Everyday classic and affordable BMW’s

[Crocodile]

Introduction

Firstly what I would like to say is that I’m a full
on tennis guy who has an interest in affordable classic cars and the enjoyment they can bring to many owners young and old. As many classic cars now are very expensive it’s nice to be able to hunt down cool cars that most people on low to average incomes can buy. A few weeks ago I posted a thread about classic Swedish cars as some of them are very affordable, have good parts availability and pretty safe for an old car.
Next I will talk about weather you should buy a classic car:

 

[Crocodile]

Is a classic car for you ?

I think the ideal situation would be one where you had a daily driver and a cheap classic as your second car.
If you are a young guy or girl who does a lot of driving and you are strapped for cash then you may be better off looking for a cheap Toyota, Mazda, Honda, or even a Mitsubishi with an excellent service history with low kilometres. However, if you have a little extra cash or you have a passion for something a little different than an old BMW could be interesting.
Next, my views about BMW’s

 

[Crocodile]

What’s the deal about BMW’s

Well like many European cars many BMW’s are very complex and expensive to buy and maintain. My mechanic used to say that BMW stands for Big Money Wallet, Even old BMW’s that have classic status can cost a fortune;
However the good news is that there are options out there that are still affordable, simple to work on and classy cars to buy.
A lot of mechanics suggest that the better options for affordable clastic car BMW ownership are the ones pretty much made before they became too complex and that was somewhere around the mid to late 90’s, Next I will talk about which BMW’s you could hunt down.

 

[Crocodile]

Which models

Depending on where you are in the world some of the affordable, relatively reliable and simply engineered BMW’s include:
1. E3 series sedans
2. E21 - 1975 to 1983
3. E28
4. E34 - 5 series 1987 to 1996
5. E38 - 7 series. 1994 to 2001

These cars are very nice. I will now share some videos of some of these cars,

 

[Crocodile]

This guy knows his stuff on many types of cars. Here he talks about which cars are worth buying and what to avoid.

 

[Crocodile]

Lovely E3 sedan

 

[Crocodile]

E3 review

 

[Crocodile]

Classy E3

 

[Crocodile]

21 year old young women snd her passion for the E21

 

[Crocodile]

Early 5 series is a gem of a car

 

[Crocodile]

Anyway if the prospect of owning a classy, classic yet affordable and relatively reliable BMW appeals to you, some of the ones mentioned might be worth a go,
These cars are nice to drive, handle well and generally more economical than comparable US or Australian cars,

 

[Crocodile]

Here’s a video from Jay Emm where he reviews the old 7 series

 

[Crocodile]

Anyway I have gone on a bit but hope you enjoy some of the videos about classic BMW’s and I would like to hear about your experiences. I do have other affordable marquee and individual models in mind but thought I would start one about Swedish cars followed by BMW. I think these cars are quite cool and an interesting option for those who like classic cars:

 

[chrischris]

Introduction

Firstly what I would like to say is that I’m a full
on tennis guy who has an interest in affordable classic cars and the enjoyment they can bring to many owners young and old. As many classic cars now are very expensive it’s nice to be able to hunt down cool cars that most people on low to average incomes can buy. A few weeks ago I posted a thread about classic Swedish cars as some of them are very affordable, have good parts availability and pretty safe for an old car.
Next I will talk about weather you should buy a classic car

Sunny weather or both cold and rainy too?

 

[Crocodile]

Sunny weather or both cold and rainy too?

Well it’s sunny here right now but at times can be rainy as well.
Btw those early BMW 528’s are a nice car to enjoy.

 

[chrischris]

Well it’s sunny here right now but at times can be rainy as well.
Btw those early BMW 528’s are a nice car to enjoy.

Yes good, keep to the weather and update on that.

 

[Crocodile]

Yes good, keep to the weather and update on that.

Thanks Chris, enjoy your day as well. Those E21 320 BMW’s are a nice classic, what do you think?

 

[Bartelby]

BMW = Big Money Wallet

FIAT = Fix it Again Tony

 

[Bartelby]

A longer list:

BMW:
Bought my wife
Barely Moving wreck
Broken my wallet
Bavarian Manure Wagon
Break my Window

Audi
All Unecessary Devices Installed
Another Ugly deutsche Invention

Chevrolet or Daewoo
Cheap, Hardly Efficient, Virtually Runs On Luck Every Time
Cracked Heads, Every Valve Rattles, Oil Leaks Every Time Constantly Having Every VehicleRecalled Over Lousy Engineering Techniques

1. Condition Hopeless, Entire Vehicle Relies On Leftover Engine Technology

FIAT:

* Failure in Italian Automotive Technology
* Fix It Again, Tony
* Fix It All the Time
* Found In A Toilet
* Feeble Italian Attempt at Transportation

FORD:

* Frigin' Old Rebuilt Dodge
* Fix Or Repair Daily
* Found On Road Dead
* Fast Only Rolling Downhill
* First On Race Day
* First On Recall Day
* Fabricated Of Refried Dung
* Fails On Rainy Days
* Fantastically Orgasmic Realistic Dream
* Fatally Obese Redneck Driver
* Fault Of R&D
* Finally Obsolete Racing Device
* Fireball On Rear Denting
* First On Road to Dump
* First On Rust and Deterioration
* Fix Or Recycle Dilemma
* Flipping Over Results in Death
* Flipped Over Roadside Disaster
* Follow Our Rusty Dogsled
* Foot On Road Decelerates
* Forced On Reluctant Drivers
* Formed Of Rejected DNA
* Forwarded Once; Return Denied
* Forward Only; Reverse Defective
* Forlorn, Old, Ratridden Dustbin
* Fork Over Repair Dough
* Fouled Out Re-done Dodge
* Frequent Overhaul, Rapid Deterioration
* Free Or Reduced Drastically
* Frequent Opinion: Really Disappointed
* Fumes and Odors Readily Detectable
* Funny Old Rattling Dump
* Forget Out Running Dale (Earnhardt or Jarrett)
* Features O.J. and Ron`s DNA
* Found Out-Right Dangerous
* Future Of Racings Delight
* (backwards) Driver Returns On Foot
* (backwards) Dumb Rednecks Own Fords
o LTD: Lacks Total Dependability
o Lots To Do
o Looses Transmissions Daily

Honda
Hallmark Of Non Descript Automibiles
Had One Never Did Again

Jeep
Junk Engineering Executed Poorly

MGF
MIGHT go forward
MG: Might Go
Mostly Garaged

Mustang:
Motor under strain transmisson always no good

PORSCHE:

* Proof Of Rich Spoiled Children Having Everything

Saab
Sad Attempt at Beauty

Toyota

The one you ought to avoid

 

[Bartelby]

And yet more:

ALFA: Aging Latin ****wit's Ambulance. Thanks Anthony

ASTON MARTIN: A Silly Toy Of Neurotic Middle Aged Rich Toffs Investing Needlessly

AUDI: Another Useless Deutsche Invention. Obviously written by someone with first hand experience - maybe someone who had one rust away into brown air in the 70's?

BMW: Bought My Wife; Brings Me Women; Big Money Waster; Broke My Wallet; Babe Magnet Wannabe, and LOTS more. There's a certain commonality of theme though, insinuating that Bavarian Motor Werken cars are expensive to run and bought by shallow image conscious airheads (See pic below).

and Craig R says it means 'Bavarian Manure Wagon!'

CADILLAC: Crazy And Demented Idiots Like Large American Cars. Nuff said?

CHEVROLET: Chevrolet's not a common Aussie brand so one example will do - Can Hear Every Valve Rattle On Long Extended Trips. There are heaps more for those who are interested, second in popularity only to Ford (see below)

CHRYSLER: Can't Have Refund, You're Stuck Leasing Edsel's Replacement. A clever one, but I'm sure most Valiant owners would prefer this one - Company Has Recommended You Start Learning Engine Repair!

DODGE: Drips Oil, Drops Grease Everywhere. I've got one and every word is true! And how about - Dad's Old Dead Garage Experiment. And - Don't Over Drive Gutless Engines. Thanks for that one, Tanner, but how can you say the 426 Hemi is Gutless?

EDSEL: Every Day Something Else Leaks. More to add to the Edsel's woes

FIAT: Failed Italian Automotive Technology, Feeble Italian Attempt (at) Transportation; or the well known favourite - Fix It Again Tony!

FORD: Of all car names, Ford has the most entries - three complete pages full on one site: Fix Or Repair Daily; Fast Only Rolling Downhill; First (or Fails) On Race Day; Found On Road Dead (thanks Sameer P): Funding Our Retirement Daily (from a mechanic`s point of view); and perhaps best of all: Driver Returning On Foot (Ford spelled backwards!)

GMC: Greatest Made Chevy (thanks Roger S)

HOLDEN: Holes, Oil Leaks, Dents, Engine Noises, and from Jason we have - Heaps Of Loud Disgusting Engine Noises. Come on Aussie come on!

HONDA: Had One Never Did Again; Hold On, 'Nother ******** Arriving; plus (and this is a true rarity among these acronyms) one that says something positive about the car - Happy Owners Never Drive Anything (else)

HYUNDAI: A bitter one - Hope You Understand Nothing's Driveable And Inexpensive; and a clever one - Hang Your UNDerwear Anywhere Inside

ISUZU: It Sucks, Unless Zero Used

JAGUAR: Only one entry - Junk Always Going Under At Repair Shop. I've owned three Jaguars during my driving history, and I've always felt that they're the ideal car for a handyman, as long as he's handy with money!

JEEP: Once again, a bitter one - Junk Engineering Executed Poorly; and a clever one - Just Enough Engine Power

KIA: Kick It Again; Keep It Away; Kill It Anyway, and another - Kills Innocent Americans (thanks to weatherman824) Hmm - a certain commonality of theme here too. Not bad for a company with a name that sounds like Xena Warrior Princess' battle cry.

LOTUS: Only one entry, but it's a good one - Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious. It's no coincidence that the acronym for the the Lotus Owners Of New York car club is LOONY!

MAZDA: Mostly Always Zipping Dangerously Along; Made After Zero Design Analysis. Z's are always hard to work into these things

MERCEDES: Many Expensive Repairs Can Eventually Discourage Extra Sales

MG: By and large the Pommie brands cop a bit of a bucketing, and MG is no exception - Merciless Garbage; Money Guzzler; MG-B: Might Go Backwards; the new MG-F: Might Go Forwards

MINI: Moron Inside Notably Insane

MINIVAN: Manhood Is Nonexistent, I'm Vasectomized And Neutered. Thanks to Nolan R for that one

MITSUBISHI: Not the easiest of names to work with, but someone's had a go - Mostly In The Shop Undergoing Big Investments, Sometimes Halfway Incomplete; and another - Motor Is Tough, Sounds Unbelievably Bad, Intimidates Slow Hondas Incessantly

MOPAR: Move Over, Professionals Are Racing, and thanks to Petey we also have – Mostly Old Parts And Rust

NISSAN: Needs Imminent Salvage So Abandon Now. You have been warned!

OLDSMOBILE: Someone worked hard on these - Old Ladies Driving Slowly Make Others Behind Infuriatingly Late Everyday; and another - Old Ladies Drive Slow - Mostly Off Bridges Into Lake Erie!

PLYMOUTH: Please Let Your Mother Out Under The Hood!

PONTIAC: People On Narcotics Think It's A Cadillac

PORSCHE: Proof Of Rich Spoilt Children Having Everything. Can't argue with that one!

SAAB: Quite some bitterness here - Send Another Automobile Back; Swedish Automobiles Always Breakdown; Start Adding Additional Brakefluid; Sad Attempt At Beauty. And you've got to say this with a California drawl - 'Yuppies don't cry, they just Saab'. LionsFootball61 sent me - SAAB: Still Ain't A Beamer and Slow As A Buick!

SUBARU: Screwed Up Beyond All Repair Usually

SUV: Not a brand, I know, but most places are inundated with them - Selfish Useless Vehicles, SubUrban Vans, Stupid Ugly & Vain (thanks Michael T for all these)

SUZUKI: Space Usually Zero Unless Kids Inside

TORANA: Tons Of Rust And No Acceleration. And the SLR variant - Slightly Less Rust

TOYOTA: Some bitter ones here too, this time with a local flavour - Taking Our Yen Out Through Australia; The One You Ought To Avoid, They Overcharge You On Their Accessories, and Take Off Your Oversized Tires ******* (thanks to Rob P for that one!)

TRIUMPH: A cry of depair from the heart here - This Really Is Unreliable Man, Please Help; and another - Tried Repairing It Until My Parts Hurt! Someone speaking from first hand knowledge, by the sound of things!

VOLVO: Very Odd Looking Vehicular Object; Very Old Lazy Vehicle Owner. These are just about all there are, barring variations on the same theme. Personally I thought there would be rich pickings in the Volvo genre, but perhaps the two Vs are a bit of a handicap.

VW: Very Weird; Virtually Worthless. Some literary giant has also rummaged through the Roget's Thesaurus and had a go at:

VOLKSWAGEN: Vehicle Owners - Losers Knowingly Suffering With All German Engineered Nonsense. Doesn't quite work, but a good eff

 

[Bartelby]

TESLA

twit-owned
energy-efficient
silent-as
lithium-powered
american auto

 

[Crocodile]

In this video we feature an Australian YouTube channel called RE driven ( based in Newcastle NSW) which features reviews and buyers guides on used cars,
In this episode AK Morris talks about the top 5 cars you could buy fir under 10k that exude cool. This video is now 2 years old so a few of these cars are more like 15k now including the BMW E28 but some can still be bought for 10k. There is also a Volvo 142 coupe in the list and Peugeot 504. Enjoy

 

[Crocodile]

Interesting video about the E21

 

[Crocodile]

Asking prices for a fair condition E21 would be around this

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/1980-bmw-3-series-323i-e21-auto/SSE-AD-12292971/

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

PONTIAC: People On Narcotics Think It's A Cadillac

That isn't the one I know. I'd probably get banned if I post the one I know.

BMW: Bavarian Money Waster.

Never buy a Mercedes or BMW turbo 4 engine.

 

[Vcore89]

E9 Coupe 30 CS

 

[Crocodile]

E9 Coupe 30 CS

This model is a beautiful car. It’s very expensive here:

 

[chrischris]

Thanks Chris, enjoy your day as well. Those E21 320 BMW’s are a nice classic, what do you think?

Thanks Chris, enjoy your day as well. Those E21 320 BMW’s are a nice classic, what do you think?

In this video we feature an Australian YouTube channel called RE driven ( based in Newcastle NSW) which features reviews and buyers guides on used cars,
In this episode AK Morris talks about the top 5 cars you could buy fir under 10k that exude cool. This video is now 2 years old so a few of these cars are more like 15k now including the BMW E28 but some can still be bought for 10k. There is also a Volvo 142 coupe in the list and Peugeot 504. Enjoy

Do we?....

 

[chrischris]

In this video we feature an Australian YouTube channel called RE driven ( based in Newcastle NSW) which features reviews and buyers guides on used cars,
In this episode AK Morris talks about the top 5 cars you could buy fir under 10k that exude cool. This video is now 2 years old so a few of these cars are more like 15k now including the BMW E28 but some can still be bought for 10k. There is also a Volvo 142 coupe in the list and Peugeot 504. Enjoy

Do 'we'?
Arent you a single person?

 

[Crocodile]

Do 'we'?
Arent you a single person?

Yes - we - pronoun - can belong to a personal gender.

We - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Crocodile]

Do we?....

See previous explanation

 

[Crocodile]

Here is another explanation of how a writer can use the term “we”, to gather rapport with his or her audience

Are We Ready to Discuss the Inclusive 'We'?

Inclusive we refers to the use of first-person plural pronouns to evoke a sense of commonality and rapport between a writer and his or her audience.

www.thoughtco.com

 

[onehandbh]

1987 - 1993 Ford Mustang 5.0 LX notchback.

Very accessible engine and readily available parts. Easy to mod. Engine lasts forever.
V8 and rear wheel drive.

 

[Crocodile]

1987 - 1993 Ford Mustang 5.0 LX notchback.

Very accessible engine and readily available parts. Easy to mod. Engine lasts forever.
V8 and rear wheel drive.

Good pick, affordable classic, less hassles, will increase in value, under stressed and can be worked on by the local garage mechanic.

 

[onehandbh]

Good pick, affordable classic, less hassles, will increase in value, under stressed and can be worked on by the local garage mechanic.

It's also reliable enough to be a daily driver, has normal ground clearance, and is pretty good in accidents. Don't ask me how I know about the last one.

 

[onehandbh]

And yet more:

ALFA: Aging Latin ****wit's Ambulance. Thanks Anthony

ASTON MARTIN: A Silly Toy Of Neurotic Middle Aged Rich Toffs Investing Needlessly

AUDI: Another Useless Deutsche Invention. Obviously written by someone with first hand experience - maybe someone who had one rust away into brown air in the 70's?

BMW: Bought My Wife; Brings Me Women; Big Money Waster; Broke My Wallet; Babe Magnet Wannabe, and LOTS more. There's a certain commonality of theme though, insinuating that Bavarian Motor Werken cars are expensive to run and bought by shallow image conscious airheads (See pic below).

and Craig R says it means 'Bavarian Manure Wagon!'

CADILLAC: Crazy And Demented Idiots Like Large American Cars. Nuff said?

CHEVROLET: Chevrolet's not a common Aussie brand so one example will do - Can Hear Every Valve Rattle On Long Extended Trips. There are heaps more for those who are interested, second in popularity only to Ford (see below)

CHRYSLER: Can't Have Refund, You're Stuck Leasing Edsel's Replacement. A clever one, but I'm sure most Valiant owners would prefer this one - Company Has Recommended You Start Learning Engine Repair!

DODGE: Drips Oil, Drops Grease Everywhere. I've got one and every word is true! And how about - Dad's Old Dead Garage Experiment. And - Don't Over Drive Gutless Engines. Thanks for that one, Tanner, but how can you say the 426 Hemi is Gutless?

EDSEL: Every Day Something Else Leaks. More to add to the Edsel's woes

FIAT: Failed Italian Automotive Technology, Feeble Italian Attempt (at) Transportation; or the well known favourite - Fix It Again Tony!

FORD: Of all car names, Ford has the most entries - three complete pages full on one site: Fix Or Repair Daily; Fast Only Rolling Downhill; First (or Fails) On Race Day; Found On Road Dead (thanks Sameer P): Funding Our Retirement Daily (from a mechanic`s point of view); and perhaps best of all: Driver Returning On Foot (Ford spelled backwards!)

GMC: Greatest Made Chevy (thanks Roger S)

HOLDEN: Holes, Oil Leaks, Dents, Engine Noises, and from Jason we have - Heaps Of Loud Disgusting Engine Noises. Come on Aussie come on!

HONDA: Had One Never Did Again; Hold On, 'Nother ******** Arriving; plus (and this is a true rarity among these acronyms) one that says something positive about the car - Happy Owners Never Drive Anything (else)

HYUNDAI: A bitter one - Hope You Understand Nothing's Driveable And Inexpensive; and a clever one - Hang Your UNDerwear Anywhere Inside

ISUZU: It Sucks, Unless Zero Used

JAGUAR: Only one entry - Junk Always Going Under At Repair Shop. I've owned three Jaguars during my driving history, and I've always felt that they're the ideal car for a handyman, as long as he's handy with money!

JEEP: Once again, a bitter one - Junk Engineering Executed Poorly; and a clever one - Just Enough Engine Power

KIA: Kick It Again; Keep It Away; Kill It Anyway, and another - Kills Innocent Americans (thanks to weatherman824) Hmm - a certain commonality of theme here too. Not bad for a company with a name that sounds like Xena Warrior Princess' battle cry.

LOTUS: Only one entry, but it's a good one - Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious. It's no coincidence that the acronym for the the Lotus Owners Of New York car club is LOONY!

MAZDA: Mostly Always Zipping Dangerously Along; Made After Zero Design Analysis. Z's are always hard to work into these things

MERCEDES: Many Expensive Repairs Can Eventually Discourage Extra Sales

MG: By and large the Pommie brands cop a bit of a bucketing, and MG is no exception - Merciless Garbage; Money Guzzler; MG-B: Might Go Backwards; the new MG-F: Might Go Forwards

MINI: Moron Inside Notably Insane

MINIVAN: Manhood Is Nonexistent, I'm Vasectomized And Neutered. Thanks to Nolan R for that one

MITSUBISHI: Not the easiest of names to work with, but someone's had a go - Mostly In The Shop Undergoing Big Investments, Sometimes Halfway Incomplete; and another - Motor Is Tough, Sounds Unbelievably Bad, Intimidates Slow Hondas Incessantly

MOPAR: Move Over, Professionals Are Racing, and thanks to Petey we also have – Mostly Old Parts And Rust

NISSAN: Needs Imminent Salvage So Abandon Now. You have been warned!

OLDSMOBILE: Someone worked hard on these - Old Ladies Driving Slowly Make Others Behind Infuriatingly Late Everyday; and another - Old Ladies Drive Slow - Mostly Off Bridges Into Lake Erie!

PLYMOUTH: Please Let Your Mother Out Under The Hood!

PONTIAC: People On Narcotics Think It's A Cadillac

PORSCHE: Proof Of Rich Spoilt Children Having Everything. Can't argue with that one!

SAAB: Quite some bitterness here - Send Another Automobile Back; Swedish Automobiles Always Breakdown; Start Adding Additional Brakefluid; Sad Attempt At Beauty. And you've got to say this with a California drawl - 'Yuppies don't cry, they just Saab'. LionsFootball61 sent me - SAAB: Still Ain't A Beamer and Slow As A Buick!

SUBARU: Screwed Up Beyond All Repair Usually

SUV: Not a brand, I know, but most places are inundated with them - Selfish Useless Vehicles, SubUrban Vans, Stupid Ugly & Vain (thanks Michael T for all these)

SUZUKI: Space Usually Zero Unless Kids Inside

TORANA: Tons Of Rust And No Acceleration. And the SLR variant - Slightly Less Rust

TOYOTA: Some bitter ones here too, this time with a local flavour - Taking Our Yen Out Through Australia; The One You Ought To Avoid, They Overcharge You On Their Accessories, and Take Off Your Oversized Tires ******* (thanks to Rob P for that one!)

TRIUMPH: A cry of depair from the heart here - This Really Is Unreliable Man, Please Help; and another - Tried Repairing It Until My Parts Hurt! Someone speaking from first hand knowledge, by the sound of things!

VOLVO: Very Odd Looking Vehicular Object; Very Old Lazy Vehicle Owner. These are just about all there are, barring variations on the same theme. Personally I thought there would be rich pickings in the Volvo genre, but perhaps the two Vs are a bit of a handicap.

VW: Very Weird; Virtually Worthless. Some literary giant has also rummaged through the Roget's Thesaurus and had a go at:

VOLKSWAGEN: Vehicle Owners - Losers Knowingly Suffering With All German Engineered Nonsense. Doesn't quite work, but a good eff

@Bartelby
Any acronyms for the Chinese car companies?

e.g. Geely, BYD, Nio, Cherry, GWM Ora, Omoda, XPeng, etc.

 

[dr325i]

What’s the deal about BMW’s

Well like many European cars many BMW’s are very complex and expensive to buy and maintain. My mechanic used to say that BMW stands for Big Money Wallet, Even old BMW’s that have classic status can cost a fortune;
However the good news is that there are options out there that are still affordable, simple to work on and classy cars to buy.
A lot of mechanics suggest that the better options for affordable clastic car BMW ownership are the ones pretty much made before they became too complex and that was somewhere around the mid to late 90’s, Next I will talk about which BMW’s you could hunt down.

On my 12th BMW and never had an issue with any of them…small things and regular maintenance stuff…

E46 M3
E90 325i
E87 120d (my wife, then my sister still owns it)
E92 335is
F30 335i
F80 M3
F80 M3C
G20 M340i
G01 X3 (my wife’s)
F87 M2C
G26 430i (my daughter)
G80 M3

 

[Bartelby]

@Bartelby
Any acronyms for the Chinese car companies?

e.g. Geely, BYD, Nio, Cherry, GWM Ora, Omoda, XPeng, etc.

BYD = Beijing Your Day?