What's your 'Short List' of BMWs you could and would own?

[rmiddendorf]

I was having a conversation with another member here and wound up making my short list of BMWs that would be desirable to me as a garage queen. I'm not saying that I'm ready to pull the trigger on one of these yet but could if the right car / price came along. They'd have to be less than 120k miles or restored:

E9 1969-1975 2800CS, 3.0CS, 3.0CSi
E3 1975-76 3.0Si
E23 1987 L7 *LOW MILES (<50k) SUPER MINTY*
E28 1987-88 535is *LOW MILES (<50k) SUPER MINTY*
E24 1987-89 M6
E28 1988 M5
E24 1988-1989 635CSi 5-Speed Sport Seats
E31 1990-1999 850i/Ci 6-Speed
E34 1991-93 M5
E34 1995 540i M-Sport 6-Speed

Some of those are out of my reach at the moment but I still keep my eyes open- my max is owning 3 cars at a time. I've never made that list before- just always in my head. That was fun. What's your list?

NOTE: I'm not soliciting posts of for sale cars in this thread. Keep that over in Cars For Sale / Wanted.

EDIT: I left off the 507, 3.0CSL, M1, 850CSi, etc because I doubt I'll ever be able to afford those. Trying to keep it realistic here.

[runningpanda]

e23 745i
e24 635csi
e28 533i or grey market M5
e34 535i touring
1971 2002tii
e39 M5 with style 5's
e38 750i
850csi
e92 M3 or 335i
Z3 M coupe
2010 Z4
I could own any of these. But I lack the money.

[Frybrid 524td]

What's the color code for "SUPER MINTY?"

[Mr.ProjectCar535]

I'd pretty much like to own anything before '96. The e36's and e34's are some of my favorite modern cars. As for classics, I'd sell my soul to own an 1800cs or 3.0CSL, I would only get them in decent condition and would barely drive them

But honestly I'd like an e30 for the right price. E30's and e28's are by far my favorite looking bmw's.

[535is-pa]

groupe A E24 635csi
alpina E9 csl.
euro E36 3.2ltr evo/gt.
e34 525ix wagon 5spped black on modena with throwing stars.

I own the other 2 on my list

[cfalco]

E28 533 (airport car), "m2" 2002, maybe a post - Bangle 5 series.

[Blue Shadow]

Well it is that time of year:

"Super Minty"

[slammin_e28]

E12 M535i
507
Z8

I get to drool over a Z8 all day at work. Maybe one day this Summer I'll be allowed to take it for a spin.

[Tammer in Philly]

I'm guessing most of the posters in this thread have never driven a good E30 M3, or else there would be some on these lists.

-tammer

[davintosh]

Jeez; where to start? In no particular order...

e23 745i
e24 635csi (can I pick one from George's garage? )
e28 M5 (would prefer a grey-market Euro, but a US-spec would do jus'fine!)
a Euro e34 540i Touring (with a manual transmission )
e36 M coupe (I know I would be a tight fit in the car, but I'd like to try it for myself all the same)

Of course, that's the somewhat realistic list; there's another list of unicorns I'd love to have but know pretty unlikely to ever find their way into my tiny garage... Like the ///M8, and an ///M1. An e28 Touring would be fun also! An Alpina B5 turbo... Probably a bit out of reach, but as long as I'm dreaming... Oh, and a 1956 507 would make me smile.

[davintosh]

... I get to drool over a Z8 all day at work....

Isn't that a bit hard on the paint?

[austin8753]

Where to start. There is SUCH a long list.

If I had room and money to accomodate all these cars, here's what I'd take:
-2002 ///M2 5MT S14
-E9 3.0 CSl 5MT
-E12 ///M535i 5MT
-E24 ///M6 5MT
-E28 ///M535i 5MT
-E28 535iS 5MT
-E28 ///M5 5MT
-E30 325iS PB 5MT
-E30 ///M3 5MT
-E31 850cSi 5MT
-E34 540iT 6MT
-E34 540i M-Sport or ///M540i 6MT
-E36/7 Z3 5MT
-E39 540i M-Sport 6MT
-E46 330i Sport 5MT

Ok, ok...back to Earth here. Here's a more realistic list:

-2002 ///M2 5MT S14-- Garage Queen
-E28 ///M535i 5MT-- Garage Queen
-E28 535iS 5MT-- DD
-E28 US ///M5-- Garage Queen
-E30 325iS 5MT PB-- DD
-E34 540iT 6MT-- DD
-E34 540i M-Sport or ///M540i 6MT-- Garage Queen

This doesn't include my E28, E39 or Camaros. Hopefully I'll have either a shop for all these cars or a nice, big garage at home

That is all.

[DURPILOT]

Tammer, no kidding!!
I was suprised to see only one e-30 M3 in the list so far......my personal favorite. I can also say for me, hardly any models past '91....BMW pretty much lost me with the Honda/Toyota look in 92-93.
I can see the beauty, just not compelled to want most.

[Kenny Blankenship]

Euro 1980 735i (manual HVAC, manual leather seats, manual tranny, sunroof)
Euro 1982-86 735i (manual HVAC, manual leather seats, manual tranny, sunroof)
Euro 1984-86 745i
Euro 1985-1988 535i or M535i
Euro 1980-81 M535i
Any E28, E34 or E39 M5
2001 750i or iL Sport
2.5L E30 M3
S5x engined E30 325i

[tangerineman91]

'78 M1
'56 507
'99 M Coupe
'95 540i
'87 Cirrusblau 535i. Oh wait, I have that.
'53 R68

[demetk]

What I'm driving now.

[Mike W.]

Oh jeez. Lets see.

2002Tii, restored with a 5 speed
Late 635Csi
M6 (E24)
E34 M5
E23 745i with 5 speed conversion
and maybe a 540i/6, undecided on E34 or E39

Really I'd settle for a nice big dry barn I could keep lots of projects in.

[m-racer]

I have been fortunate enough to have owned most of my favorites: 71 Alpina 2002ti; 73 Korman stg2 2002; 75 Alpina prepped 2002; 83 323i with M50 vanos mill; 74 S14 2.5 2002; 90 and 91 E30 M3's; tuned 89 E30 325is; 533i with Leo Goff stoker; E24 M6; E28 Alpina B9, 85 E28 Euro M5; 91 and 93 E34 M5; 01 and 02 S54 M-roadster and coupe, E46 Dinan S2 M3; 01 E39 Dinan S2 M5; 01 E38 740i Sport; 03 X5 4.6is and a slew of others. I loved them all for different reasons. The Dinan S2 E39 M5 was the best overall driving car of the lot, but was always broken. It was also the only BMW I have ever owned that had enough power (500 hp/490 lbs torque). Believe it or not, the X5 4.6is was also one of the best overall drivers. I will always have a fondness for the Alpina 2002ti (as it was just so light and quick and felt better than any other 2002 I have ever driven) and the E28 B9. I still have a few on my list: I have always admired Sia's E28 Alpina B7 and I would like to own an E30 Alpina B6 3.5S (E30 M3 body and chassis with a tuned Alpina 3.5 big six), an M1, and I am relentlessly, hopelessly in love with the Z8.

[Machtig]

Any and all ///M cars that I don't currently own.

[wkohler]

E12 M535i
E28 M5
E30 M3

[rmiddendorf]

Some of you have some pretty lofty lists! There must be more CEOs, Dr's and Attorney's here than I originally thought!

I think I could individually buy most of what was on mine for $15k or less, which is still a bit high for what I'd prefer to have in a garage queen but still realistic for me.

Tammer- When I think BMW I think about the I-6, so for some reason the S14 doesn't make my grade. However I've never driven an E30 M3 so may not be qualified to properly weigh in on this. Now why the M70 powered 850 is there is easy to explain- its basically 2 M20's smashed together in my mind so its related to the I-6s. And the M-Sport is sooooooo close to an M-car (plus I remember lusting after it in C & D when I was younger) its on the list also. But otherwise:

BMW = Inline 6.

[slammin_e28]

... I get to drool over a Z8 all day at work....

Isn't that a bit hard on the paint?

It's under a cover (far right). I absolutely love that car.



I forgot to add that 850. It's pretty ballsy. Straight pipes all the way back to quads. Sounds like a freakin' LeMans car!

[cddallara]

I just wanna do my m535i up stuartinmn style. That's it. Had an e28 m5. Have a 533i. Well, I would like an e34 or e39 touring...

[BDK]

Where to start. There is SUCH a long list.

If I had room and money to accomodate all these cars, here's what I'd take:
-E46 330i Sport 5MT

You would want the 330i or ci with the ZHP package and that comes with a 6MT...
Great Cars and very fun to drive....

My list consists of a Diamond Schwarz/Natur M535i with 3.8L S38....
E30 M3 mit S52
E24 mit S62

[Rich Euro M5]

If money was no object I'd like to own what I consider to be the pinnacle of BMW Engineering, a BMW 801D.



Of course it isn't of much use without proper packaging, so it would have to be installed in this.

[philip1]

My list is short
E28 euro M5
E30 euro M3

And the dream
502 v8 coupe

[EC]

Sunbeam Tiger

[rmiddendorf]

If money was no object I'd like to own what I consider to be the pinnacle of BMW Engineering, a BMW 801D.



Of course it isn't of much use without proper packaging, so it would have to be installed in this.

Well Rich, you certainly have a nice take on the thread.

[rmiddendorf]

Sunbeam Tiger

I knew someone would do that...

[tsmall07]

Realistic at some point in my life):
e34 ///M5
euro e34 ///M5 touring
e28 ///M5
euro e28 528i
e46 ///M3 (sedan)
e46 330i ZHP (sedan)
e9 coupe

I would like an e30 ///M3, but that would be for Shannon and she already has an e36 ///M3. I just am not very comfortable in most 3-series cars. Maybe it'll get better after I loose 30 lbs, but I'll still be a bit of a squeeze even at my target weight.

Unrealistic:
///M1
507