Living In An Analog World: 2007 BMW 328i Wagon E91

A new BMW 3-series offers a boat load of technology, safety, performance, and gadgets for aspiring executive (or trust fund high schooler). You get the latest direct injection 4-cylinder engine that is boosted with a small turbocharger (or two?...I really don't know or care to find out) and all manner of lane departure warning systems and self leveling wheel caps...but what you can't get is a wagon or a manual gearbox in a 3-series.  BMW...I don't know you anymore.  Meh..you haven't cared about my opinion since I swore off buying new cars decades ago and have lived an autotrader/craigslist/offerup dream life...but I'm gonna miss the 3-series in about 10 years when the depreciated ones are all fitted with some kinda 8 speed slushbox flappy paddle gearbox and powered by a beryllium warp core and the steering wheel has been replaced with a joystick.  I think I now know why I've preferred the company of geezers since I was a young lad.  New digital tech is weaksauce and experience cannot be googled or found on twitter. GET OFF MY LAWN!  Find this 2007 BMW 328i Wagon offered for $9500 near Hudson Valley via craigslist. Tip from Cory.

M60 V8 Swap: 1984 BMW 325e

The E30 generation BMW 3-series  is zippy, reliable, simple to maintain, and cheap to buy -- which is why it has become the beater of choice for many folks.  Prices were good for years, but the nice examples have started to appreciate and you'll have a hard time finding V8 swapped examples like this for cheap in the future...so get it now. Find this 1984 BMW 325e offered for $7000 in Portland, OR via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Bracq Friday: 1979 BMW 320i E21

This next car is a celebration of Bracq Friday -- a festival of the best stuff from French born automotive legend Paul Bracq.  I know the days of getting a running/driving car for $500 are long behind us...and $500 will barely get you the parts to do your own brake job on a late model car...but I still hold hope for the occasional used pile of junk car that is cheap not because it is rusted out, but because only a few crazy people (myself included) would want it...and I think I found a good one today...although you will need to source a few key parts before getting it back on the road. Find this 1979 BMW 320i E21 offered for $500 in Richmond, CA via craigslist.

Simple Pleasures: 1979 BMW 320i E21

The E21 generation BMW 3-series is sort of the forgotten big brother of the big cheese E30.  Perhaps it is because the E21 never had a hyper-popular fanboy-drool-inducing M version, or Turbo graphic covered version like the 2002, but the market for an E21 is affordable and they are simple machines...and that is a good thing.  Find this 1979 BMW 320i offered for $4400 in Pasadena, CA via craigslist.  Tip from FuelTruck.

E21 Classic: 1978 BMW 320i

Global sales of BMW's first 3-series started in the 1975 model year and by the time they switched factory operations to build the E30 version in 1983, over a million examples of the E21 had left the shipping dock. The E21 was not a cheap car when released, but the magic of depreciation made it an affordable classic for decades...and the uptick of collector nostalgia hasn't yet made them unaffordable.  Find this 1978 BMW 320i offered for $2950 in Bethesda, MD via craigslist.

Manual Gearbox, Two Turbos: 2007 BMW 335i Coupe

Eighty five hundred bones isn't a large amount of money...in fact more than 25% of the American households have more than $8500 socked away in their savings accounts...which is a miserably low percentage for the wealthiest country on earth...anyway...if you are one of the lucky few, you could turn your life savings into this 2007 BMW 335i Coupe offered for $8500 in Northridge, CA via craigslist.

Nice Shoes: 1987 BMW 325e

The E30 generation BMW 3-series sold in large numbers (2.5 million according to the interweb) from 1982 through 1994 in coupe, sedan, estate, & convertible trim...but you don't often find "showroom condition" examples of the 325 for any price.  Find this 1987 BMW 325e offered for $5900 in Rancho Cucamonga, CA via craigslist.  Tip from Rock On!

You Had Me At "La Strada": 1979 BMW 335 ElCsi

I could be biased, but nobody does stuff better than the Italians.  While the rest of the world was living in animal-skin huts the Italians built the worlds oldest still functioning building (the Pantheon) out of stone. A few centuries later the Italians created what is certainly the most beautiful fine art ever conceived with marble, oil, and canvas. In the 20th century, there was this little company called Ferrari -- I'll just let you make your own conclusions -- but even today the Italians continue to hit them out of the park.  Like this 1979 BMW 335 ElCsi offered for 18,500 € ($19,575 USD at this time). Tip from James.

Bone Stock 5-Speed: 1990 BMW 325is

The original BMW 3-series might have been the E21 generation sold in North America (1977 through 1982) but the one that put the BMW 3-series on the map was the E30 built from 1982 through 1993.  Power came from a variety of overhead cam inline-4 and inline-6 engines, and suspension was MacPherson struts up from and semi-trailing arm out back.  Find this 1990 BMW 325is offered for $6,500 in Richmond, CA via craigslist.

The Ultimate Zoom Zoom: 1992 BMW 325 with Mazda 12A Rotary

The E36 generation BMW 3-series was released in 1990 with "dolphin shape" styling by Darrin Boyer and Joji Nagashima -- but this car isn't known for its styling, it is known as the benchmark for 90s sedan handling.  The Z-axle multilink suspension out back and MacPherson strut with rack-n-pinion up front wasn't tuned to punish you, but offers superb balance in most driving conditions.  Matched with a torquey inline-6 the 325 makes a great canyon carver...but what happens when you swap a rotary Mazda engine?  Find this 1992 BMW 325 with Mazda 12A offered for $4,000 in Cape Coral, FL.

Haul Wheel Drive: 1989 325iX with S52 Swap

The E30 generation BMW 3 Series is a great way to start your aging German steel collection: prices are low, expectations are high and this next feature has a surprise under the hood. Find this 1989 325iX with S52 M3 motor swap offered for $8,500 near Boston, MA. Tip from Art C.

M60 V8 Swap: 1986 BMW 325e E30

The E30 generation BMW 3-series is popular choice for budget car buyers who want something that looks classy, drives decent, and doesn't cost an arm and leg.   It won't offer the same amenities or speed as newer iterations of BMW's compact sedan, but swap in a V8 from a 5 Series and you are halfway there.  Find this 1986 BMW 325e E30 with M60 V8 swap offered for $6,500 in Mamaroneck, NY via craigslist.  Tip from Cory.

5k: Seller Submission: 1987 BMW 325is E30 2-Door

The E30 generation BMW 3-series solidified the Bavarian automaker's reputation for building clean looking, relatively quick, manual transmission equipped sport sedans.  The market for the M3 version is currently riding a crazy wave of appreciation, but the standard 325 is a much cheaper way to get your E30 groove going.  Find this 1987 BMW 325is E30 2-Door offered for $4,500 in Omaha, NE via craigslist.  Seller submission from JD.

2k: Orangina: 1977 BMW 320i E21

The E21 generation BMW 3-series is sort of the forgotten little brother of the big cheese E30.  Perhaps it is because the E21 never had a hyper-popular fanboy-drool-inducing M version, or Turbo graphic covered version like the 2002, but the market for an E21 is very affordable...and that is a good thing.  Find this 1977 BMW 320i E21 offered for $1800 in Fraser, MI via craigslist.

5k Flash: Minty Clean Yuppie Mobile; 1989 BMW 325i 5spd

There is no hiding our appreciation for E30 BMW 3-series and we will get lots of hate-mail for being fan-boys, we can't help it! Someone is about to get a fantastic deal on this 1989 BMW 325i 5spd currently bidding on ebay $6,900 with 15 hours to go.  Bid on it, buy it and then pick it up in Portland, OR.