...in this thread, knowledge of old BMW crazyness is revealed

[kingston]

"i" is 4 door, "is" is 2 door

This is true...on the E36 cars.

[5Toes]

In all seriousness, why does it matter?

[bernzpeed]

Most of what you said is not true. LSD is an option on all E30s. It was never standard. Premium also is not standard on the iS. Neither is the power sunroof. Steering wheel is as are the sport seats, spoiler etc. It is an appearance package and some slightly stiffer shocks. Nothing more.

True. I owned 2 late model IS and both didn't have the LSD and mtech steering wheel. Both had airbag steering wheels.