Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
The BMW 320 IMSA racer we featured Monday got its fair share of attention, but if you are a fan of the street variety E21, check out this nicely preserved 1981 320i for sale in South Carolina. The car has been repainted in its original Cosmos Blue Metallic and comes with records for the entire life of the vehicle. If you’ve been searching for the right E21, this is one that deserves more than a passing glance.
Recently, co-author Nate here at German Cars For Sale Blog refreshed his 1988 M5 and has been raving about it. These super-sedans have been generally following the 1980s BMW trend upwards in value over the past few years, though in my M5 Roundup a few weeks ago I pointed out that didn’t necessarily mean you should buy the first example that you can afford. Today there is another E28 M5 up for consideration; looking splendid in Euro-bumper and headlight trim, it’s certainly looking the part – but will it be the one to buy?
It’s been a few months since I last looked at a 2002 Turbo replica. Like the 924 Carrera GT, the 911 RS and Audi RS2, the 2002 Turbo is one of those rare and expensive car models that spawns a fair amount of recreations. The nice thing about replicas, though, is that you really don’t need to worry about damaging the value of one of the original and expensive models; for enthusiasts looking to buy into that market, you can also usually purchase one of these tributes at a fraction of the price of the original. While the last model I looked at was a pretty true to original replica, today’s example has gone mild to wild with a M20 swap and a turbo thrown in just for fun:
The E21 might have been the first BMW badged as a 3 series, but it is one of those rare instances where its successor became wildly more popular than the original. But, given that E30 prices are on the move, perhaps the E21 will become the new affordable BMW classic. This particular 320 is an early one, as production commenced in 1975. The E21 wasn’t the most visible BMW in motorsport, but it did make appearances in both the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft (DTM) and Group 5 racing, where it would succeed the 3.0CSL. The E21 was also active in IMSA, and this particular 1975 320 was the first of its kind to win a race in that series.
When M3 prices first started to shoot up a few years ago, I thought maybe it could be another bubble. With values on the rise and other M cars basking in the glow of this, it seems the days of the affordable early M car may be over. They were never cheap cars to get into in terms of a maintenance scenario. Just ask E28 owner and GCFSB staffer, Nate. However, even initial purchase costs are putting them beyond the reach of some enthusiasts. Every time I turn around, it seems that prices continue to escalate and this 1988 M3 for sale in San Francisco is no exception. This car is nearing 100,000 miles and is priced well above $40,000. Is this the new norm, or are we seeing the market peak for now?