1983 BMW 320i | Retro Review

Cars were slow and sad in the early 80's but its cool to hear John comment on the exhaust note and the shifter making this 320i a blast to drive!
Show 205 | Original Airdate 10-19-1983
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[@houseofno]

I used to own a 1981 320i. I LOVED that car. Lost it under twelve feet of water in Hurricane Katrina. The 1983 model was the last of this platform in the USA.

[@hertzair1186]

Almost traded my 1980 Audi 4000 for a 1981 320i…..back in 1986.

[@apj341]

My first BMW in 2000 was a 1979 320i in clown yellow and automatic transmission. I bought it off of Craigslist for $700. It was gutless and unimpressive. I gave it a MAACO silver paint job for $500 and sold it off for $700. By then I had bought a 1984 533i for $1,500 off of eBay and it had power and style. Although it also was an automatic I do miss the 533i.

[@parkerc8260]

this is a crazy long shot but do you mind mentioning what color it was? I'm from Baton Rouge and my dad sold his 320i a few years before Katrina; it was the only car he had throughout my entire childhood and I always wondered were it might have turned up

[@houseofno]

@@parkerc8260 mine was Alpina white but I can't remember if the interior was blue or black. I was working at HPI in Harahan Louisiana when I bought mine in 2002. It got towed from the enclosed parking space where I kept it before Katrina. Had I known the area was going to flood under 12 feet of water I would have parked it on higher ground. Was your father's name Brad by any chance?

[@pmafterdark]

Remember these cars. Hard to believe it's been 41 years now.

[@CACar_Nation]

Did bmw seem fancy back then?

[@unowen-nh9ov]

​​@@CACar_NationThey were German so they seemed expen$ive, even when they began in North America with only 4 cyl. 2 door 2002 sedan they were priced like domestic pony cars, people paid premium for their engineering. 1 reason BMW self-identified as premium vs. luxury or sport, you had to pay 4 it, originally they were unknown, eventually only a few even knew what BMW stood for.

[@sentiencepsn2714]

Beautiful car. Still think this was the peak of BMW styling.

[@unowen-nh9ov]

1st generation of 1 sausage 3 sizes 3/5/6/7 by '60's Mercedes designer Paul Bracq.

[@DezDye]

I purchased an '83 320i S package in 1991. I sold it in 2009 and it is still one of my favorite vehicles I've ever owned!

[@arn7992]

The test car $16,500 = $51,700 today.

[@RabbiJesus]

Back when these were still simple, clean and fun.

[@rmp5s]

...and slow. You forgot that.

[@thimble288]

​@@rmp5sSlow and still better to drive than your car

[@rmp5s]

@@thimble288 Bold statement not knowing what my car is.

[@thimble288]

@@rmp5s not really! Having driven a number of 320i, and plenty of the type of thing that keyboard racers seem to idolize, it's an educated guess

[@rmp5s]

@@thimble288 rofl...yea, OK. 🤣

[@troynov1965]

One of my friends mom had one of these. They were from a well to do family. He would borrow it sometimes and man that car was nice and drove like a dream.

[@curtiscummings4399]

I had a ‘85 325 e Maroon with beige leather. What a beautiful car

[@ronsmith4325]

Had an '82 320i during high school in the late 90's, ended up becoming a money pit and had to part with it. Still miss that car, but I did replace it with an '83 Celica Supra which was fun.

[@douglasb.1203]

The 82-86 Supras are incredible.

[@alphamaledriveshard]

Awesome choice. I have an '83 Supra as my daily driver with a slightly more powerful 7MGE engine and it's a joy to drive. What's funny is back in '83, the Supra cost about the same as a base model 320. But while the base 320 didn't even have air conditioning, the Supra was fully loaded and had a 2.8 inline 6.

[@ronsmith4325]

​@@alphamaledriveshardI always wanted to do the 7MGTE swap back in the day. The 5MGE was a great engine, plenty of torque, but it needed just a little more oomph. That being said, it still put a hurt on some of the Honda's that people thought were fast. Lol. How I miss the days of being able to get cars like this for under $3000.

[@Cheezwizzz]

Comes with a tool kit, a nice touch considering you don’t even get a friggin dipstick on some modern cars!!

[@brianeighties4481]

And a full sized spare that was the a 13inch basketweave or turbine alloy rim it had them.

[@unowen-nh9ov]

Haven't modern BMWs eliminated both?

[@Porsche996driver]

I had an early 323i 2.3L straight 6 while stationed in West Germany from ‘85-90. It was a jewel with that little 6 and 5-speed. They never sold it here until the next gen.

[@ChristopherOvrebo]

I can't hear that "throaty exhaust" John over that screaming fan

[@fernandorocha-dx1wv]

Very beautiful and luxuous car this BMW 320i 83

[@mega-hb4re]

My dad had a 79 and it was a beast , the engine was like a rally type car

[@glennleslie6127]

I once drove one as a kid from one dealer to another in FL in 1983. And they paid me to do it. It was wonderful...

[@mr.butterworth]

Back when I was little, in the early-mid 80’s, a friend of my mom’s bought an older 320i. It felt and sounded racy and firm to ride around in. And it had that particular musty vinyl smell that all BMW’s of that era had. All this is to say that it seemed very different from the domestic cars I’d been in up to that time, from the POV of a child. BMW is all junk now, but I’m sure my recollection of that burgundy 320 helped fuel my passion for the marque in the 90’s and very early 2000’s.

[@geemanbmw]

I couldn't agree more with you, it's just for it was the 1970s & 1980s . Bmw stopped making decent reliable cars when they started doing turbo charged in all their cars and they are still going through the teething process , it ain't easy

[@kristoffer3000]

@@geemanbmw Their turbo cars are actually really good but okay.

[@joeseeking3572]

When I was a little kid, and the family car was still a Squire wagon, Dad was very impressed with his softball teammate's 2002. That guy still had small kids, so it sort of made sense in the family. Little did I know that flash forward several years and Dad had his own business that a seed had been planted. "The next car", he told me, as a car nut 12 or 13 year old, was "going to be something special." I figured a Cadillac, cause we had a Grand Prix, and what was the next logical step (so I skipped a few). Instead is was a 5 series - so austere - so NOT a Caddy. No power seats, no decent AC, no button tufted color matched interior! But, even as a passenger, I began to notice - competence. And country roads. And the way Dad drove now :) In any event, many more followed both for him and his two sons. I'm still in a 5 (I have two - one newer and one a stick shift I just won't part with) And yes, it might be wiser not to have these with 16 year olds around; Dad found that out too; twice.

[@unowen-nh9ov]

Great Aunt & Uncle drove Ford LTD barge, once passengered to Fla. in another couple's Mercedes Diesel 240D - my Aunt Mary almost never recovered.

[@Monkeyboy2457]

I had a white 1982 323i back in the early 90's. The black and gold JPS racing BMW's were very famous in the 80's. I went along for a test drive of the new bubble shape 1993 model 320i when it first came out with a friend's dad. It still had the 2.0 litre slant 6. That engine was beautiful, silky smooth and fun to drive.

[@unowen-nh9ov]

JPS was Lotus F1 racing livery, BMW M red, blue, purple tricolor since early '70's (though used car dealer put gold BBS Mahle on my Sienna Brown E9, matched the interior).

[@nwezetx1]

Elsewhere? 320i wasn't sold in USA in 1993.

[@Monkeyboy2457]

@@nwezetx1 In Australia 🇦🇺. It was a 5 speed. The engine was only 2.0 but it had an in-line 6. Was a great car but not as good as the E21 and E30 BMW’s.

[@nwezetx1]

@@Monkeyboy2457 Australia...makes sense.

[@A5PEN-W0LF]

I've only had one daily driver. A 1980 BMW 320i. My dad was extremely angry when I bought it on my 16th birthday. He loved "American steel", so he'd always call my 320i "the Hitlermobile". Funny thing is, "the Hitlermobile" is still going, while his '92 Oldsmobile broke down in 2001.

[@armandodimarzio1136]

$16,000 back in 1983 was a lot of money

[@gregorydugan7874]

A solid $50,000 in today's $$$

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

True....26k for a C4 was too

[@Jeymez]

it was, but the average also paid $6.50 to $7.85 an hour, so as you were in that price range you can afford. $6.50 an hour roughly translates to $14.000 a year. people just need to learn how to budget, and stay away from credit cards. that was a nightmare back in the 90's, also stay away from cash for clunkers and craigslist. nothing ever good comes from craigslist.

[@1234597114]

Those things were everywhere in the 80’s

[@RobCamp-rmc_0]

Interesting, this _should_ have been called the 318i, as it had the 1.8L from the Euro spec model there, while the real 320i got the 2.0L straight six rated at 125 PS (123 hp)

[@KingCast65]

Correct!

[@05gtdriver]

The early('77-'79) E21s got the 2.0L inline 4 cylinder in North America. The '80-'83(like this one being tested received the 1.8L), as did the subsequent E30 model introduced in NA in 1984, while being renamed 318i.

[@Dan-uq4mf]

My 83 is had a 1.8 liter

[@KingCast65]

C/D stated "less is more" however because much like the 528i the car ran better and not thermal reactors.

[@nwezetx1]

​@@05gtdriverE30 debuted in USA in 1983.

[@noahboy6349]

The BMW 320I was a popular car back then.

[@solarflare1008]

Those are hard to find. The 80s was the BMW era by far.

[@Knowbetter69]

I had a 1987 BMW 325e

[@geemanbmw]

​@AmericaFirst069 i had a 1986 325es with a ETA motor it had more torque than horsepower and it had electric windows that you could roll down if they had failed same with the sunroof..i sold that car with 300k miles on it abs bought it with 105k ,5speed and on the drives door jam it said Made in West Germany❤

[@justme307]

They are hard to find because they were throw-away cars. It cost more to fix and keep them on the road then they were worth. Plus you couldn't impress the Joneses with a 10-year old BMW.

[@fernandorocha-dx1wv]

@@Knowbetter69 BMW 320e and 325e 85-88 is my favorites

[@thimble288]

​@@justme307they really weren't that hard to work on. At all.

[@jay_hibb4787]

This was my first car (2013) and I still own it. It is in fact very……very slow.

[@justme307]

I agree with that. I owned two back in the 80's and 90's, both 4-speeds, and they are nearly 20-second 1/4-mile cars as seen in this MW road test. But, much like the fish that got away, legends grow over time. Today, memories recall these being 15-second flat cars!

[@basshead.]

s85 swap it

[@Tony_417]

It must look nice parked outside your doublewide trailer

[@thimble288]

​@@Tony_417what you got parked in front of your mom's house?

[@HesCNile]

In 1982 I bought my first new car, a 1983 Plymouth Horizon. Interestingly, your review of a 1982 Plymouth Horizon was 0.2 seconds quicker in the 40-55 test and only 0.1 seconds slower in the quarter mile and tied in the 500-foot acceleration test. My car was mechanically identical to the test car. All for less than half the money. That Plymouth had a 2 bbl. carb that opened a much larger secondary, giving it outstanding acceleration for what it was.

[@sileighties]

aw my e21 looks just like this. same year and all! love this video and love my e21 🫂

[@Steve-gc5nt]

That cold open though 😂

[@will7its]

Cheeze whiz......

[@RogerMoore-gq7ck]

My cousin had one , I loved that car.

[@soundseeker63]

Wow that US spec front bumper really did a number on the front end styling of this car! It was otherwise a pert and pretty classic European 2-door. I'm confused by the badging though, surely its a 318i not a 320i? Either way its a cute and fun little car, so vastly removed from anything BMW make today. And more is the pity!

[@gs1150adv]

I still have my 1990 325i w/98K all original miles/garaged kept. Amazing good car. Like the review...

[@saladsalad9991]

I drove a 1987 325 w/ 5speed manual, American bumpers, with 150k miles on it through highschool/college from 2005-2008 (paid $2k cash for it). Engine died in it at 175k. Parked in my folks barn all that time since. Then, during the pandemic, I researched the going prices for it.... some idiot bought it from me for $9,000 cash in 2022. It was an absolutely roached car but people are willing to pay insane prices for them. My dad bought a 3.0 CS coupe for $20k back in the mid 2000s. That car is worth over $100k today.

[@ronsmith4325]

Awesome! Hang onto it... Not many original and unmolested examples left.

[@soundseeker63]

@@saladsalad9991 There's a lesson to be learned there!... Buy a few original E46s while they are still cheap and tuck them away for a decade or two....you'll be glad you did!

[@TrailBlazerSS502]

These were, and still are, the finest old-school B-machines ever desired.

[@BanjoLuke1]

Fascinating peep on the rear-view mirror. This was the very end of the E21, a charming and significant milestone along the BMW road. The comment about the hard seats was telling. BMW, Mercedes and VW all made cars with hard but extremely comfortable, ergonomic seats back then. After 500 miles they still felt comfortable and supportive. By contrast, Europeans crossing the Atlantic and driving GM, Ford and Chrysler airport rentals would moan about the absurdly soft and squishy seats. I like both types... But I do know I'd rather have been in a BMW if I was going to spend a few hours at the wheel. Excellent little snapshot of the past.

[@robertc5200]

Favored by doctors and lawyers , the rest of us were relegated to Pontiacs , Datsuns and Oldsmobiles.

[@therealjayseh]

Yuppies drove these

[@youtubecarspottersguide1]

@@therealjayseh so true ...... "BMW the ultimate ultimate driving machine "

[@Stressless2023]

Hey I had a new 1984 Pontiac 1000 that I bought right out of highschool (cheapest new car you could buy back then and the only car that I could get approved for financing) 😂 Loved the BMW models but I couldn't afford one until I traded in my 1988 Lincoln Mark VII that I replaced the Pontiac with for a brand new 1992 BMW 540i - The rest is history as can be seen by my KZbin photo lol - Although I have a 2021 Cadillac CT5-V now but I still have my old 2009 E60.

[@robertc5200]

@@Stressless2023 I loved those Lincoln’s , they were very unique for their time . Had a 1991 318i and a 2002 325 back in the day. Both were fun

[@akshonclip]

I’d take a Datsun 240z over this any day.

[@simplygregsterev]

This is the start of 20 years of Excellence from BMW. 1993-2003 was peak

[@nrken1]

I always loved this design on the 320, especially the dashboard with no display screen to ruin it's attractive appearance

[@michaelorlando6159]

I restored an 83 320i very impressed with the car. They rust badly in the floors and rear strut towers. Otherwise a fine sports sedan really fine..

[@987plo]

Its sad that most people cant or wont drive manuals anymore....they were alot more fun

[@KyrosTheWolf]

It's amazing how small these used to be compared to the modern 3 series, which is huge

[@JK-yu7hj]

85 mph speedometer, combined with that breathtaking 19.9 1/2 mile at 76 mph, that speedometer seems appropriate in retrospect. Not the best time for the auto industry to be fair, even Corvettes were making less than 200 hp in that era.

[@RobJaskula]

82 and 83 are by FAR the slowest cars in all these old MotorWeek reviews. The malaise was strong. There's a 1982 Pontiac review on here they couldn't even get up to 60 miles per hour on a flat tarmac!

[@Porsche996driver]

40 years later he’s still saying see ya next week! ✨

[@WheelmanMike]

Roughly $40K in todays dollars

[@rootsmanuva82]

Missing: I owned a mint Jade Green 1978 320i with a rare 5-speed manual. I tastefully lowered it on Bavarian Autosport springs, Bilstein shocks and Ronal R10 Turbo wheels with 205/50/ZR15 Pirelli P700Z tires. Ansa exhaust, 320is sport steering wheel and Recaro seats. I was pulled over driving without insurance (I honestly didn't know my insurance expired... I was young and dumb) in 2003, vehicle was impounded, and I never saw it again. Since it happened on a Friday, by the time I got everything together to get it back the bill was thousands of dollars. Lesson learned. If any of you have seen it please let me know! I still wonder what happened to it 21 years later.

[@markl5562]

BMW at the time was in a whole different galaxy than US cars they were matching up with in the marketplace. It was like Alabama playing against a community college football program.

[@alphamaledriveshard]

No. Lovely car. But it doesn't make sense to me. A base model 320 doesn't have air conditioning. But costs the same as an '83 Supra. The Supra was not only fully loaded, but it also had a powerful 2.8 inline 6 and handled much better. Stopped quicker too.

[@rodmunch69]

In the last decade I've owned three BMW 4-series, and I can't overemphasize how important the M-Sport package is to getting a car you want to keep. Two of the three had the M-Sport package, and they're two of the best driving and fun to drive cars I've ever owned (and I've owned a lot of sport cars) - where as the one did not have the M-Sport page and just felt like a faster version of any rental car you've ever driven. It's remarkable the difference that package makes. Also, for the record, having owned both a 435i M-Sport and 428i M-Sport, I'd absolutely recommend the 428i any day of the week. While it's slightly slower, the lighter engine means the car is more balanced and less nose heavy and it makes a difference you can really feel. It's like the chassis was built around the 428i engine, as you can drive it nearly flat out and never feel like you're going to get yourself in trouble. The 435i is faster, and you can feel it, but it's just not as 'tossable' and the speed difference isn't really enough to make up for what you lose in handling and fun factor. Also, if you care, the 428i gas milage is quite noticeably better. In any case, take from me this important lesson - never buy a base BMW, always spring for the M-Sport package or at least the handling package, it's literally like you're getting a totally different, and much better, car.

[@Jwdude123]

BMW isn’t what it used to be

[@rodmunch69]

@@Jwdude123 If you mean they're more reliable and better built, you're correct.

[@blueberrycobbler]

@@rodmunch69Mechanics would disagree with you.

[@rodmunch69]

@@blueberrycobbler old BMWs were unreliable trash, just like old Caddy's, old Chevy's, old Mercedes, etc. People act like modern cars are poorly built when you can literally go 100k miles without even needing to open your hood. The fact you can't fix it yourself, the fact that Zeb down at the Shade Tree Mechanic Shed can't fix it himself, doesn't mean it's less reliable.

[@deaconblues80]

Couldn't agree more. I have a 2014 228i with the M Sport package and a 6 speed and it's one of the best and most enjoyable cars BMW has made in the last 25 years... classic styling, razor sharp handling, and plenty of power. The 2002/E21/E30 DNA is evident.

[@DarthWaffle.]

When BMWs were good

[@user-zx8de8op9l]

My parents where driving their new car they bought in 1972 a Volvo 140, when it finally gave up its drive shaft. I was hoping we would get something cool, as our other car had be grandpa’s Vega wagon. Nope they bought my dad’s co-worker’s Malibu wagon, which he eventually want to buy back, after his Dodge Ram van problems.

[@teevee2145]

Those cars sent me to prep school. They were gutless...but solid.

[@VDPEFi]

320i was a 4 cylinder? In Europe 320i was a 6, 316 and 318 were 4s

[@bb_lz9790]

I wanted one of these so badly in '83. I ended up with a 4-door Saab 900 which I enjoyed for 13 years. Never did end up buying a BMW...

[@JJVernig]

"This is a pedal to the metal-car" They all were early 80s! At least you could have some fun without your licence automatically in danger!

[@TannerMason]

Your license may not have been in danger, but your life sure was.

[@soundseeker63]

One of the benefits of a relatively underpowered car - You can use all of it without the need for electronics constantly cutting in to knock it back and keep you from spinning off and crashing. At least you could in the dry. In the wet, probably not!

[@brianeighties4481]

My first car was a bmw 320i identical to the one shown. It was nice to drive at the time.

[@marshalmagooo3899]

Joyce was a rockstar... I would buy an ocean front property in Nebraska from her

[@klonoa310]

This very year e21 was my very first car. Talk about pearls before swine…

[@mikemc330]

Fun cars.

[@carguy7627]

That thing had massive nose dive on hard braking, was super slow, had massive body roll and was probably as good as anything in the price range in the early 80s. Although I lament cars getting so heavy, I'm sure glad that they're better than this.

[@adammarkowitz7944]

101 Horsepower. NEXT! I remember these cars: pretty, expensive, fun, and slow. 1/4 mile in 19.9 seconds. Fortunately, the stopwatch lady was poised and at the ready, though she might have used a calendar. Slow, is what I'm saying. And these cars were $20,000 in 1983, once you were out the door.

[@cserd8734]

Ahhh my first car, so much fun

[@thomash2806]

Those bumpers were just ridiculous. And I’m sure they were no safer than the standard ones.

[@gordonmills2748]

I have the modern "baby" BMW - a 2016 228i convertible. I didn't need to be a junior partner, just buy it used. It has a 4 banger that sounds like a wounded dust buster, but it is pretty quick if you push it, and is better in almost every way. Except fuel economy for some reason. I'm headed out soon to fill up the tank, and my average for the week is (drumroll)...the same as in this test. 29mpg.

[@unitedcity_mc4421]

Better in almost every way? Such a lie. My friend had a red '81 320i he bought new. It was the best car he has ever owned. It handled and drove very well and no issues at all. It even looks better today than it did back then.

[@gordonmills2748]

@@unitedcity_mc4421 You forgot to add "now get off my lawn!"

[@unitedcity_mc4421]

@@gordonmills2748 alright, now get off my lawn.

[@kristoffer3000]

@@gordonmills2748 Uphill both ways, in the snow, Sonny!

[@dohc1067]

A European classic and icon.

[@randon32ndFan]

I've owned and sold: Porsche 928, VW Passat W8, VW Jetta VR6, Audi A4 2.0 and a 1972 BMW 2002... of them all, I most regret selling my 1979 320i, single family car, dad bought new and gave to me when I went to college.

[@jeffeverest1]

I've got a 1979 bmw 320 in storage. Love that car.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

Love the looks of these old BMWs. I would rather have something from this era than anything modern.

[@mattwolf7698]

Pretty crazy to think that even a luxury brand like BMW had optional air conditioning back then, I guess it's because it's not as needed in Europe.

[@rheijm9201]

Amercans, in ways we cannot know our only infos being Meryl Streep and Billy Crystal, (can) go to hairdresser s and car mechanics like visiting their granny. It s like you have a fund / treasury for it, or ya dad sneaks up, pick up tab, i dont know. We, in Europe pay loads o money for repairs. Car brands were enlightened, customer focused (crazy huh?????) and Aware Of Future. Not fitting these. Obviously second hand cars have malfunction airco a lot, also when offered on sale in showroom or shed. So that hurts image of branche as a whole, too. On pers. level; Obviously, it requires fluid and maintenance..and how often use it? 6 times per year. It is expensive..it just is. If you calculate .. So this is why. What the catch is of pickups weight 2000kg i never found on the net, its not like US preferences are so very transparently publicated BTW

[@ralphhargesheimer1230]

I had an 323i, I liked this car most, and I had certain BMW up to M 535i.

[@eddiejones856]

Man! I wanted 318/320 BMW. The Army finally transferred me to Germany in 1987 and by that time I was married with a kid so I settled with a new 1988 Honda Accord.

[@Jwdude123]

Bad life decisions

[@kzyho]

BMW produced also, far better in my opinion, 5-series. It was more family-friendly as for space inside and from 1992 it had even touring version. You just wanted bad model of BMW. You should have chosen 520 or 525 or even 530 :)

[@fijitears]

I saw this at my car wash on Friday. Dude was going to Cars and Curry.

[@Xyy2387]

This was my first car. Totaled it within 2 weeks, but those were two great weeks.

[@edmondocerza4292]

I remember vividly as a teen visiting the US back in the 80s from Europe and coming across one of these. My father had a 325i as a company car in Italy and it looked so different. I thought the park bench like bumpers were some sort of mod on that specific ca, probably for some kind of movie/advertisement of sorts then after a while I came to the realization that all European cars got the same uglification treatment due to safety regulations. To this day I'm surprised that BMW, Audi, Mercedes did sell as well as they did. The lines of these cars just got butchered...

[@jameswillard1]

What’s funny is as a result of growing up in this era, and only being exposed to US cars, I think the European bumper cars look awkward 🤦🏻‍♂️😆

[@VideoAmericanStyle]

Almost hard to believe this is the same company making that bloated, uninspired lineup of today.

[@TomK-ti8kp]

BMW is in the business of making money, and the people with money want bigger cars and SUVs. That’s just fact.

[@soundseeker63]

@@TomK-ti8kp That's true, but you could still attempt to make money in a tasteful and socially responsible manner. BMW of today clearly have no interest in doing either and have become a maker of ugly, tacky and bloated vanity machines. A far cry from the sweet, subtle and sporty little numbers they used to be known for.

[@TomK-ti8kp]

@@soundseeker63 I'm sad about that too. I love the E30 and E39 series. I wouldn't buy any new bimmer, but BMW doesn't miss my business as plenty of people will line up to buy new BMW X5s

[@unowen-nh9ov]

​@@TomK-ti8kpWhy Spartanburg biggest American exporter of vehicles past 8 years.

[@unowen-nh9ov]

I owned E9, M240i only car resembling it today.

[@blisterbrain]

Joyce's early '80s hairdo was definitely more becoming than the late '80s one!

[@boss12]

101 horses⁉️I need to sit down. That’s a whopping power figure.

[@JJVernig]

It isn't bad if you compare the base 3 series in Europe. A 3 cilinder with 136 HP, pulling a 1400 kg car. This is probably around a ton..

[@kristoffer3000]

@@JJVernig The turbo 3 has a lot of torque though

[@JJVernig]

@@kristoffer3000 And it sounds not half bad, and still RWD!

[@kristoffer3000]

@@JJVernig Also it's BMW so you know it's going to be underrated. My F20 116i with a 1.6 turbo engine is supposed to have 136hp as well, dyno tests however say they have 140hp... at the wheels!

[@AaronSmith-kr5yf]

Its absolutely CRAZY how much tastes changed with the general public in 10 years. In 1973 THE CAR to have was a Cadillac Coupe Deville. Or maybe an Eldorado or Lincoln Mark IV. Or if you were on a budget, a loaded up Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme with a 455 cubic inch V8. 1983, well the Cutlass was still a strong seller, but man the Coupe Deville and Lincoln were giving off the stench of OLD MANS CAR. Didn't help that the Lincoln/Cadillac were utter crap by this point, the fit/finish/interiors/engines/horsepower were far superior on 20 year old Lincolns and Cadillacs than the new ones.

[@lunarthespacecat7772]

i love the ix trim

[@MarkMeadows90]

My father in law owned one of these in an ugly beige color with brown interior. It was a good car when new, but somehow the keyed ignition didn't work quite well. So my father in law, being an engineer in the past, re-routed the ignition switch to work with the trunk button just to start the car! How unusual was that lol

[@fredsalfa]

These always looked like old cars even when they were new

[@htimsid]

What?

[@fredsalfa]

@@htimsid it looks like an old car. Even when it was new in 1983 it looked like an old car. It hasn’t aged well unlike some other BMWs

[@BradThePitts]

I'll never forget when I first heard that BMW stood for "Bought My Wife." 😂

[@geemanbmw]

Break my Wallet or to remember the 3 bridges crossing into Manhattan in order, Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge 😃

[@JohnEvans-ct6mz]

I’ve never heard “Bought My Wife” before, that’s awesome! My favorite is “Bavarian Manure Wagon”.😂

[@alexandermikhailov2481]

Brings More Women

[@patricktam4278]

If you gave me the choice between this 83 BMW 3.20 or a 83 Cadillac Cimarron, I’d take this BMW any day.

[@MPMeterman]

Not much of a choice 😂

[@philsmgb4393]

I'd take wooden Dutch shoes and a skateboard with three wheels over a Cadillac Cavalier.

[@lifelong5425]

Had one...loved the THING..that Beemer thing....Unfortunately, it was gutless...

[@LearnAboutFlow]

This and the next two generations were the best 3 series. These days they are built in Mexico and have zero driving fun

[@MacI-1970]

back when bmw was reliable

[@shanet7511]

Aside from Lexus, BMW is currently one of the most reliable luxury brands available, it not the second most reliable.

[@kristoffer3000]

They still are.

[@BabyBugBug]

@@kristoffer3000If you pay for the maintenance, sure. The maintenance is insanely expensive.

[@kristoffer3000]

@@BabyBugBug Really? I didn't know that! Then again I've only owned 3 BMW's in my life and my current one has been exceptional, it's also very cheap and easy to service. Funny thing is that people say these things without any actual knowledge, just second hand info from people that also don't know their arse from their elbow. ;)

[@BabyBugBug]

@@kristoffer3000Hmm? Arse? Ah you’re in Britain I’m guessing. BMWs are extremely expensive to maintain in the US. If you don’t believe me, go through the dealership prices for routine maintenance. I promise you it will always cost a large premium over a Toyota.

[@lazerblu]

Those US spec bumpers are hideous.

[@boyfrmnewyork]

Sweet car!

[@habbadabbado5765]

When BMW was a solid and reliable vehicle.

[@guinnessharvey4476]

As a European, seeing that front bumper makes me realise how many beautiful designs have been ruined by American safety requirements

[@teevee2145]

But better crash standards

[@guinnessharvey4476]

@@teevee2145not sure American standards are better than German?:)

[@formatique_arschloch]

​@@teevee2145Actually they are not even better. Those stupid bumpers didn't save anyone. Just politics.

[@dadgarage7966]

The opening dialogue was a touch contrived.

[@ryanhowell4492]

Cool Car

[@andreoates8405]

I drove that car to my prom it was my friends car. I swore I kept that car about two weeks and he needed it back.🥴

[@demal1010]

Good old dirty head VCR tapes

[@tpolerex7282]

Look at that adorable, tiny, kidney grill!

[@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe]

Looks like a sentra from behind.

[@cherkas009]

did it have a voltmeter

[@williamk5998]

Slow or not more engaging than any EV especially a Tesla.

[@XtaticVideo]

Why does it have front grills of E21?

[@peterbattle5702]

Best car to learn how to drive in MN

[@Deanyfromtheburgh]

powered ball type steering? It's rack and pinion, what are they on about?

[@onlysilv]

"4 Banger"

[@jareknowak8712]

Those 5-mph bumpers looks so wrong :/

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

4:32 🤦‍♂️the embarrassingly cringey "ballplay" is somehow no suprise for an 80's MW Retro Review 😆