BMW managed to bet on the wrong side of both World Wars, constructing aircraft and engines for the losers twice. Prevented by the Treaty of Versailles from making planes after WWI, it pumped out metal household items and motorcycles to survive. Then during WWII it made aircraft for the Nazis. Bombed into near-oblivion, it again retreated, using the same playlist from its last flirtation with bankruptcy to eke out a living selling pots, pans, and motorcycles. Finally easing into automobile manufacture in 1952 with high styled sedans, the company executed one more mistake: it indulged Max Hoffman’s notion of a luxury roadster – which became the 507. A spectacular car costing wild amounts of money both to make and to purchase, the typical 507 now sells for seven figures but back then it tore a giant hole in BMW’s finances. Once more casting around for salvation, BMW produced Isettas under license, then its tiny 700 sedan, then the 1500. Success was finally in sight when the 1600 arrived in 1966. Variously known as the 1600, 1600-2 and 1602, this sporting sedan was lighter and more powerful than the 1500. It sold well and made money, but its most important role was as the platform for a world-class entry into automotive history: the 2002. Like the Porsche 911 a few years before it, the 2002 has left an indelible mark. Here on craigslist is a 1970 BMW coupe listed for $19,800 and located in San Francisco, California. You can drive this car home and while racing along, thank Rocco B for steering this tip our way!
This one-owner California car has a rebuilt engine with about 10,000 miles, mated to a four-speed manual transmission. In stock form the marvelous 2.0-liter four-cylinder motor produced 101 horsepower; oh sure, there were more powerful cars but none with four bona fide seats, a generous boot, and the agility to match the best sports cars on the road. The fuel pump, radiator, brake lines, and brake booster are new. It’s been tuned and the transmission was serviced. No, we don’t get a photo of the engine bay in the listing, unfortunately. These round-light, small-bumpered cars are quite desirable versus the later, clunky-bumper versions, though each has its cheering section.
The two-tone interior is better than tolerable. A few cracks in the dash, some fading, paint loss, and a worn steering wheel are offset by nice seat covers, that spiffy cream-colored headliner, and decent carpets. I can’t see an odometer reading so it’s hard to say exactly how “used” this Bimmer is, but the seller fesses up to patina in the factory paint job.
The underside is very clean, and we’re promised no rust. I would want to investigate the suspension and wiring, ensure all the gauges and accessories work, check twice for rust, and confirm the odometer. I like documentation with my cars, too, and as a one-owner example, I’d expect a fat file. What do you think of this sporty German sedan?
Saw this a couple days ago on another enthusiast site. At first glance, it appears to be a reasonable, maybe even a good deal. But the devil is in the details and, like Michelle says, I would want to know a lot more. The ad’s wording doesn’t suggest enthusiast ownership, and I find the lack of a rear view mirror to be odd. A small but important safety part that should have been replaced.
If it’s truly a 1 owner car, I would have to say it was owned by an enthusiast or they would have sold it long ago.
If it’s a one-owner car and the guy bought it in Europe in 1970 my guess is that he was at least 20 years old at the time. That was 53 years ago. I suspect you would have to be an enthusiast to be over 73 years old and still drive a 2002 but want to send it to a new home before your heirs just donate it to some cars 4 kids scam because they don’t know any better.
“BMW managed to bet on the wrong side of both World Wars…” yeah, I can just imagine the conversation where BMW said they decided to build for the Allies…
Mid 70’s I bought my grandmothers 1970 2002 automatic. What an awesome car it was. Rust got it by the early 80’s
If you get a flag from Barn Finds, blame it on my incompetence. I did NOT mean to report this, I wanted to chime in on what you said to back it up. I hit the wrong button, and I’m sorry.
What I was going to say was about the rust. Your case was not isolated; it was chronic. The 2-series B-Mers were known to rust with a vengeance, not just in sheet metal but also in critical structure points, like the shock towers. Once that happens, that’s what went with the car. I learned this from research AND 2-1/2 years of experience with a final-year example.
Owned one when I was stationed in Germany in the ’70’s. I paid 450.00 for it and other than a bad synchro for 2nd it ran perfect. Nice handling car
Other than the addition of the late 71 lower trim and the seat upholstery being re-done,pretty dang stock..
Fond memories of these incredible cars. Many of my friends families had these and let their teen children drive them. Many ski trips to Vermont: 4 people, their gear and equipment. Never let us down in the snow.
I was always a Yank Tank guy until I bought a 76 one. These are fabulous, fun little machines. Long before the over complex bug infiltrated the brand.
I will admit to having a soft spot for these B-Mers, having owned a final-year example (’76) during 2001–4. I can attest, the handling was incredible. Durability of the interior, not so much, and even less so with the restricted sourcing for needed parts. I thought it looked like an enclosed golf cart, but its demure (putting it liberally) appearance grew on me–I liked being able to say I owned a 2002 B-Mer and not be lying about it. I do have to say, that car served as the ultimate training tool to handle a manual-shift transmission: Combine the hilly terrain of San Antonio with a manual-shift car with an ignition problem, you’re bound to learn how to manipulate three pedals with only two feet like a boss. That was one major peeve I had about that car, and I never resolved it; the reason was that part stores did not carry one critical component to fix the problem: A condenser. They stocked the points, NOT the condenser…and any gearhead will tell you that both must be changed at the same time.
Maybe I might have been able to use a different make of condenser, but another unresolvable problem came up. This was apparently a deficiency in all cars of this series: No corrosion resistance. The car rusted with a vengeance, not just in the sheet-metal panels, but also in the rear shock towers. Structural failure is a killer of any car. That was what prompted me to retire that car in March 2004 and draft my other car into full-time service, though truth be told it wasn’t ready for it. But at least the other car had a sound structure.
However, despite that experience, if I see one of these B-Mers on the roads or in TV shows or movies, they still grab my attention.
Oh, about this one, I would strongly advise the prospective owner not to take any rust claims of the seller’s at face value. Have the car inspected, especially at the structural points. It can’t be said enough: These cars rust with a vengeance, even worse than ’57/8 Chrysler products.
I’ve had 7 rust free (pretty much) 2002’s, 3 of em round tail light, 2 tiis and a ti, so my last one more than 30 years ago and put the dough into a 3.0 CS and never looked back (until now). Approaching 80 YO now I’d sure like to get another one though before I shuffle off!