I’ve never owned an E30 generation BMW 3-series, but I’ve wanted one since about 1993. They got REALLY cheap around 2010, but prices have gone up in the past decade. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find an affordable 4-door 325 with a stick shift for less than the optional auto-driving nonsense offered on a […]
BMW built an astonishing 2.5 million E30s in coupe, sedan, estate & convertible trim from 1982 through 1994. The ursprünglicher gangster BMW 3-series was a successful yuppy-mobile when new and has generated a significant cult following as a cheap, fun & reliable sports sedan. Today the M version is overpriced and the convertible versions seem […]
The average person who builds a rally car starts with some 4WD thing and then lifts and adds some power…but nobody wants to be associated with things that are average. What you want is a car built by some eccentric weirdo who thinks that a 2-wheel-drive E30 BMW is a good place to start an […]
BMW built an astonishing 2.5 million E30s in coupe, sedan, estate & convertible trim from 1982 through 1994. The ursprünglicher gangster BMW 3-series was a successful yuppy-mobile when new and has generated a significant cult following as a cheap, fun & reliable sports sedan…but don’t expect the prices to stay low forever. This next example is offered with the low power Eta inline-6, but it has a manual gearbox and is free some a sunroof, so I give it 1.5 thumbs up. Find this 1984 BMW 325E offered for $8500 in Sun City, AZ via craigslist.
The E30 generation BWM 3-series is starting to turn the page from depreciated junk to expensive collectable. The M3 version made that leap a few years ago, but prices for the basic 4-cylinder 318 and 6-cylinder 325 haven’t been that bad…but I do expect that to change as the rusty examples get crushed and the nice examples get restored. This next E30 is a low end 4-cylinder model, but it is a two door, manual gearbox, and is sold by the original owner. Find this 1991 BMW 318is offered for $6,200 in Concord, CA via craigslist.
Okay, I’ll admit it. I’ve been a closet E30 fanboy for years. It isn’t something I’m proud of, but the only reason I haven’t owned one is because I have such automotive ADD that I’m always moving on to the next car and watching E30 prices drop…it’s always “well, they’ll be cheaper next year”…but that isn’t the case anymore. I think even basic E30s have hit rock bottom and they are now becoming collectable, so something like a grey-market European 316i wagon for less than $10k gets me right in the gut. Unfortunately (or fortunately for my wallet) the 316i engine likely won’t be allowed into the electrified State of California (it would probably cause wildfires or murder baby seals) and I’ll have to let one of you buy this. Find this 1994 BMW 316i Wagon offered for $9,750 in Naples, FL via craigslist. Tip from 4rim.
I love featuring random crazy kit cars and super well preserved malaise era boats as much as the next guy, but there are times when you’ve got to get back to basics when it comes to finding your “daily turismo”. Let’s rewind the clock to July 17th, 2012 when this little website was first launched, […]
The E30 generation BMW 3-series was available with a number of different body styles, including a 2-door sedan, a 4-door sedan, a 4-door station wagon, a 2-door convertible, and a 2-door pickup El Camino version…whoa….wait, what? I only wish that this was a BMW built thing, because the world needs more Utes. Find this 1986 BMW […]
BMW built an astonishing 2.5 million E30s in coupe, sedan, estate & convertible trim from 1982 through 1994. The ursprünglicher gangster BMW 3-series was a successful yuppy-mobile when new and has generated a significant cult following as a cheap, fun & reliable sports sedan…but don’t expect the prices of the sporty all-wheel-drive 325ix version with […]
Unless you’ve been hiding under an old BMW for the past few weeks, you probably have read something about the new 2019 BMW 3-series, and you may have caught that it launches without a manual gearbox option!?!? That’s it, I’ve had it — I’m never buying a new BMW again…oh…wait…I’ve never purchased a new BMW and […]