1988 BMW 325e Super Eta Part Out Rare E30 Parts Available

A rare 1988 BMW 325e Super Eta E30 has arrived for a complete part-out at BMW Buyers of New England. This is a parts-only inventory post. The car is not being restored, and it is not being sold whole.

This donor is a silver exterior, black interior, 5-speed manual E30 with the one-year-only Super Eta setup. The body is very rusty, and the car does not have paperwork, but many of the drivetrain, interior, lighting, trim, and hardware parts are ready to go.

All parts shown from this car are available unless already sold.

Quick Details

This 1988 325e is a rare Super Eta donor

The 1988 model year is a special one for the BMW 325e. This car has the one-year-only Super Eta, often called SETA, engine setup. For E30 owners, that matters.

The Super Eta setup combines a 2.7l block with a 2.5l style head, bigger pistons, and more horsepower than a standard eta. It is a popular foundation for E30 owners who want correct late-eta parts, a period-friendly replacement, or pieces for a stroker-style build.

This 1988 BMW 325e Super Eta E30 Part-Out is especially useful because the car is a manual-transmission donor with several desirable late and early E30 parts still available. The shell itself is rusty, so this is the right kind of car to save as many good parts from as possible.

The car does not have paperwork, so it will not be offered as a complete vehicle. Parts only.

Major drivetrain parts available

The drivetrain is the main reason this arrival is worth paying attention to. Super Eta parts do not come through every week, and a complete manual E30 donor always gets interest.

Available drivetrain parts include:

• Rare BMW SETA engine

• Complete engine harness and accessories

• Complete 5-speed manual transmission kit

• Limited slip rear differential

• 6k RPM instrument cluster

• Ignition and trunk lock with matching key

• All related wire pigtails, brackets, hardware, and small parts

  
  

The complete 5-speed manual transmission kit is a good candidate for anyone looking to convert an automatic E30 or replace missing manual swap parts. Message with what you need from the kit, since some buyers need everything and others only need specific pieces.

The limited slip rear differential is another key part from this car. E30 limited slip units are always in demand, especially for drivers who still use their cars hard.

The 6k RPM instrument cluster is also available. That is a useful piece for anyone keeping an eta or Super Eta car correct, or replacing a damaged cluster.

What makes the SETA engine different

The standard eta E30 was built around low-end torque and efficiency. The 1988 Super Eta setup is different. It uses a combination that makes it stand out from earlier eta cars.

This engine setup is known for having:

• A 2.7l block

• A 2.5l style head

• Bigger pistons

• More horsepower than a standard eta

• Year-specific Super Eta parts that are getting harder to find

  
  

That makes this donor useful for several types of E30 projects. Some owners are keeping a 1988 325e correct. Some are replacing missing or damaged Super Eta parts. Others are collecting pieces for a future engine build.

If you are not sure which part you need, send a message with your car’s year, model, transmission, and the part you are trying to replace. Photos help.

Black interior parts available

This car has a black interior, and many interior pieces are available. E30 interiors are getting harder to find in usable condition, especially black trim, black carpet, and matching panels.

Available interior parts include:

• Black carpet

• 4-spoke steering wheel

• Black rear seat with ski pass

• Black interior seats and door panels

• Interior console and trim

• 4 early model window motors

• Buttons, switches, clips, covers, and small hardware

• Wire pigtails and interior harness sections

  
  

The black rear seat with ski pass is a useful find for anyone trying to finish a black interior swap or replace a worn rear seat. The black carpet is also available, and it is worth asking for condition photos if you are trying to match a clean interior.

The car also has four early model window motors available. These are the kind of parts that often get overlooked until one fails, then they become hard to find locally.

For small interior bits, do not rely only on the parts list. If you need a switch, plug, bracket, trim piece, screw, clip, or random interior cover, message us. We save far more than the obvious parts.

Exterior, lighting, and body parts available

Even though the car is very rusty, it still has good usable exterior parts. This is common with older New England E30s. The shell may be too far gone, but bolt-on parts, glass, lighting, and trim can still be worth saving.

Available exterior and lighting parts include:

• Late model front valence

• Late model rear taillight set

• Euro Ellipsoid front headlight kit

• Front and rear chrome bumper set

• Good hood

• Good trunk

• Good glass

• 3 out of 4 good doors

• 4 steel winter wheels with BMW hubcaps

  
  

The Euro Ellipsoid front headlight kit is one of the more desirable lighting items from this car. These are popular with E30 owners who want a better-looking and more period-correct front end.

The late model front valence and late model rear taillight set are also available. These are useful for repairs, conversions, or finishing a car with missing pieces.

The front and rear chrome bumper set is available as well. Chrome bumper parts are getting harder to source in decent shape, especially complete sets.

The hood, trunk, glass, and three of the four doors are good. Since the car is rusty, ask for close-up photos of any body part before pickup or shipping. We are happy to show the exact condition.

Suspension, wheels, and other useful E30 parts

This donor also has several useful parts outside the main drivetrain and interior categories.

Available parts include:

• Aftermarket rear strut brace

• 4 steel winter wheels with BMW hubcaps

• Body cuts

• Hardware

• Brackets

• Wire pigtails

• Random E30 parts from around the car

  
  

The aftermarket rear strut brace is a simple upgrade part for an E30 build. The steel winter wheels with BMW hubcaps are a practical set for someone who wants period-correct rollers, winter wheels, or spares.

We also cut and save small pieces when they are worth saving. If you need a specific body section, bracket, plug, connector, or mounting point, ask before assuming it is gone.

This inventory includes BMW 325e, 1988 BMW 325e Super Eta, SETA Engine, BMW E30 Parts, E30 Part Out, BMW 5 Speed, BMW Limited Slip Differential, Euro Ellipsoids, BMW Black Interior, Connecticut BMW Parts, and BMW Buyers of New England inventory for E30 owners looking for original used parts.

Photo placement suggestions for this part-out

For anyone reviewing the listing or reaching out about a part, these are the most useful photo angles to request or include:

• Full exterior shots of the silver donor car

• Engine bay photos showing the SETA engine and harness

• Close-ups of the manual transmission parts

• Rear differential photos with tag and case condition

• Interior photos showing seats, carpet, panels, and console

• Headlight and taillight close-ups

• Chrome bumper condition photos

• Door, hood, trunk, and glass condition photos

• Close-ups of any rust-prone mounting areas

  
  

Clear part photos help both sides. They make it easier to confirm fitment, condition, and whether the part is the right match for your build.

Pickup, shipping, and delivery

Parts are available from CT 06226.

Local pickup is preferred for large, heavy, fragile, or awkward items. This includes doors, hoods, trunks, bumpers, glass, transmissions, differentials, seats, carpet, and larger interior pieces.

Smaller items can be shipped 7 days a week. This is best for switches, lights, trim, pigtails, hardware, locks, cluster parts, modules, and similar items.

Delivery is available within 100 miles for an extra charge. Delivery depends on the item, schedule, and distance, so message with your location and the part you need.

For shipping or delivery quotes, send:

• The part or parts you want

• Your ZIP code

• Whether the part is going to a home or business address

• Any condition questions you want checked before payment

  
  

If you do not see it listed, ask

Not every usable E30 part fits neatly into a short inventory post. This donor has many small parts still available, and BMW Buyers of New England also has hundreds more BMW parts in stock from other arrivals.

If you need a wire connector, body cut, screw, hinge, switch, lock, relay, trim clip, bracket, button, latch, cover, or oddball E30 part, send a message. The part may already be on the shelf.

Follow BMW Buyers of New England on Instagram, Marketplace, and the website for weekly car arrivals, fresh part-outs, and updated BMW inventory.

Request a part from this 1988 325e Super Eta donor

This rare 1988 BMW 325e Super Eta is being fully parted out now. The car is rusty and has no paperwork, but the SETA drivetrain, 5-speed parts, limited slip differential, black interior, Euro Ellipsoids, chrome bumpers, wheels, body parts, wiring, hardware, and small E30 pieces are available.

Message BMW Buyers of New England with the part you need from the 1988 325e Super Eta donor car. If you do not see it listed, ask anyway. We have hundreds more BMW parts available and new cars arriving every week.