Educate me on the 1988 model.

[MattAvino]

My 1988 325is, has plastic bumpers. When, in 1988 did they start putting plastics on? Or was my car swapped to plastics by the previous owner?

[SUICIDE109]

I think yours was swamped... Mine has those hidious diving boards, but at least mine are tucked and I have a parts car to do the change over.

[brutus87]

ive always wondered that too.

[chadthestampede]

88's came with diving boards but the provisions for plastic bumpers, as well as the late model front valance. It's a direct swap to plastics front and back. Someone swapped your bumpers at one time.


On an unrelated side note I want those wheels. bad.

EDIT: I should clarify, when I say a 'direct swap' I mean that plastic bumper shocks and those little bracket things on each side need to be used to swap to plastics.

[Jaxx_]

have you checked realOEM for your month?

[MattAvino]

hmm, im gonna check real oem to see if the really late months of 1988 had plastics, because, if im not mistaken, i saw a sticker with my vin on it on the back of the rear bumper. But it was probably a different vin

[acolella76]

The 88s came with late model everything except bumpers. Late model cooling system, valances, fenders, etc.

[MattAvino]

mine was swapped then

[Kershaw]

yes it was.

[Holland]

I thought 88 was a half and half thing? Early half had db's and late half had plastics.

[MattAvino]

^thats what i was wondering, real oem listed both diving boards and plastics in 1988 and 1989. weird...

[ohthejosh]

i thought it was more like a 75:25 ratio of late:early.

88

late tails
late rear valance
late front valance
lower rear arches
but had dbs.

looking at the car as a whole i would call it 3/4 late to 1/4 early??

[Mossman]

He means 50:50 as in half of the 88's had DB's, half had plastics. I don't think that's the case, I've never seen an 88 with plastics from the factory. That's 88 model year though, I'm sure plenty of cars were sold as 89's but built in 88, which could be where some of the confusion came from.

[Aus E30]

My 88 has the black Plastic bumpers (not painted)

whoreattack

[NyC35AV]

My 88' had the diving boards