The E46 generation BMW 3-series was not that much different from the previous generation (E36) but it did take the same basic formula and just up the goodness factor. More power, more refined ride, and a better interior are only some of the benefits of the E46 generation, but one of the biggest changes was that BMW decided to export the wagon version into the US market. Find this 2002 BMW 325ix Touring here on eBay offered for $3125 buy-it-now located in Seattle, WA. Tip from Rod S.
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 a manual gearbox to stay low for much longer. Find this 1989 BMW 325ix here on eBay bidding for $4,050 reserve-not-met with 6 days to go, located in Encino, CA.
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!
Have you had enough of seeing E30 BMWs with carburetor fed Chevy V8s shoved in the front? Good, because this next car has an engine swapped in from that Anglo-Italian conglomerate based out of London known as Fiat Chrysler Automotive. Find this 1985 BMW 325 with 360 cubic inch Mopar V8 offered for $4,200 out of Ithaca, NY via craigslist. Tip from Tim. 
DT's logo guru Kaibeezy has always claimed that the SF Bay area craigslist is by far the best place to search for an inexpensive classic car (your Daily Turismo) and at first the assertion seemed silly. Unfortunately, my local craigslist (Los Angeles), despite its favorable weather, is filled with a disproportionately large percentage of cars that represent dashed dreams and shattered realities of the central Los Angeles life. For some reason the same blight that infects the LA craigslist does not infect the SF Bay Area craigslist in the same percentage, and inexpensive decent condition classics just fall off trees. Check out these examples with descriptions by Kaibeezy.
The E30 generation BMW is no stranger to the pages of the Daily Turismo; we've even been able to find reasonably priced M3 versions, even as that market soars into hyperspace. The E30s we tend to like are either original/stock/clean/low-miles examples or something with a million horsepower and plasti-dipped wheels. Today's example falls into the latter category. Find this 1986 BMW E30 325es
for sale in Waterbury, CT currently bidding on ebay for $11,000 
In an attempt to avoid the label of being stereotypical BMW E30 fanboys, we are going to start this listing with a disclaimer that not only do we not own flat brim hats, but we've never tasted monster energy drink and never use the expression "no worries". Unfortunately during the late '80s most American cars were manufactured to the torsional rigidity of a cereal box, Japanese cars were unfun-wheel-drive, Scandinavian cars had engines built by Scandinavians, British cars were all but extinct, French cars were quirky at best, Italian cars rusted on delivery trucks and only German cars combined decent build quality, fun power plants and dynamic handling. Of the Germans, Mercedes had un-invented the clutch in a complicated patent office filing and Audi was trying to figure out how to make a head gasket out of fruit roll ups...leaving the mustached engineers from München to deliver proper automobiles. Find this proper 1986 BMW 325es 5spd for sale in San Diego, CA for $3999 via craigslist.
The E36 BMW was sold as the ultimate yuppie transport from 1992-1999 and while its handling was always lauded as balanced and fun, it could never be accused of being fast in a drag race - even the ///M3 version. However, we think that shoehorning one of the worlds most tunable twin-turbo powerplants into a ratty looking sedan E36 is just about the definition of 'sleeper' - and its exactly happened to today's featured car. This 1993 BMW 325i sedan has a 2JZGTE twin-turbo engine from the JDM Aristo (very similar to the USDM Supra engine) shoved into the engine bay and is current bidding on ebay at $5,402 with 2 days to go (located in SLC, Utah).
We love finding V8 swapped rides for the Daily Turismo because they usually can be purchased for less than the price of the swap components with the labor thrown in for free. This 1987 BMW E30 325 sedan is no exception, with a Ford V8 & T-5 manaul trans, and is for sale asking $5k in Altanta, GA via craigslist.
The second generation (e30) BMW 3-series was sold in various forms from 1982 through 1993. Once a yuppy status symbol and always a benchmark in handling, the e30 was available with a number of inline 4 and 6 cylinder gasoline engines - all silky smooth and mated to a light & rigid chassis with rack and pinion steering. The only complaint about e30s you can make is that the non-M cars are a bit slow and the M3s are quite costly in todays market. A basic 325, however, is a fantastic car for the price of the nav system in a new 335i. Add a more powerful engine, like the seller of this 1989 325i located in Miami, and you have quite a performance bargain for $5k (on ebay at $4550 as of 8/1/12).