I miss having a car with a manual transmission, and I like how they look (and they seem to be cheap), but I dont know much about them. Could you still drive one daily? I drove a milano for 3 years as my only car, so I probably will put up with more hassle than most people, but some cars are just too old/hard to get parts for to use daily anymore.
Don't you hate it that you cannot edit thread titles?
I've never owned one, but had a 2002. As far as I know Bavarias may be a bit harder to get parts for, but that's just a guess on my part. I'm sure multiple folks here have had one and if I was smart I'd stop typing and
Haven't owned one, but the mechanicals are robust, and there aren't too many electrical systems to be concerned with. Rust is the major worry, and there might be some body panels and trim bits that are NLA, but BMW is pretty good about supporting old models.
Wow, I saw a Bavaria on the street yesterday. I hadn't seen one in about ten years. I thought they were all gone.
I had one back in school and an e28 a while back. Stout engine (make sure the oil supply tube to the head is working). You can pretty easily upgrade to a newer 3.5 liter m30 engine/injection, so plenty of e28/e34 drivetrain donors - supposedly the rear subframe will also bolt in or close to it. The carbs can be a little tricky on them, part of why some end up with injection. They were mostly 4 spds - there were a few 5-spds, factory 5-spds are unicorns, so a newer 5spd makes it a little more relaxed on the highway. Rust is the killer. I don't know where you live, but consider going somewhere very dry to find a good one. The prices on them are low, even for nice one. 3k should land a good driver 4-5 a really nice one and about 7k will get about the nicest one on the road.
I agree rust is the biggest concern
First import car I ever rode in. My 6th grade teacher had a new one in 72. At the time, there was a Beetle in town, so that was my image of imports. The Bavaria was quite a step up...
Bavarias are wonderful - great handling for such a big car!
Rust would be the issue. I miss mine, but not the rust.
Streetwiseguy wrote: First import car I ever rode in. My 6th grade teacher had a new one in 72. At the time, there was a Beetle in town, so that was my image of imports. The Bavaria was quite a step up...
So, you got into the car with the teacher, eh?
Cars are really undervalued (sexy sister E9 gets all the money love), you won't get into a classic BMW for less. You will be shocked that a car that big handles so well. Look for one that's had the original Solex carbs replaced with Webers--or had one of the injected lumps swapped in. The cars were kind of marginal on cooling (cracked heads were common on early M30s), but better radiators are available (and newer heads are just cast better). The seats used that horsehair looking stuff, it deteriorates and falls out. If the covers are good, you can just re-stuff them.
Rust, rust, rust, rust. Not as bad as the E9, but that's like saying D-Day in Normandy wasn't as bad as D-Day in Anzio.
These guys are your friends:
http://www.seniorsix.org/
I miss my E3.
Streetwiseguy wrote: First import car I ever rode in. My 6th grade teacher had a new one in 72. At the time, there was a Beetle in town, so that was my image of imports. The Bavaria was quite a step up...
Not my first import, but it was the first high-end car I'd ever driven - must have been in the mid-70's, I guess. I didn't feel steering that good again for another 30 years.
I had one, but I can't tell you anything about it except it was so rusty I never drove it. I got it in trade and it went on in a trade.
Just a little enabling...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1973-BMW-Bavaria-excellent-condition-beautiful-paint-/130698205500?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item1e6e38593c
$3300 with 4 days left.
Sore subject tree fell on the one I had at the yard , worker crushed it with the BBS wheels it had on it 10 or so years ago . He was fired that day .
My mom had one back in the mid '70's, and I was single digits old. The thing I remember most is the cooling issues, and the tool kit in the trunk lid.
Woody wrote:Streetwiseguy wrote: First import car I ever rode in. My 6th grade teacher had a new one in 72. At the time, there was a Beetle in town, so that was my image of imports. The Bavaria was quite a step up...So, you got into the car with the teacher, eh?
Yep. In the olden days, parents trusted techers, and allowed them to beat us when we deserved it.
She knew I liked cars, and took me for a ride. A few years later, her husband, also a school teacher, was driving us to a sports event at a nearby town. There was a very tight S curve in the bottom of the valley where the highway crossed the railroad, which he took at about 50mph. 
A good teacher can educate wherever they are.
Nice, I didn't realize they were quite that cheap. Does anyone know how much windshield glass costs for one? Most of the italian cars I like have $1k+(if you can even find one) windshields, I wonder if those are any better. I will probably be looking for an E3 or a w108 mercedes in 6 months or so, they seem to best fit what i am looking for (a cheap smog exempt euro car that probably isnt horribly rusted). I live in california, so fiats, lancias, alfas and old mopars are the only ones that are pretty much always rusty.
There's a lot of cheap rusty parts cars - worst case is a used windshield. I really don't think it's the same game as the italian car glass. Put it this way - $1000 would get you a couple of parts cars.
Travis_K wrote: Nice, I didn't realize they were quite that cheap. Does anyone know how much windshield glass costs for one? Most of the italian cars I like have $1k+(if you can even find one) windshields, I wonder if those are any better. I will probably be looking for an E3 or a w108 mercedes in 6 months or so, they seem to best fit what i am looking for (a cheap smog exempt euro car that probably isnt horribly rusted). I live in california, so fiats, lancias, alfas and old mopars are the only ones that are pretty much always rusty.
Most of the clean ones I've seen lately are California cars. Don't know about parts prices anymore, but what you want is someone who's part of the Mobile Tradition franchise. BMW's not as good as Mercedes on supporting older models, but what they do have is OEM (or equivalent) instead of CCS (Cheap Chinese, uh..Stuff. ).
You'll probably find more stuff available for a W108..but then you'd have to drive it, instead of an E3.
Windshield for a 3.0 Bavaria:
Clear: $194
Green tint: $365
Both available today from BMW.
Awesome, that's a lot better than the $700 I paid for the only windshield I could find for the Milano i had.
Have you seen the C&D Battle of the Beaters featuring the 1970 BMW 2800? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy5oCTRtgvg&list=UUOqhTsqySBCBTy571GArcXg&index=2&feature=plcp
I really really wanted one of these around 1990. Now I've got an E39, and I still want an E3.
pretty pretty car... but.. and I hate to say this.. It would be hard to choose between it and a nice e12 or e28
LoneWolf wrote: Have you seen the C&D Battle of the Beaters featuring the 1970 BMW 2800? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy5oCTRtgvg&list=UUOqhTsqySBCBTy571GArcXg&index=2&feature=plcp I really really wanted one of these around 1990. Now I've got an E39, and I still want an E3.
That was pretty cool! Thanks.
Aside to madmachine: An E12 or 28 would certainly be easier to find..
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