Out of the saddle for 15 years, home at last.

[Nick]

I've been away from e30s for over a decade but still a member of the BMW family - in all that time nothing has stacked up, and I just had to get my hands on one again.

I just picked up a 1990 325iC 5-speed, more or less bone stock.
I've already started restoring and fixing everything I can - trim parts are a lot harder to find these days but I'm making good progress.
It's amazing to be back behind the wheel of such an awesome car.

[mike.bmw]

Looks great. Are those RS001s?

[Nick]

Thanks!

I think so.
They're in need of some restoration, but until lately my main focus has been getting everything that doesn't work back to working order.

[Mike36]

Great looking cabrio! What's the story behind it. Nice job finding one with RS's on it.

[Nick]

@Mike36 - I have a couple other cars, but I've been missing an e30 for years. My first car was a 1986 325, and I restored it completely with my dad when I was 17-18. Rust from PA winters eventually got it though.
I tend to enjoy driving things with a lot of character - I have an e39 540 touring, an XC90 V8, etc.
I had an e60 with a JB4 tune that was putting out a lot of power, but I wasn't really in love with it. Finally I decided to just see who'd straight up trade me the e60 for a car I wanted - I'm out of space and I didn't want to wait for a sale.

I put a message out on an FB group, someone was interested in the trade, so we met and swapped cars.

When I got my hands on the cabrio, it had an airbag steering wheel with no airbag, the power steering didn't work, there was no AC belt, no radio, speedo was iffy, odo didn't work, no fuel gauge, no working climate control, all sorts of covers and components were missing. It needed a valve adjsutment. But basically it was in good shape, with no rust, upgraded suspension, new tires, lots of new bits on the engine, a new top.

I've found an original BMW radio and installed it, got the OBC working and restored, mostly have the climate control working save the AC which might just need a belt (which just arrived yesterday), I got the power steering working again, have most of the interior backlight illumination working again save for 2 buttons, installed an MTech 1 steering wheel that came with it (no leather on it though - I'm going to replace it at some point), and just tracked down a set of fogs for it to replace the cracked/broken ones it currently has.

I have a list of ~50 items it needs, including a new interior, dashboard, some minor bodywork/touchups, ellipsoid/smiley lights, stock tail lights, etc etc. and I'm knocking a couple items off every couple weeks.

I know the e60 was probably worth more and was a faster/more together car, but this car has a lot more character, I love driving it, people enjoy seeing it, and I'm so much happier driving it. e30 set the benchmark for me for "what a car is supposed to be", and it's something that was "missing" from my life, as stupid as that sounds.

[325e '87]

Congrats Nick. It’s not stupid at all. I was also away for a decade. When my son turned 16 i got him an ‘87 325, taught him to drive it and it only took another 8 months for me to decide i needed to get one for myself. When i sold my first e30 i just jumped into a pickup truck and used it for work and personal so its not like i was driving stuff like you had but i had the same feeling. These cars, in all of their forms, are just special. Not for everybody but definitely for some.

[Nick]

They definitely are special.
I could feel every pebble, I was looking up at the undersides of tractor-trailers, and I was running through the gears on hills that the e60 wouldn't even have needed any more revs to climb and I had a huge grin on my face the whole time.

[Stanley Rockafella]

I tend to enjoy driving things with a lot of character - I have an e39 540 touring, an XC90 V8, etc.

How do you like the V8 Volvo?

[Nick]

That thing is a freaking monster.
It's reliable, comfortable, pretty easy to work on.
It sounds awesome as well, I have the 4-tip sport exhaust on it.
It's also not bad off road and it's a tank in the snow. I love it.

[e30RS]

Congrats! Gorgeous color on the cabrio.

[Nick]

Thanks!

[Albie325]

Really nice clean car, think I saw a pic you posted on the NC FB page. Where in NC are you?

[Nick]

Thanks!
I'm up by Boone, I spend a ton of time in Charlotte and Asheville too.
We have some AMAZING roads up here and I'm constantly finding more.
I took a spin today and discovered some hidden mountain roads up by the TN border that were PERFECTION.
No traffic, tons of twisties, nicely paved, and a good mix of climbs, descents, and flats - I stopped to take this picture at the only straight spot I could find.

[Albie325]

Yep, that's the one. I want to get out there at some point this season, I've been out driving the Blue Ridge (in an SUV, not even a fun car) and loved it. Lucky guy for sure, sweet car too

[Nick]

Hit me up when you do, we can do a cruise!