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Tag: 2001

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GCFSB Alumni: 2001 BMW 325i Touring

s-l1600 (6)

Edit 10/01/2017: After fixing a few more things and covering about 10,000 more miles, the buyer of this unique 325iT has it back on the block again in a no reserve auction. – Ed

The E46 wagon has emerged as perhaps the last bastion of good, clean, simple German longroofing. Modern wagons are bulbous, overstuffed with features, and crazy expensive. The biggest options on today’s 325i Touring are color choices, while the mechanicals and general usability remain refreshingly simple: no sunroof, inline-6, 5-speed manual, manual seats. Manual, but in Tanin red leather, just the kind of curveball reader/seller Rob clearly likes. A nice, plain white exterior? Why not add discreet M-pinstriping and anything-but-discreet Creamsicle Orange lower valences? The 7-spoke Style 4s are nice but plain – leave them for the all-season tires and you get summer-rubber on blackened Style 68s! The colors may jump all over the place, but if anything they draw attention to a sweet car that represents a simplicity we have all but lost.

Click for details: 2001 BMW 325i Touring on eBay

12 Comments

2001 Volkswagen Eurovan Westfalia Weekender

I’ve always been intrigued, and a little confused, by the Volkswagen Van. I first learned to drive on a neighbor’s T2, and I grew up in a period where vans were as cool as it got. Vans were ambulances. Vans were campers. And vans even carried the A-Team. Sure, the GMC Vandura wasn’t a Countach, but to kids in the 1980s it had nearly as much impact, fool!

But it’s not the appeal of these vans that I find confusing at all. The first thing I find hard to follow are the various trim levels. Especially when it came to the T3 and T4 models, things get a bit complicated. You could buy, for example, a Wolfsburg Edition Vanagon in the 1980s and early 90s. This was not to be confused with the Westfalia model, which was notable for having the pop-top. However, there was also a Weekender model, which sometimes had a pop-top but didn’t have the camping accoutrements of the Westfalia. That these were further available in two- and four-wheel drive made things even more confusing, and then – of course – there was a Wolfsburg Weekender for a short period. I don’t even know what came in that model. Well, I do, actually, but the point remains that it was confusing.

The switch to the T4 was pretty revolutionary. Gone was the antiquated rear-engine layout, and cylinder count went up to five as Audi’s 2.3 liter motor was massaged into 2.5 liters with a short stroke for lots of torque in the new Eurovan. These came to the U.S. starting in 1993, and there were two configurations – the Eurovan and the Multi-Van (MV for short). The difference was the seating configuration, in that the MV had rear-facing seats behind the captain’s chairs and a table in the middle. Easy, right? Well, then there was the Westfalia model. Volkswagen hadn’t forgotten how successful the T3 was with the pop-top, so a new aerodynamic folding roof arrangement was added to the MV. But here was the catch – the new Westfalia didn’t have the camping gear, but instead was effectively the same as the previous Weekender. It was called the Weekender, too. The full campers were only converted by Winnebago and based on a lengthened chassis. These started being produced in 1995 and replaced the Westfalia in the lineup but were not called Westfalias. Winnebago produced an extra-fat and extra-expensive camper, too – the Rialta – which was half VW and half short bus. The Westfalia, and the pop-top Weekender, disappeared for a few years.

The next big change in the lineup was one more cylinder for the 1997 model year, as the narrow-angle 2.8 liter twelve-valve VR6 replaced the inline-5. Power was up a bit (but only just at 138 horsepower) and was accompanied by a light restyle outside. Further changes came with the reintroduction of the MV Weekender in 1999 following the all-but-disappearance of the slow selling and ridiculously priced Winnebago, and finally, more power in 2001 with the 24-valve VR6. Despite upping power with dual cams, adjustable intake and double the valve count to net over 200 ponies (46% more power than the prior VR6!) Volkswagen also substantially cut the price – nearly 20% – of the T4, meaning the late models are probably the ones you’re going to find since they sold in greater numbers. Out the door, a GLS model sold for about $26,500 – nearly exactly the same sticker price as my Passat, but with much more space and utility. Move up to the MV, and you needed to pay about $3,000 more – but you got the folding bed, curtains, removable seats and flip up table. Another $3,500 paid for the pop-top Westfalia model, which now included screens, dual batteries and a refrigerator in addition to the signature pup-tent roofline.

Now that I’ve hopefully helped you (and more likely me) to sort the lineup a bit, let’s take a look at the second thing which confuses me in the VW Vans – the pricing. Here’s one of the more desirable models in the T4 lineup – a 24V VR6 MV Westfalia Weekender, and this one is no reserve:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2001 Volkswagen Eurovan Westfalia Weekender on eBay

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2001 Audi Allroad 2.7T 6-speed

The C5 Audi Allroad, a car that can’t be talked about without someone bringing up the photo of MacGyver being thwarted by one. Now a punching bag by many in the automotive world, I personally don’t think it is worse than any other German car that is over 10 years old. Yes, a twin-turbo V6 and air suspension do make things a little more complicated, but if you stay on top of potential issues, I don’t see the a giant problem with owning one of these. Fortunately, the owner selling this 2001 outside of Cleveland gave this green machine all the love it needs — and maybe even a little more.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2001 Audi Allroad 2.7T 6-speed on Cleveland Craigslist

5 Comments

2001 BMW M3 with 10,000 Miles

EDIT 8/10/2017 – IT’S BACK! Now with a $58,900 asking price, according to Hunting Ridge Motor’s site. With prices on the rise when the right combinations appear on these E46s, it will be interesting to see when and what amount it finally sells for.

EDIT 7/25/2014: with a few well placed seeds and some research, it appears that this car is the same one as the 10,000 mile M3 I wrote up in May here. That makes the asking price and modifications all the more puzzling. Thanks for the interest and sorry that I didn’t catch it the first time around!

What is the price for perfection? What would you be willing to pay for a brand new example of the car you love? There are certainly a lot of people who love the E46 M3 including me. I really think it was a high point of design for BMW; those sweeping arches, the delicate lines in the hood, the hunched, angry stance – it’s perfect, and best of all, it’s relatively affordable still. But many have already begun to fall into disrepair, and of course when you’re buying an older car you’re subject to what comes to market and managing repairs, restoration and asking price. But what if the car was effectively brand new? Chances are everyone would say “Sign me up!”, especially if that car was in one of the most sought after color combinations. They would, that is, until they saw the price tag:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2001 BMW M3 on eBay

5 Comments