The clever eBay trick that can give your old car a high-tech makeover from just £300 – so how did we buff up this BMW?

EVERY week it seems there’s a new special edition to drum up sales. 

But here’s something we haven’t seen before. 

9

9

9

The eBay Edition. 

Upgrade your motor — of any age — with some modern low-cost tech you can fit in a jiffy at home. 

Search for eBay’s “My Garage” page, tap in your car reg, and away you go. Only parts and accessories compatible with that vehicle will show up. 

This 20-year-old BMW 3 Series, a tasty 330CI, was bought on eBay for a smidge under £9k. 

Manual gearbox. 

Rear-wheel drive. 

Sweet 3-litre in-line six with just 85,000 miles on the clock. 

Goes like stink. 

But it didn’t have any of the in-car tech people want today. 

It does now. 

It’s got Apple CarPlay for music and maps. 

Head-up Display to project speed and other data on to the windscreen in front of you. 

Even a reversing camera to stop you hitting something you shouldn’t. 

All for less than £300. 

9

9

9

Some drivers like the added assurance of blind spot warning sensors, dash cams and a GPS tracker. So it’s got them too. 

Then there’s the bangin’ aftermarket Gladden sound system with the woofer fitted neatly inside the spare wheel in the boot. 

BMW M Sport floor mats — from BMW’s official eBay store — and refurbished kick plates freshen things up. 

The Michelin rubber was ordered and fitted via eBay’s one-stop tyre shop. 

My friend spent a total of £2,123 on kit. So that’s just over £11k all-in. 

For a stonking “E46” Beemer that’s been modernised and personalised yet still looks exactly as it should. 

I’m a little bit jealous. 

Almost a third of the 36 million cars on our roads are more than 12 years old. Which means there’s lots of drivers missing out on useful everyday tech. 

If that’s you, jump on t’interweb and configure your own eBay Edition. 

Then ask a mate to help fit it. 

9

9

9