Vintage Versus Contemporary BMWs: the Pros and Cons
We love all BMWs. There is effectively a model for everyone, enthusiast or not, and no shortage of reasons why the brand has been popular with commuters of every kind for the past fifty years in America. While we firmly believe there is no competition between any BMW model and the competitors in their segment (okay, that’s pretty biased, just go with us,) what about how a particular BMW model stacks up against another generation? Today, we’re just going to run through a fun little thought experiment and compare the pros and cons of modern BMWs versus classic BMWs and let you decide which are more appealing to you and why. | 
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Modern BMWs offer significant benefits to comfort, performance, technology, safety, convenience, and virtually every aspect of driving… on paper. What they don’t offer to the same degree as their vintage counterparts, at least in my limited experience, are those stereotypical automotive journalist faux pas like ‘spirit,’ ‘soul,’ ‘passion,’ and ‘heart.’ I’m not saying they aren’t incredibly engaging, enjoyable, and highly capable performance or commuter cars. Modern BMWs, even just your basic F30 320i, will absolutely run circles around some of the most extreme M-cars of yesteryear. Unfortunately, I just can’t seem to catch on to the hype around the contemporary BMW. That’s why I wanted to do this little exercise to see if I could justify to myself why modern BMWs is every bit as appealing as a classic, and vice-versa.
First, let’s break down the good and the bad about classic BMWs. Since it is the car I have the most experience with, I have chosen the 3-series (including its pre-namesake ancestors) as the comparative examples. Since there was not much of a change between the E21 and E30, we are going to use elements of all three in order to establish a pro/con list. Yes, the E30 was definitely more modern than the E21, but the basic roots are the same. They’re small, light, engaging, and handle like go-karts. SO. What are the pros and cons of a vintage 3-series? | 
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Pros of a vintage BMW:
As we mentioned, the older BMW 3-Series like the E21 and E30 are incredibly responsive and engaging cars that make fun commuters, canyon carvers, build platforms, and track toys. They’re inexpensive, for the most part, and easy to work on or modify extensively. Not only that, but the interiors are still fairly cozy with available heated seats, feature power everything in most models, can easily be modified with modern head units and speakers for awesome media entertainment, and have an attractive ‘old school’ feel that is part of the appeal for these cars. Beyond that, they are cheap to own, reliable, are usually good at resisting corrosion and rust, and come in a range of trims and body styles to fit anyone’s needs.
Cons of a vintage BMW:
There are some downsides, though. E21s and E30s have the associated risks of aging components, a lack of power from even the best engines BMW had to offer for these generations, and the lack of safety/convenience features. They can be hard to diagnose if you are not a competent DIYer since you can’t just plug up a computer and see what the problem is, you just have to know what causes the symptoms you are experiencing. Of course, as these cars age, finding parts will also begin to become an issue, so that is something of a downside if you are considering a vintage BMW as your next project or even commuter. Not only that, but you won’t be saving any money on maintenance if you take your old E30 to a dealer. So if you aren’t the DIY type, you’ll need to have a trusted mechanic that specializes in those cars to service your old BMW without charging an arm and a leg. In that respect, they can quickly become as expensive or even more expensive than a modern equivalent. Which is a perfect natural segue. |
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Pros of a modern BMW:
Modern BMWs may have a higher initial cost, especially if you purchase one brand new or certified pre-owned from a dealer, but they offer much less of a headache post-purchase. You can basically just expect regular maintenance, fuel, and insurance as costs to own since they won’t have worn out bushings, gaskets, or major issues until they are quite advanced in age. With the F3X, even the N55-powered 335 variant, there aren’t a whole lot of reliability issues. The ones that do arise are likely covered under warranty and can be easily addressed at the dealer or a certified shop. Since they are newer, you don’t necessarily need to have a specialist take care of the car, since most of the work will be covered under warranty repairs or possibly in a service contract if you opt for that dealer add-on at the time of your purchase. You also have all the modern convenience like power interior functions, phone compatibility, steering wheel controls, remote start in some cases, and all the other fun technology BMW can pack into their cars. Not only that but as we said, even the non-performance versions offer more power and arguably more competent handling than their predecessors with few drawbacks. If you want to improve the power or upgrade the suspension, the turbocharged modern engines require much less effort to improve than the old NA, larger displacement 3-series engines like the M20, M5X, and S5X. You don’t need to do an engine swap, just bolt on an intake, exhaust, and new software tune for mad power gains. Visual upgrades are also much more widely available, like carbon splitters, spoilers, hoods, trunks, and the likes. | 
| Cons of a modern BMW:
The initial price often scares buyers away who are in a lower budget. If you are like me, every dollar you spend on the car itself is a dollar you don’t have to spend on modifications to make it exactly what you want. With old cars, suspension, braking, engine, and drivetrain modifications often take care of a maintenance concern as well, since those parts are likely old and worn. If you have a newer F30 and decide to install coilovers, stiffer bushings, bigger brakes, and more, you are more than likely replacing parts that have plenty of life left and don’t need to be changed for any other reason than your desire to improve the car. It’s like buying something twice in that case. Additionally, the upgrades tend to be more expensive. Lastly, the electric steering and larger size of the modern BMWs make them, in my opinion, less engaging to drive. They feel a bit removed when compared to the direct responsiveness of vintage BMWs and certainly don’t have the same character. You can certainly still form a bond with one, but nothing beats the friendship you can develop with an old BMW thanks to its incredibly connected driving experience. | 
| Vintage BMW Pros:
Cheap to buy
Cheap to own
Easy to work on without specialty tools/equipment
Most mods double as maintenance at this age
Fun
Simple
Connected driving experience
The large and supportive enthusiast community
‘Cool factor’
Vintage BMW Cons:
Expensive to maintain if you don’t do it yourself
Finicky
Can be unreliable if not well maintained
Inconvenient by modern standards
Less comfortable
Parts are becoming harder to find
Finished examples are becoming more expensive
Less efficient engines
Low power unless extensively modified/swapped
Little to no safety |
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| Modern BMW Pros:
Reliable
Comfortable
Convenient
Better performance out of the box
Easier to modify with more ‘bang for your buck’
Better upgrades and parts availability
Easier to have shops work on them
More technology
Better safety features
More efficient engines
Modern BMW Cons:
More expensive initial cost
Parts/Upgrades are more expensive
Less connected driving experience
More common, not as unique looking
Less character
Heavier
Harder to work on at home
Requires more specialty tools/equipment for service
‘Plasticky’ feeling parts | | Of course, everything listed here is just my opinion. There are plenty more pros and cons not covered for both the classic and modern BMWs, and it does come down to your preference. There is no right answer here, but we would love to hear from you as to which you prefer and why! Send us your stories, your justifications, your gripes; anything! We want to hear from you, our dear readers, about what you think when it comes to new versus old. Hit up [email protected] and share your thoughts for a chance to be in the next issue of Turner Motorsport Weekly. | | | | | | |
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