BaT Auction: 1991 BMW 318is 5-Speed at No Reserve

This 1991 BMW 318is was delivered new to Bellevue BMW and spent much of its life in Washington, where it was acquired by the seller in 2018. The car is finished in red over black vinyl and is powered by a 1.8-liter inline-four paired with a five-speed manual transmission. Features include 14″ basketweave wheels, a limited-slip differential, a sunroof, air conditioning, and a Blaupunkt stereo. This E30 is now offered at no reserve with a window sticker, owner’s manuals, service records, an accident-free Carfax report, and a clean Washington title in the seller’s name.

The car was finished from the factory in Brilliant Red (308) and has reportedly been repainted due to fading. Features include black shadowline trim, body-colored side mirrors, a sunroof, and a rear spoiler. Photos showing body panel VIN tags are included in the gallery, along with images detailing a missing front spoiler and fog light covers, a damaged lower valance and rear bumper, overspray along the rocker panels, a missing antenna, and other finish imperfections.

14″ basketweave wheels are missing their factory center caps and are mounted with 195/60 Ohtsu FP0612 A/S tires. Braking is handled by discs at all four corners.

The front sport seats are trimmed in black vinyl, and matching upholstery extends to the rear seats, carpeting, and door panels. Amenities include power windows, air conditioning, an onboard computer, and a Blaupunkt stereo with a CD receiver. Wear and cracking is noted on the front seats.

Instrumentation includes a 150-mph speedometer and a 7k-rpm tachometer. The mechanical six-digit odometer shows just over 245k miles, approximately 5k of which have been added during current ownership. The seller states that the odometer recently stopped working, and thus total mileage is unknown.

The 1.8-liter M42 inline-four was factory-rated at 134 horsepower and 127 lb-ft of torque when new. Power is transferred to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission and an optional limited-slip differential. An oil change was reportedly carried out in January 2021, and oil leaks are noted by the seller.

Additional photos of the underbody are included in the gallery.

The window sticker lists factory options and colors along with a total suggested retail price of $22,835.

The Carfax report is free of accidents or other damage and lists history in Idaho and Washington from its first entry in June 1992 through its most recent update in January 2019. A mileage inconsistency is noted in February 2014.

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