The BMW E30 3-series of 1983-91 is currently filling the niche of affordable used sports sedan. However, in the time before Mercedes was trying to be both sporty *and* luxurious, and before Lexus and Infiniti were a glint in their Daddies’ eyes, there still was some competition, however feeble. And two of those competitors were Italian – the more fully-developed Alfa Romeo Milano, and the somewhat quality-challenged Maserati BiTurbo. This 1987 BiTurbo Si is available in Shingle Springs, CA with bidding at $2475 and only 2 1/2 days left to go.
This car is arguably more attractive than the E30 BMW. Where the BMW has straight, horizontal lines, the Maserati has a rakish slant, narrower bumpers, and elegant alloy wheels, plus spoilers, blacked out chrome and fog lights, the way we liked it in the 1980s. This particular car looks to be in really good shape, with no visible rust and a glossy paint job which the seller ranks 7 out of 10.
This angle looks good as well. The car only has 40,000 miles on it, so it would be interesting to know how many of those were accumulated in recent years – the hazards of long-term storage are likely not fun to rectify on a car like this. It does have a crack in the windshield, and some interior work is needed, but the seller’s description is so concise as to completely avoid any description of the conditions of electrical or mechanical systems. Maybe the point is you should assume the worst, and be pleasantly surprised if things work out well.
Unfortunately, the quality of the photography leaves something to be desired. However, there are some detail shots showing the engine compartment to be quite tidy, so at least if you have to go in there your hands won’t get too dirty! Some owners have reported successfully upgrading the cars to increase reliability, although the fuel injection (as opposed to the earlier carburetors) should help with that.
The usual look-in-the-driver-door shot is not available, so this will have to suffice. What is visible appears to be in excellent shape. There’s some delamination of the wood on the dash, some dryness and/or water damage to the dash leather, and the unforgettable analog clock has been replaced by a wristwatch crammed in its space, though these should be readily available thanks to the attrition rate of BiTurbos. As a driver, however, all these issues are livable and you could have great fun playing with the torque from the two little turbos – these were as quick as a Ferrari 308 QV.
Rusty But Trusty 
September 21, 2013 at 3:42 pm |
I’m pretty sure all of these are low mileage