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BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

30250 messages,  Last post on Mar 24, 2013 at 11:51 AM

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What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, Sedan

Messages Page 1900 of 3026

#18988 of 30250 Showing my youthful age... by nyccarguy

Jul 18, 2002 (10:57 am)

But many of you already know how young (and impressionable;) I am. Here goes:
 
My first car (also my first new car) was a 1992 Chevrolet Beretta GT. White/Grey w/ white mesh style wheels (think 530i SP wheels, but white). I won't bore you with all of the details about electrical problems (Power windows & Rear defogger wouldn't work silmultaneously), AC problems (O rings, EVapoator Core), faulty dimmer switch, 3 exhaust systems, broken driver's window (for 18 months including a nasty Ithaca, NY winter in which it was stuck down for a week), and finally a camshaft that needed to be replaced at 61,000 miles (The 3rd lobe down wore). I sold it in March 1998.
 
When I graduated college (or I was about to), I leased a 1998 Ford Explorer Sport (Black/Grey Leather) for 2 years. The only problem I ever had was the dealer installed alarm that kept breaking. 2 years/24,000 miles nothing should have gone wrong!
 
A few months before the lease was up on my Explorer, I decided I no longer needed a 4WD vehicle. I was living in Manhattan at the time and needed a car for road trips, weekends,... SO my parents told me that if I got a car with FWD or AWD & an auto transmission that they would split the lease payments with me. December 1999 I took deliver of a 2000 Saab 9-3. Wonderful car to lease, hasn't given me any problems.
 
After contemplating how I could get myself into a 325Ci for many months, the practical side of me stepped in and said "hey, you're 26 and don't need a BMW right now." So I found a leftover 2001 Honda Prelude Type SH which I took deliver of at the end of April. I plan on keeping the Honda for a long time and eventually retiring it to 3rd car duty.
 
Thanks for listening!

#18989 of 30250 Car History by eengstro

Jul 18, 2002 (11:00 am)

I'm young, but I guess I'll jump in here too:
 
'75 Pontiac Grand Prix: A typical '70s GM float, this was my college car. Everyone called it the "pimpmobile", even though the 8-track was broken and it couldn't get me dates.
 
I drove it all over CA for 5 years, from the Oregon border to San Diego, and it "only" stranded me twice (my rule regarding road trips in this car: "Wear comfortable shoes"). The most serious problem suffered in town was a failed master cylinder (that was fun). I was not above attacking the vinyl top with a razor knife, or fixing rust spots with a belt sander and a can of cheap spray paint.
 
College is a place filled with kids who have everything, including brand-new cars, handed to them. I was glad to even have a car, even if it was older than me. My attitude was, "Yeah, it's a POS, but I'm proud of the fact that I'm not a rich, spoiled brat."
 
I sold it to my idiot cousin for $300, who promptly gave it to his crackhead girlfriend and stiffed me $200. (I should have known better...) When I received word that the radiator had blown, stranding said girlfriend in downtown Stockton, I laughed hysterically, chalked it up to car-ma, and called it even.
 
'93 BMW 325i: This is my college graduation present to myself. I drove it up the Pacific Coast Hwy the week after I graduated. (There is no better time to drive this road than a sunny day in December.) I took two things away from that trip: an appreciation that The Ultimate Driving Machine isn't just a catchphrase, and an appreciation of my limits as a driver. The BMW and I still have much history to write together.
 
The only downside? I worry that I'm mistaken for a rich, spoiled brat.
 
Eric

#18990 of 30250 Hail destroyed Eagle Talon? by vkwheels

Jul 18, 2002 (11:45 am)

Don't tell me, everything's bigger in Texas...

#18991 of 30250 All Hail Texas! by erickpl

Jul 18, 2002 (1:43 pm)

VK, I lived in Texas... yes the hail is huge. Cinco de Mayo, 1995 - biggest dang hail storm / tornados in Ft. Worth I've EVER seen. Hail the size of grapefruit at times. There were a lot of people hurt at the celebration. I won't even talk about the cars... NOT fun.
 
There were quite a few hail sales after that. I passed.
 
-Paul

#18992 of 30250 Deposit for special order by kingcong

Jul 18, 2002 (2:27 pm)

I was wondering if it was common practice for a dealer to keep the $1000 deposit on a special ordered car if you decided not to take the car?
 
I am asking because the dealer told me that because the car that I would like to order is a manual they would not refund the $1000 deposit.
 
Thank's all for your replies.

#18993 of 30250 kingcong by kominsky

Jul 18, 2002 (2:46 pm)

My dealership told me that they would refund my deposit ($500) if they sold my custom-ordered car within 1 month of arrival at the dealership, if I decided not to take ownership. I don't remember seeing that in writing, but I have no reason to doubt that it was true.

#18994 of 30250 Stacy by dl7265

Jul 18, 2002 (3:22 pm)

Congrads sounds like either way a nice choice ;)glad you got a local deal too.
 
Kominsky: i think i drove over 550 miles which in PA is a lot id say. my friends live up near Plymouth so i was all over stayed in a nice BB west of the Penn turnpike of 80, really nice area.Also stayed at the Radisson Train station up in Scranton. Unfortunatly the Brand new Buick rental i had while a nice cruiser was no 3er in all those nice driving roads ;( .In addition i missed the times for a ride/drive around the track.
 
VK and Erick, yup it was the 1995 storm , i watched in horror as larger than Softball hail beat her to a pulp ;( . Also the G20 took a good beating as well, although i cant remember what date that was .. it was my 1st time using the paintless dent removal and was very impressed.
 
DL

#18996 of 30250 my car sequence by allano

Jul 18, 2002 (4:45 pm)

1966 Barracuda fastback: 273 cin V8, 4 spd., RWD Put on Michelin radials and thought it was the cat's meow until I drove a VW beetle. The Beetle was a fun car.
1968 Datsun SRL311, 135HP, 2L 4 cylinder, 5 speed, RWD, 2 seat rag top. (MGB imitation). With its narrow tires, learned about understeer/oversteer, affects of tire pressure, front/rear damping (w Koni shocks) and how to drive around corners with a two wheel drift. At only 2000lbs, it would get up and go but was geared and sprung for the track and loved to be thrown around. Learned what it is like to drive a car with a very peaky torque curve and horse power developed by high rpm.
1972 BMW 2002 - everything people remember and anti-thesis to the Datsun experience: wide torque curve over the full silky-smooth rpm range, gearing for any occasion and a suspension that required smooth inputs to steer quickly. Bought it for $3200 and sold it for $1500 10 years later.
- got married -
1979 Chevy Citation (wife's car) iron duke 4 cylinder E/W orientation, 4 speed in a console, FWD - a lot of space in this car but not very refined.
1982 Subaru GLX (5 door) 4 cylinder wet-head boxter, FWD only -- something inexpensive while saving money for children's education
1986 Subaru Loyale (wife's car) - same as the above but with fibre-??? overhead cam belt that broke prematurely
1990 Honda Civic (tall) Wagon (5 door) 1.6L 4 cylinder that loved to be revved, 5 spd, FWD -- another inexpensive car while both children were in college.
1995 Mazda 626 (wife's car) 2.0L 4 cylinder, 5 spd manual, FWD -- a lot of torque, short-throw stick, reasonable ride and still running well after 7 years and 140,000 miles.
- both children graduate from college -
2001 325xiT -- enjoy every opportunity to drive it. My wife is afraid I'm going to wrap it around a pole but she was never with me when I drove the Datsun or BMW 2002 at their limits.

#18997 of 30250 Car History by midtowneast

Jul 18, 2002 (4:50 pm)

I haven't posted in a in a while anyway here they are,
 
1985 Honda Accord hatch first car totaled
1987 Mazda 626 lx stolen twice in three months it did
     not return the second time
1985 Toyota celica gt good car long 2nd gear, totaled
1983 Honda Accord Lx a good get around car totaled
1993 Honda Accord EX got this one new, its still my
      work car 115,000 and counting.
1991 Honda Civic Si fun car but it didn't feel right
     I sold this one.
1986 Toyata Camry I hated this car and it was
     stolen.
1993 Honda Civic Si another great car, I had to sell
     it because my wife could not drive 5sp.
2001 Acura CL-Type S it could not carry five people
     I had to trade it in.
2002 Acura TL-Type S I believed this was a great car
     until the German came along.
1991 Honda Civic Lx a car for my wife to practice on.
2001 BMW 330 Xi a true driver's car
 
The future holds an SUV probably an MDX or Pilot if they put in a moonroof.

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