Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
For years, the BMW 3 series has been the standard bearer for someone looking for a sport sedan with a dash of luxury mixed in. Luckily for the enthusiast, it is one of the few cars in its class that offers the option for a manual transmission. While modern automatic gearboxes are more efficient, there are still those of us out there who enjoy rowing their own. This 2016 340i xDrive for sale in New Jersey is lightly used, but is one of the few big engined 3 series sedans so equipped these days.
In an age of technology which has distanced the driver from involvement in the driving experience, it’s nice to know you can still turn to a few manufacturers to get your kicks. The 3 series sedan is one of the few BMWs left which you can spec with a manual gearbox, and this 335i with a 6-speed manual represents the top of the lineup with the 3.0 liter twin-turbocharged inline-6 producing just over 300 horsepower. This example comes equipped with the Sports Package, which included tighter suspension, sport seats, staggered size wheels and an oil cooler. While the 340i is now the top dog in the 3 series lineup, this 335i represents about just as much car at a sizable discount.
If I’m brutally honest, I’m not a huge fan of most of the newer BMW designs. As my wife says, I’d be happy if Journey was still on the radio and everyone was walking around with a mullet (that’s only half true…). But that’s not it; as I was saying to her just yesterday, I just don’t get excited about most of the new designs that come out. It wasn’t always this way – I remember eagerly awaiting the next issue of the multiple car magazines I subscribed to so that I could immediately flip to the section I found most exciting – the upcoming cars feature. But that enthusiasm has waned as cars have grown more complex, isolating and expensive. Sure, they’re faster – and even basic models do everything much better than even some “supercars” from the 1980s. But I don’t look at them and get excited like I did when the S4 first launched, for example. But, a thought occurred to me – while I’m not the biggest fan of these cars, proportionate to what you used to receive they’re simply a better value and better cars. We can pontificate about the virtues of the E30 M3 to no end, but the reality is that even around a track, the bone-stock 328i all-wheel drive wagon below would give it a run for its money without much difficulty – and in every other aspect, it’s a better car. We’re really still in the midst of a horsepower revolution, but that power is translated to the ground better than before with more sophisticated transmissions and computer aids along with all-wheel drive available in most packages. But it’s not just speed – not only can these fast cars get you to the Alps, they are like the luxury resorts when you get there, with fine materials and fit and finish that are really top quality. In a word, they’re spectacular at being cars that are much more functional in multiple facets than anything previously. So, here’s a lineup of some neat newer BMWs; while I’m not the biggest fan of all the packages or designs, one thing that I do love is their blues – so here’s a round up of most of them:
