AC Schnitzer E30

[RipJaws 3]

Hi,

I just bought a 1989 e30 2 door AC Schnitzer with 145,000k's on the clock. I thought I'd try and spark a little bit of a discussion as I was interested to know how much these particular e30s are worth. It is currently an automatic transmission, I have owned an e30 before and changed it to a manual transmission. Best thing I ever did for that car and it made it much more amazing and fun to drive.

At the very least I want to change this car to a manual, but then would that devalue it as it is not completely original anymore? It has a 1.8 4cyl and changing this to a nicer M20 2.5 or possibly M5X is also a possiblility I've been looking at.

So really I couldn't enquire at a better place, what do you all think its worth in its current state? What do you all think are tasteful enhancements that could make the car the best it can be?

[MD13 494]

Hard to tell without pictures :-)

Can't imagine improving it (manual, engine, LSD) would devalue it.

[RipJaws 3]

Yes that probably would have helped a bit, unfortunately I'm that busy I can't take a photo of my exact car. It is Zinnoberrot Red with no sun roof and it looks exactly the same as this with the AC Schnitzer body kit, 5 point star wheels, badges and pin stripes. The interior is a basic non leather one (yet everything on the car is very tidy) but the steering wheel is a racing type and not original.

http://www.rtsauto.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/ac-schnitzer.jpg

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

Pretty sure ACS didn't make any cars with a 1.8 litre engine and automatic box. Could possibly be dealer fitted Schnitzer dress-up bits added to the car, or transplanted later in its life though?

Unless it is a really, really rare and obscure ACS then getting rid of the auto and adding some more power will only increase it's value.

[Driftit 2078]

Yeah I agree with Jon. Most likely a dressed up stock E30.

Engine, gearbox and Diff upgrades are always sort after.

[RipJaws 3]

I get where you guys are coming from on that point but its somehow unlikely to me, it looks like its been set up on some type of non stock suspension that looks really good from an outside perspective and it handles really nicely too. The pin striping and ACS logos on the quarter panels don't seem like a dealer would just be able to go and stick them on. I'm getting someone to take a few photos of the car for me so I can show it which will give a better idea. But I guess, 318i with dressed up ACS bits from the factory seems a little curious.

Photos to come.

[Mark 178]

It will likely be a Japanese import. The first Japanese owner would have purchased a standard 318i for economy reasons then added the Schnitzer bits to make it look like a more top-spec model. Have seen it plenty of times.

And yes, you can buy any Schnitzer bits you like from a catalogue and put them on your car, including the pinstripes.

[Driftit 2078]

Yeah the only real AC car they released was the S3. It came with a 2.5 6.

There is one or two here. But I think only one real one with is LHD.

[RipJaws 3]

Ahh so there is an 'official' AC Schnitzer type e30 out there with M20B25? Possibly a few ACS type additions to the motor also? I think I remember seeing an M20 ACS valve cover at some point although I could be wrong.

Yes the car is Jap import. I suppose that explains the larger plate holder at the rear. Well its a good thing that whoever selected the ACS type additions did it properly and bought all of them by the looks of things.

So does anyone have an idea of the value of a car like this? Is this set up harder to come by than a car with an M tech 2 body kit? Also I haven't seen many e30's without a sun roof. Is that a rare thing?

Here are a few photos of the car.

[e30ftw 410]

Looks like someone has added it all on. Bumper trims have been painted red and the eyelids are aftermarket.

*Edit* Oh wait I forget, Bumpers are normallly black. They have been painted red, including the rubber trims. Keep thinking bumpers are colour matched from factory, but that's just SE's.

Edited June 19, 2015 by e30ftw

[RipJaws 3]

Well whatever this car is or is not I think I've been lucky and got something quite nice and unique. I will be fixing up that bumper the first chance I get and giving the car a full once over in the mechanical department as the fella I got it from said its up for a good service. I guess a manual tranny could only increase value for a car like this so I'll be sourcing one in the future, if anyone has one or a couple of e 30 fog lights I'd be interested.

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

With the snizzle bits it is a nice looking E30 and worth a bit more than a normal E30 318 auto.

In terms of your original post and question, adding a bigger engine and a manual box will only increase it's value (if done properly!!) IMHO.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

i agree. regardless of the body kit, an M40 Auto doesnt really appeal to an enthusiest, so you can only get better by swapping the engine.

Im not super super clued up on the E30 AC Schnitzer catalouge, only things i can spot that are missing are the ACS wing mirrors and the ACS steering wheel.

I have had 3x E34 525i's, all with the old M20 engine, dressed up with those bodykits, all of them Jap imports, so certainly not uncommon to be dressed at Japanese dealers it seems

There are a number of cars here not just E30s that are just stock cars with AC Schnitzer stuff put on them, including one of my own.