The Ultimate Driving Machine:

Early BMWs were truly exciting cars. In sedan form, they were basically sports cars for the family man, offering a great option for those who wanted a responsive car that's fun to drive, yet didn't limit interior and cargo space as sports cars did.

The 1989 BMW 325iA Convertible offered for sale here is one of those final BMWs worth owning. It has everything you need, nothing you don't.

VIN *WBABB2309K8864332* is a Series II car that was manufactured in October of 1988 as a 1989 model. It has been a California resident from new, never had any rust or accident damage, and features most of its factory original finishes. The car was parked in 2021 when the female driver had her second child and needed to switch to a more family-friendly car. Since then the registration has been on non-op status with the California DMV, so there are no back fees due.

This Bimmer comes with extensive documentation going back to the earliest days, all neatly sorted in chronological order in a binder with clear sheet protectors. The car also comes with a clean Carfax report and, should it remain in the Golden State, a new smog certificate.

To this day, the car has traveled 146,163 miles, that's about 4,300 miles annually, on average.

The car was serviced at an independent BMW shop in Santa Barbara. Photos show factory labels intact.

Power comes from BMWs 2.5-liter inline 6, delivering 168 teutonic horses, coupled to a ZF 4HP22 4-speed automatic transmission.

The engine runs as smoothly as a Singer sewing machine, with no issues of any kind to report. Oil and filter are fresh, and we would not hesitate for a second to take it on a cross-country trip.

Due to the fact that the BMW 325i marks the end of an era, prices for these cars have gone up and will presumably continue to do so in the forseeable future. This one is priced to sell at only $9,950, and presents an incredible opportunity to become a member of the E30 club for not much money.

Arguably, the E30 Convertible's design has aged well and the car still receives admiring looks, more than 30 years after it was built.

This 'un comes with genuine BBS mesh alloys in beautiful condition, shod with 195/65-14 rubber all around.

Never been apart and featuring almost all factory paint, the body is straight as an arrow, with perfect gaps and shut lines everywhere.

There are no dings, dents, or noticeable scratches anywhere. The finish is still shiny and sparkles.

BMW's ergonomic cockpit is all business, with a flair of aircraft mixed in.

Main gauge cluster features 4 round gauges, with the fuel gauge integrated into the tach. All those gauges work as they should.

Center pod features an updated Kenwood head unit and climate controls. Note: the air conditioning is not working. Center console holds an unused ash tray, cigarette lighter, the 4 switches for the power windows and the shifter for the automatic transmission, which shifts perfectly.

The leather-clad cabin features -- manually operated -- genuine BMW sport seats. All of this is original, the only flaw being a split in the lower part of the driver's seat.

Rear seats, also covered in hides, offer space for 2 more adults.

With the convertible top up, the car becomes weather tight.

The canvas top is in excellent condition; the top storage box clean as a whistle.

Note: original Calfornia license plate, issued in 1999. All the lights work as they should.

Spacious trunk is clean, covered in factory carpeting.

Unused factory spare; clean trunk floor.

Factory tool kit.

With spring in the air, we took the Bimmer out on a drive, snapping these photos along the way.

The car starts, runs, and drives flawlessly.

Suspension is tight, brakes anchor the car with authority.

This is truly a classic that you can use as a daily driver, if so desired. These cars are bullet-proof, with no weak points to note.

This is a car you can hop in and drive anywhere. We can't think of many 30+ year-old collector cars, let alone convertibles, for under $10K that could compete with this 325i in any category.

Opportunity knocks; are you ready to answer?