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Month: October 2014

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1989 BMW 318i Touring

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I was driving to San Francisco on the picturesque I-280 last week in my E28, and came upon a nice E30 325i touring. I’m sure it was easily overlooked by the rest of the drivers on the road, but I approached it excitedly, wondering what enthusiast was driving this rare (to us) longroof. The middle-aged woman driving was unassuming, but she got major points in my book for car choice whether she knew it or not. The E30 Touring is becoming much more common as the 25-year block is lifted, and we’re all better for it. They’re attractive and utilitarian cars that lift the mean coolness of roads everywhere. Today’s is a simple 318i and mileage isn’t listed, but the AC Schnitzer wheels are a nice touch and overall it appears very clean. The lister has a host of E30 wagons in pictures, meaning you’re buying them from someone who realizes how cool having one of these in the US is. The flipside is that he also knows how much people have paid for them recently, and is charging over twice what a non-Touring 318i would cost.

Click for details: 1989 BMW 318i Touring for sale on Washington DC’s Craigslist

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1989 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evo I

When the Mercedes-Benz 190E arrived on the scene in the early 1980s, the notion of such a small car from the house of the Three Pointed Star seemed far fetched. Even more so was when the Cosworth-tuned 190E 2.3-16 debuted. Here was a car that was originally designed for rallying but wound up competing in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) series, equipped with a twin cam four cylinder engine, available 5-speed manual gearbox with dog leg first gear and a full on bodykit. Quite un-Mercedes like.

The US market would see the 190E 2.3-16 for just a few years, but the evolution of the breed would continue on in Europe right up to the end of the production run, with a 2.5 liter engine and Evolution models. This 190E 2.5-16 Evo for sale in The Netherlands was brought to our attention by our reader Walker and is now legal to import to the US. Just over 500 were produced to comply with DTM homologation regulations, with and engine that revved higher and had improved top end power. While not as aggressive as the Evo 2 that would follow up this act, those who know about these special 190Es will recognize this car’s awesomeness in an instant.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evo 1 on autoscout24

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Double Take: 1959 Karmann Ghia and 1964 Karmann Ghia Type 34

It’s been a little bit since we looked at some nice Karmann Ghias, and today there are two lovely but very different examples in the marketplace. These are lovely designs; granted, not the best driving cars in the world – but a car that really will set you apart from the crowd and will make everyone smile. Of the Karmann Ghias, my favorites are the early “low light” models and the Type 34 from a bit later – luckily, here’s an example of each:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1959 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia on eBay

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U.S. or ROW? 1985 BMW 635CSi Euro-spec vs. U.S.-spec

I bang on about how much I prefer the look of the European market cars from the 1980s over the U.S. spec cars, and this is especially true amongst BMWs. For some reason, the powers that be at BMW decided to do the worst integration of DOT bumpers of all the European manufacturers; it was almost as if they said “Oh yeah? Well, take this, then!” Bulky, with too much plastic, rubber accordions and fading stainless trim, they stand out as a stark reminder of how simple and pretty the European bumpers on many of the same models were. However, it’s not often that we get to see two very similar models for sale at the same time; today, however, there are two nearly identical BMW 635CSis on eBay. Both are 1985, dark metallic colors, red leather, 5-speed manuals and updated wheels – and in their own way, each is lovely. Does the Euro-spec car win out for me once again?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1985 BMW 635CSi Euro-spec on eBay

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1986 Mercedes-Benz 300GD

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Today we have a Geländewagen that covers a lot of ground, and not just in the typical all-terrain beast way. Sure, it can do all the badass stuff, but it’s looking unique and clean with a low-mileage diesel and an amazing interior. Seriously, plaid AND jump seats?! It all looks pristine and the price reflects it. If red is your color and you want to have a little of the GWagen panache without the overwrought AMG details, this is a great choice.

Click for details: 1986 Mercedes-Benz 300GD on eBay

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