Many developments uncaptured. The year has been a full one, and I’ve been rather busy doing rather than documenting. Moving past all that, I’d like to reflect for a few moments on a machine that has passed through my life: my 1988 BMW 325is.

After two years of ownership, I sold my E30 a few weeks ago to a kid who will probably give it the attention it deserves. I never wrote anything about the car here, though I certainly did a fair amount of work to both restore and maintain it. And overall, it served me well.

It was a remarkable car for its day, and was in many ways ahead of its time. Its premium feature-set would be considered standard on many cheaper cars today. In fact, the only modern convenience it didn’t really have was air-bags. And enough cup-holders.

It was comfortable, while at the same time tuned to the driving experience. It was also stylish, possessing a distinctive aesthetic both inside and out which has aged well over the years. No car manufactured today comes close competing with the classic lines of an E30.

If it had been my only classic car, I would probably would have kept it. I will probably never own one as good as that one, even if I get another 80’s BMW. But having both the BMW and the Vanagon meant that my daily driver got the bulk of my attention, and Olly has been more than a bit idle the past few months. So if I have to choose between the VW of my dreams and the BMW of my dreams, the van will win every time. But boy I’ll still miss that E30.