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Author: Carter

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Wednesday Wheels Roundup

Published January 21, 2015 by Carter

I have another few rare sets of wheels to check out this week, starting with some polarizing but cool Brabus wheels. They’re pricey but quite a way to set your Mercedes-Benz apart. There’s also a set of BBS RX wheels which remind me of some of the great designs gone by since BBS switched hands. This week I found another set of Rial wheels, this time slightly different with a large offset. There’s also a rare set of Volkswagen Votex wheels. And if you’re feeling ridiculously rich and have an early 911 that you want to have a race look, there’s a set of ultra-rich magnesium Minilites that is priced around the cost of most cars I look at. Enjoy!

CLICK FOR DETAILS: Brabus Monoblock 2 17×8 5×112 Wheels on eBay

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Modded Blues – E46 M3 Double Take

Published January 21, 2015 by Carter

The E46 BMW M3 is at a tipping point where examples are getting inexpensive enough that the second, third or fourth generation of owners is able to pick them up and modify them. Buying a modified car cuts a tremendous amount of labor and money off the price if you like the mods, but you’re also buying a car that you know has been used – perhaps hard – by what’s likely a non-original owner in a car with no more warranty. There are a lot of modified E46s out there to choose from, so today I took two blue examples that modded in different directions for a comparison. Which is the one to buy?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2002 BMW M3 on eBay

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Winter Winner – 1990 Audi 80 quattro

Published January 21, 2015 by Carter

Every year for the past decade I’ve headed towards the colder climates to enjoy some time exploring the limits of winter driving in schools put on by the Audi Club. Held on frozen lakes or in specific dedicated facilities, these schools allow you to do what’s simply not safe or legal on the regular roads; to get the car out of shape and beyond the limit of grip and learn to get back under control. Predictably every year there’s a crop of the newest and greatest from Audi, Subaru and even BMW. But around the ice, the best performers are still the old ladies; Audi 4000, 80 and 90 quattros comprise a small minority but generally blow right by all the “faster” cars once the grip declines. But while examples of the early quattros are never particularly expensive compared to new cars, finding the right one to buy and turn into a “winter beater” is a bit harder since they’re few and far between. So when this complete and solid but slightly weathered 1990 80 quattro turned up, my thoughts immediately turned towards the ice:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1990 Audi 80 quattro on eBay

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Tuner Tuesday: Dinan-modded 2008 BMW 550i

Published January 20, 2015 by Carter

Perhaps it’s fitting that if you hit the shift key on the keyboard when attempting the M-Stripes in script you get three questions marks. We’ve recently had a few features questioning whether or not you need the ///M Badge on your 5-series; most recently, Paul looked at the E34 lineup with his M5 v. 540i post. The question has remained throughout the various iterations of the 5-series; while there was a pretty big gap in performance between the E28 535is and M5, those gaps have narrowed in subsequent generations. Couple that with the increased costs of ownership of the M-branded 5 and the higher residual value, and there are some good arguments to look at the top-of-the-range normal 5 versus the Motorsports version. When it comes to the E60, that’s especially true in my mind; the M5 had that great screaming V10 motor and many are fitted with the 7-speed break-your-neck-shifting SMG gearbox. Those are great items to have when you don’t have to pay the bills to repair them, but now the best part of a decade on despite the inexpensive entry price for E60 M5s relative to the performance you’d get, they just seem like a nightmare to undertake ownership of. The answer, then, may be to find a lightly warmed over 550i:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2008 BMW 550i on eBay

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1982 Mercedes-Benz 380SEC Euro-Spec

Published January 20, 2015 by Carter

While I can’t say that I’m much of a fan of current Mercedes-Benz products, driving down the road the other day I stumbled across a European specification 500SEC. Now, W126s amazingly aren’t an uncommon sight by me, perhaps a testament to their build quality and enduring appeal. But that big coupe that I saw just stood out – it was as if 18-odd feet of 1985 had been transported back in time. Unlike many of the beaten and tired looking SELs that clatter along the street, a subtle V8 burble crept from under the hood of this pristine time capsule. It was shiny and looked near new and was a reminder of days gone by. Is the W126 Coupe the best looking Mercedes-Benz? Not by a long shot, at least to me. But the package which is the SEC may be one of the best, balancing comfort, style, speed and dependability with affordability. Add the Euro-spec items to that list, and the package is a home run:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1982 Mercedes-Benz 380SEC on eBay

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