The E30 generation BMW was built from 1982 through 1994 and sold extremely well. It was the go-to choice for cheap drivers for years, but they are starting to age and nice versions are demanding a premium. Today’s next example is expensive, but not prohibitively so, but it does have a nice S52 engine from […]
BMW wagon owners always complain that BWM didn’t export their best engine/transmission options into their wagons for the US market — and it’s true! The E34 5-series had a V8 and a 6-speed option, but it was never available together on the wagon…perhaps because they assumed wagon owners were family men/women who wanted to just cruise. Anyway, if you want the wagon and you want to have fun, you’ll need to find one that has been modified like this next beast, which is now powered by an E36 M3 drivetrain. Find this 1993 BMW 524iT with S52 inline-6 swap bidding for $5,000 in Burlington, VT via eBay. Tip from Cory.
The trick of doing a good engine swap is simple…just follow these two rules: (1) pick a sweet vehicle with plenty of street cred, but maybe down a few ponies on power & (2) juice it up with something that keeps alive the spirit of the original automobile, but turns the dial up to 11. […]
Modifying cars is a tricky business. A similar comparison would be a chef adding just the right amount of seasoning to your dinner- too much or too little does nothing good for the food. DT often pokes fun at dinners where the chef has had a heavy hand with the seasoning. Today’s E34 5 series […]
If you are confused when BMdubheads get into their nomenclature, you are not alone. And you don’t need to know the difference between an E36 and an E37 to understand the appeal of a rear-drive manual-transmission sport sedan from Germany. Find this 1989 BMW 325i E30 offered for $12,500 in San Diego, CA via craigslist. […]
Check out this 1991 BMW 318is with S52 Swap bidding here on eBay for $5,900 reserve-not-met with $10,500 buy-it-now with auction ending Friday at 3:40PM PST. From eBay listing: Item specifics Condition: Used Seller Notes: “Car is in overall very good shape. Drivetrain is in great shape with no leaks or ticks. Overall, body is […]
The E30 generation BMW 3-series offers one of the better cost to fun ratios for a compact sport sedan — but modern cars are so bloody fast that you’ll find your classic 5-speed 80s sedan getting schooled at the stop lights by an EV Spark. Obviously the answer is to hot rod it…or buy the […]
What’s better than your average BMW E30? A 4-door E30 with moar power, of course. Although this car is sporting two more cylinders than it left the factory with, just like yesterday’s V8-swapped 325e, I’d reckon that it’s the smarter solution. It started life as a lowly 318i 4-cylinder and has now inherited two more […]
Starting in 1998, BMW’s M Roadster took the Z3’s sporting aesthetics and added commensurate performance thanks to the E36 M3’s S52 inline-6. Pitted against the Mercedes-Benz SLK32 AMG, the Roadster was louder, rougher, slower, and, at about $46,000, almost $10,000 cheaper. Prices today are stuck in the $8k–$12k range for Roadsters and a soul-crushingly expensive $22k+ […]