Much has been written about the long-lived nature of cars developed by BMW’s in-house motorsport division, particularly the E28 M5 and E30 M3. Of course, these are maintenance-hungry engines, but the basic rule of thumb says if you treat it well, it will give you years of reliable service in return. That’s certainly the case with this 197K-mile example listed here on eBay, which has been with its current owner for over 20 years. Bidding is at $24K with the reserve unmet.

What’s amazing about that bid number is that it’s a number you wouldn’t have seen 20 years ago for an E30 M3 with this many miles. If you’ve owned a car like this as long as the seller has, selling it now seems like the right time given the consistently high selling prices original cars like this one fetch. It’s tired, but that’s what mid-20s buys you now for E30 M3 ownership.

The interior shows all kinds of wear, with the leather sport seats clearly in need of a refresh. Some typical 90s bolt-on tuner parts are evident, like the Momo steering wheel, shift knob, and pedals, all easily reversible but also charming in their own right considering they were pricey investment when new. The carpets are fairly beat, too, so nothing in here is close to pristine.

The engine bay is in serious need of a detailing, and that open element air filter is likely robbing the S14 of its peaky performance. The seller notes relatively little about its mechanical history, which is odd for someone who claims to have owned it as long as he has. I would absolutely take this M3 for a proper pre-purchase inspection, to ensure those miles have been kind.