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Feature Listing – 1991 BMW 535i Dinan Turbo

Feature Listing – 1991 BMW 535i Dinan Turbo

Published January 6, 2015 by Carter

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Dinan was still on the cutting edge of performance tuning. As with Reeves Callaway, Steve Dinan had started turbocharging BMWs to create supercar-slaying sedans and coupes. At that point, Dinan was a lesser-known tuner than the likes of Alpina and Hartge, but the results of their turbocharging the S38 in the BMW M6 notably gained the car the nickname “The Annihilator”. That should tell you something of the level to which Dinan Cars brings their creations to whilst retaining the original attributes of the base car. It’s a special combination that resulted in Dinan being incorporated into the BMW dealer network; today, cruise down to your dealership and you can buy Dinan products and software upgrades for just about any model and retain your warranty. Because of that connection, an appreciation for early Dinan cars continues to grow though in general they remain more affordable than their German tuner counterparts. They are, however, just as rare to come across – especially when they come in the condition of today’s 1991 535i, one of the last of Dinan’s inline-6 turbo creations:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 BMW 535i Dinan Turbo on GCFSB

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Tuner Tuesday: 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG Brabus B63

Published January 6, 2015 by Carter

I know that we don’t spend much time on newer Mercedes-Benz products. Well, truth told we don’t spend much time on any newer cars. There are a few reasons; for one, they’re more readily available. I mean, pop on eBay right now and you can have your choice of color, transmission, year, wheel selection and packages of any newer Porsche, BMW, Audi or Mercedes-Benz. So it takes something special for them to stand out a bit for us to take notice. Unfortunately, in my mind most newer Mercedes-Benz models stick out for all of the wrong reasons. Have you ever seen one of those commercials for a local ‘Octoberfest’ celebration? Predictably, they have some poor interpretation of an Oom-pah band in traditional clothing playing a semi-Germanic tune. It always seems a bit forced, much like humor coming from a native German. To me, the newer Mercedes-Benz products are like those commercials. “Ja, of course vee are German!” they seem to shout – while to me, the still retain vestiges of the merger with Chrysler. They’re a bit ostentatious, and while I know they’re motivated by some serious Nimitz-class firepower it just doesn’t really make them appealing to me.

It wasn’t always this way. Go back a generation or two and the cars were still much more refined. I wouldn’t describe them all as the most attractive cars that were on the market, but they retained the understated approach that made Mercedes-Benz famous. In fact, you had to bring your Merc to a tuner to make it ostentatious back in the 1990s. One of the best at making over-the-top Mercedes back then was Brabus. So what do you get when you take an already over-the-top CLS63 AMG and let bonkers Brabus breath on it today?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG Brabus B63 on eBay

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1995 Audi S6

Published January 1, 2015 by Carter

I’ve made only one New Year’s Resolution this year – I resolved to listen to my gut instinct more. Typically, I scoff at such tomfoolery; if you can’t get it done the other 364 days, a little champagne and a dropping ball isn’t going to change your life suddenly. But a few weeks back I made a poor decision that I immediately regretted. On my normal perusing of the local Craigslist advertisements, I came across a 1993 Audi S4. It was Pearlesant white with black leather – not my favorite combination admittedly, but a classic ’90s Audi hue. It was a bit lowered but not overly so, riding on 18″ BBS VZ wheels. The miles were in check and overall condition appeared to be very good, with a short list of needs. But the kicker was that it was only 2 miles from my house; even better yet, the asking price was below $3,000. I stared at the ad for some time, and multiple times later in the day I went back to look at it. “I shouldn’t do it” I said, “I don’t need another car.” It’s true, I don’t – but there was just something about this that made me think I was going to regret not at least driving by to see it.

I was right. On Monday, driving my son to school, I spotted the immediately recognizably silhouette of a C4 Audi up ahead. Now, C4s around me – especially sedans – are becoming rare sights, since most are at least 20 years old. Even with legendary longevity, the crumbling residual values have meant that many have disappeared into junk and scrap yards. But here was a pristine looking Pearlesant White example ahead of me. Despite the several hundred yards in between us, I also noted instantly that it was lowered and had large wheels. Getting closer, my eyes darted to the discrete S4 badge adorning the trunk, with an even more discrete “quattro” badge to the right. Like Ahab navigating a sea of mediocrity, the subtle S4 stuck out like a brilliant white star on the horizon. I let that car slip through my hands, and I immediately regretted it:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1995 Audi S6 on eBay

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1982 Mercedes-Benz 300SD

Published December 28, 2014 by Paul

$_57 (1)

If you’re looking to conserve fuel, there’s a few ways you can go about it. There will, however, always be limitations to just how green you can be. If you go the hybrid route, you’ll see your gas mileage increase, but in actuality, you’ll still have to fill up with petrol and have a battery replacement years down the line that you’ll have to deal with. What about electric vehicles then? Many of these vehicles have come a long way in terms of range, but you’re still getting your juice from via a plug, which more often than not means energy derived from coal. But what about that old standby, diesel? Sure, it has a bad image in the US from the vehicles we experienced in the 1970s and 1980s. But Mercedes-Benz has stuck by this technology for years and their diesels of today are some of the most advanced on the market.

This 1982 300SD for sale in Ohio couldn’t exactly be considered one of their earlier efforts, as their dabbling with diesel technology dates back to the 1930s. But this W126 was one of those cars that was sold here in this market as we were emerging from the dark days of the 1970s energy crisis. With the tried and trusted OM617 inline-5 cylinder turbodiesel under the hood, you are getting W123 reliability in a larger, more stately package. The ultimate sleeper when it comes to fuel conservation, then?

Click for details: 1982 Mercedes-Benz 300SD on eBay

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1985 Volkswagen GTi Callaway Turbo – REVISIT

Published December 25, 2014 by Carter

As Paul said, “It’s back!” The awesome BBS and Callaway modded GTi is back just in time to fulfill your Christmas wishes! I know I’d certainly love to have it under my tree. Bidding reached into the $20,000 range with the reserve still on last time around, failing to sell. It’s already hit $10,000 this time with 4 days to go. What will it take to buy this incredible Mk.2?

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a turbocharged night!

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1985 Volkswagen GTi Callaway Turbo on eBay

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