[Korvo]

Alright people,

This post is not F30 related, but I'm posting it here because I know some of you own vehicles other than an F30...

My girlfriend and I are interested in getting a third "fun" car. I've been looking at Z4's and older, smaller cars like the 1 and 2 series. We'd like to have a convertible if possible, and would prefer a hard top.

Ideally, I'd buy something, drive it, and then sell it years later for what I paid or even more. We don't live in an ideal world and I understand that.

Are there any older models that are going to continue to hold their value? Or an option that will hold it better than say a 328? Age does not matter.

Thanks!

[X2 Monstah]

Check this article out. Go with a 1er.
https://jalopnik.com/why-the-bmw-1-s...ssic-508797316

[Korvo]

Originally Posted by BSM F30

Check this article out. Go with a 1er.
https://jalopnik.com/why-the-bmw-1-s...ssic-508797316

Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate the suggestion. That article was a great read and made sense to me!

[X2 Monstah]

I love driving my wife's 1er. It tosses around like a go-cart (and it's only a base model 128). Totally different car than the 3 Series. We plan to keep it for a long time.

[Korvo]

Originally Posted by BSM F30

I love driving my wife's 1er. It tosses around like a go-cart (and it's only a base model 128). Totally different car than the 3 Series. We plan to keep it for a long time.

I've been keeping an eye out on CL and one of the first ones I saw was an orange 128. How's the steering compared to the F30?

[Sea-Tac]

I'd go with the 1 series with a strong possibility of the 2 series as well. Great little cars. Either one you can't go wrong.

[vooonoo]

Get a cheap E30 and throw the biggest motor you can fit in there

[X2 Monstah]

Steering on the 1er is great; not electric like the F30. Great road feel; tight; perfect amount of feedback from the road. I'd go with a 135 if I could do it over again. If you really want fun, go with a 1M...if you have $50k+ to spend. They'll be true collector cars before long.

[JamesWWIII]

Originally Posted by BSM F30

If you really want fun, go with a 1M...if you have $50k+ to spend. They'll be true collector cars before long.

ITT: OP asks for examples of fun $10k BMWs, Bimmerpost suggests spending five times his budget.

I love this place.

[Fuller]

Originally Posted by JamesWWIII

ITT: OP asks for examples of fun $10k BMWs, Bimmerpost suggests spending five times his budget.

I love this place.

Actually the 1M he suggested would probably be more than 50k these days. The asking price on clean ones was more like 60k+ the last time I looked. That's if you can find one.

[s3ri3s1]

e36 M3s are decent, and would leave you room in your budget for some mods/maintenance

[Korvo]

Originally Posted by Fuller

Actually the 1M he suggested would probably be more than 50k these days. The asking price on clean ones was more like 60k+ the last time I looked. That's if you can find one.

This is true. I was looking at the 1-series on carsoup and came across a 60k version and wondered how that was so expensive.

[X2 Monstah]

Originally Posted by JamesWWIII

ITT: OP asks for examples of fun $10k BMWs, Bimmerpost suggests spending five times his budget.

I love this place.

Lighten up, Francis. I was just adding to the conversation about the 1 Series being a fun car and thought I'd throw in the 1M as a great car. I did not mean to imply OP should go out and buy one.

[JamesWWIII]

Originally Posted by BSM F30

Lighten up, Francis. I was just adding to the conversation about the 1 Series being a fun car and thought I'd throw in the 1M as a great car. I did not mean to imply OP should go out and buy one.

Take your own advice, Francis.

Or did you somehow miss the ?

[dan of montana]

I am a bit biased by my own preferences, but I have an e36 M3/4/5 that compliments my F31 really well. The E36 is such a fun car to drive.

[Rox335i]

Might be out of your budget or it's not a bmw, but Honda S2000.

[redEYEjedi]

How about an e92 335i? 335is are still hovering around 15k though

[2000Z3M]

98-00 M roadster if you want a vert
e36 m3 if not

[upsidedownfunnel]

The E85 Z4 is a really fun car in either engine. The 3.0si is obviously faster but they're both smooth and the 3.0i and 2.5i are still fun.

The only cars where you might be able to trade in for equal or more value are M cars like the E30 or E46 M3 but your budget probably doesn't include any clean examples of either. The E39 M5 might also retain or increase in value, but again, it's out of your budget.

If you're spending $10k, you're not going to lose much if you just get a fun weekend car. Only M cars are collectible and the bubble on M cars has already started going up so finding a cheap one will be hard. You can take a chance on an E36 M3 convertible, but that car might never really go up in price.