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Category: BMW

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1988 BMW M3 Evolution II

While as of late I have not been a huge fan of the early M3 market or the resulting insanity involving all-things E30, I have to admit a very soft spot for the box-flared high-revving wonder. I’ve loved the E30 M3 since I first learned of their existence; trips to the track in the early 1990s with my father only heightened my respect for what was really one of the few track-ready cars out of the box. Back then, it wouldn’t be uncommon for half or more of the instructor group to be zipping around the track in one of the many M3s that would turn up to hot lap. I even remember one of the first times I got to lap around Lime Rock was in a M3. On the back straight (No Name, which ironically is named and isn’t a straight) I looked over at the first kink in horror as the driver, a soft spoken friend of my father’s, whipped the M3’s engine into a frenzy above the indicated redline. Surely, pistons would emerge from the hood in just a moment – but they didn’t, and with reckless abandon he flung the car into the uphill, barely lifting off the throttle for turn-in, then cresting the hill with a touch of opposite lock and the wheels spinning. That’s what the M3 did – it turned otherwise normal, law abiding individuals into hooligans. But it was because of the natural balance, the race-bred motor and the success on the track that this car encouraged you to drive it at 10/10ths. Or even, occasionally, 11/10ths – plenty have encountered hard objects in their lifetime. But now, these cars are no longer the go-to track rat they once were; they’ve become collector royalty – and few are as collectable as the special editions like this Evolution II:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1988 BMW M3 Evolution II on eBay

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1977 BMW 530i

Being an Audi fan, I’m aware of what a bad reputation can do to cars. In the 1970s, Audi gained a reputation for unreliability and poor electronics; perhaps justified, considering the many stories that people have about early Audi 100 ownership. However, it’s a haunting reputation that amazingly nearly 40 years on they’re still trying to shake. It looked as if by the early 2000s they had done so, but now a generation on, the cars from that generation have their own problems and have bred more discontent generally from enthusiasts on the outside looking in. The result is that it’s damn near impossible to find a nice condition Audi from the 1970s, and in just a few years we’ll see the same thing with 1990s Audis, too.

Where am I going with this, considering this is a listing for a BMW? Well, the early E12s had their own problems, but notably that was an issue in the U.S.. That’s because to meet U.S. market regulations, the E12 was made slower and more ugly. Large 5 m.p.h. bumpers were fitted, and compression on the M30 was dropped to meet lower fuel standards. Additionally, to burn off hydrocarbons to meet emissions regulations, the 530i was fitted with thermal reactor manifolds. They did as their name suggested, though the reaction unfortunately many times was with the internals of the engine – warping heads and frying valves. It was a debacle which spelled the death of the 530i, reborn as the 528i in 1979. Coupled with rust issues that this generation BMW had, it’s now quite hard to find an original U.S. spec 530i:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1977 BMW 530i on eBay

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1986 BMW 535i

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Clean, low-mileage E28s are always a treat, and there have been some nicely preserved examples of the 535i here on GCFSB before. This one has the standard fog-lighted 535i bumper with an “is” rear spoiler, looking pretty sharp on Style 5s but more cruiser than the M5/is package. You can’t get much more 80s than baby blue over blue leather – I love it. 82k miles with no real defects means this is could be a special daily driver or fun entry into the E28 world for an enthusiast.

Click for details: 1986 BMW 535i on Craigslist Los Angeles

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Double Take: 1987 BMW M6

The BMW M6 is quickly becoming the M bargain of the 1980s, replacing the M5 as the go-to Motorsports product from the company. There’s some irony in that, considering that in the period it was the premier product from Munich and until quite recently was considered the most valuable. However, as the M3 prices have soared and recognition that finding a clean E28 M5 is becoming quite difficult, the slightly more plentiful M6 is suddenly a more reasonable proposition. That said, prices on M6s are all over the map – from the low teens to well over the $30,000 mark. Today I have two similar looking 1987 models to look at; I usually focus on the updated and better looking (in my opinion) ’88s, so this is a slight departure for me. Besides the shining exteriors, where does the difference in these two models lie and are the asking prices in line?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1987 BMW M6 on Hemmings

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2003 BMW M5

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While I may have given the E38 some style points over the E39 this morning thanks to a slightly sharper design theme, there’s no questioning that the E39 M5 is among the most – if not the most – desirable sports sedans ever made. Great handling, monster power, and business-class aggression all come together for a Liam Neeson-type action star: “Is the plot different? Who cares. I’ll watch this brand of grown-up ass-kicking all day.” Today’s well cared for model comes up for sale with just under 50k miles on the clock – a number I’m sure the seller was well aware of. That’s near the top of the market and almost twice what some examples will cost, but low mileage makes champions in this arena. Dark grey on black is a dapper combo for this vengeful father – all the better to hide the blood.

Click for details: 2003 BMW M5 on eBay

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