Press "Enter" to skip to content

Year: 2017

This site contains Ebay partner affiliate links, which may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.

Identity Crisis: 1986 Alpina C2 2.7 or BMW 325i?

Identity Crisis: 1986 Alpina C2 2.7 or BMW 325i?

Published March 26, 2017 by Carter

Edit 4/8/17 : One of our European readers found the link for this car on the Alpina Archives which backs up that it was an original distributor build in the U.K.. They also identified the body kit as the M-Tech 1 kit, which is not shown on the VIN check so was probably installed during the build. Still, few details of what Alpina bits are present in this build are shown by the seller, and it would be helpful if they could disclose the engine and suspension specifications.

A European-specification BMW E30. Low miles. Alpina details. On the surface, this is an immediate recipe for a budget-breaking model. But as I’ve discussed in previous Alpina posts, sometimes the details of the examples can lead to questions of authenticity. These questions have a massive effect on the value of the car, as do the particular configurations they’re presented in.

So, here we have what is presented as a 1986 Alpina C2 2.7. The 2.7 was released in 1986 as a replacement for the C1 2.5. Power was up to 210 to keep up with the newly introduced M3, and with only 159 produced, the C2 2.7 is quite a desirable package that is rarely seen. But is this car all that it seems to be?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1986 Alpina C2 2.7/BMW 325i on eBay

Read Our PostIdentity Crisis: 1986 Alpina C2 2.7 or BMW 325i?
6 Comments
1994 BMW 740i

1994 BMW 740i

Published March 26, 2017 by Craig

The E32 7-series is a rare sight on today’s roads. And that’s a shame. These big-body behemoths from Bavaria exemplify a design language that’s now firmly in BMW’s past: menacing yet restrained, large but well proportioned, mixing brawny lines with classic cues like round headlights, angular kidneys and the Hoffmeister kink. On Friday, Carter wrote up a 735i. It was, he admitted, a bit sad, with oversized wheels and a tired look. While the 5-speed manual transmission made it tempting, I’m not sure it was enough to redeem the car, especially given the asking price. A neat alternative would be a clean, late model, bone stock V8 740i, if you can find one. The 4.0 liter M60 engine is relatively stout (apart from the Nikasil problem, which by now is unlikely to be an issue) and, putting out about 282 hp, sufficient to propel the car quite nicely to cruising speeds. While it may not give you the bragging rights associated with the V12 in the 750, it’s generally less of a headache to maintain.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1994 BMW 740i on eBay

Read Our Post1994 BMW 740i
1 Comment
Double Take: Mercedes-Benz 300SE

Double Take: Mercedes-Benz 300SE

Published March 25, 2017 by Craig

I planned to leave the W126 300SE alone for a while since I’ve posted quite a number of these over the last few months. But I couldn’t resist when I noticed not one, but two really nice examples pop up on eBay this week. While these short wheelbase, six cylinder cars are often overlooked in favor of the 420 and 560 SEL, they offer all the class and sophistication of the larger models with somewhat lower running costs, making the 300 a nice entry point for W126 ownership. They certainly don’t have the power of the V8. But on the plus side, the M103 motor is famously stout and will run forever without needing too much work. The only real weak spot is the headgasket, which tends to need replacing every 150k miles or so. I’ve test-driven a few of these recently myself, and I was pleasantly surprised by the driving experience. The 3.0 liter engine provided more shove on the backroads than I was expecting, certainly enough to get the car moving, even if it won’t win any drag races. And out on the highway it cruised effortlessly, which is what these cars are all about.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300SE on eBay

Read Our PostDouble Take: Mercedes-Benz 300SE
3 Comments
2000 Audi A6 4.2 quattro

2000 Audi A6 4.2 quattro

Published March 25, 2017 by Carter

The A6 4.2 quattro falls into an unappreciated middle ground of typically unappreciated Audis. Unappreciated, that is, for everyone outside of the Vier Ringe, because the C5 has gone down as one of the most devoted fanbase Audi models I can remember, perhaps rivaled only by the B5. But while the cheap speed of the B5 attracted the Volkswagen and BMW crowd, the C5 fans seem to be more traditional Audi folk; offbeat, eclectic and fiercely loyal to their particular model.

Perhaps one of the reasons that the 4.2 gets so thoroughly overlooked by the market in general is due to the depth of the C5 lineup. On the performance end, you had the cool S6 Avant and the outrageous twin-turbocharged RS6. On the practicality end, the standard A6 2.8 and 3.0 models provided Mercedes-Benz like quality and adequate stateliness in both sedan and Avant bodylines. Outdoor adventures and tech-geeks loved the Allroad, which could be had with either a twin-turbocharged 6-speed or the subdued and upscale silky smooth 4.2 V8. And finally, for secret performance lovers, the twin-turbo’d V6 could be mated in narrow-body sedan with a 6-speed manual in the A6 2.7T quattro.

Frankly, it was hard for the 4.2 sedan to stand out in this crowd, yet it managed to appear quite special at the same time. This was the defacto S6 sedan, with aluminum front end and engine, along with wide flares and shark-fin door blades. It was longer, too, to accommodate the V8 tucked in the nose, giving a more menacing appearance overall. Special wider track was met with unique Speedline wheels (later replaced by the forged “Fat Fives”) and meaty 255-40 section tires as an option. And with 300 horsepower, out of the box the 4.2 was the top trump for the 2000 model year in the C5 lineup and would remain so until the 2002 introduction of the S6.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2000 Audi A6 4.2 quattro on eBay

Read Our Post2000 Audi A6 4.2 quattro
12 Comments