BMW USED CARS

All of you have seen a picture of an E30 with tail lights that have a red turn signal section instead of the stock amber color. Many people agree that this gives the rear of an E30 more of a clean, European-type style. All-red E30 tail lights (these include red reverse light sections) are available for purchase at around US$300, and while the upgrade looks very nice, most people can't justify spending $300 on such a subtle modification. Luckily, there is a do-it-yourself solution to this dilemma. Most people opt to painting the amber turn signal with red model paint, and this article will explain the process of doing this.

Sport seats are the most desirable factory seating for the E30 chassis. They provide great lumbar support, hold you in place on those delightful twisties, and just look plain good. They came standard in the M3, 325iS, and 318iS. I believe they were available as a option on other E30's after 1987. The seat stitching on the M3 seats was horizontal, and is seen as more eye pleasing then the 'iS version of the seat, which is otherwise identical aside from the vertical stitching.

Attacking our 10 Best loop each year in a 3-series gives you the sense that this car has been designed for the sole purpose of oozing along that twisting, cratered section of pavement. There, it has a cohesive fluidity that's unmatched by any of its competitors. But then, the 3 feels similarly sublime on any other stretch of road, too.

From the 230-hp 328i that can achieve 30-plus mpg on the highway to the even thriftier and uncharacteristically responsive diesel to the unforgettable bawl of the M3's screaming 414-hp V-8 at 8400 rpm that gets the 0-to-60-mph job done in just over four seconds, the 3-series range is extremely broad. Body styles consist of coupe, sedan-including the resurrection of a fantastically subtle four-door M3-wagon, and folding-hardtop convertible.

Review and photos by Paul Williams
Well, that takes the wind out of your sails. Especially when driving BMW's 335i version of its new 3 Series Coupé, which has under the hood a 3.0-litre, direct injected, twin-turbo, inline six-cylinder engine that makes a whopping 300 horsepower and matching 300 lb-ft of torque.

The BMW engineers gathered at this event seemed particularly well pleased with these numbers, feeling that with the 335i they have conquered the contradictions between power and tractability, and furthermore, between ride and handling. Typically you can have one or each, but in the 335i, that conventional wisdom has truly gone away.

Type: Two-door, four-passenger, performance coupe
Notable: Sizzling performance, sultry looks, exclusivity
Available: September 2006
Pricing: Starting in the mid-to-high $40,000, to low $50,000 range, depending on model

The only real negative was the navigation system, whose avatar seemed to go mental in our car, barking out contradictory instructions one after the other, Click to enlargein rapid-fire sequence. It was a bizarre experience solved by switching her off (and recalling jokes about HAL in the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey"), using a paper map, asking directions and following signs. This still works quite well. Designed for the enthusiast, the 2007 BMW 335i Coupe is a driver's car that seats four adults comfortably, offers outstanding performance andClick to enlarge features a large 440-litre trunk for luggage on a long trip. It's packed with safety features, occupant conveniences (a motorized arm proffers your shoulder belt), and performance technologies. It must be considered the benchmark for all vehicles in this class.

The all-new BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon will make its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2005. With an exceptional harmony of elegance and athleticism, the Sports Wagon offers flexibility and practicality as well. Available in the US beginning in October 2005, the newest BMW Sports Wagon will continue the highly successful tradition of combining more versatile cargo space with the performance and handling of a sports sedan.

After hours of sitting in front of a blank computer screen, desperately trying to describe his feelings about the latest BMW 3-Series, our tattered and frayed automotive editor finds himself in an imaginary conversation with his conscience. The problem with the article lies not with the car itself, but with how to describe it without sounding like a junior marketing weenie from BMW headquarters.

"Here we go again, another incoherent rambling about the virtues of this or that European car. I mean really, Grant, after last month's glowing tribute to the Audi A4 and Volvo 850, how do you expect anyone to take you seriously when you say that you have just driven the best European car for under $40,000?"

The BMW 3 Series is a compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. Successor to the BMW New Class, it has been produced in five different generations and in no less than five different body styles. It is BMW's best selling vehicle, accounting for nearly 40% of the company's car sales in 2005.
E21, First generation, 1975-1983

The E21 line was produced from May 2, 1975 (1977 in the USA) through 1983. Originally a replacement for the BMW 2002, the first 3-Series was a two-door saloon model only. A factory authorised cabrio version was also built by Baur. The series was superseded by the BMW E30 series.