As a continuation of today’s theme, you can find some pretty decent cars lingering on online listings sites. With all the great cars BMW has produced over the years, the E21 is an easy series to overlook. It has the unhappy position of filling the 2002’s shoes, which it did fine as a new car, but not so much as a classic. As such, it has 2002 power, but more weight from safety and smog equipment. It’s also a more muted driving experience than a 2002, having been upgraded to be a more luxurious car. All that considered, it’s still typical of BMW design and philosophy, so is worth considering if you’re looking for affordable alternatives. You can find this 1979 BMW 320i for sale in San Diego, CA for $3000.
In non-smog states, it should be safe to assume that you can retrofit a 2002-spec engine for more exciting performance, or perhaps even a six-cylinder engine since people do that to 2002s, and E21s were available with the 2.3 liter six in other markets. The light glasshouse with thin pillars, low belt line, and clear controls should make the car enjoyable to drive in themselves. While the paint appears to be a later BMW color, it suits the car well, and the interior is also very clean. The center console is even a normal version, not one of the weird a/c consoles that forces the radio to be housed in a vertical position. The car is said to run great, and is equipped with a 5-speed and has blue California plates as evidence of exposure to a car-friendly climate.
If that one’s not working out for you, check out its near-twin, this 1983 BMW 320i for sale for $2900 in San Diego, CA. The car looks equally decent, though the stance is a little high in the rear, and the center cap is missing from the right rear wheel. It has new discs and calipers, tires, engine and battery, but is said to still need some maintenance. Even the color is the same.
Rusty But Trusty 
November 16, 2013 at 1:23 pm |
I’ve had a few 320’s and they were very good, dependable, relatively simple cars and quite fun to drive. The 318’s that replaced them were nowhere near as sturdy and in my opinion don’t drive nearly as well.
August 4, 2015 at 7:03 pm |
For sale?