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So before the flaming starts up, yes I realize the iS has Recaros, different wheels, 5 speed manual etc., but how can you tell if the car was really an iS to start with vs. one that someone has bolted all of the iS parts onto? Is there some sort of VIN designation or something unique in the body stamping that only a true iS would have?
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The trunk lid does not have the 320i badge.
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Has a rear sway bar, big tool kit, no badgeOriginally Posted by BlackC4
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e30 325i, the mighty 4 door granma mobile....Gone
e39 528i, 4 door sports tank
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Front sway bar is larger diameter too. But that's a bolt-on of course.
I think looking up the VIN will not tell you anything, whether it is an IS or not.
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I believe you could technically bolt on some of the parts from the showroom floor through the extra options available
For example the PO gave me the original order receipt from when she bought the car brand new and I believe the options available to the buyer were sport steering wheel, limited slip differential, sport seats, right side rear view mirror, etc.
I'm not 100% sure you could add the sway bars or a badge delete in the order form so I would assume you could at least check those places first to see if it were a true "sport" model
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But even sway bars can be bolted on and badge removed. Also the E21 "Spotters Guide" I have saved from the DIY/FAQ thread says that it shouldn't have the A/C and only 3 colors.
http://alexjandro.com/bmw/77e21.info...ters_guide.pdf
2017-12-04_114022.png
I guess your best bet is to get the order/delivery sheet that says it was configured as an iS...
'81 E21 320i / '90 E30 325i / '̶9̶2̶ ̶E̶3̶4̶ ̶5̶2̶5̶i̶t (sold) / '15 Toyota XW30 / '̶̶8̶0̶ ̶E̶2̶1̶ ̶3̶2̶0̶i̶A̶ (sold)
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No.
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Lots of 320is came with AC. In fact, most did. US E21s delivered without AC are fairly unusual.
Also, there were more than 3 colors. There were 5 in total.
Alpine White, Henna Red, Black and Polaris Silver were available all years, plus Bronzit was available in '83.
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Mine came with AC.
I dont understand why you need it to be a sport model if it has all the parts. Their is no more monetary value in sports model over a stock car that was then swapped, unless it makes you happy knowing it is. Luckily I bough mine with out knowing it was a sport model as I just wanted a classic BMW.
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If the cars ever start becoming valuable, which is doubtful, someone will find a way. My guess, and again this is only a guess, it will be traced to the back to the badge delete on the trunk. It seems it would be the only thing that would for sure show up on factory production records for a particular body/chassis/VIN number.
One of the more knowledgeable guys on this forum once indicated that window stickers were printed at the US port or the dealer and that's also where the A/C and radio options were installed. Based on that, more than likely the other options such as the sport wheel, Recaros, etc that would have been optioned onto a regular car would have been installed there as well. Those records would be considered unreliable compared to factory records, IMO.
"Wally" Casten - 1956 Austin-Healey 100, 1985 M-B 300SD, 1987 911 Carrera, 1997 Triumph T509
"The more things change, the more they SUCK" -Butt-Head (Mike Judge)
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A lot of the sport package bits were stand alone options from the base model to include the sunroof, stereo, and foglights. The steering wheel, LSD, and Recaros had been factory options on the pre-facelift cars so it's highly unlikely that those were port-installed options on the S. This is a guess, but front spoiler, being so low to the ground, was probably installed at the port or dealer. It could also explain why they were all black - no need to paint them. I have my car's window sticker. The sticker refers to the car being a 320iS, but then lists the sport package as an option. Will "S" cars be more valuable in the long run? My opinion, but Hagerty, for example, does not show a separate listing for an "S" - maybe because it was just an option package. It comes to down to the buyer. I paid more to get the sport package car but that was my preference. Somebody else might be just as happy with one with all the parts, regardless of whether or not it has holes in the trunklid where the 320i badge was.
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looks are everything?
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I believe the A/C in the U.S. was dealer installed. Cars came from Germany without it but "prepared" for A/C install.
The is no way to know if it's an iS model as everything could have been added/swapped. The trunklid without holes for an emblem would require a swap to make it right and the hardest to do (who is going to replace the trunk lid to make it "right"?). If someone was adding iS pieces it is very unlikely they will swap the trunk lid or complete interior (assuming the original interior was not black).
Easy giveaway of a non iS car is if the build sheet shows non black interior, iS cars always came with black vinyl or grey cloth interior. Of course some non iS cars came with black interiors but I do not think it is common, especially for later models that often had blue and beige interiors...
Max
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Thanks everyone for the feedback. All indications appear that the car is an iS but I still have questions. Someone had mentioned to me that the emissions sticker inside the hood said 320iS on their car. This one doesn't. Is that something that would be an indicator?
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When you say big tool kit what is the difference? For example, # of screwdrivers, # of pieces etc? What would I be looking for?
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Another member is currently selling an IS toolkit here with pictures:
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...l-kit-for-sale
You should be able to use it as reference
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