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Tag: BMW

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1991 BMW 850i 6-speed

Published May 28, 2014 by Carter

The craze over the E30 is quickly pulling up many 1980s BMW prices, and unfortunately as budget-minded enthusiasts there is a narrowing window to get into one of these cars in good condition. E24, E28 and E30 prices have all crept up rapidly, leaving few options for enthusiasts to turn to. One, ironically, comes from Munich itself, but is often overlooked when judging classic BMWs. Perhaps its that there wasn’t the long-promised “M8”, or that the E31 really saw the advent of BMW’s electronic nannies to help keep the car in check. Perhaps it was the progressive for the 80s, dated for the 90s styling that seemed out of place in the lineup. Or perhaps it was that this incredible V12 grand touring coupe just wasn’t what everyone wanted in a BMW. Regardless of the cause, it’s now possible to get one of these stately tourers for a fraction of the price of a top notch E30. And while silver, black, white and red seemed to dominate the E31 color palate, for me the prettiest examples are blue:

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2001 BMW M3 with 10,000 Miles

Published May 27, 2014 by Carter

If yesterday’s S54 swapped 328Ci just wasn’t enough M3 to satisfy your need, today might just help you satiate that need. The E46 M3 is a great car in just about every way – it lacks some of the space and usability of its S4 competitors but it certainly makes up for it in great looks and performance. A friend of mine several years ago sold his older E28 535is that he tracked and 84 911 cabriolet and bought an E46 M3 convertible with hardtop. Initially, I was a bit surprised, but his logic was sound – the E46 was a better convertible capable of carrying (in a pinch, anyway) 4 people, and it was quicker in every situation than his track-biased E28. Plus, complimenting the good looks of the E46 was the color my friend opted for – Laguna Seca Blue, certainly one of the most striking colors on an M car in recent memory. Today’s coupe doesn’t enjoy the same open-air fun of my friend’s car, but what it does have is very few miles:

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Motorsport Mondays: 2000 BMW 328Ci S54 Swap

Published May 26, 2014 by Carter

I’ve recently been undergoing a bit of an exetential crisis about the status of my track car for the last 16 years – my Audi Coupe GT. True, it’s an impressive car on track – especially considering it shouldn’t be an impressive car on track. But the reality is that it’s now a 28 year old car that I’ve had to extensively modify to make it reasonable as a track car. When I was at the track, I jumped into a friend’s S2000; with only minor modifications, out of the box the way the car went through turns was so pleasing and fun, it made me wonder why I’m continuing to do things the hard way. Now, honestly as fun as the S2000 was, it’s not really my cup of tea and I don’t think I’d buy one. But, I could definitely be convinced that a BMW 3 series – a perennial track favorite – and today’s example is a pretty compelling package:

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10K Friday: Grand Tour Ready – 1993 Porsche 968 v. 1994 BMW 840Ci

Published May 23, 2014 by Carter

You don’t have to despair if you’ve missed out on the E30 M3 and Porsche 911 market – there are still plenty of alternatives that make great occasional vehicles with enough sport to have fun with and enough presence to make you feel really special. Two of the best coupes from the early 1990s are often overlooked and are still very affordable – the Porsche 968 and the BMW 8 series. Now, truth be told most 968s are out of the “10K” price range, and 850i/Cis are often close in disrepair if they’re at or below $10,000. But if you’re willing to take higher miles on the well-built 968 chassis and opt for the smaller motor in the E31, you can find examples of either that fit a budget. Which would you choose?

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2004 BMW M3 Individual with 31,000 Miles

Published May 21, 2014 by Carter

I’ve been on a bit of a tear recently regarding rarity. There seem to be far too many unusual color combinations that were seldom ordered and sellers pick that “1 of x” point as their badge of honor regarding the specialness of the car. Okay, so some of those combinations are pretty neat, and indeed some of the cars are quite rare – like last week’s Pre-Production Evergreen and Kayalami M Roadster. It was a car custom ordered to someone’s taste from the available options, and as a result it’s neat as an oddity but not the most attractive color combination. I understand the point – if I was going to go buy a brand new car from any manufacturer, I’d want to assure that my example of a mass produced car was just a bit different than what everyone else had. What better way than to custom-order a color out of specification, such as today’s 2004 E46 M3 finished in Dakar Yellow by BMW Individual:

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