If understated style is your thing, and you like the look of a sixties or seventies Mercedes, but don’t want to sacrifice sportiness, the 1968-77 E3-series of BMW sedans is worth a closer look. Packing a 2.8-liter M30 six cylinder with 168hp and 174 lb.-ft. of torque, the E3 nearly matched the W115 Mercedes in size, while having sharper performance. Let’s take a look at this 1970 BMW 2800 for sale for $3000 in Edmonds, WA.
Here’s something a bit less rare and unusual, but a way for you to get your E9 BMW kicks on an Alfetta budget. These cars enjoyed the same powertrain and suspension as their much prettier sisters, but have not suffered the significant appreciation in recent years, nor are they as rustprone. If you’ve ever thought of buying one of these, we should probably talk. On a personal note, my first memory of one of these was riding in a tan ’73 Bavaria my parents had as a loaner from Canbeck in Montreal while their ’75 530i was in for service over a weekend. My defining memory of this car is that it smelled like gas, which probably has a lot to do with my love for old car smells as an adult.
This particular car is a pretty early E3, being badged 2800 and having the wider tail lights that, while less tidy, are more visually interesting. The car also carries a lot more chrome, which gives it much more of a 60s look. It also has a cool 2800 badge in the grill, which seems to mostly be a Euro feature – could that point to the origins of this one? Something about the chrome grill and those not-so-clear headlights makes me want to paint the lenses orange and get a French plate for the bumper. Find the car here, listed in Contra Costa county for $2650.
Rusty But Trusty 