Some pristine examples of the standard 535i have cropped up recently, and today’s is a shining example of why these were such popular sports sedans in the 80s. With black on chrome, it’s not quite as sinister as the M5, but what I would give for my E28 to be as clean as this! With just 114k miles, the M30 has barely reached puberty, ensuring that you can buy this 535i and have years of looking classy ahead of you. With a starting bid of just $5k and this kind of condition, this could be a great classic value for the right buyer.
Category: BMW
Rounding off Turkey Day here at GCFSB, here’s a car that’s could be considered anything but a turkey. A tasty, late model E30 in the form of a 318is. Known in some circles as the “poor man’s M3”, this 3er had the new 1.8 liter M42 four cylinder engine with an updated Bosch Motronic system. With 138 horsepower, this was no dragster, but had excellent weight distribution and was the gateway drug to many great BMWs that would appear over the course of the 1990s. Even though E30 production was soon to be phased out, this model would reaffirm that the 3 series was still the vehicle of choice for those moving up in the world. This 318is comes to us from our reader Corey, who also happens to be the seller.
Click for details: 1991 BMW 318is on BMWCCA Motor City Chapter
1 CommentThe E30 Touring influx is reaching critical mass, and where they used to come up once every few months, they are available in various levels of trim on eBay and craigslist around the country. The black on black one we recently featured was very tempting, but pretty spendy. Today’s receives negative points for the automatic transmission, but overall is looking outstanding in Royal Blue and some shiny BBS wheels. 167k miles is nothing to sneeze at, but the bids are starting much lower than the black edition’s $12,500 asking price. If you’re third pedal-averse but live in an area with actual seasons, this is the E30 touring for you!
Click for details: 1988 BMW 325ix Touring on eBay
4 CommentsMuch of my affinity for BMW’s Estoril Blue was my introduction to it on my friend’s father’s E36 M3 sedan. It was part of the car’s identity, always referred to as “the Blue car” and perfectly supporting the E36 M3’s understated aggression with a hue that is gorgeous but not extreme. Techno Violet may carry a more intimidating name, but it serves a similar purpose in the BMW palette. It shines a deep, gorgeous purple, but is neither garish nor loud. The E36 M3 sedan is one of my favorite performance values – maybe not moreso than the E39 5-series, but available for even less money.
Today’s M3 looks well cared-for, with just one large blemish: a rust spot in the rear fender from a “low-speed slide into a guard rail,” aka someone hit the gas too hard in the rain. Beyond that, the maintenance records, clean interior, and restrained upgrades (Dinan suspension and chip are no-brainers) make for a high-mileage M3 that’s worth taking seriously. With a Buy-It-Now of under $6,500, it’s clear the seller is serious about selling it, too.
Click for details: 1998 BMW M3 Sedan on eBay
1 CommentI’d like to consider myself a practical person. This could partly be the reasoning behind my aversion to the SUV. Sure, these vehicles can go anywhere, but how much of the time do you really need a car like that? Then we have the crossover. Don’t want the whole hog when it comes to four-wheel drive capability? Cool. We’ll slap some plastic fender flares in a contrasting color on an otherwise decent looking estate vehicle, jack it up a bit, add all-wheel drive and call it a day. A car like this might be a bit more fuel efficient and realistic for everyday use than a purpose built truck, but let’s face it, wouldn’t a regular estate vehicle suffice for most? Looking over this low mileage 2001 BMW 325i Touring for sale in Florida brings that question to the forefront.