This BMW E30 M3 is available on eBay with a starting bid of $18,950 and no reserve, or a buy it now of $21,500 in San Antonio, Texas. It is very clean and has been tastefully modified using very high quality parts by someone who knew what they were doing. The parts are from such highly regarded suppliers as Dinan, H&R, Turner Motorsports, and a few hard to find OE BMW parts as well, but the car retains a restrained and nearly stock appearance.
The wheels are 17-inch “style-5″ modular wheels that were originally specified on the E39 528i and 525i Sport of the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. They are a modernized take on the classic BBS/BMW mesh wheel dating back to the 1970s, making them particularly popular with 1980’s BMW owners since they capture the feel of the period wheels but the aggressiveness and tire selection of a 17” modular wheel. The polished rim halves on this example look great and the stance of the car is further enhanced by its lowered ride height. Beyond that, the car has a fairly stock external appearance otherwise. Diamantschwarz (diamond black) is a great color for this car since because it’s so subtle compared to the spoiler and boxed flares.
The interior looks fairly stock, aside from a few updates, including the desirable M-Technik II steering wheel and M-Technik sill plates, which are very difficult to find. The bolsters on these cars often wear or even separate on the bottoms and these seats are in remarkable condition considering the car’s age and mileage.
The engine compartment has a stock appearance aside from the light gray finish on the valve cover and airbox, which would have been black wrinkle finish originally. This suggests that the top end of the engine has been off at least, though the vendor makes no mention of the engine having been rebuilt, merely that it consumes no oil. A compression and leakdown check would be a good idea at this stage, but regardless, the engine room is impressively clean.
In recent years, these cars have crossed over into collectability. Like M5’s, they are imminently usable and practical performance cars, which means that most have racked up intergalactic mileages. 100,000 is relatively low and given the level of care this car appears to have received, it is not a cause for too much concern. Even today, BMW Car Club of America instructors invariably seem to have E30 M3’s, a testament to the capability, balance, and fun that these cars still provide. Oftentimes they are abused or modified in questionable taste, making this example a rare find. While expensive, this car has really been done properly and would represent considerable savings against the alternative of building up a cheaper example to this specification.