Digging around the E30 Today

"Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish" (mrfist)
09/28/2018 at 16:25 • Filed to: None

I looks like it was originally sold in Germany which is kind of crazy because my grandfather has had it much longer than would be legal. I don't know how this works.

DISCUSSION (12)

atfsgeoff > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
09/28/2018 at 16:29

It’s very interesting to see an E30 M3 on steelies.

I like it.

Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish > atfsgeoff
09/28/2018 at 16:31

I think that picture is from the Spring, those are the winter rims. Before my grandfather got the M2 the E30 M3 was his daily/track/everything car.

FSI > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
09/28/2018 at 16:34

Hey, it was sold somewhat close to where I live. Judging from the side markers I think the E30 is an US spec hat so therefore conform with American s tandards. E30s and other old BMWs were really popular among USAF soldiers stationed here.

Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish > FSI
09/28/2018 at 16:40

I was stationed in Kaiserslautern for a few years!

It's definitely US Spec or someone took the time to convert it. It's got the US gauges and stuff. The clock still says "Uhr".

Textured Soy Protein > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
09/28/2018 at 16:43

It was probably brought over as a grey market import. Basically, grey market cars were bought in Europe, shipped to the US, and converted to US spec bumpers, lights, etc. There was no law specifically banning importing a car from Europe as long as stuff like bumpers and lights were converted to US specs.

They were typically Euro-spec versions of cars already available in the US. Often done because they were more affordable thanks to favorable exchange rates, where it was cheaper for a car to be bought in Europe and shipped to the US vs. buying it through the official US distributor of that automaker, and/or because the Euro versions had more power because at the time US emissions standards were tougher.

T he Porsche 928 in the early 80s had another 50 hp or something like that in grey market form. Or like, you couldn’t at first get a Mercedes 560SEL here, only the 280, and BMW didn’t bring over the 745i Turbo.

Mercedes actually lobbied to pass the Motor Vehicle Safety Compliance Act of 1988 to stop the practice.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
09/28/2018 at 16:46

At the time this was new the 25 year rule wasn’t yet in place. He may have imported it when it was close to new before that would have been an issue. He also may have been able to get it in under the "substantially similar" clause by saying it's the same as a US M3.

Svend > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
09/28/2018 at 16:49

There was a time that U.S. service personnel stationed in Europe could bring back their vehicle regardless of age, etc... so likely brought back once over seas service had been completed and then made to conform to some U.S. standards to get it registered.

Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish > Textured Soy Protein
09/28/2018 at 16:49

Awesome info, thanks!

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
09/28/2018 at 16:50

I’m betting it was American Car, German delivery so it would be easy to bring back but they could have it there.

Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
09/28/2018 at 16:52

I know that he didn't buy it new, so someone else dealt with the importing trouble.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
09/28/2018 at 16:58

What model year is it? In the 80s exchange rates were such that you could get a good deal buy buying a car in Germany and importing it. That's likely what the original US owner did.

diplodicus > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
10/02/2018 at 09:27

I want it so bad.