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Author: Andrew

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2008 BMW 135i

2008 BMW 135i

Published March 5, 2015 by Andrew

Like many BMW fans, I was hotly anticipating the release of the 1-series stateside a few years back. It was a return to BMW’s roots of making a two door sport coupe in the vein of the 2002, E21 and E30 or at least so we thought. As it turned out the 1-series wasn’t as big of a hit with enthusiasts, so much as it was with folks looking for the cheapest way to get into a car bearing the blue and white roundel. That being said I do have a soft sport for the car, even with its big funky headlights and not so attractive posterior, I think there are enough redeeming qualities to make it worth considering as a daily driver.

A six speed manual coupled with BMW’s N54 inline-6 is one of the best setups a driver can ask for. With the help of twin turbochargers, the motor delivers 300hp to the rear wheels of a 3,420lb car, which is a recipe for fun. The seller of this particular car claims 380hp to the wheels but makes no mention of what gets it there other than an Dinan exhaust. I’m curious as to what other goodies are under the hood or what lines of code have been changed in order to make those numbers. Certainly would have to do the homework on where these parts were installed and of what quality they are, but 380hp in this vehicle sounds delightful. The vehicle has also been dropped an inch though no specific mention of what brand of suspension has been installed and there are the black wheels which I would be quick to get rid of. I’ve seen a 1-series rolling on 17″ wheels with nice meaty tires and let me tell ya, that is a very good loo for this car.

Click for details: 2008 BMW 135i on Cars.com

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1988 BMW 320i Touring

1988 BMW 320i Touring

Published March 4, 2015 by Andrew

The E30 Touring I wrote up last week was a fine example but not for me as it was a.) Red and b.) a RHD model. I quickly moved on from that vehicle and wasn’t really giving the E30 Touring much thought, that is until I came across this beauty on eBay.

Certain cars just catch my eye and immediately I feel a connection to them. Such is the case with this 1988 320i Touring that currently resides in New Jersey. The overall condition of the car looks to be quite good for its age and living in a state that still thinks it’s ok to use road salt. Most people think silver is a boring exterior choice but here, I think it works splendidly. The blacked out kidneys are a nice touch, something I would have wanted to do myself. It’s such a minor detail but one that really makes the car pop given that the window trim is also black, not of that chrome garbage. The 15″ BBS mesh wheels also look to be in good condition, some scratches and curbage are present but not so much that I’d take issue with their condition.

The interior of this car is what really sells me on it, no tears, cracking on the dash or droopy headliner. The grey cloth seats are wonderfully simple and the grey door cards only add to the clean, elegant vibe of the car. It’s getting harder and harder to find BMWs with appealing interiors, whether it’s the condition or the color choices, that makes this car even more of a rarity in today’s market. I’d go so far as to say this is the most lust inducing classic BMW I’ve come across in over a year of carefully watching the used market, that includes M variants as well.

Click for details: 1988 BMW 320i Touring on eBay

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1984 Mercedes-Benz 500SEC

Published March 1, 2015 by Andrew

After posting what I considered to be an over priced 911 yesterday, I thought I’d go the opposite direction and post a vehicle that I believe is not only fairly priced but may even be, dare I say it, a deal. To be perfectly honest I’ve been sitting on this listing for some time because I had hoped to have sold my S4 Avant and shot out to Palm Springs to take ownership of this thing, pending an inspection and test drive of course. It is a vastly different vehicle than the S4 but that’s kind of the point of me selling the car, I’m just ready for something different. A two door luxury coupe from the 80’s is about as different as I care to get with my next vehicle and man, what a candidate this car is.

The brown over tan interior oozes California country club cool, I like to think that the majority of the miles on this car are from making trips between Torrey Pines and PGA West. Comfortable and relaxing are perhaps the two most appropriate adjectives to associate with this car as the 5.0L V8 only cranked out 184hp. That’s not a whole lot for a 3,549lb car but this wasn’t a machine built for flat out speed or impressive lap times. This car is all about enjoying the ride, not getting to the destination in the shortest amount of time possible. If you’re looking for a luxury coupe that is as happy chasing apexes as it is eating up long stretches of highway then you’ll want to look for an E24. It’s hard for me to pick a favorite between the two legendary 80’s two doors because I haven’t an allegiance to either brand. I tend to like more of BMW’s cars overall but sometimes I want that little bit of extra luxury that I’ve always felt a Mercedes Benz offers. While the 635CSI remains on my shortlist of vehicles I’d want to own at some point, surprisingly the W126 500 SEC currently sits above it.

Click for details: 1984 Mercedes-Benz 500SEC on Cars.com

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1982 Porsche 911 SC

Published February 28, 2015 by Andrew

Up until a couple of years ago I could not have cared less about any Porsche that wasn’t a 993. The older models were nothing but slow, featureless tin cans that were driven by orthodontists and euro snobs. Then, almost overnight I became fascinated with the 964, Carrera 3.2 and 911 SC. I dove into Pelican Parts with reckless abandon, started reading blogs dedicated to each generation and more importantly I learned what made one model’s driving experience different from another. I was hooked on classic 911’s and if I had only listened to my gut I would be the proud owner of an ’88 3.2 Carrera for what would now be considered an obscenely low price, it’s too painful to say anything further on the subject.

As with many new fans of these classic cars, I quickly learned that the SC is widely regarded as the best candidate for a person’s first 911. It’s not dangerously fast, it’s relatively easy to work on provided you’re somewhat mechanically inclined and there is a wealth of information out there to help you learn its quirks. It was (and to some degree still is) the most affordable way to achieve classic 911 motoring bliss but as this advert shows, affordable is a relative term. The big pluses here are that this car has lived its entire life in California, its only traveled 80,000 miles in the last 14 years and the color combination is one of my favorites. The tan leather with brown leather dash and door accents fit perfectly inside the Light Blue Metallic (L30T) shell. Within the last year the owner has replaced the alternator, fuel pump and sunroof cables, which all areas of concern with these cars. He fitted the rather clean Fuchs wheels with decent Dunlop rubber about 6 months ago and replaced all the shocks with OEM ones about 3 years ago. Additionally the car has been equipped with keyless entry, which is nice feature for those of us with thick thighs and an affinity for pants of the more fitted variety.

Click for details: 1982 911 SC On Craigslist

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1990 BMW 318i Touring

Published February 25, 2015 by Andrew

The E30 Touring is among the tastiest variety of European forbidden fruit. I first laid eyes on one in an issue of EVO magazine some years ago and I’ve been a fan ever since. The story goes that BMW engineer Max Reisböck was worried about having enough space to go on holiday with his expanding family and so he fabricated a long roof from a wrecked E30 sedan. Just think about that for a second, a guy built this car without the knowledge or backing of management and here it is today, one of the most coveted vehicles of the era among BMW enthusiasts. Without that passion to go out and just make things happen, who knows if BMW would have ever gone on to build some of the best looking wagons of all time.

Its silhouette is as good looking today as it was when it first debuted in 1988, unlike some other wagons of the era. Though red is one of my least favorite colors on any car, here it’s kinda working for me. I don’t know why but the combo of the tuning fork Fox Racing wheels and the Red exterior just make the car enjoyably quirky. Further upping the quirk factor is the fact that this car is a RHD model, which combined with the 5 speed manual acts as a fantastic theft deterrent. I’ve never had the opportunity pilot a vehicle from the right side but I’m sure hoping that changes in the near future because doing so unlocks the level 5 enthusaist badge, or so I’ve been told.

Click for details: 1990 BMW 318i Touring on eBay

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