e30 Convertible price rises???

I've got a 320i convertible that I need to sell (new car on the way), so I'm trying to work out what to ask for it.

It was registered in 11/89, it's done 103,000 miles, it's automatic, Atlantis Blue with natural leather and it has air-con (not currently working), 15 inch factory wide wheels and ABS. The interior is in amazingly good condition, the body/paint is very good, except for a dent and scrape (probably £600 to repair properly) the back window is broken (£270 ish to fix) and it uses a lot of oil (1 ltr every 300-400 miles). It's had two owners (my mother and me!). 

It would be really helpful if anyone could give me an idea of what sort of price I should expect to sell it for (private/trade)?

If I'm not mistaken, the lagoon green 325i was advertized recently by a private seller in Autotrader for £5500.  Probably too much of a coincidence for another with exactly the same mileage to pop up in short order.  It does look very nice though.

I know what you mean re the kids. I've just had 4 glorious days in Cornwall. The weather was fantastic. Unfortunately we had to take the 5 series though purely due to the size. I've only got one daughter but there was no way everything would have gone in the 325. While driving around the lanes down there, all I could think about was "it would be better with the hood down!".  Years of searching for a high spec e39 with a sunroof finally paid off.

It will sell for that. It's the right colour (quite rare in an early e30 convertible) and the hood is a major selling point being new. Mine is white (although I think it suits it) and had the usual bubbling here and there. It's the 325 but still an auto but it does have the indigo leather. It's got 102k up fully historied and had had a new blue hood. I paid £2900 for that (i've since done a further £1000 on it though) and I consider that cheap. I would put yours at £2650 all day long if it's as good as you say.

In the last 2 isuues of Total BMW, WLN (the company listed above with the red 320) have had 2 further e30 convertibles advertised at once again top money. This month they have a green 325 I believe, in at £7750, and thay had a different one in last month, again at top money. I'll see if I can dig out the copies and get the spec etc. Another dealer (the 80's emporiam I think) has just let a very clean 320i auto with similar miles to yours go for about the £3500 mark and that was Kashmir Beige with a brown hood, Not a colour I'd entertain but very 80's. So your price is very attractive, it just needs to be seen.

First of all I've seen the other post and 2250 is not too high. That is "quick sale required" money.........if advertised in the right place. Try putting it in TOTAL BMW magazine. I believe it's free even with a photo and people looking for one are more likely to look there. Also the classic mags. Theres a couple of mags out there that are purely for selling and it's free to advertise there also.

Unfortunately, yours being the 2litre and an auto may make it more difficult to sell. People really go more for the 2.5's especially in manual as they have a lot more BHP for not a lot more fuel outlay.

Cheers

Trevor

 

its a manual.

 

i took it to an e30zone meet and everyone said how quiet the engine is. 

It drives like a new car.

No rust

Paint is good but has a few small scratches in the lacquer - nothing deep or anything tho

Leather is really good, no rips or tears

The alpina rims wud not be going with the car, itd be on a nice set of 15" bbs x-spokes instead.

 

Ive seen sh***** with 150k on the clock up for £3500, which is what made me wonder what mine is worth with the condition and the mileage etc.

 

Theres an interesting story behind the car, it was owned from new by a uk business man who had a business here in uk and another in spain.
He took the car out to spain to use there and regd it out there etc (proper uk car tho) but used to bring it back for servicing to the uk !!!! Hence the fact the mileage is so low.
Ive bought it now and for a car of its age its amazing.
HOWEVER im still a kid at heart, and i wanted one i cud modify a touch - nothing chav, just lowered, zone chip, exhaust etc - but this one is simply too good and too original to do that too.
Apart from myself its only had one owner all its life.

Edited by chaos

all this talk makes me wonder what my 325i convertible is actually worth as im considering selling it.

 

1988 in diamond black - genuine 55k miles with fsh (95% of which is bmw main dealers)

totally unmolested (except for a set of genuine alpina rims)

heated black leather sports seats

good hood (new rear window being fitted in next week or so)

Thanks.  

I think it's the colour that makes it so eye catching.

There were 250 Motorsports in Macau blue or Sebring grey.

Other than an M-tec body kit & "bubble" leather there wasn't much between them & a std 325. Power roof & an lsd options were standard fit too.

They fetch very strong money over standard which I'm not entirely convinced is justified. IMHO M3's are too cheap but then so are 6-series!

My own dearly beloved 635 is a Motorsport edition. Apart from M'sport only Misano Red all the other "extras" such as lsd, M-tec wheel etc were available as options.  There doesn't seem to be any price premium for them.

I agree an M3 would be more collectable but as an everyday car I would say the 325 is more useable.

All (non-collectable) cars depreciate - my own '98 Audi A6 2.4 lost £2.5k a year! The point of the 325 is that depreciation would be neglible. That was the attraction over a Saab etc.

WLN said £6250 give or take. Motorsports would be £1.5k - £2k more, an Alpina higher again. That's if you could find one.

For £6500 a "sensible" option would be a Ford Focus. Let's not go there!

As for looking at the pricey 325, my mate lives in Windsor hence the WLN scenario.  We'll see.

I hear the arguments about an M3 for the same price but I don't think it's a straight comparison.

For a start, LHD is going to rule the M3 out for the majority and a rorty 4 cylinder appeals to a different market than a silky 6. Throw an auto box into the equation & you can see they're chalk & cheese.

The fact is, if you want a 4 seat convertible with a bit of class for under £10k there's not a lot of choice.  Nearly £8k is steep mind as WLN think £6.5k sufficient for a mintish example.