The BMW E30 Market Report
We found every BMW E30 in the country and spent hours sifting through the data to create this handy reference for you.
What’s the current price of a BMW E30?
The average cost of a BMW E30 is $9,791, but that includes all the models like the M3 and grey-marketing Touring versions as well as the lower end 318i. The real question should be how much are the 318’s, 325’s and M3’s?
- The average cost of a BMW E30 M3 is about $50,249
- The average cost of a BMW E30 4-cylinder 318i is about $4,900
- The average cost of a BMW E30 6-cylinder 325i is about $6,500
Below you will find an in-depth market analysis of the BMW E30 Market.
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Market Update: June 13, 2020
BMW E30’s are now over 30 years old and seem to be aging quite gracefully. The market has held strong and seems to have withstood the test of time. At this time the market is relatively small. Our assumption is that, due to the global pandemic of 2020, many potential sellers are sitting tight and enjoying their cars. Owners know what they have and are keeping a tight grip on their cars.
The examples that are currently for sale, are few and far between. Even for some models, I could not find any publicly available.
- In general, the lower-end BMW E30 cars have increased in cost between +7-13% since the last time we updated this article (July 2019).
- The higher-end BMW E30 M3 has increased only about 2% since July 2019.
What about the M3?
BMW E30 M3 prices seem to have leveled off a bit. Granted the prices are continuing to rise, but only at about 2% since last year this time. For those who purchased an E30 M3 when they were around $45,000 have definitely made money on the deal and are sitting pretty.
Relatively low inventory
At this time, the overall market at this time is relatively light. The last time I conducted this research I didn’t capture how many vehicles were readily available for sale, but as I recall it was between 10-15 per model. At this time we are seeing around 3-5 per model. The odd duck out is the 325i Convertible with a healthy inventor of 30 vehicles available nationwide.
Note on Timing (1-month early)
April, June, July and August are the time of the year to sell BMW E30’s. It is because the sun is out, the weather is warm and people are looking to escape away from the 9-5 J.O.B., but this summer the market is really light and likely due to the current conditions.
What does the BMW E30 Market Look Like?
For personal interest, I wanted to understand how much BMW E30’s are going for nationwide in the USA. I wanted to understand which models were commanding a premium over their siblings and to see if there were some unexpected surprises.
If you are interested in learning more about BMW E30’s and the different variants worldwide, check out our mega-post on a bunch of other E30s like the 333i and the 320iS.
Below you will find a table based on my nationwide searching of the BMW E30 for each model we could think of plus some import / rare models like the M3 & the European Touring/Wagon imports of recent.
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How Much is an E30 BMW going for?
Nationwide data as of 6/13/2019 (with differences in parenthesis)
Model |
Vehicles for Sale |
Average |
Median |
| 318i (Sedan) | 1 | $9,800 (+$6,600) | $9,800 (+$6,800) |
| 318i (Coupe) | 0 | $0 (-$2,195) | $0 -$2,195 |
| 318i (Convertible) | 2 | $3,100 (-$2,331) | $3,100 (-$2,900) |
| 318iS (Coupe) | 3 | $6,666 (+$104) | $7,500 (+$2,500) |
| 325i (Sedan) | 3 | $4,916 (-$34) | $5,950 (+$1,050) |
| 325i (Coupe) | 2 | $10,825 (+$4,749) | $10,825 (+$5,825) |
| 325i (Convertible) | 30 | $6,354 (+$638) | $5,500 (+$501) |
| 325iX (Sedan) | 1 | $7,500 (+$570) | $7,500 (+$600) |
| 325iX (Coupe) | 1 | $3,200 (-$4,200) | $3,200 (-$3,850) |
| 325iS (Coupe) | 5 | $6,380 (+$910) | $6,500 (+$1,000) |
| M3 | 4 | $50,249 (+$1,115) | $53,499 (+$4,049) |
| Touring | 1 | $8,500 (-$14,458) | $8,500 (-$10,250) |
What does it cost for an E30 318i or 318iS?
To buy a 318i, owners are asking a wide range of prices, but you can expect to see prices ranging from $3,000 for a Convertible to $9,000 for a Sedan. But I would suggest you keep an eye out as there were few cars, 6 in total, to choose from at the time of this writing.
Which E30 318i should I buy?
If I was going to recommend a 318i, I would suggest you track down a well appreciated and cared for 318iS. There are many reasons for this but mainly because of the engine and how it is effectively a detuned M3 engine. The market demand for this car will continue to increase over time as fewer and fewer examples are available. At the time of this writing, you can expect to pay around $6,000 to $7,000 for an average example.
What does it cost for an E30 325i, 325iX or 325iS?
To buy a 325i today, you will see prices on average ranging from $3,200 for a beat-up 325iX coupe (but still manual) to a darling 325i that just can’t be beaten. But really those numbers are a mess which I believe is a reflection of the global economy and pandemic at hand. On average for a 6-Cylinder BMW E30, you are looking at spending around $6,500.
Which E30 325i should I buy?
At this time, hands down, no discussion, you should buy a BMW 325i Convertible. The sheer number of E30 325i Convertibles on the market is nuts. At the time of this writing, there are 30 examples available, all with manual transmissions and in varying degrees of care. On average you are looking at spending about $6,300 but you will have many to choose from and are likely to get the best example in your area.
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How much do BMW E30 Convertibles cost?
BMW E30 Convertibles come in two variants, the 318i costs about $3,100 and the 325i costs about $6,354. With some many out there, you could have a killer deal on a really well kept Convertible. Get them while they last.