BMW 318i (E30)
1982–1991
Lowest price
US$8,000
Since 2020
Median price
US$15,250
Since 2020 · n=9
Highest price
US$37,500
Since 2020
Sold cars
9
All time
Sell-through
100%
Of 9 lots

Based on 9 verified auction results
US$15,250
Market value · recent verified sales
+20.1%
12-month change
Hold or Wait
Appreciating but pace slowing. Patient buyers may find better entry.
Median sold price up 20.1% over the last 12 months. Hold if owned; chasing the trend at peak carries risk.
MSRP
—
Collectibility
5/10
Collectible
3-Year Forecast
US$15,250
+0%
5-Year Forecast
US$15,250
+0%
Market scores
43
Desirability
Thin
30
Liquidity
Excellent
85
Resale Outlook
Option premiums
What every option is worth.
Limited-slip diff
+US$5,500+36%3 with · 17 without · low confidence
Built ≤ 1990
−US$1,914-13%9 with · 9 without · high confidence
Premiums compare the median price of sales with each option against comparable sales without it, mined from verified auction listings. Sales are pooled across markets on a relative-price basis, so exchange rates and market levels can't skew the split. Options interact in ways a one-at-a-time split can’t capture — treat each premium as directional rather than gospel.
Marque analyst note
The BMW 318i E30 is trading at a median of $15,250 in the US market, up 20.1 percent over the past twelve months on a sample of eight transactions. That gain positions the model firmly in appreciating territory, though the signal remains HOLD given medium-level confidence in the underlying momentum.
Transaction volume remains thin, with nine total sales tracked across the platform. For buyers and sellers alike, this scarcity means patience will be required to execute at fair pricing, and wide asking-to-sale spreads are not uncommon in this segment.
The E30 318i sits in the stable modern classic tier, classified as collectible with moderate desirability. The typical car transacting carries around 91,100 miles, suggesting that examples in this market tend to be well-used but not preservation pieces.
Looking ahead, the base case assumes prices hold steady at current levels through both the three-year and five-year horizons. The recent appreciation appears to reflect broader interest in affordable, accessible E30s rather than any fundamental shift in the model's collectibility profile.
Demand remains episodic rather than consistent, and the lack of active inventory on major platforms underscores the model's limited availability at any given moment. Sellers may find windows of opportunity when interest spikes, but this is not a segment where volume trading dominates.
Depreciation Benchmark
- Current avg valueUS$15,250
- Annual appr. rate+20.1%/yr
Vehicle History Signals
- Auction lots tracked20
- Damage or salvage declared0 (0.0%)
- No damage declared20 (100.0%)
Est. Annual Ownership Costs
- Insurance (agreed value)US$600
- MaintenanceUS$1,210
- StorageUS$3,220
- Depreciation— (appreciating)
- Total annual costUS$5,030
Market Liquidity
- Active Listings0
- Sales Last 12 Months9
- Sell-Through100%
Market Snapshot
- Active Listings0
- Avg Sale PriceUS$17,184
- Avg Mileage at Sale91,100 mi
- Recent Price RangeUS$8,000 – US$37,500
- Total Sales Tracked9
Recent sales
Showing latest 9US$15,250
Bring a Trailer · 4 Aug 2026
5-speed manual
US$20,750
Bring a Trailer · 8 Jul 2026
Alpine White · manual
US$9,200
cars-and-bids · 26 May 2026
107,100 mi
Manual
US$8,000
Bring a Trailer · 21 May 2026
Laguna Green · manual
US$20,000
cars-and-bids · 15 May 2026
131,200 mi
Granite Silver Metallic · manual
US$8,700
Bring a Trailer · 12 May 2026
Alpine White · manual
US$37,500
Bring a Trailer · 3 May 2026
35,000 mi
Manual
US$24,759
Bring a Trailer · 29 Apr 2026
5-speed manual
US$10,500
Bring a Trailer · 23 Apr 2026
Cashmere Beige Metallic · manual
Indicative only — not investment advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future value.