1988 BMW M3 - Recent Restoration - Collector Owned - Outstanding Example

1988 BMW M3 Description

1988 BMW M3 - Recent Restoration - Collector Owned - Outstanding Example
This 1988 BMW M3 is part of a 60+ car private collection in Austin, Texas.
A 3-owner car, this beautiful M3 was sold brand new in California where it remained until I moved it to Texas in 2011. The original owner was Mr. Bernard Jourdain, a Belgian-born race car driver who drove for, among others, the AJ Foyt racing team and who won both the CART and Indy 500 Rookie of the Year awards in 1989. After retiring from racing, Mr. Jourdain founded a successful restaurant in San Diego where he lived and where he kept this car until it was acquired by its second California owner, a professional BMW technician, in 2006. In the summer of 2011 the second owner offered the car for sale at which time I acquired it. The documented mileage of the car when it came to me was 126,457 miles and today the car has 126,558 original miles having been driven only 101 miles under my ownership. The mileage can be fully verified by a combination of title records, service receipts, and 16 individual Carfax mileage records beginning in 1992 and continuing through 2011.
Although the car was already in very nice condition at the time of my purchase, I wanted to make it perfect and over the last several years I've invested countless thousands of dollars restoring the car to my standards. The result is a car thatI would not hesitate to drive across the country tomorrow. Along the way, I'd make sure to hit a few tracks just for fun and I'd do my best to find and enter a local car show (which I would win). If you've been searching for a very special car, I urge you to consider this beautiful example. Further information is provided below.
Mechanicals:The car starts, stops and drives exactly as you would expect. It pulls hard, revs smoothly,shifts precisely and brakes easily and in a straight line.There are no leaks of any kind or smoking from the engine.The car shows no evidence of ever having been involved in an accident or collision and is 100% rust free and as clean and solid as its low mileage suggests. Everything in the car works as it should - lights, switches, wipers, gauges, everything. The car is, of course, numbers-matching.
Under the care of the previous owner, the car was well-maintained and there are nearly two dozen receipts attesting to the care it received. Of particular note are receipts showing the car received a new clutch (including slave cylinder and upgraded EVO lightweight flywheel) only 3,500 miles ago.
The car rides on brand new, 205/55/R15 Yokohama S-Drive performance tires. It has been recently serviced. Other than new tires and standard servicing, the only mechanical work performed on the car under my ownership was the addition of a remote door lock system allowing you to lock and unlock the doors with a keychain remote.
The original air conditioning system system is intact and has been converted to R134. As the car has rarely been driven under my ownership, I did not store the car with the system charged. While preparing the car for sale, we did charge the AC and it's now blowing cold but it would not surprise me if the AC system required professional service prior to everyday use.
Exterior:From every angle, the car presents beautifully.
In 2012, as part of my restoration of the car, it received a professional, glass-out respray in its original color ofZinnoberrot Red. Upon reassembly the car received all new rubber seals, new lenses (including new OEM tail light lenses), new badges and every price of trim on the car was either replaced or professionally refinished.
The car maintains its original glass with the exception of the windshield which was replaced when the car was painted. The replacement windshield was purchased from a BMW dealer and shows the correct BMW and Sekurit markings.
The wheels were sent away for professional refinishing and appear as new. They're complimented by four brand new center caps.
The only flaw worth mentioning is a tiny flaw on the rear spoiler consisting of an almost unnoticeable, approximate 1/2-inch paint crack that you might not notice if I didn't point it out and which could be easily touched up. I have included a close-up photo of this flaw in my online photo album and the very fact that I'm calling your attention to it as the most significant cosmetic issue on the car should give you extreme confidence regarding the condition of this M3.
Interior:While no used car can ever be described as perfect, the interior of this M3 might be the exception to that rule. We were fortunate that we were starting with an excellent car and many of the interior parts, including the original dash and door panels, looked virtually as good as the day they left the factory. As for everything else...
During our restoration of the car, the interior was completely gutted top to bottom leaving only the original carpet in the car. As oem replacement carpet is unavailable for these cars, we chose to have our original carpet extracted and steam-cleaned with outstanding results.
The leather seats, front and rear, were professionally reupholstered using top-grade, correct materials from GAHH Automotive. The complicated front seat mechanisms were completely disassembled and multiple parts (including several of the mini seat shock absorbers) were replaced which returned full functionality to our seats.
A new headliner was sourced and installed.The factory radio was sent in for service and the rear speakers were disassembled and a set of Polk Audio mids and tweeters were carefully installed under the original grills. The rear parcel shelf was removed and professionally re-dyed.Numerous other parts including multiple dash switches, the shifter and shift boot, the rear seat belts, the center console, and countless other bits and bobs were purchased from the dealer only because the originals were faded or didn't appear as new. The now-fresh carpets were covered by a set of brand new, oem BMW floor mats. And on and on and on...
The only modifications we made to the interior were done as a personal choice and are easily reversible. They include the installation of an EVO3 leather steering wheel, a set of M3 logo door sills, and a set of AC Schnitzer pedals. If the new owner doesn't want these upgrades, I'll happily have them reversed prior to delivery.
The end result is something I'm very proud of and you will be too. It's no exaggeration to say that sitting in the driver's seat of this M3 gives one the impression of sitting in a brand new car. No expense was spared and it shows.I've taken the time to provide multiple, close-up photos of the interior from almost every angle. Please examine them carefully and I think you'll agree that you'll be looking a very long time before you'll find another as nice as this.
For more than 50 additional detailed photos, please visit:
1988 BMW M3 Online Photo Album
For me, finding the right home for this car is as important as getting the best price. If you have any questions, or would like to discuss this car in more detail, please feel free to contact me. In-person inspections and test-drives are welcomed and encouraged but please do so before clicking “Buy It Now” or committing to a purchase.
I have a clear and correct Texas title for this vehicle in my possession. Transportation and delivery of this vehicle is the responsibility of the purchaser. I'll happily assist in any way I can. I'll accept payment by wire transfer, cash or certified cashier’s check. A $500 non-refundable deposit is due upon agreeing to purchase with the balance due within 3 business days.