Bring a Trailer Auctions, E30 edition

[Jb325is]

Awesome car- interested to see how well it's received by BaT types.

[SOneThreeCoupe]

Fixed that for you.

People who are willing to pay a lot for an E30 are the only reason I'm building an E30. We're finally reaching the days of being able to build a car properly, enjoy it for a thousand or so miles, and sell it either for break-even or a small profit. If I valued my time, I'd be in the hole only like $30k.

Edit: I want to build a lifetime E30 at some point (early chassis, make a slicktop, build it like a Peugeot 205 Rallye with lightweight bits and an emphasis on the fizz of driving). I don't know that now is that point because there are other cars I'd like to experience and figure out if I'm interested in them or not before I turn 40. I know I love the chassis and I have experience with it. I need to spread myself around before coming back to what I know.

[Codym42]

1990 S52 Swapped 325i

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1990-bmw-325is-47/

Man this car did well considering a junk title, unoriginal color and loud wheels/interior. I really really dig the paint on this car. I appreciate how the owner made it his own.

I don't understand how this car went for so much. I mean, the color does look good and its an s52 but $17k for a car with a junk title just blows my mind. Not a huge fan of all the red bits mixed with grey either. If the entire interior was red and the wheels were silver, it would look a whole lot better IMO.

[Reichart12]

Good lord, I want that s38 m3!

[ForcedFirebird]

1989 325i

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1991-bmw-325i-9/

HOW DID I MISS THIS?!?!?!?!?

That car is so sweet! Turned into a daily driver after the cage removal, he boasted about how the car starts every time, first crank, and how smooth it was on the street. :)

He was slightly disappointed at the final price (and I KNOW how much he put in that car).

Anyways, the noises from that thing are fantastic, vid does no justice. :(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7UI2UyR91Q&t=6s

and the build thread....

https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forum/e30-technical-forums/engine-drivetrain/m20/300937-200whp-with-stock-n-a-rotating-assy

[ForcedFirebird]

I don't understand how this car went for so much. I mean, the color does look good and its an s52 but $17k for a car with a junk title just blows my mind. Not a huge fan of all the red bits mixed with grey either. If the entire interior was red and the wheels were silver, it would look a whole lot better IMO.

Right? And the car we built at work only got 16...guess people think a ~200whp s52 car is better than a 216whp m20 car? lol.

[Reichart12]

Right? And the car we built at work only got 16...guess people think a ~200whp s52 car is better than a 216whp m20 car? lol.

Question now is, can you build another one again for 16k? I should start saving...

[ForcedFirebird]

Question now is, can you build another one again for 16k? I should start saving...

I can tell you round-a-bout numbers (2014 prices)...

ITB kit in: $1800
MS PNP: $850
Head: $2200
Headers/exhaust: $1k
40% diff: $900
Dyno tuning: $600
Labor $2200

2014: $8550

2016 we upgraded to 2.8:

2.8 rotating assy: $4200

Head was cracked by owner (overheated accidentally in garage when fan caught a rag), not really "build" but related.

Second head: $2300
$1200 labor
New dyno tune: $600

Even if you nix the second head, he still spent another $4800 on the new bottom end installed ($13,350 total).

Plus he purchased the interior and re-installed it ($$???).

The PO easily had $20 on top of the vehicle purchase, only to get 16. :(

[ForcedFirebird]

Question now is, can you build another one again for 16k? I should start saving...

...and if you really have $16 to spend, we can talk. I happen to have a nice 1991 sedan with fresh Delphin paint I could throw in ;)

[Reichart12]

...and if you really have $16 to spend, we can talk. I happen to have a nice 1991 sedan with fresh Delphin paint I could throw in ;)

Haha maybe not right now, but I'm planning and may reach out more seriously next year. Problem is finding a rust free early model shell might prove to be the most difficult part.

All in, those prices seem fair. Don't really think engine mechanical part prices have rose the way of e30s so that's a positive. 16k for that car was definitely a good buy though.

[2mAn]

1991 M3

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1991-bmw-m3-28/

[AWDBOB]

He was slightly disappointed at the final price (and I KNOW how much he put in that car).

The car did far better than I was expecting due to the lack of Heat, A/C, headliner with the livery. It seemed silly to me to put all of that work into putting the car back on the street and stop there. Classic case of a car being in between a track car and a street car, and thus not excelling at either.

Your work, of course, was fantastic! I think it really would've done well if an HVAC box was added back in and a headliner installed, at the very minimum.

[2mAn]

1988 325iS

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1988-bmw-325is-55/

[Reichart12]

Would rather have the s38 M3 than the low mile stock M3.

[2mAn]

1989 M3

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1989-bmw-m3-59/