A motoring writer has tested whether a 1990 BMW E30 325i Touring can work as an everyday car, driving it 2,500 miles to Portugal and back. The car was bought after the writer sold a Porsche 944, and the purchase price was less than that of a new Renault Clio. With about 91,000 miles on the odometer, the car is relatively low-mileage for its age, which made it an appealing starting point for a long-term experiment.
Before buying, the writer commissioned an inspection from Classic Bahnstormers in Gloucestershire, at a cost of £456. The appraisal found no significant rust, a finding that matters for E30 buyers, since corrosion is one of the main reasons these cars are written off. It did, however, flag a leaking radiator and fuel hoses that needed attention before any long journey could be considered.
To judge the ride, the writer arranged a direct comparison with a friend's car, Aaron McKay's 1986 325i Sport saloon. The writer's car runs aftermarket sport springs and Uniroyal tyres, and its ride was judged crashy. McKay's saloon, fitted with standard M Technic springs and the same Bilstein dampers, rode noticeably better. The writer's car remains firm and is described as inert in dry conditions, but the gap between the two cars showed how much the choice of springs and tyres shapes everyday comfort.
Planned next steps include new suspension bushes, new tyres and an overdue service. The writer still wants better springs and tyres, and the comparison has made clear that the setup, not the chassis, is the main source of the harsh ride. The aim is to keep the car usable on ordinary roads rather than turn it into a weekend showpiece.
The 2,500-mile journey to Portugal used the Portsmouth to Santander ferry, a route that allowed the car to cover the Spanish leg on the road. Over the trip the car returned about 30mpg, and the writer judged the on-board computer's readout to be accurate, a useful check for anyone wanting to plan fuel stops on an older car.
The trip was not without problems. The heater matrix leaked coolant, the headlining became soaked, the engine was hard to start, and there were door lock issues. Each fault was a reminder that a car of this age demands attention to its cooling, electrics and seals, and that a long drive will expose weaknesses that short local journeys hide.
Repairs carried out during and around the ownership period included an R134a air-conditioning conversion, a replacement heater matrix, new central locking, a roof aerial and a fuel pump. A retro Blaupunkt radio with Bluetooth and DAB has also been fitted, giving the interior a period look alongside modern connectivity. Taken together, the work illustrates the cost and effort involved in keeping a classic usable every day.
The experiment suggests that a well-sorted classic can handle long-distance driving, provided the owner accepts regular maintenance and is willing to fix faults as they appear. For a writer who sold a Porsche 944 to buy the BMW, the trade-off between outright pace and everyday character appears to have settled firmly in favour of the older car.