For part 2 of the BMW installment, I’ve found a 1972 E3 Bavaria in a fairly unlikely place: Wicker Park, IL. Find it on craigslist near Chicago for an asking price of $3400. In Sierra Beige, it looks pretty much like the loaner my parents had for a weekend back in the late 70s (who knew that car would make such an indelible impression on a little kid?). Normally I’m reluctant to post cars from areas that salt their roads, but this car looks on the surface to be pretty clean, and is a good example of the bargain the E3s can be versus the prettier E9 coupes.
This particular car comes with a 4-speed, air conditioning, and a power sunroof. Knowing that, a buyer would want to look for rust in the C-pillars, and honestly, pretty much anywhere else since most 1970s imported cars are rust-prone. The 4-speed is definitely the more durable powertrain choice, and upgrading to a 5-speed is an option if you want more relaxed freeway cruising.
Rusty But Trusty 