Bring a Trailer Auctions, E30 edition

[Poorhouse]

I think it is easy for people to search and determine the "fair market price" of an M3 based on other ads, but it is rather more difficult for the non initiated to do the same for a more normal E30. As with any good deal it's a matter of vigilant searching and immediate action once you find it. Whereas, cars like the one we were discussing will continue to be available for those buyers who cannot be vigilant or swift.

This may also be greatly impacted by local market trends, and I tend to only track markets within 100-200 miles of home.

You may be able to find a great deal from an uninformed seller basing their price on NADA. The question is what you, an informed E30 owner would sell for. Are you going to list your nice 325is for $7500?

[djjerme]

Something about that ‘86 interior looks off. Like the inserts really don’t match the side bolsters. And the ride height seems weirdly 4x4.

Also, I see Brad pointed out the rust, I got a feeling it’s worse then it looks.

Maybe I’m just skeptical...


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[2mAn]

My buddy just bought his for about that price. Its a really clean car, still needs some stuff and was an auto before 88-is. He has likely already a few grand on getting small service items attended to, but it adds up quick when you want to buy brand new OEM parts.

[JJCTHE1]

For what its worth, I was prepared to bid more than 24k for that 91 Swapped car prior to reading the previous build thread, the previous sale ad and examining all of the photos.

It was not clear in BAT that many of the photos posted were 8 years old. There was also no current video.

I think that a properly done swapped S52 E30 is worth 20k-27k depending on the car. If that car had an OEM style interior (maybe even stock leather sport seats or something), OEM style radio, and didnt have things moved/removed like the OBC, radio, door cards etc. with clear documentation I think the price would have been merited. I know how much time, money and effort it takes to build one right, I know others do too.

Keep in mind also the buyer pays another 5% on top of the sale price.

I am willing to bet that the guy who bought it either didnt know or didnt care. For me, there was not enough clear photos or documentation to merit taking the risk of buying site unseen, then spending another 6k to "make it right", I am on the opposite side of the country.

I am in the market for a good clean stock AW coupe and will be handling a build like this with my own resources, so if you know of anyone selling please point them my way!

Good point, it's worth further discussion. I thought the same about the difference in damage description between the two ads. The builder of the car is an aerospace engineer, so maybe an OCD, damage alarmist? Reseller may be a car flipper with a minimizer attitude towards damage? So maybe the truth is is the middle?

I do believe a well presented car on BaT will attract the deepest pockets. It's an effort well-rewarded. Not a joke, as mentioned above. I believe it's where the real money is. Inhabited by established collectors and moneyed guys looking for fun rides.

If your only market is this forum, then you're going to miss out. Wouldn't be expecting high rollers in this venue. No offense. Most of the people here are just young, can't help it.

[e30austin]

Austin's didnt get the love that it deserved, was a much more completed thought, just much more finished, well rounded street car.

That white car is a cool build, and I do like it, but it feels like its got a bit of an identity crisis. It doesnt know if its a track star or a hard parker.

I thought Austin's car was a nicer package. Just the audience wasnt there when his was up.

Appreciate that very much, Jimmy. I think my car was infinitely nicer than that one, but bad timing played a role, as well as the color - everyone loves a white e30, there is no dispute on that. If my car had been basically any other color than silver, I think it would have done really well, but it is such a boring color, generally speaking - c'est la vie.

Of course, if it were any other color, I probdbly wouldn't have sold it - haha

[JimmyP]

If my car had been basically any other color than silver, I think it would have done really well, but it is such a boring color, generally speaking - c'est la vie.

Of course, if it were any other color, I probdbly wouldn't have sold it - haha

See the color was one of the many things I loved about your car,,, but I do like silver(s). My race car is silver, my dually is silver, my trailer is silver.

I get the allure of a white E30,,, all the prominent factory E30 race cars were white. Its hard to distance from it even on std. E30s vs E30M3s.
The E30 looks pretty darn sporty in white "because" everyone is conditioned to seeing those werks race cars in white for 30 years. There have been so few famous E30 liveries that didnt start with a white car...
My Gruppe A car is white,,, well that needs to be white.
My MTech Cabrio is white and honestly I'd prefer if it were red or silver. I think they look much cooler. That red Mtech that just sold on BAT was so sexy

[roguetoaster]

Odd, I always assigned a lower value to white as they are so common. Maybe that's a function of owning a white car and wanting something different.

[e30austin]

See the color was one of the many things I loved about your car,,, but I do like silver(s). My race car is silver, my dually is silver, my trailer is silver.

I get the allure of a white E30,,, all the prominent factory E30 race cars were white. Its hard to distance from it even on std. E30s vs E30M3s.
The E30 looks pretty darn sporty in white "because" everyone is conditioned to seeing those werks race cars in white for 30 years. There have been so few famous E30 liveries that didnt start with a white car...
My Gruppe A car is white,,, well that needs to be white.
My MTech Cabrio is white and honestly I'd prefer if it were red or silver. I think they look much cooler. That red Mtech that just sold on BAT was so sexy

Silver is nice on some cars, but it really just left me feeling very flat about that particular one. If I had installed everything off that car, on my black '88 325is, I never would have even considered selling.

Black is such a classy color, white is so timeless, and red - red has zing!

[djjerme]

...and bronzit?


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[2mAn]

...and bronzit?

bronzit is so good it has its own emoticon

[bradnic]

surprised this isn't on BaT
2001 325XI S54 AWD Wagon

[roguetoaster]

surprised this isn't on BaT
https://denver.craigslist.org/ctd/d/...758146934.html

That's cool! The seller has a website http://glenshelly.com/sales where they have more cool stuff.

[2mAn]

GlenShelly is a regular seller on BaT

[bradnic]

I know - and yet, the car is not on BaT... the mystery continues.

[bradnic]

Something about that ‘86 interior looks off. Like the inserts really don’t match the side bolsters. And the ride height seems weirdly 4x4.

Also, I see Brad pointed out the rust, I got a feeling it’s worse then it looks.

I don't believe the seats are original to the car. from looking at the bolsters it appears that the driver seat is actually a pass seat swapped over.

and yeah guarantee you there are rust issues to deal with.