The E30 market has me scratching my head. Last summer I bought two E30s in a package deal: one for $1250 and $750 for the second.
The $750 car was an '88 325i Bronzit, comfort seats, with plastic bumpers and was taken off-road by the PO when he failed to negotiate a corner. The damage consisted of a missing front valance, demolished radiator, broken headlight, grill, and crumpled corner of the hood and front fender. It had the usual battery induced rust in the rear quarter panel, the paint was a little faded with evidence of some respray, but was really pretty solid otherwise. The working odometer had over 200K miles.
I sold it four weeks later without laying a finger on it for $2000. The buyer was an acquaintance of mine and I sold him most of what he needed to get the car inspection ready. Neither one of us bothered to do a leakdown or compression test, so we have no idea what kind of condition the engine was in. Perhaps I'm out of touch, but I wouldn't have paid that much for it. In fact, I offered it to him for $2000 thinking we'd dicker on the price and I'd let it go for $1500 or thereabouts.
He put about $3000 into it and listed it on Craigslist for $6500: he let it go a week later for $6000.
I don't suppose this rambling drivel helps you much, but I wish you the best of luck. If you'd like to trade for a '13 Jeep Wrangler with an AEV front bumper, Warn Mopar winch and an extra set of wheels/tires, and some other stuff, let me know.
