Posts Tagged ‘german’

E32 Double Feature – 1990 BMW 735iL and 1990 BMW 750iL

March 29, 2016

Old luxury cars are in this kind of limbo, which many of them don’t survive. They’re too passé to attract the attention of their wealthy first owners. Tossed aside when the next new thing comes along, they move down to aspiring types who want to project the image of their first owners for less money (or, you might argue, sensible types who can’t stomach the idea of absorbing the double-hit of costly depreciation and maintenance). For round three, they’re fully depreciated to three or four percent of their inflation-adjusted new price. Of course, you’re not getting 100% of the original car – mileage figures are often solidly into six digits, and all the luxury amenities have suffered from use and environmental degradation – but if you budget thoughtfully, an older luxury car can still be a compelling proposition for someone on a modest budget. So first, let’s take a look at this 1990 BMW 735iL for sale for $3500 in Port Charlotte, FL.

1990 BMW 735iL left front

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Duroplast – 1978 Trabant 601S Kombi

March 28, 2016

After the wall fell in 1989, the Trabant became the butt of many of those automotive jokes repeated in those moments when a good joke doesn’t come tom mind – the ones about doubling the value by adding a tank of gas, warming your hands on the rear defroster, and so many more that aren’t worth repeating. But put yourself back in East Germany in the 1960s: the pre-war looking Beetle was the most popular export, with its old-fashioned rear-mounted flat-four engine and lack of a proper trunk. Meanwhile, your half of Germany’s people’s car had modern styling, a lightweight body, front-wheel drive, and independent suspension. And with only half the displacement of the Beetle, the two-stroke twin punched above its weight, putting out 27hp to the Beetle’s 40. So now you probably want one of those charming relics of the Soviet era in Germany, and fortunately there’s this 1978 Trabant 601S Kombi for sale for $4500 in Hollywood, FL (also available at auction with no bids and a $3750 starting bid).

1978 Trabant 601S Kombi left front

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2002 Formula – 1995 BMW 328ti

March 21, 2016

As BMW’s only foray into hatchbacks in the North American market, the E36 generation 318ti is rather unusual. There are usually a couple of reasons for manufacturers to offer a lower-tier product than in the past – economic reasons, like a recession, or trying to attract up-and-coming buyers who haven’t up-and-come yet, like Mercedes is doing now with its CLA sedans. Thinking back to the late 1990s, it seems like BMW was doing the latter – perhaps sensing up-and-coming Generation X car enthusiasts, along with an attack from underneath by VW with their VR6-powered cars, they probably felt the need to offer their new (and first, since the E10 touring) hatchback. Oddly enough, they only saw fit to offer the 318ti with its 1.8-liter four cylinder, but did not go as far as bringing over the 323ti, which meant some enthusiasts saw fit to create cars like this 1995 BMW 328ti for sale for $3000 in Atlanta, GA.

1995 BMW 328ti left rear

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