1990 BMW 325i M Tech 1 Kit

If you discount the M3 that no-one other than drug lords and inheritance kids can afford, the 325i you’re looking at here is peek E30: It’ll waft you to a top speed of 135mph after despatching 62mph in a little over eight seconds – and the inline-six means it’ll do it with uncommon civility and up to 35mpg.

It really is all the BMW you’ll ever need. 

And ‘G37 VUL’ is an especially good example of the breed: Restored by Munich Legends a decade ago at a cost of more than £15,000, it is also finished in the unusual – and unusually attractive – Brilliant Red. 

This convertible is spec’d with the M-Tech 1 deep front spoiler, side skirts, and rear valence too, as well as the lovely slim bumpers most enthusiasts prefer – and it sits on a set of original BBS alloy wheels.

Pretty much the dream spec then, and being offered with a very attractive guide price.

This example was built during an era when BMW could rightly claim to build some of the best cars in the world, no matter what your budget.

Of course, no vehicle survives almost four decades with impunity and the 325i has received a little help along the way, most latterly by having its bonnet, front panel, and door shuts painted by Munich Legends in 2017.

The result is a car whose door and boot shutlines are beyond reproach, whose Brilliantrot paintwork gleams with an ungodly shine, and whose flanks are free of the sort of wrinkles and dinks that betray careless parking and a less-than-fastidious owner.

The lamp lenses are also bright and uncracked, including the four matching Bosche front headlights. The glazing is also good but then Munich Legends replaced the windscreen in 2018 – at a cost of £561.

The black rubber trim remains largely dark and supple too, and the mirror casings are free of bumps and scuffs.

The O/E BBS alloy wheels are 15-inches in diameter, which might be small by the standards of modern-day cars but was a useful upgrade from the 13- and 14-inch rims lesser cars ran on.

These ones are in good shape too with no scuffs, scrapes, or other kerbing damage. No peeling lacquer or paint runs either, just a nice finish and a matching set of  Runway Enduro 816 tyres, all of which have good tread.

As for flaws and blemishes we noted a small patch of blistering under the paint on the offside of the bonnet, plus a little more on the driver’s door. The bonnet has also lost a bit of paint from its front edge, and it perhaps doesn’t fit quite as neatly as it might. 

There is faded paint on the driver’s door and the offside front wing too, with the latter also sporting a chip in the finish. The chrome on the rear bumper is rusting on the nearside corner, and the front bumper is stonechipped. Finally, the nearside rear wheel is missing its centre cap, the nearside rear bumper cap is faded, the nearside front wing has a small scuff on its trailing edge, and a professional paint correction should remove the light polishing swirls. 

The black fabric roof furls and unfurls at the touch of a button; taut and beautifully fitting when it is raised, it is free of rips and tears; factor in the considerable expertise that went into ensuring it’s every bit as well-insulated as the saloon and you’ll understand that this is a true all-season convertible.

Of course, it is at its best with the roof lowered, which allows you to admire its sleek profile and the comprehensively refurbished interior.

Because B Trim retrimmed the interior in 2016, running up a bill for more than £3,000 in the process but then they did retrim the seats in Nappa leather, along with all four door cards, the centre console, and the door handles and pockets. 

The result is sublime; clearly done by talented craftsfolk at the very top of their game, it’s beautifully stitched and still buttery-soft.

The 3-Series Convertible is a proper four-seater too with the individual rear seats perfectly capable of accommodating two full-size adults, even over a distance. 

As for its condition, while the retrim might have been carried out eight years ago, the online MoT record shows the BMW has covered only 1,300 miles since, so it’s little surprise that it remains pristine with barely a crease or wrinkle in the seats.

And what seats they are! Manually adjustable, they’ll weight less and be far more reliable than the electric ones every manufacturer fits in the name of progress and luxury. They’re also every bit as comfortable as they are supportive, boasting deep side bolsters and adjustable under-thigh support. 

The steering wheel is the factory-fitted Sports version, option code 219. This is also trimmed with M-Sport colours, the same colours that are used to such good effect on the gearknob for the five-speed manual gearbox. 

The carpets are free of holes, including the plastic heel protector in the driver’s footwell but then they have been protected by overmats. 

The rest of cabin proves that BMW used to engineer luxury in rather than bolt it on; the dashboard might seem sparse compared to the firm’s current range but it’s got everything you need and nothing you don’t – and what it does have is operated by proper switches and controls that have a precision no touchscreen can rival.

All four windows are wound up and down using angry pixels, as are the door mirrors. The power of electrickery is also harnessed to lock the doors and power the roof.

The headunit is an aftermarket Alpine UTE-72BT receiver that’s equipped with Bluetooth connectivity. There’s a Pioneer CD-multichanger in the boot too, alongside a full-size spare (non-matching) alloy wheel and an almost-complete tool kit under the boot lid.

The only flaw we can see inside is some overspray on the driver’s door rubber, which is pretty darned impressive, isn’t it?

As you can see, it starts well and the straight-six engine revs every bit as smoothly as it should. It’s also a quiet, civilised engine with a subtly fruity exhaust note that would probably only be apparent when the roof is down. 

Perfectly judged then, like everything else. 

The oil service light is on though, so you’ll need to budget for a service. That shouldn’t be too expensive, and doing it now will allow you to set a baseline for future maintenance 

As for the BMW’s engine bay, there is scope for improvement due to the thin veneer of grime on some components and the surface corrosion that’s developed on some of the fasteners and brackets. 

However, the fact we’re even suggesting you might like to take a look at this instead of focussing your resources on more serious matters speaks volumes; admire the underbonnet sound insulation, for example, and the still-clear washer fluid reservoir.

This is not a neglected example.

The underside looks good and strong, and no MoT tester has mentioned structural corrosion since 2014, well before Munich Legends worked its magic. 

The edges of the sills have lost their paint in places though, so it would be sensible to get them touched-up before the bare metal corrodes. Overspray is also present on some of the existing underseal and the odd suspension arm, so it would make sense to cover that up while you’re underneath. 

The BMW does not have an MoT certificate, its last having expired in August 2026. This one was, like the one before, issued with no advisories, so getting a new one might not prove to be too onerous. 

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the history file includes the BMW wallet and book pack, invoices from Munich Legends from 2016 onwards, expired MoT certificates, and invoices for earlier work going back to 2010.

It also comes with a speedometer head that shows 82,202 miles on the odometer.

We currently do not have the V5c in our possession however, the vendor assures us it is in the post. 

The E30 chassis is very fast when it’s got an M3 engine under the bonnet – and very fast and very smooth when it’s equipped with the straight-six you see here.

They’re extremely wieldy cars too, especially by today’s bloated standards – and many of us can remember admiring them from afar when we were impoverished teenagers or students.

Little wonder then that the price of good M3s has risen beyond the reach of mere mortals – or that the 325i is starting to describe a similar trajectory.

So now may be the perfect time to get ahead of the curve, especially when a car like this comes to market with a guide price that is considerably more reasonable than it would be if it were being offered next spring…

This auction has 5% (+ VAT) buyer's fees on top of the 'hammer', minimum £600.

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