While browsing for E30’s this morning I came across a beautifully maintained 1991 318i sedan. Grab a fresh cup of your favorite coffee and dig into your E30 search. This five speed sedan located in Baltimore has beautiful paint and interior, and is listed for only $7500. You’ll find it here on Craigslist until the listing is deleted. The VIN is WBAAJ931XMEJ00140

The four door sedan is arguably less desirable than the two door versions (though they’re both technically called sedans). With rust free E30’s becoming harder to find in great condition, a slick top five speed sedan just might be your best entry into the E30 market. In fact, my first E30 was a 1989 325i sedan I bought for $700 back in 2003.

This 318i appears to be in excellent original condition with stock 14” basket weave wheels and no modifications. Suspension and sound system modifications negatively effect the value of most cars, and this is very true for classic BMW’s. Closer to stock is always better.

While the 1991 model has a rather primative airbag srs system, everything in this interior looks pristine. Black vinyl comfort seats and a crack free dash look excellent. The lowly six button OBC (on board computer) appears to have been replaced with a euro clock, seen to the right of the upgraded radio.

Ah what a site for the E30 enthusiast. Most cars came with sunroofs and very few came without. Those without a sunroof are known as a slick top, and have an added appeal due to their simplicity: one less item to break, leak water into the car, and they weigh less. The last note is especially attractive to those with track car aspirations. The sunroof track behind the headliner of an E30 can weigh upwards of 50lbs. That’s 50 pounds of weight up high which hinders performance. This slick top along with a very rigid four door body has a lot of potential for the track or street.

The M42 engine bay looks stock and clean in this car. These four cylinder engines rev high and are known to pull upwards of 30 mpg which is incredible for a 25 year old car. The owner states it has a recent tune up and needs no work currently. We would suggest the timing chain and associated components be checked and replaced if you purchased the car as preventative maintenance.

Overall this car is one of the cleanest we’ve seen in some time and is priced well. It may not appreciate as strongly as a 318is, but it does stand up on its own. What do you guys think about this one? Let me know in the comments below or chat with me on Facebook.