Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
The E30s are indeed being snapped up, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some still hiding out there to be picked up by enthusiasts. Today’s is a pretty blue example with the M-Tech bodykit and has covered a reasonable 150k miles. It’s a little too nice to go the racer boys, but with a 5-speed manual and the classic 2.5l inline-6, it has years of fun weekends left in it. It will be very interesting to see where the bidding lands to give us a new baseline for decent, original E30 pricing.
I think I like the new F10 M5. Despite the technology overload and a severe distaste for the sound-reproduction technology, any time I see one pass I dream of slapping on an exhaust that makes electronics unnecessary and letting the twin-turbo V8 do its thing – spinning tires. When the E60 M5 came out in 2005, I didn’t really get into it. The styling didn’t do much to improve the E60’s ugly genes, and all accounts seemed to find the SMG and V10 interesting at best, confused and pointless at worst. But now, as I see them ignored in parking spots, a few years removed from being the king of the hill, I see many parallels to the E28 M5 I hold so dear. The engine is motorsport-derived and batcrap crazy. It’s certainly a Bahn-stormer, and flies under the radar of most. The owner of today’s M5 must have some appreciation for the E28’s only-black US availability, as they have endeavored to completely black it out. The real headline here, though, is the fact that regardless of where your M5 affinities lie, there’s no question that low-$20s for a 500hp V10 is a silly performance deal.
The Bavaria down the street from me always gets a second look, and the progression to the classic E28 was a smooth one. Bridging the gap was the first generation of Bimmers named 5, and today’s E12 has been putting in some serious work since it was built over 30 years ago. It looks fantastically late-70s/early-80s with gold wheels matching the pinstriping. The grey paint has a few blemishes but overall this car still shows classy and sporty in a way few cars of this era can. Think about what the American car companies were putting out in 1981… and then stop because it’s horrifying. One thing I love about 80s cars is they represent one of the last generations that can be maintained and continue running forever. With the computer invasion, I find it hard to believe that an E60 5er will ever see 300k miles. This 528i, however, has covered those miles gracefully and is ready for someone to help it go another 300k.
BMW’s introduction of the 1 series baffled me a bit. Sure, the idea of a rear-drive hot-hatch is enticing, but then two things happened. First, BMW made the version of the hot-hatch that was actually hot very, very expensive. Then, they didn’t bring it to the U.S., instead sending the 2-door sedan version over. In 1M form it certainly wasn’t bad, but the normal 128i and 135i versions look a bit like E46s that were left in the sun a bit too long after being sandwiched in front and rear collisions. Sound harsh? It is, I know, but I can’t help but see an English bulldog every time I see one of the 1 series cruising towards me. I much prefer the looks of BMW’s second attempt at a hatchback, the 318ti. It was funky, spunky and – especially in M-sport trim – looks exactly like what I’d want in a BMW hatchback. Okay, so there wasn’t the massive performance of the M-versions of the new 1 series or 2 series here, but then there isn’t the massive price, either. For a daily driver with good economy, it’s nice to couple that with good looks in a package that is very different than the norm:
Zender is one of those names that I really identify with the 1980s. While they continued on after, the real height of Zender’s popularity seemed to be in the 1980s. Body kits, wheels and even steering wheels ultimately resulted in a tuning firm that was able to produce a few of their own show cars; remember the Zender Fact 4 and Vision? Today there are a host of real and copy Zender pieces floating around – here’s a sampling of what I was able to find on Ebay. While the styling may be a bit polarizing, it’s hard to deny that Zender offered customers something unique and having period detail pieces like these can really set your car apart if done properly:
