re: Buying an E30 325is - Is it a fake?!?!?!

[Phil Marx <BMW@xxxxxxx>]

Rodney Sparks wrote:
>The '87 325is that I test drove had about a 4800-5000 rpm redline.  It
>felt >like it pushed well up into this range, as if it had the
>high-revving motor, >but the tach was the low-rev one.  What's the deal?
>Did any of the E30 325is's >come with the low-rev tach?  I don't think
>it's a re-badged 325es, because it >had the very supportive leather seats,
>and a little tri-color strip on one of >the spokes of the steering wheel
>that resembles the "M" logo.  It also had that >little trunklid spoiler.
>But, it's possible that it was rebadged.  If so, what >are some telltale
>features of the 325is, besides the distinct front air dam?  >Any marker in
>the VIN that I could readily recognize?  If there are any >features I
>could use to discover the true identity of this car, I'll go back >and see
>what's going on.

The E30 "S" model was built as both an "es" and "is" in 1987 for the US.
Both had sport seats and f&r spoilers.  "es" came with std. E30 alloys and
the "is" came with the cross-spoke (BBS-style) wheels.  Original "es" front
dam had no center vent like the "is" does for the oil cooler.  "es" has no
oil cooler.  Older style dam is NLA so if the previous owner had to replace
an "es" air dam they'd have no option but to use the one w/oil cooler duct.
Don't have access to my VIN book right now to tell you what to look for
there.  "is" redline should be about 6400 rpm.  Of course the "is" has the
two extra bearing surfaces on the camshaft but there's probably something
else external to look at.  Or run the VIN on a BMW dealer computer.  Of
course it could have had a bad tach swapped with an eta tach.

- -Phil  (never owned a BMW that started with a "3" made after 1975)

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