1990 BMW 3 Series

Sold as 318i, 325i, 325is, 325iX

This page is a draft. It has not been approved yet, so read it with care.

Watch out for

Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.

Rust All years Walk away if found One source so far

What to check: Look over the body and underneath for rust before anything else.

BMWBlog calls rust a huge problem on these cars and says repairs are hard and costly, so it advises avoiding cars with major rust.

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Timing belt or chain due All years One source so far

What to check: Ask when the timing belt or chain was last changed, and plan to change it soon if there is no record.

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Broken odometer All years One source so far

What to check: Watch the odometer move on the test drive.

BMWBlog says the odometers are very prone to breaking, so the miles shown may be wrong.

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Cracked dashboard All years One source so far

What to check: Look over the top of the dash.

BMWBlog says most dashes are cracked, and replacements are hard to fit and costly.

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Tired paint All years One source so far

What to check: Look for oxidised or faded paint, dents and scratches.

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Worn bushings All years One source so far

What to check: Ask whether the suspension bushings have been replaced, the rear subframe bushings above all.

In an owner forum thread on E30 trouble spots, one poster advises that the rear subframe bushings be new or in great shape because the job takes so much labour.

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