New Zealand 1987 BMW E30 M325i M Tech 1

[3 SERIES 93]

7 hours ago, E28E30 said:

$52k for the MTech1

It was a Tech II not a I

[m325i 709]

I'm all for e30's - but there is no way that mtech II is a $50k driving experience. I guess that's not what people are paying for, (but they are so...)

[E28E30 335]

2 hours ago, 3 SERIES said:

It was a Tech II not a I

Of course, my bad.  Was caught up in the moment.

Edited May 16, 2021 by E28E30

[BMTHUG 1055]

17 hours ago, ItcheNZ said:

I just cried at the beauty of this car 

[Contrails 317]

@3 SERIES yes that’s the one.

[Contrails 317]

2 hours ago, m325i said:

I'm all for e30's - but there is no way that mtech II is a $50k driving experience. I guess that's not what people are paying for, (but they are so...)

I am starting to feel this way a bit too. $50k = E46 M3/Z4M coupe money.  But I feel an E30 M3 is not worth $80k or that houses in Manurewa are not worth $1m but the demand is there and that’s what counts at the end of the day. 

[BMTHUG 1055]

7 minutes ago, Contrails said:

I am starting to feel this way a bit too. $50k = E46 M3/Z4M coupe money.  But I feel an E30 M3 is not worth $80k or that houses in Manurewa are not worth $1m but the demand is there and that’s what counts at the end of the day. 

Saw a couple Mtech 2s go for far more than 50k.. that 64k one on trademe and another at 65k

[ItcheNZ 73]

Hi All . I have invested in cars and spent lots of time looking at markets an looking for trends . At the moment E30 have been moving the rarer the model the higher the price . E30 M3 have always been sought after but also have considerable range in prices as well. But fully documented low mileage couple of owner car unrestored  in good condition will always be king With collectors. Even though these cars have moved in price . They Will become a investment grade Car once they pass there original purchase price in today’s money . E30 still have a bit to go but are still well price get them while you can at these prices as collector have not really moved into E30 yet . Most of the price will have been driven by brand enthusiasm by current BMW owners. The rarer the car the more sought after the current sales reflect how well sought after these cars are and also how well they drive . I would only expect these M Tech 1 and 2 to catchup with lower grade E30 M3 they made a lot more M3 than RHD M Tech 1 cars for example .  You might have been able to buy one 10 years ago for 10k and think they are not a 50k cars but the market is telling you something else .

[BMTHUG 1055]

38 minutes ago, ItcheNZ said:

Hi All . I have invested in cars and spent lots of time looking at markets an looking for trends . At the moment E30 have been moving the rarer the model the higher the price . E30 M3 have always been sought after but also have considerable range in prices as well. But fully documented low mileage couple of owner car unrestored  in good condition will always be king With collectors. Even though these cars have moved in price . They Will become a investment grade Car once they pass there original purchase price in today’s money . E30 still have a bit to go but are still well price get them while you can at these prices as collector have not really moved into E30 yet . Most of the price will have been driven by brand enthusiasm by current BMW owners. The rarer the car the more sought after the current sales reflect how well sought after these cars are and also how well they drive . I would only expect these M Tech 1 and 2 to catchup with lower grade E30 M3 they made a lot more M3 than RHD M Tech 1 cars for example .  You might have been able to buy one 10 years ago for 10k and think they are not a 50k cars but the market is telling you something else .

Highly agree with this. The market dictates the price. inflation plus e30 tax is a real thing 

[ItcheNZ 73]

4 hours ago, BMTHUG said:

Highly agree with this. The market dictates the price. inflation plus e30 tax is a real thing 

Most people like to call a increase in price as a Tax you hear it used all the time for other brands of cars when they start to move up in Value . It should be considered more as appreciation than Tax . Tax is generally perceived in a negative context as payment you make for little or no value return . What you are in fact is paying the appreciated cost and amount which you could get back when you sell plus a gain in some cases after cost . Unlike like tax which you will never get back .  They way I look at an Investment car is I have paid to be the custodian of the Car Which I can get a lot of pleasure out of Driving and Using . The down side you have  to maintain the Car is the Best Condition possible so you can Charge the next Custodian a Larger fee to cover the Cost.  Downside these are Generally not used as Drive Cars. 

[Eagle 1662]

9 hours ago, m325i said:

I'm all for e30's - but there is no way that mtech II is a $50k driving experience. I guess that's not what people are paying for, (but they are so...)

Speculators and those who missed out on ownership when they were cheap.    

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

On ‎5‎/‎9‎/‎2021 at 11:19 PM, ItcheNZ said:

 In New Zealand, where the M3 was never officially sold, the local importer created a sporting version of the sedan called M325i. About 100 such cars were imported beginning in late 1986 until at least 1990. Fitted with the standard non-catalyzed 171 PS (126 kW) 2.5 litre engine they benefitted from a Motorsport fettled suspension, the M-Technic body package, 15-inch BBS cross-spoke wheels with wide, low profile (225/50) tyres, and a limited-slip differential. The M325i is quite similar to the British market 325i Sport, also developed as a response to the absence of a right-hand-drive M3.  

E30 M3 was sold in NZ, but was very expensive especially with the extra cost of having to convert to RHD to use legally on the road. The "M-Technic" package was developed at the factory as being an option for E30s, and it was widely used as the basis for a sporty 325i variant, the M325i as it was promoted in NZ, the 325i Sport in the UK and 325i M-Technic in Germany. The M-Technic package included a number of different "sporty" options bundled together - the body kit, alloys, black headliner, sport suspension, etc. I believe each option could also be added on its own, outside of the M-Technic package, but i've never seen the body kit only optioned onto a car. First offered around mid-86 as a factory option (with 14" weaves for first couple of months, then 15") on the pre-facelift E30s in both LHD and RHD.

With the facelift of the E30 there was a gap of around a year before the similar package, M-Technic II Package, was made available from the factory with the new bodykit suited to the new bumpers on the facelift, same names were used such as M325i and 325i Sport This was then offered through to the end of the E30 production and extended through to sedans, tourings and convertibles. The total number of 100 units for NZ sounds in the right ball park - 25 a year over 4 years.

On ‎5‎/‎9‎/‎2021 at 11:19 PM, ItcheNZ said:

"I have been told that only 298 models of the 1987 right hand drive M-tech 1 were ever made before they switched to the M-tech 2 making it a seriously rare beast indeed, and after the M-tech 2 which sold a lot more was done the next M3 was produced in right hand drive too making it pointless carrying on the M-tech line "

Not sure where this guy gets his numbers from, a very good E30 reference book talks in detail about both the UK 325i Sport Tech I and Tech II, and also lists the sales figures for that model seperately, pure UK numbers are much higher than 298. At least 1,200 units in the UK alone, with possibly u to near 2,000 more (it doesn't break down Tech I / Tech II just by year, so there is some cross over. The Tech II numbers are slightly higher (again UK based figures) but not hugely more.

The original "M-Technic" packages had a slight name change to "M-Sport" package later on and is the fore-runner of the M-Sport packages that are available for just about every BMW model nowadays, so it did carry on, but with a slightly different name.

On ‎5‎/‎12‎/‎2021 at 9:49 PM, ItcheNZ said:

I had a long conversation with the BMW NZ president about the NZ M Techs 1 and he said that the body kits and final touch where done by BMW in NZ and contracted out to a panel and paint shop in Pamure Mt Wellington Area Auckland .

Possibly the first 4 Polaris Silver models that came in, which Leichtbau referred to as not having the M-Technic option from factory might have been fettled here in NZ, but all the models with the M-Techinc option code in the options list would have come from factory with the kits, etc fitted as the options list (from VIN Decode, etc) is how it left the factory - local options, either NZ or dealer fitted, would not be included. The radios and some other equipment was locally fitted (by Rapid Radio - not sure where they were based). The old heads in parts and technical are pretty sure the later ones were factory fitted, first few were possibly "mock up" examples of what the M325i could look like.

The long and short of it is that whilst not incredibly rare by automotive standards, a genuine E30 325i with factory M-Technic kit, either I or II, is a relatively scarce animal and is definately desired by many owners, and now it seems collectors. A mint example like yours, maintained to it's current standard will certainly become more and more collectable.

[ItcheNZ 73]

27 minutes ago, E30 325i Rag-Top said:

E30 M3 was sold in NZ, but was very expensive especially with the extra cost of having to convert to RHD to use legally on the road. The "M-Technic" package was developed at the factory as being an option for E30s, and it was widely used as the basis for a sporty 325i variant, the M325i as it was promoted in NZ, the 325i Sport in the UK and 325i M-Technic in Germany. The M-Technic package included a number of different "sporty" options bundled together - the body kit, alloys, black headliner, sport suspension, etc. I believe each option could also be added on its own, outside of the M-Technic package, but i've never seen the body kit only optioned onto a car. First offered around mid-86 as a factory option (with 14" weaves for first couple of months, then 15") on the pre-facelift E30s in both LHD and RHD.

With the facelift of the E30 there was a gap of around a year before the similar package, M-Technic II Package, was made available from the factory with the new bodykit suited to the new bumpers on the facelift, same names were used such as M325i and 325i Sport This was then offered through to the end of the E30 production and extended through to sedans, tourings and convertibles. The total number of 100 units for NZ sounds in the right ball park - 25 a year over 4 years.

Not sure where this guy gets his numbers from, a very good E30 reference book talks in detail about both the UK 325i Sport Tech I and Tech II, and also lists the sales figures for that model seperately, pure UK numbers are much higher than 298. At least 1,200 units in the UK alone, with possibly u to near 2,000 more (it doesn't break down Tech I / Tech II just by year, so there is some cross over. The Tech II numbers are slightly higher (again UK based figures) but not hugely more.

The original "M-Technic" packages had a slight name change to "M-Sport" package later on and is the fore-runner of the M-Sport packages that are available for just about every BMW model nowadays, so it did carry on, but with a slightly different name.

Possibly the first 4 Polaris Silver models that came in, which Leichtbau referred to as not having the M-Technic option from factory might have been fettled here in NZ, but all the models with the M-Techinc option code in the options list would have come from factory with the kits, etc fitted as the options list (from VIN Decode, etc) is how it left the factory - local options, either NZ or dealer fitted, would not be included. The radios and some other equipment was locally fitted (by Rapid Radio - not sure where they were based). The old heads in parts and technical are pretty sure the later ones were factory fitted, first few were possibly "mock up" examples of what the M325i could look like.

The long and short of it is that whilst not incredibly rare by automotive standards, a genuine E30 325i with factory M-Technic kit, either I or II, is a relatively scarce animal and is definately desired by many owners, and now it seems collectors. A mint example like yours, maintained to it's current standard will certainly become more and more collectable.

HI Jon thanks for all the information very Helpful . I need this to add to the History Section for the Story Board required for Survivor Class Entry at the Concours . Been Very Helpful thanks . 

[Skitzy 1]

Hello,

WBAAB320700857376

325i sport UK edition. Recently acquired. 

Great info in here, love the history.

[Johnny24 1]

Hey mate, I have the same car as yours in Australia, imported from NZ! Mine has houndstooth cloth. Very nice, there's two NZ ones here from memory!

[Skitzy 1]

On 8/22/2022 at 12:50 PM, Johnny24 said:

Hey mate, I have the same car as yours in Australia, imported from NZ! Mine has houndstooth cloth. Very nice, there's two NZ ones here from memory!

Yeah! I am in the same fb group as you :') Apparently there are only 6 mtech 1's that are in Australia. 2 are NZ and 4 are UK. I've been told mine is the only Delphin here ( best colour imo ) lucky me!

Would love to hear more about the history of the tech 1's

[qube 3570]

@Johnny24 @Skitzy Im in Melbourne too. Would love to see the E30's if there is ever a meet up let me know!

[Sammo 2544]

On 8/22/2022 at 2:50 PM, Johnny24 said:

Hey mate, I have the same car as yours in Australia, imported from NZ! Mine has houndstooth cloth. Very nice, there's two NZ ones here from memory!

@Contrails did you ship your M325i over to Oz with you or is it still here?

[Contrails 317]

On 8/25/2022 at 3:26 AM, Sammo said:

@Contrails did you ship your M325i over to Oz with you or is it still here?

Still in NZ. I am planning on taking it over eventually.