BMW produced nearly 2.5 million units of the BMW E30 3-Series during its production run from 1982 to 1994. The E30 was sold in multiple body styles, including a 2-door sedan, a 4-door sedan, a station wagon, and a convertible. The previous generation of the 3-Series, the BMW E21, also had a convertible, but that was an iteration built by Baur. This German coachbuilder was responsible for BMW’s convertibles for several decades.
The BMW E30 convertible, then, was the first factory-built 3-Series. It married the practicality of its four-seater sedan counterparts with the styling and charm of a soft-top convertible. Now, nearly four decades after the BMW E30 convertible was first driven off dealership floors, it remains one of the German giant’s most elegant pieces of engineering.
Sure, a decently maintained convertible isn’t as common as an E30 sedan, but it’s worth putting the time and effort into finding one. If you come across a good specimen, there are some things you should know before putting down your money. Here’s a comprehensive look at the pros and cons of owning a BMW E30 convertible today.
The Pros of a BMW E30 Convertible
The BMW E30 convertible has a lot going for it. All that there’s to love about the standard E30 sedan made its way onto the top-down version, leaving consumers with little to yearn for. Here’s a look at some of the best parts of owning a BMW E30 convertible:
Powertrain
The BMW E30 convertible was introduced only a couple of years after the sedan made its debut. By the time it was out in the market, BMW had stopped using the M10 engine on the 3-Series. As a result, most E30 convertibles out there are powered by either the M40 engine or the M20 engine.
The M40 engine is an inline-four engine that powered the BMW 318i, displacing 1.8 L. On the other hand, the straight-six M20 engine made its way onto the BMW 320i and the 325i models, in a 2.0L and 2.5L capacity, respectively. We’ve covered both these engines extensively on the Bimmers Blog, so we won’t focus on the details in this guide.
The important thing to take away is that both the M40, and the M20, are some of the most robust engines the German manufacturer has ever produced. While they are not void of the effects of time, they are much less likely to show severe signs of wear, like cracked engine heads or damaged internals.
Most issues you may have to deal with are related to auxiliary components, like the timing belt, cooling system, or camshaft, which are relatively affordable to fix. Especially compared to the cost of rebuilding an engine with damaged internals.
Since there are multiple engine variants involved, we won’t dive into the specifics of how each performed — you can find that info in our BMW E30 Buyer’s Guide. The BMW 325i convertible was the fastest production four-door convertible when it made its debut in the mid-1980s — a testament to its prowess in the performance department.
Chassis and Suspension
Despite the extra weight, the soft-top system added, you’ll still find that the convertible drives nicely and responds well to driver inputs. It’s a car you can enjoy going slow or pushing hard on some twisty canyon roads.
BMW used a unique suspension setup on the E30. The front MacPherson struts and rear semi-trailing arm suspension were placed close to each other, allowing for extra cabin and trunk space. While this suspension setup drew some criticism when it was introduced, consumers and reviewers soon realized that it didn’t affect the car’s capabilities.
Interiors and Exterior
The BMW E30 convertible was a solidly built car. From the bodywork to the quality of materials in the interiors, it featured the best that BMW had to offer at the time.
If you can find a car that’s been maintained well, you should clearly see the high levels of craftsmanship and timeless design elements. The interiors were finished in premium leather and featured electric windows — a novelty at the time.
The Cons of a BMW E30 Convertible
Most of the BMW E30 convertible’s shortcomings are an effect of time and poor maintenance rather than a fault of the car itself.
As we mentioned above, if you can find an example of the E30 convertible that’s been looked after well, you may not have to face the following issues. That said, we don’t expect too many such examples out in the market, so here are some of the issues you may have to deal with as a BMW E30 convertible owner:
Powertrain
The timing belt is one of the most problematic components with the otherwise reliable M20 and M40 engines. BMW recommended that the timing belt be replaced every 60,000 miles, but multiple owners found that the ones on their engines failed well before that estimate. To err on the side of precaution, we recommended having the timing belt changed every 50,000 miles before it fails and causes damage to other parts of the engine.
It’s also a good idea to replace the water pump when you swap out the timing belt. On some E30 models, the water pump is located right next to the timing belt tensioner. Replacing it when you change the belt will save you the labor costs and time involved with working on the engine twice.
Besides the timing belt issues, the most common engine-related problems on the BMW E30 convertible are oil leaks. Check for oil leaks from the camshaft seal, crankshaft rear main oil seal, oil pan, and valve cover.
Chassis and Suspension
A common concern with the BMW E30 convertible is the suspension struts. The MacPherson front struts weren’t the most reliable and haven’t aged well. Take a hammer to one in poor condition or run over a bad stretch of road, and you risk breaking them entirely.
Suspension in poor condition can also adversely affect the car’s performance. Luckily, there are several aftermarket suspension systems you can get from reputable names like Bilstein to significantly improve the performance and reliability of your Bimmer’s suspension.
You should also consider upgrading the brakes on your BMW E30 convertible. While the BMW 318i came with disc brakes at the front and drum units at the rear, the BMW 320i and 325i convertible models featured disc brakes all around. Still, these systems need to be updated and warrant better calipers, pads, and hoses.
Interiors and Exterior
The majority of the E30’s bodywork was made of galvanized steel. While this is less prone to corrosion, there isn’t a car out there that has remained rust-free for nearly four decades. Road salt, in particular, meant that even E30 cars with modest mileage could have some degree of corrosion on them. Check the area surrounding the back license plate, taillights, and the bottom of the door, as these are some of the most common locations where rust formation can be seen.
If the car spent most of its time driven with the roof down, the interiors have likely worn out considerably as well. You might have to deal with cracked dashboards, saggy seat leather, and faulty electronics.
The roof is the most notorious component of the E30 convertible. The electric motor for the roof has proved unreliable, and several owners have resorted to manually opening and closing the top. Finding a new roof can cost you upwards of $1,000, so you should properly check the one on your car if you want to continue using it electronically.
Buy Genuine Parts for your BMW E30 Convertible
While the BMW E30 convertible isn’t exactly rare, it’s definitely less common than its hard-top siblings. A decade or more ago, living with an E30 convertible might have proved to be somewhat cumbersome since genuine parts weren’t readily available.
However, today, there are several ways for you to source parts that will keep your car running as it should. Bimmers.com stocks genuine parts from BMW or OEM parts from trusted names, all of which you can order from your home. To see all the parts we have in stock for the BMW E30 convertible, head to the shop section on our site and enter the year and model of your Bimmer.
