Where have all the BMWs gone?

So I was reading the latest GRM, with the Challenge coverage. I noticed on the cover there was a sneak peak to what brands were represented by the Challenge, and I obviously wasn't surprised that BMW was listed 1. Because BMW is always represented and 2. I knew full well that I brought a 318ti.

Then I thought to myself "huh I don't remember what other BMWs were in the $2015 Challenge...there must be at least a few E30s as always. Right?" So I flipped through the pages and was shocked to not find one other BMW than my Ti.

Where have all the BMWs gone?! Have E30s appreciated too much for the Challenge and most E36s not depreciated enough yet?

I don't know, but I can't stand the current E30 tax. I just hope it waits till I have another half dozen E28s before it hits those.

Most E36s in that price range need a lot of work. At least around here they do.

I was just wondering that today as well reading thru the issue.
I was guessing E30 tax. Seems like around here challenge budget gets you something a few months from the rockers falling off in your driveway, in either E30 or E36 varieties.

Also, the BMW parts cost some coin depending on the problems, since fixing some problematic E36s counts against the budget. I have just started to see decent E36s drop to budget price (at least what owners will post on Craigslist) sometime last year.

I have noticed the e30 tax doesn't just apply to complete cars but also used parts sometimes command ridiculous prices well beyond challenge friendly. New parts are not crazy cheap either and being 25-30 years old these cars will need maintenance!

I think that e36 cars that fall into challenge territory are often basket case examples that will take a lot of work to make complete. Once you factor in that they are heavier, more complex and tougher to work on it can move them out of the sweet spot of desirability. Your Bimmer was well bought and a great overall package but you are pretty knowledgeable about these cars and good with a wrench.

My $600 e30 quickly ate up every penny of its challenge budget in a couple of months with all the deferred work and previous owner hacks. In the year after the challenge I spent at least another grand on parts to update and repair old stuff. The next round of planned upgrades will push it to twice a challenge budget to make a really great weekend cruiser. I could remove parts, sell stuff and rework stuff to get it down close to challenge money but for me it is just too much fun and enjoyable to tinker with to not give it the care it deserves.

I think older bimmers are finding their way into the hands of those who want to customize and update without constraint and newer ones are not just as grassroots friendly to the uninitiated.

Also, in a post-Cash for Clunkers world, a $2000 car isn't what it was 10 years ago. Chump has normalized for inflation by making mission creep part of it's rulebook. You want to spend 4 grand on a chump car without any penalty laps? That's not very hard. Maybe the way to keep things even is to make the budget even lower. Only the heapiest heaps can compete. I'd rock the crap out of a $500 challenge. Plenty of awful Saabs and Volvos for that sort of money.

Cactus wrote: Plenty of awful Saabs and Volvos for that sort of money.

Bold words there Mate.

Hey, I'll be the first to admit, I really like awful Saabs and Volvos.

It's now all about the Infinitis.

JohnRW1621 wrote: It's now all about the Infinitis.

I thought it was Kia's now

JohnRW1621 wrote: It's now all about the Infinitis.

I guess the infinits didn't get hit as hard by cash for clunkers, but the sure as hell got hit pretty hard by the ugly stick

They do like to go BOOM...or so I read.

1) I'm glad I don't like bmw's. 2) infiniti's are not in right now. It's lexus. Ls/g's/sc400 with a cheap stick stuffed behind that 4.0 get results. 3) a 500$ challenge should be a thing. And when 500$ is set as the limit, that's it. None of this "I bought it for 45,000$, but sold 44,500$ worth of parts, so it's 'technically' a challenge legal car." You need to show a 500$ bill of sale that is documented, the car needs to look the part (so no fabulously stunning cars) and then those legitimate 500$ beaters need a roll cage, and that's it. Run em how Ya bought em.

If we're going to do a $500 challenge, can I run both my pitbikes? Together they're still under that budget.

Glad I got my E30 before the price hit... but it's true. I troll CL regularly for BMWs, and there just aren't nearly as many good ones out there, and it doesn't matter what you're looking for. Used to be, there was always a decent manual e23/e24/e28/e30 for a few grand. the good ones pull double what they did 8 years ago, and that's on the off chance you can find one. Older BMWs, like e3/e9/e12/e21 and earlier, are now impossible to find. I've seen one E3 in the last year that was worth the price, and yes, I tried to buy it, but someone else got there first.

In reply to gearheadE30:

I might have possibly bought the very last decent/running/driving/completely stock e21 for $1000 2 years ago.

Well, I take that back, it isn't completely stock.....it has a 5sp swap done on it(that Mark had no idea it had)

Where have all the BMWs gone? Looong time passsing. Where have all the BMWs gone? Long time ago.....

sorry... just had too

I was more upset there weren't any turbo Dodges!

Cactus wrote: If we're going to do a $500 challenge, can I run both my pitbikes? Together they're still under that budget.

You can, but they must be duct taped together. It's gotta be a "4wheeled vehicle"

$600 http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/bmw-318ti-project-1500-cleveland/69607/page1/

I'm gonna say it.

IT'S NOT AN E30 TAX! They are good cars, and they are finally beginning to cost what it takes to maintain one. Same thing has happened to dozens of other cars.

Yeah, but crap ones are costing what good ones used to cost. As long as E28s (better cars, IMO) don't ride their coat tails all the way up, I won't be too bummed.

E30s (and older BMWs in general) have sadly taken the place of Mk4 VWs as a desirable "stance bruh" vehicle. If the ones I see running around locally are any indication, not to mention the prices for beat examples, there is some serious flat-brim hat tax going on.

You guys are crazy. I can still find running e30's under a grand.

THis E36 325i was $1200 and a great daily driver for my daughter in law:

They are easy to find around here in decent, running condition in that price range. And for a Challenge car, one with torn seats and needing a bit of bodywork is no big deal. And hell, a $500 non-running one could have a 5.0 swap pretty cheaply and be under challenge budget.