Sport Package Survivor: 1988 BMW 325iS

The E30 chassis 3-Series is a car near and dear to my heart, as this is the model that started me on the path to becoming a rabid car enthusiast. I’m sure most of us have a vehicle in our lives that was the catalyst to developing a life-long obsession with a particular marque or brand, and to date, I still own my 1987 325is after close to 15 years of being its caretaker. This is a nicely preserved example of an unusual crossover year in the E30’s history, and you’ll find this 1988 325is listed here on eBay with a Buy-It-Now of $17,600 and the option to submit a best offer.

What makes the 1988 325is an interesting car for BMW enthusiasts is the fact that it features a blend of styles: it has the “big” bumpers from the earlier models but the revised tail lamps and front valence from the later, “small” bumper, or plastic bumper, models. It’s all semantics to anyone else, but if you’re looking for a unique version of practically anything, a one-year-only model is a good place to start. This being a Sport package car means it comes with a variety of other upgrades, both cosmetic and mechanical, including the BBS mesh wheels shown here, a rear spoiler, front air dam, a limited-slip differential, and a few other upgrades inside the cabin.

Continuing the list of improved features, the sport package 3-Series also got a classic 3-spoke steering wheel and upgraded factory stereo system. The sport bucket seats with their Recaro-like bolsters are hidden from view here, buried under some thick seat covers designed to obscure the fact that the leather is tired and cracked. It’s a bit of a surprise as the rest of the car is so nicely preserved, but with 210,000 miles on the clock, the previous owner definitely got his share of seat time. Still, the seat condition is a minor issue in the grand scheme of things, especially with that many miles on the clock.

Here’s another fun “Easter egg” as it relates to dissecting this E30’s past: the engine compartment still sports a heavy coating of cosmoline, a protective substance that was applied at the factory. Among BMW circles, finding a car with the cosmoline still applied is usually one of the most concrete signs that it was well maintained and looked after. You can see it on the intake manifold and the shock towers, too. The seller’s asking price is not out of line with current market trends, but the odometer reading will likely make an offer of $15,000 a more realstic place to land on this 1988 325is.