You have saved this page | See all saved pages
BMW Driving Experience
84 messages, Last post on Jan 18, 2013 at 3:29 PM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum.What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW X5, BMW Z4, Car Comparisons, Performance Mods, Scheduled Maintenance, Motorsports, Coupe, Convertible, Sedan
#75 of 84 My BMW history by rayainsw
Dec 27, 2011 (6:26 am)
I was not really even aware of BMW [ as a brand or individual models ] until I met a guy in my college dorm that had one.[[ I was quite smitten with the then current E-Type Jaguars. ]]
Sometime in my freshman year, he took me for a ride in the 1964 or 1965 BMW sedan he was driving at the time. [ The car would probably have been 3 or 4 years old at the time – an 1800 TI, I think. ]
Given my driving experience to that time, the driving dynamics [ even from the passenger seat ] were quite a revelation. I had driven only a few cars at that point – primarily my Mom’s big station wagon, my Dad’s VW Beetle – and the sense of refinement and responsiveness I noted at the time in that BMW was very, very different than anything I had been in before.
Though it was ‘For Sale’, I was not in the market.
Fast Forward to 1975. We were leaving the military and looking for a good sized sedan, a few years old, for the trip back across country, from Arizona to New Hampshire. BMW had introduced a larger and much more sophisticated sedan that had evolved into the Bavaria – 6 cylinders. That was what I wanted. I ‘settled for’ a 1972 Volvo sedan. It served us well, was generally reliable – but uninspiring – for several years and many, many miles.
[ sigh ]
But I really did want a BMW.
In the late 1970s, a friend bought one almost exactly as I would have selected. I rode in it several times and drove it once. It was sooo much better in every way than the Volvo.
Now [ over 35 years later ] I have one.
I picked it up in Munuch, with my Daughter, in September.
I have now driven 3,333 trouble-free miles and very enjoyable miles – 1,000+ in Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland – 2,000+ in Georgia and Florida.
- Ray
No regrets . . .
#76 of 84 There are those of us by cannon3
Dec 27, 2011 (7:27 pm)
Sorry, no, I'm not sorry. In fact I feel sorry for those who get roped into the "BMW experience". Frankly, I have driven them and I just cannot justify paying the premium just to drive a status symbol. In fact, I don't. I could afford one, but prefer to spend my money on other investments that MAKE money. I don't need a car to tell people I make money...#77 of 84 Re: There are those of us [cannon3] by fintail
Dec 27, 2011 (9:15 pm)
Replying to: cannon3 (Dec 27, 2011 7:27 pm)
To each his own. Some feel sorry for those who work and save and never indulge their passions. You can't take it with you 
- anythngbutgm (Dec 28, 2011 12:34 pm)
- lemko (Jan 18, 2013 6:32 am)
Replies to this message:
#78 of 84 Re: There are those of us [cannon3] by busiris
Dec 28, 2011 (11:55 am)
Replying to: cannon3 (Dec 27, 2011 7:27 pm)
Understood and accepted. If we all agreed on what a car should be, we'd probably still all be riding around in black Ford Model Ts.
I personally like the feel of a BMW 3 Series, but I would never expect everyone else to like it just because I do.
Other manufacturers need customers, too!
#79 of 84 Re: There are those of us [fintail] by anythngbutgm
Dec 28, 2011 (12:34 pm)
Replying to: fintail (Dec 27, 2011 9:15 pm)
+1
#80 of 84 Re: There are those of us [cannon3] by roadburner
Dec 28, 2011 (6:16 pm)
Replying to: cannon3 (Dec 27, 2011 7:27 pm)
In fact I feel sorry for those who get roped into the "BMW experience". Yes, I've been "roped in" for 28 years. Pity me...
Frankly, I have driven them and I just cannot justify paying the premium just to drive a status symbol.
If you don't appreciate the handling and performance characteristics then you shouldn't buy a BMW. When I help friends buy and install home theater systems I don't push them toward higher end products if they think a HTIB from Insignia or Samsung sounds fine.
I could afford one, but prefer to spend my money on other investments that MAKE money.
So, you are telling everyone here you're rich while at the same time telling them you won't buy a car that makes people think you are rich. OK... In my case I paid off my new 1995 3 Series(which cost less than the MSRP of a 1995 Taurus) and my CPO 2004 X3(which cost less than a new fully-optioned 2004 Escape AWD) within two years after purchasing them- I suppose the smarter thing to do would have been to buy a couple of new domestic vehicles and make payments for 60-72 months, huh?
#82 of 84 E60 530I Nice cars by mhayat
Jan 11, 2013 (4:12 pm)
I have owned a 530i 2004 automatic. It has 115000 k .It drives like a charm. very nice car.The car is the best car in handling period. Yes the car needs preventive maintenance. I would add instead not to have the attitude to fix a part only when it breaks.
I.e the water pump and the thermostate on this version is a very common problem.BMW decided to use a water pump with plastic impellers. Those with time will break. If the pump fails the car will overheat and to prevent that is to change the water pump and thermo at 70,000 miles interval. It will save you lots of money parts, and labour.
Transmission oil needs to be replaced at regular intervals. There is no such thing as a lifetime tranny oil.
In the last year i have spent $600 + in parts and $ 400 in labor.
It is a good car for the value, provided you do preventive maintenance. Bimmerforum is good place to look too.
2004
530i
grey amethesit
#83 of 84 Re: There are those of us [fintail] by lemko
Jan 18, 2013 (6:32 am)
Replying to: fintail (Dec 27, 2011 9:15 pm)
Those who work and save and never indulge their passions usually end up making their widows very happy!
- busiris (Jan 18, 2013 3:29 pm)
Replies to this message:
#84 of 84 Re: There are those of us [lemko] by busiris
Jan 18, 2013 (3:29 pm)
Replying to: lemko (Jan 18, 2013 6:32 am)
Those who work and save and never indulge their passions usually end up making their widows very happy! What's the old saying...
You never see the caption on a tombstone that says "I wish I had spent more time at the office..."
To POST a message, please
Sign In.
Advertisement
Most Popular in Forums
Search Forums
Enter Keyword(s):
Learn More, Do More
Edmunds Community
Advertisement