Arguably the least ultimate of E30 driving machines, today’s Nice Price or No Dice 318i does offer the benefit of wind-in-the-hair driving and the more frequent applications of sun-block. Let’s see if the seller has set the right price for that mix.
In the 1943 Merrie Melodies cartoon, “Falling Hare,” we come across Bugs Bunny leisurely reading a book titled “Victory Through Hare Power.” Breaking the fourth wall, Bugs shares with the audience a passage about gremlins, narrating, “A constant menace to pilots are the Gremlins who wreck planes with dia-bo-lick-al sab-o-tay-gee.” Naturally, Bugs then immediately encounters a gremlin, allowing hilarity to ensue.
The electrical gremlins noted in the ad for the 1995 Jaguar XJS convertible we looked at on Tuesday are likely far less of an amusement than one of Bugs Bunny’s adventures. Based on the comments the car engendered, that was a deciding factor in determining whether the Jag proved worthy of its $7,500 asking price. In the end, an old XJS with electrical gremlins wasn’t something the majority of you felt comfortable spending such an amount on. The result was an overwhelming 83% ‘No Dice’ loss.
Good on gas
When you think of BMW vehicles, strong fuel economy is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. However, the company has long offered models that placed fuel efficiency above overall performance. In fact, right now the 3 Series is available as a mild hybrid in either four-cylinder or six-cylinder configuration for an improved mix of performance and fuel economy in each model.
Back before such fancy technology was brought to the mainstream by Toyota with the Prius, most car companies approached fuel savings in a simpler manner—by offering cars with smaller engines.
This 1992 BMW 318i convertible is one of those smaller-engined models. Most would likely prefer a 3 Series with one of BMW’s silken straight sixes under the hood, but for weekend cruising rather than canyon carving, the DOHC 1.8-liter M42 should prove satisfactory. Adding some fun to this particular car are a five-speed Getrag 240 gearbox and that convertible top, which offers variable headroom for four. According to the ad, the drivetrain works without issue, as do all the accessories, right down to the cold-blowing A/C.
Parsimonious but well put together
Having air-con is a nice add-on for this car as it’s otherwise sparsely spec’d. It also offers cruise control and power windows (all four), but the top is manually operated, and the seats are covered in modest cloth rather than fancy-pants leather.
To be fair, the seating does feature sport thrones for the front buckets, and the cloth upholstery covering them probably provides more grip than the chassis can overcome.
The Atlantisblau-over-gray color combo, topped with a complementary blue canvas roof, is also modest but not without broad appeal. Further, the car’s stock appearance and factory specs—save for a later stereo head unit—work in its favor. Overall, aside from the small motor, there’s little to complain about with the car’s appeal. This is also the penultimate year for the E30 convertible, held over while the succeeding E36 lineup slowly entered the market model by model. That means it has all the late-in-the-game E30 features like the smaller bumpers and that M42 mill.
Wear and tear
Okay, that’s a lot of the good. Now, let’s consider some of the bad. Per the ad’s description, and made obvious in the pictures, this 318i suffers from some age-related aesthetic issues. Front and center, almost literally, is the failure of the clear coat on the car’s hood. That’s left a gaping hole, like the skin peeling off a bad sunburn. It’s ugly and would require the entire hood to be re-shot with both base and clear layers to fix, so it’s no surprise the current owner has left it for the next one to address. Other issues on the exterior include a good bit of brake dust etching into the bottle cap wheels, and some old stickers marring the front bumper and rear end. The latter does promote the “Freistaat Bayern” or free state of Bavaria, so maybe we can give it a pass.
In the cabin, the cloth upholstery we’ve already discussed shows noticeable wear, and the dashboard is cracked, a common occurrence on any BMW of this age. None of these issues would prevent enjoyment of the car in motion, but could prove frustrating to look at on a regular basis, especially given how solid the rest of the car is.
An appealing price?
Other elements in this 318’s favor include a 90% complete tool kit, a clean title, and a modest 106,000-mile odometer reading. It will also come with the original owner’s manual and a slew of what look to be service receipts, along with various repair manuals and magazines. Per the seller, who is the car’s second owner, it’s located in Laramie, Wyoming, which they say is closest to the Denver International Airport, about two hours away.
The asking price for the whole kit and caboodle is $8,950.
What’s your take on this least-of-the-E30s at that kind of asking? Do this car’s overall condition and specs justify that kind of cash? Or is it just too little too late to demand that much?
You decide!
Denver, Colorado, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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