BMW dealer helps refurbish vintage convertible to fulfill teen’s Make-A-Wish
On September 6, a Connecticut teen attended a very special event. Juliette Butler and her dad, Jim, had already spent months focusing on her dream car. Since she was 14, Juliette knew she wanted to drive a BMW. Excitedly, in 2021, Jim acquired a 1990 BMW 3 Series E30 that needed a lot of work. By 2022, though, a crushing diagnosis put their restoration at a standstill.
That year, Juliette was diagnosed with lymphoma. Her treatments required the family’s full attention. Thankfully, the teen made it into remission, where she’s been for over a year. When the now 17-year-old was approached by Make-A-Wish Connecticut, her request felt obvious to her.
“My car is my everything,” Juliette told NewsTimes. “So when they asked me my wish, I asked if they could paint and repair my car. When they said they could, I was beyond thrilled.”
As it turned out, MAW Connecticut board member and local resident James Barnett happened to be a BMW enthusiast himself. He happily approached BMW of Ridgefield, pitching the project to Andy Ventresca, a sales manager. “They were fantastic,” Barnett said. “The moment I opened my mouth, Andy was in love with the idea. They’ve been absolutely fabulous.”
The dealership took in the E30 and started working with Keeler Collision, a local repair facility. Together, the groups gave the convertible a new muffler, brakes, and wheels. They also repainted the whole car and even gave it a new roof.
Last Friday, Juliette and her family attended the unveiling of the refurbished car. When volunteers removed the Make-A-Wish cover, She and her dad were absolutely floored. Juliette then took the E30 for an inaugural drive.
1990 BMW 3 Series E30
Any E30 is simply code for a second-gen 3 Series. Built from 1982 to 1994, the E30 arrived via 18 variants, including the automaker’s first M3.
The 1990 325i convertible came with BMW’s infamous 2.5L straight-six, which produced 168 hp. The Cabrio featured either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.
In terms of styling, you’ll notice the relatively “teeny” front kidney grille opposes much larger modern designs.
