BMW 320i (3 Series E30) - one of the coolest cars of the 80s?!
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- Опубликовано: 27 янв 2024
- 1988 BMW 320i Baur (BMW 3 Series E30)
Can you believe that from 1982 until 1994 there were nearly 2.5 million of these 3 series cars made? This 320i fits neatly into the middle of the second generation of the BMW 3 Series, sometimes simply referred to as the E30.
The car, which in my opinion has a look which doesn’t look dated or clunky today, first went into development in the mid 70s - which is incredible considering how fresh the design is - and in a world where many manufacturers were still using old concept methods, BMW went all in: there was early CAD used, crash testing to see what actually happened if the worst happened and also, wind tunnel testing.
All completely what we’d expect today, but for the era, very forward thinking.
Now BMW really thought about their customer and what they wanted and not only did they keep up with modern tastes and made model updates in both 85 and 87 to keep the car looking fresh, with changes like reduction in chrome and revisiting the design of the rear lights, but they created a list of options which meant the strapline ‘designed to be inidividual’ wasn’t just a cluster of words on a page.
In fact, there were 30,000 different possibilities available on the car - with a choice of engines, options and special features.
The engine on this particular example today is the 2 litre M20 Straight Six - which used the Bosch l-Jetronic fuel injection system. We talked of the updates to the model in 85 and 87 and the 87 update took the engine up to 168 hp and improved the fuel economy too.
There were two automatic boxes used on the E30 - but this particular car being post 1985 has the 4 speed ZF 4HP22 - which was used on the 320i from the get go, but then was used on all the models from 85 onwards. Prior to this, you’d had the 3 speed.
BMW really did keep things fresh and whilst all the models used disc brakes from the start, you’d see this has vented discs if you got up close and personal. E30 fanatics will of course tell you that early 316s and 318s have solid discs. It’s also worth mentioning here that from 86, ABS was something which was available to the discerning purchaser.
Suspension on these is nice and simple - it’s front Macpherson struts and rear semi-trailing arm suspension.
With these being sold all over the world, you’ll notice nuances and perhaps different dates/specs for your region. With American cars for example, the model range and appearance slightly differs; so do forgive me if something doesn’t quite match your region as I’ve run off an English brochure and English news article to get my facts for today.
A great example of this by the way, is the touring model, which was never officially imported into the US.
This is a very brief overview on what is an exceptional car for its time - there are plenty of books available online for further reading which I’d recommend including BMW E30 by James Taylor, should you wish to delve deeper into the suebject. 
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Listen to the excitement in your voice Steph, you can definitely tell you love that car.
Having served in the army in the early 80s Stationed in Necarsrulm (Audi plant) there and Driving in Stutgart loved the era of cars.
The 2.0 was pretty gutless and lacked torque. I had a 320i auto for 5 years and loved it but fast it wasn't and the 2.0 is worse on petrol than the 2.5!
@@oliverdewen1632 you know when someone had a two litre one of these; silky smooth six cylinder but definitely a lot thirstier than the larger 2.5 litre lump
Finally you've experienced an e30. Glorious cars and super fun to drive
Been enjoying mine for 17 years now
The sound of a classic BMW 6 cylinder ❤️❤️
This is when BMW built good cars this BMW is 36 years old although low miles its in good condition and under the bonnet no a sign of plastic and how many modern BMWs will be around in 36 years time
Beautiful Baur version 😍
I have a 1990 525 e34 for my every day and i love it, ive had 4 of them over the years. I will say that my heater will cook you alive though if you want it to 😂
My mum had one of these in the 80-90`s and she loved it! She does not drive any more but still has fond memorys of this car.
Great video Steph, thanks. BMWs look better with the grille not taking up 80% of the car's surface area. Always loved the simple sturdy look of these when I was a kid, so handsome.
Hi Steph fantastic video. Took me down memory lane.Owned a 318 from new in the 80's then another 318 in early 90's followed by a 520 and a 528. The first 318 was one of the best vehicles owned in 50 years of motoring. I think that there must be a maintenance issue with the heating. Regards Crawford
Hi Steph. Being an avid SAAB fan, I've always had a 'downer' on BMWs. A friend of mine had a 2002Tii in bright yellow, but that rotted away to dust ! Another friend had a 2 door coupe version of what you are driving today. A very solid well built car, but like most German cars, the ride was quite 'hard' and nowhere as comfy as a SAAB ! Havig said that, you really did this car proud, so top marks to you. Thanks for sharing and take care 🙂
SAAB 9000 with the Scottish leather seats, comfiest car I've ever owned, cost next to nothing and sold at a profit.
IMO, the original Saab 900, especially the T16S, was a better car than the BMW E30... and I own two BMWs !
I had a Turbo 16 and it went like stink... it handled so well too.
Had a 99 turbo for 18 months when I was in my early 20s
Most people I knew at the time had xr3's and the like and then there was me with my Saab 99
I remember the car well even my father liked it!
Had to let it go because of the insurance
Sellers regret ever since
Kept my E30 for the last 17 years to avoid that regret
@@ianparking
I found that the 8v Saab Turbos ran out of puff at about 4500-5000 rpm.
I had the 16v Turbo when I was 26. When like stink. Made XR3is seem so slow.
That said, a 9000 Aero left me for dead on the A120 !
I agree with you on the central console. The Ford Sierra did that as well and it was great to see the driver almost considered like a pilot.
Great video, very informative. Thanks for taking us along.
Excellent choice of 80s car. Maybe take a look at more 80s cars. So many good ones. You will be surprised. Passed my test in 1991 so started with 70s and 80s cars. Great stuff
Excellent video Steph 😊👍
Cracking video Steph
You look very much at home in this. It suits you 😊. When BMW made the ultimate driving machine unlike the dross of today. Nice review 👍.
It was a great review once again.
The 3 and 5 series from this era are great looking and sounding cars. This one looks great in white and I would be tempted by a saloon or Touring. I hope you find one of your own one day.
I've got a touring and can confirm there is no better way to hoon rubbish to the local recycling centre
Or take the kids on holiday to Mablethorpe because of the roads in Lincolnshire with the wife berating me to slow down
@@ianparking sounds perfect. I'm going to look for one at some point
I think the best description of my car is ,it's a baggy old car with interstellar mileage and a drink problem
It was 19 years old when I got it and my first impression was "I bet this was a smashing car when it was young"
Let my modern car go to try and run a baggy old car instead just because it had 'promise'
I'm not sensible am I
It brought home the kids from the hospital,it's taken em all over the country on holiday and the like I've even toured a caravan with it
These days it's on a classic insurance policy and I'm struggling to keep it inside the agreed mileage on the policy
Out of the choice of 3 cars I have the BMW is the one I don't always drive straight home in
It's not perfect it's not fast but it is lusty
@ianparking3148 it has certainly got under your skin, and rightly so
Great video Steph. I owned Early 90s bought a 2-year-old E30 325i Touring trading my Capri 280 in against it. Absolutely loved it in the time I owned it but had to let it go a couple of years later due to fuel and BMW maintenance costs and traded it for a MK2 Golf GTI. It was an absolutely fantastic car though and I always remember the pleasure and fun I had driving it.
A lovely review. I had a two door 320i (1988) in the early 1990s. A beautiful car if slightly tale happy and expensive to maintain. Just imagine how these felt in the early 1980s? A revelation and a sign that you were well on the way to success - in terms of image anyway.
Loving this ❤
Beautiful, and the car's nice to.
I remember seeing many of them when I was so little and riding in one of them
The only car reviewer who would relate a BMW to Marina ! I am saying this with maximum respect to the Marina. Fantastic !
I had an 1986 E30 Baur, silver, blue roof, blue cloth houndstooth interior, loved it, could have the Targa top off and the back seating area still covered or drop the back part of the roof and fully open....wife didn't like it, so it had to go 😢
I wanted one of these so badly back in the day! 😃
I had a 325i 1989; probably top of rhe range as it had a computer and headlight wipers. Carbon quartz black full black leather interior retro fitted rear headrests. Very cool looking car; one to aspire for back in the day. More than a little disappointed to see the roof wasn't lined, it looked like an umbrella when sat inside it; not that anyone not in the know would know! What was it like to drive? A second gear that was good for 70mph with acceleration that felt like a motorbike. However, this was a car that loved to fishtail and scare the 👻 out of you. It was a real urban cruiser and front runner in the traffic light dash but put it on the motorway...not so good I'm afraid and could drink George Best and Gazza under the table in no time.
Loved these.
There she is that classy gorgeous 😍lady with a car just made for her 🙏
Always wanted a 320/325 6 cylinder when I was a young man, at 19 I couldn't afford one and two I wouldn't have insured one
When I was at school my best friends Dad had a four door 316 which was later replaced with a four door 320. They were both nice cars to ride in as a passenger and I loved the engine note of the 320!
I had the previous model to this one, but a 316 , 1700 engine. In those days, a BMW was a superior ride to Ford or Vauxhall. The suspension was like floating on air and it was very smooth to drive. However, it was crap in the wet or snow, the back end would drift out. The heating system was excellent though, perhaps the car you were driving has a faulty thermostat.
One of the coolest cars in the 2020ies.
I have always thought it was a rubbish feature that they left the brake booster and master cylinder on the left hand side of the car and put linkages across to the driver's side. They weren't the only ones who did it, in some Renault's the passenger could even engage the brakes if they put their feet far enough up the firewall.
I think you can do that with my E34!
Great review, great car
Owned a 320 a 323 and a 325 touring in my time. Awesome vehicles. Also had two 528s from the era. Good solid performers. Loved them all.
My favorite generation of BMW 3-series, and one of my all time favorite Bimmers. And this one is in far better shape than some E46s I've seen lately.
The States didn't start getting this particular model until '84. I noticed a trend with the German car manufacturers. Americans tend to get newly designed German models several years from when they originally came out.
Best car ever🎉❤
Everything feels new ,
I like that comment , especially regarding the indicators , or do they have any on a BMW....😂
I suspect the heater core has lost some of its water flow after all the years.
I love this car, my mate has one which is now in storage, we went on a road trip one summer with the roof down, he was getting a few admirers acknowledging this beauty throughout the journey
Spot on
They really are a gem . Like most later cars now you just horrid lumps and plastic everywhere . The eary cars look clean and well designed
Don’t be surprised….this after all is The ultimate driving machine.
Criticisms…..
A bit thirsty
Small…..I bet there’s not much leg room in the back.
Rear drive potential issue in winter.
No leg room. But the cameraman is squeezed in there.
Another great video. Being born in 69 i love your modern classic reviews. Only thing wrong was the rear view mirror being set with the dip engaged stressed me out 😂😂
Freude am Fahren.
Drove a 1989 325i convertible last summer and absolutely loved it, especially that straight 6 sound, i miss it so much
I had this car... Brilliant vehicle.
Hi steph, love your videos and it was great to see you loving the e30. I have had various 80s/90s bmws over the last 30 years and they were great. Everyone I knew loved mine ! Keep up the great work, well done.
This brings back so many memories! I had a 1987 BMW 325i sedan with the 5-speed manual. I bought it for $1,000 when I was 17. Nothing worked when I bought it. A/C, sunroof, radio, 3 of 4 window, none of it worked, mileometer broken at 221,000 miles; but I had a BMW!
I didn’t know how to drive manual at the time and my mom asked me how I was going to get it home. I told her I’d drive her car and she would take the BMW. I remember it like yesterday. She said “Nope, you need to learn somehow.” I only stalled twice!
I got everything working over the next few weeks. About a year later, it developed a bad vibration. The mechanic said the driveshaft had been warped. My mom asked him what would cause that and he told her right in front of me “too many burnouts.” Two weeks later, I was in a Corolla with a 1.6L engine and a 3-speed automatic. I wish I still had that BMW.
Excellent chose.xx
I really enjoyed this one as it brings back memories of when my first car was a 1984 BMW 323i saloon but it had lot's of expencive problems but it was a real joy to drive and yes you can get booked very easy in them lol and later on I had a 1985 bmw 325e saloon and for some reason it was realy slow I never found out why but other then that they are a great and wonderful driver's car.
You described that e30 feeling spot on which is so difficult to put into words. Great review!
Great description of why you liked the indicator stork! 👍
The E30 is the only BMW I have any time for, love the design.
I’m starting to feel REALLY old now. It seems like only yesterday when I sold my Dad’s old BMW 320i, and I think it may still be going strong. I suppose it is a classic, but it doesn’t seem that old to me.
My dad owned a couple of these when in the 1980s into the 1990s. It spent its life bombing around Paris, where he lived, and then in the UK when he moved back. It was a lot of fun to be in it in Paris because he had diplomatic plates.
Dad bought the car in about 1986 and after he died, I eventually sold it in about 2003 (good-grief, 20 years ago), and, because it was LHD, it was sold to somebody with a French holiday home, and I expect it is still running about. I can't remember the mileage when sold, but I have a recollection it was approaching 200K (miles).
If you tried the saloon you will find it drives even better because it has a roof holding it together
Again, another great review and video. A question: why do you put the automatic into ‘park’ and engage the emergency brake at a stoplight? Coming from North America, the most one could hope would be to slip the gearshift to neutral to ease pressure on the transmission if the stop were to be relatively long. The emergency brake gets rarely used when the motor is running, and most cars with an automatic transmission are just left in ‘park’ when parked, almost never is the emergency brake engaged. Are these U.K.-specific requirements?
Just one note, in thebUK and here in Australia, it's not an "emergency" brake, just a handbrake. Used for hill starts as well as when parking.
Because its not called an ‘’emergency brake’’ over here, its just called a handbrake
Traditionally it’s just the way driving is taught in U.K. because stick or manual transmission is so common here.
….but as u can see from my wording, we are moving away from that mostly due to hybrid & electric cars.
Tho I learned in a basic stick/manual transmission car, I have driven a mix of those and automatic over the years. I haven’t driven stick/manual for many years now. And no, I don’t use the emergency brake at stop lights, junctions etc….dont quote me on this, but I think the Honda instruction book recommends staying in Drive, foot on the foot brake, no emergency brake (handbrake) of you only stop for short periods…..i think keep shifting into Park that frequently wears out the transmission faster or something like that.
Fantastic car Steph. A 1987 320i 2 door in Zinober red was my first BMW, bought in 1990. Obviously, should never have sold it, but I guess no-one had a crystal ball back then! I traded it privately for a 1989 E34 535I in 1996 which I still own, although it has been off the road for at least 10 years. My wife drove the E30 more than me, and she often says it was the best car ever.
What a beauty! The classy era of BMWs, I had an e46 325i M-sport it sounded delicious!
I knew you would love it, I used to drive one in the early 90s and it was gorgeous. You should try an 80s 5 series because they’re great too.
Excellent Road test on another car i need to drive or own at some point in my Life Steph.
We had a f reg 320 i that start up noise takes me back 💙
I had one of the in silver🤗🤗🤗🤗😂
Una chica guapa inglesa presentando un bonito coche aleman . ¿se puede pedir mas un Domingo por la mañana al despertar ?
A nice review of a nice car.
That two litre six is the sweetest engine in the range. And the more you rev it, the happier it sounds. Luckily it has an absolutely vital rev-limiter.
If you happen to own one of these small (2.0, 2.3 or 2.5 litre) BMW sixes, do not drive them to gently. The oil feed to the cam, valves and rocker suffers when the revs are low.
That's a rare one, a Baur convertible. I think it's Bosch K Jetronic or Bosch Motronic
Amazing car have a 318 manual absolutely a charm
😀
Lush
4 speed ZF transmission & 6 cylinder petrol with injection.
Just be careful in the wet.
This was a dream machine for many in my age group.
BMW straight six engines were legendary. Most unusual roof arrangement. I don't recall seeing one like that before but you did not mention it.
It’s called a Bauer convertible. This was a production model .
Not aftermarket.
Certainly not a home made job.
"Oh, BMW drivers would't no what an indicator was" :) Thank you for this. What a beautiful car, my favourite from the 1980s, even more so than the 325i. BMW South Africa also produced the very unique 333i.
It's always nice to see an all original E30 that hasn't been messed with.
We had a black coupe. This car and the Saab 900 had the best interiors and dashboards ever. It was very modern and european compared to american cars. The only thing better at the time was a Porsche.
Super video. Demonstrates almost everything wrong with modern bloated BMW design.
Classy.
Well done Steph a brilliant car they are fantastic cars my neighbour had a slightly older A reg E30 320i and then a F reg 325i both super cars and he used to take me out in it as a boy
Always remember they felt solid and luxurious and also did you spot the service display which lights up on the dash!
Lovely video Steph wonderful car. I’ve got a new M sport 1 series auto and it’s beautiful lovely to drive feels solid and premium and I get 46 mpg.
Although I have a Fiat the independent garage that services it mostly does BMW. They have this era 3, 5, 7 series as loan cars so have driven them all. Great cars that, looked after, age so well
E30s probably the best car ever built. Great review.
Whooo, that six sounds dope! To me, though, it sounds better from the inside.
I had a 1986 model from new ...probably still one of my favourite cars ever . I didnt find any faults in the entire time of ownership - loved it !
Heater/blower- mine!
Clock - mine!
Radio - mine!
All mine - muahahahaha
Glovebox - yours. Real drivers don’t wear gloves 🤪
please make a video about Mercedes Benz w126
Didn’t I do one years ago or did I imagine it x
No you have made video about w201 the 190@@idriveaclassic
Registered in Norfolk. There was a BMW dealership in Norwich around 1988 called Averills so it could have been sold from that very dealership.
We had a 325i E30. Fully loaded with magnolia hide and Royal Blue metallic paintwork. What a joy to drive. Such a good looking car particularly compared to modern day BMWs
BMW 320i now I have to agree is one of the coolest cars of the 80's. For me BMW started to loose the plot around the year 2000, note I said started. (someone got very upset when I have expressed that opinion previously). For around 70k miles this is a solid motor even the roof looks good though I don't know if it has been replaced. As someone else said I think the heater has an issue, perhaps an air lock? I think if you looked for a good one (no rot) you would really enjoy it Steph even if you only kept it for the summer. Great review as always Steph. 👍👍
She's lovely on start on
I've never driven one of these but my pal had one in the mid 90s and he kept it for a long time. I have been a passenger in his car several times and I genuinely coveted it. I ended up buying a used E36 (the model that succeeded this) but it wasn't as good. This was almost "peak" car where it was modern but not encumbered by infotainment, rdms and all the other stuff that detracts from the driving experience.
An E30 320i saloon was my driving school and driving test car. Like a Mercedes of this era, you can see where the car ends, that makes parking is quite easy.
80s and 90s Beemers were superbly engineered cars - they definitely deserved their reputation. Although, I remember a couple of school friend’s dads losing the back end on their 3 series’ on a wet roundabout!
15:17
My school P.E. teacher once had one of these, in white. He used to frighten me. He frightened everybody who was 'sporting'.
It's idling high. Gr8 fun but tail happy was my memory of them. The heater in that particular example must have something wrong.
Great review, E 30 great , E36 Good, E46 OK, downhill after this in my OP. no different to a ford or vauxhall. Quality just went down hill. No longer prestige.
Yes, you could use the indicators, but you shouldn't. It's a BMW. :)
Still a very pretty car. Bought my first BMW last year with that wonderful straight 6.
I briefly had a 320i SE Auto. Lovely smooth comfortable car, but much smaller than you'd expect, and I could never call it "sporty". The heater was never an issue though, so I wonder if this one needs a coolant flush or something?
The owner really went all out in keeping this clean.