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Author: Andrew

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2008 BMW M3

2008 BMW M3

Published April 18, 2015 by Andrew

Four doors, three pedals and eight cylinders. Is there a more exciting combination for an enthusiast when it comes to a daily driver? Honestly I can’t think of one and of the small group of modern cars to offer this configuration, I’d say the E90 M3 is the top dog. In this modern age of turbocharged everything, it is highly unlikely that we’ll ever see another car like this one. A useable back seat and trunk mated with a 4.0L V8 already sounds old school and we’re only seven years on from when the car was initially offered. When BMW announced the whole M3/M4 plan and the news that the new cars would have a turbocharged six-cylinder, I wasn’t surprised. It’s just how things are going these days. The sports car market is completely over-saturated with vehicles that will surely delight their drivers but will they offer the same visceral connection as their predecessors? I don’t think so but ultimately that is for each of us to decide on our own. What I can say with absolute confidence is that the E90 M3 market is rapidly moving in a very wallet friendly direction, great news for those of us who prefer a screaming V8 soundtrack to the artificially enhanced aural experience of a boosted inline-6.

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2006 BMW M3 ZCP

2006 BMW M3 ZCP

Published April 15, 2015 by Andrew

The E46 BMW M3 is a car loved by many enthusiasts but it always seems to me that the love is anything but unconditional. During its six year production run the third generation M3 had its fair share of issues that have led to it being a very divisive car. Many swear that these cars are the pinnacle of BMW engineering before they lost their way, others point to them as a prime example of what happens when a community is in denial. Honestly I don’t fall into either camp, but I can see how both sides would have a valid argument. On the one hand these cars can be your ticket to having insane amounts of naturally aspirated fun and on the other they can drain your savings account faster than a fantasy sports gambling site. As with any used vehicle there are specific years and specific issues you need to look out for: VANOS failure, cracking rear subframes, snapping rear springs and of course the whole SMG unit. Most of these issues affected all years of the E46 M3 but if you got your hands on a manual you could avoid that final one all together. However, there was one particular model that I think warrants consideration despite it being saddled with BMW’s fancy manumatic transmission, the M3 ZCP.

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1993 Mercedes Benz 500E

1993 Mercedes Benz 500E

Published April 14, 2015 by Andrew

My affection for the original super sleeper is well known but this Anthracite Grey Metallic Mercedes-Benz 500E in Chicago has taken them to a whole new level. This is without a doubt the cleanest 500E I’ve come across and as one would expect, the excellent condition of the vehicle is reflected in the asking price. With a Buy It Now price of $39,800, it certainly represents the high end of the market. If this vehicle is indeed in concours condition, however, I don’t think the price is unreasonable. These cars are very rare. Only 1,528 of them made it to the US and of those, I’d be willing to bet this is among the ten best kept vehicles.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1993 Mercedes Benz 500E on eBay

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1978 Porsche 911 SC Targa

1978 Porsche 911 SC Targa

Published April 11, 2015 by Andrew

Over the past couple of years my affinity for the Targa 911 models has grown considerably. I’m sure that their position as the “value” model in the classic 911 market has something to do with that as I usually expect a reasonable price tag when I see Targa in the title of a listing. Of course, we’re getting to a point where even these models are commanding a premium due to the insanity spreading across the rest of the lineup. Honestly, I don’t think getting a Targa is settling as much as some 911 enthusiasts would have you think. In fact I’m quite fond of these models these days precisely because they’ve long been the odd man out within vaunted 911 family. Convertible 911s (with the exception of the Slantnose) have never been my thing and never will be, so the Targa is that nice middle ground where I can still get a bit of open air motoring without sacrificing that classic shape I lust after.

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2009 Audi S5

2009 Audi S5

Published April 10, 2015 by Andrew

As depreciation continues to work its wonderful magic, there are a number of excellent cars falling into the sub $30k range which is the cap of what I consider to be reasonable at this point in my life. If you’ve got $30k to spend on a car then then the field is wide open, E90 M3s, 987 Caymans and the B8 S5 are all options. At that price point they’re most likely not the garage queen you dream of but clean, mechanically solid examples with relatively low miles are out there. I think this particular car is one of those examples, and with just under 70k on the clock it looks to have been well cared for. I guess that’s what starting life as a corporate fleet vehicle in California will do for a car.

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