Buying checklist BMW 3er E30

Much becomes clear before you travel. If papers are missing without a good reason, that is already a price argument, or a reason to cancel.

• Registration document present, the Stammnummer matches the vehicle
• Latest MFK (periodic vehicle inspection): date, any conditions, and veteran entryVeteran status is tied to conditions (condition, mileage). Gaining it later can be expensive.Veteran status explained
• Look at the service book, invoices and restoration recordsPhotographs of a restoration are worth more than the words "just done".History and papers
• Matching Numbers: check engine and chassis numbers against the papersHistory and papers
• Are the number of previous owners and the location history plausible? (import, periods standing)Importing into Switzerland
• Read the value estimate and the weak points of the series beforehandBoth are in the buying guide for that series.

Sheet metal is the dearest item on a classic. Take your time, bring a torch and a magnet, and be twice as wary of fresh underseal.

• Rust in the usual places: wheel arches, sills, jacking points, window frames
• Inspect the underside. Fresh, thick underseal can hide rust
• Are the panel gaps even all round? Uneven gaps point to an accident or a poor repair
• Paint: colour differences, runs, masking edges, signs of a resprayA paint-thickness gauge costs little and shows filler at once.
• Doors, bonnets and lids close cleanly, and the doors do not sag
• Chrome, trim and rubber seals: condition and completenessA replacement looks trivial, but on a rare model it is often expensive or unavailable.
• Are the drains clear? (scuttle, sunroof, boot, fuel filler)

See the engine cold. A warmed engine hides starting trouble, rattles and smoke, so arrange the visit with the car cold.

• Cold start: does the engine fire willingly, and how is the idle in the first minutes?
• Check the oil level and colour, and look at the coolantStreaks in the coolant or pale foam on the oil cap point to the head gasket.
• Leaks at the engine, gearbox and differential (look from below)A light sweat is normal on an old engine. Drips are not.
• Exhaust smoke: blue = oil, white (persistent) = head gasket, black = mixture
• Clutch: bite point, judder, slip under load
• All gears including reverse; synchromesh on the downchange
• Ask about the service state of the expensive items: timing belt or chain, valve clearances, carburettor overhaul

Unspectacular, but it matters for safety, and the MFK is unforgiving. Electrics are the most often underestimated cost on a classic.

• Dampers, bushes and steering: play, knocks, worn joints
• Brake pipes and hoses: rust, porosity, age
• Tyres: check the DOT age (older than 8–10 years: replace), is the wear even?Wear on one side gives away geometry or accident damage.Tyres on a classic
• Try every electrical consumer: lights, indicators, wipers, instruments, heater and fan
• Look at the loom: bodges, flying fuses, added equipment
• Are the battery tray and earth points free of corrosion?

The interior often gives away the true mileage better than the odometer, and damp in the footwell is a warning of hidden rust.

• Seats: upholstery, bolsters, seams. Does the wear match the stated mileage?
• Dashboard: cracks (sun damage), and whether every instrument works
• Lift the carpets: damp or rust on the floorpan?A musty smell as you get in is a clear sign of water getting in.
• Headlining and, on a convertible, the hood: condition, mechanism, waterproofing
• Originality: wheel, radio, gear lever, pedal rubbers. Are changes documented and reversible?

No purchase without a drive, even if the seller hesitates. Drive it yourself, at least 20 to 30 minutes, with a cold start.

• Experience the cold start and the first minutes yourself (do not let it be warmed up)
• Tracking: on a straight, safe road, does the car pull to one side?
• Brakes: pedal feel, pulling to one side, judder under harder braking
• Listen on purpose: suspension knocks, gearbox whine, wheel-bearing drone in corners
• Watch temperature and oil pressure for the whole drive
• After the drive, look underneath again: fresh drips at the engine, gearbox or differential?

The critical points of the E30, in addition to the common inspection catalogue. A lift or a pit is essential: the E30 rusts in clearly known places, and the tuning past of many cars is only visible from underneath.

• Check the rear wheel arches (folded edges) and the front wing edges: bubbles under the paint, fresh paint or filler on the edges are the most common E30 findingNeatly welded wheel-arch repair panels are acceptable. Edges thick with filler are not.
• Tap the sills and jacking points: all four supports must carry the car; swollen underseal is a warning signJacking points rusted through mean welding on load-bearing metal.
• Check the battery tray in the engine bay (or the battery well in the boot) for acid corrosion and rust-through
• Check the rear panel, the boot floor and the aerial hole in the rear quarter: water runs in at the aerial grommet and rots the metal from inside
• Look for bubbles on the windscreen frame and the door bottoms; on the Convertible, also check the soft-top well and the floor pans for water damage
• M20 six-cylinder (320i/325i): timing-belt change documented with date and mileage? The interval of every 4 years or 60'000 km is compulsoryA snapped timing belt destroys the M20. Without a record, plan the change at once and price it in.
• M20 cooling system and head gasket: oil sludge in the cap, coolant loss, white smoke; check radiator, water pump and thermostat for deferred maintenanceA head gasket with a skimmed cylinder head quickly costs 3'000–4'000 francs.
• M40 four-cylinder (316i/318i from 1987): camshaft wear is the known weakness. Take ticking and clacking at idle seriously; the M42 (318is) with a timing chain is more robust
• Suspension: worn ball joints, tired dampers and worn rear-axle and barrel bushes show up as vague, clunking behaviour
• Gearbox and differential: check for oil leaks, whining differentials and a notchy shift; short differential ratios point to sporting previous owners
• Recognise a tuning and drift past: coilovers, welded strut mounts, messed-about wiring looms, missing original parts, weld seams on the differential cover. If in doubt, walk awayThe E30 was cheap drift material for years. A hard-driven car is not a classic purchase.
• Originality and history: check the service book, the invoices and the share of original paint; pre-facelift cars (VFL, up to 1987) have chrome bumpers, post-facelift (NFL) have plastic. Later conversions depress the value
• Assess the interior: seat bolsters (sport seats), cracked dashboards and worn window regulators; complete, original interiors set the price on the E30

The most important step comes after the visit: judge it soberly instead of deciding in love.

• Judge the condition grade honestly (1–5). If in doubt, half a grade worseThe grades are explained in the knowledge article on condition grades.Condition grades explained
• Compare the price with the series estimate, and note the faults as a negotiating list
• If you are serious: arrange a short independent appraisal, or a second visit with a specialistAn appraisal costs a few hundred francs. Missed sheet-metal damage costs several times that.Appraisal before buying
• Do not rush: a serious seller allows time to think