Finding an E30 BMW 3 Series wagon in respectable condition is difficult, but they’re out there. E30 M3 wagons, on the other hand, are literally impossible to find–because BMW never made any. That said, this beautifully modified 1988 BMW 325 wagon currently for sale on Bring a Trailer at a current bid of $17,000, is about as close as you’re gonna get.

This Bimmer started life as a simple 325 wagon, but as you can see, it then managed to climb its way up the social ladder. On the surface, the seamlessl- integrated E30 M3 fender flares and fiberglass front bumper do a fantastic job of fooling untrained eyes into thinking it’s a real M3. But the owner went far further than that, dropping in the S50 3.0-liter inline-six engine from a contemporary M3 along with a limited slip differential, both of which are paired to a five-speed manual transmission. For some added spice, each of the 16-inch basket weave wheels are wrapped in sticky BFGoodrich G-Force Comp2 tires; they live next to a Sachs suspension, newer springs, and upgraded sway bars.

Builds like this, as stunning as they are, can be a nightmare on the second-hand market. Considering the engine and chassis met later in life, the the odometer readout of 107,000 miles isn’t quite as relevant as in other cars, as it doesn’yt apply to what’s under the hood; in addition, there seems to be a dark history with the VIN plates, as they apparently were removed from the frame. But to the current owner’s credit, he rectified the issue; he had the car re-titled and obtained an Assigned Identification Plate from the State of Illinois.

It’s a shame BMW never made an E30 M3 wagon, but it’s nice to know there are people out there making their own edits to the history books by hand. There’s no such thing as the “perfect car,” but this custom 325 comes damn close.

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