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?
Tag: Coupe
Mercedes-Benz has stayed the course in offering coupe versions of its mid-sized and large fleet. While not as flashy as some of the competition, the W124 E-Class coupe of the 1980s and 1990s offered the consumer a decidedly conservative choice when it came to personal luxury. This was perfectly acceptable by established customers of the brand, as they weren’t seeking the radical styling cues and glitterball details so common in the lineup today. This 1991 300CE for sale in New Mexico is a one owner, low mileage example that is perfect for playing out your old money fantasies.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300CE on eBay
5 CommentsIf you’ve been watching the E30 M3 market, you’ve been shocked by the seemingly insane appreciation of the entire line. From roughly a year ago’s top value of about $28,000, condition 1 M3s are now valued at nearly $70,000 with no slow down in sight. While the trend is undeniable, the question I have is at what point do you recognize that there are some classic options that are more unique and perhaps as collectable as the E30? Certainly, BMW has plenty of options in its own stable, and the E9 3.0CS is one of the best. Currently top examples are trading at about the same rate as the M3, begging the question of which classic BMW you’d rather have. For me, while the E30 is an awesome ride, I think I might sport for something more classic in that price range, such as today’s “RS” inspired 3.0CS – pared down and turned up with a 3.7 race motor:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1973 BMW 3.0CS 3.7 on eBay
2 CommentsThe Moss Green Metallic Euro-spec Mercedes-Benz 250CE 5-speed we wrote up about a month ago is back up for sale, still with a reserve auction. While not the most popular Mercedes-Benz model, this car offers a lot of value in classic Mercedes motoring and we think it looks fantastic:
The below post originally appeared on our site April 8, 2014:
The 1967 Mercedes-Benz 250SL that Carter featured last week highlighted a very rare option for the manufacturer at the time, the ZF 5-speed manual gearbox. But the roadster wouldn’t be the only model to employ this advanced transmission. The rather staid looking W114 Coupe would feature the 5-speed in the six cylinder models, complimenting what was, at the time, the newest chassis in the lineup. This 250CE for sale in Michigan was imported into the US in the 1990s and featured at one time in the Mercedes-Benz Club of America’s magazine, The Star.