This BMW 3 Series E36 certainly had seen better days before being rescued by a professional detailer. Covered in moss, the abandoned 325i had flat tires and was missing some of the exterior trim pieces while the cabin wasn’t that great either. However, it was a diamond in the rough and worth rescuing since the engine sounded healthy.
Finished in Alpine White III, the third-generation 3er had its M50 engine refreshed. Back in the day, the inline-six unit with a 2.5-liter displacement made 192 horsepower (141 kilowatts) and 245 Newton-meters (181 pound-feet) of torque. An updated version of the engine introduced in 1993 enabled the full torque to kick in 500 rpm sooner, at 4,200 rpm.
The car wasn’t brought back to its original state since it received some M trinkets, highlighted by the rear spoiler from the GT version of which only 356 units were ever made. The Spanish folks from El Garaje de Hache left no stone unturned as the E36’s suspension received an overhaul while special attention was given to the brakes as well. Larger custom wheels color-coordinated with the body were installed. Naturally, the interior was thoroughly cleaned and received a new gear knob since the old one basically disintegrated.
Having been pampered extensively, the car is now back where it belongs – on the road. It looks great for something built some 30 years ago, and while it’s no M3, it’s basically the next best thing. BMW did sell a 328i from 1995 when the 325i was discontinued, but its 2.8-liter M52 engine had roughly the same power with a notable torque bump to 280 Nm (207 lb-ft) instead of 245 Nm.
Hopefully, this 325i will have a better second life after being neglected for an extended period of time. Thanks to El Garaje de Hache, this story has a happy ending and makes for an oddly satisfying video to watch.
Source: El Garaje de Hache / YouTube
