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      04-19-2015, 06:42 AM   #1
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Dreams don't come true. Nor should they! An enthusiasts reflection on BMW ownership

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I've been dragging my feet to write something up, in celebration of the arrival of my f80. And I have finally come to the conclusion that it would be a lot better to write something less than perfect, in segments (blog style), than wait until it has been perfected, and release it all at once. So ... here I am. It won't be perfect, and it may take me months. But please stay tuned!


In summary, I will try and reflect on my life-long passion of obsessing, driving and reading about 3 series BMW's. Through the highs and the lows. The elations and the very real frustrations I have had with this brand. And along the way will try and point out some positives and not so positives about each model I have owned since. Based solely on my own perspective, and mostly guided by my very personal, completely biased and very unprofessional opinions.


Feel free to post your comments and questions. Or just sit back, scroll down, and barely enjoy slow-after-mildly-interesting post, and allow me to prevent your brains from coming to a total standstill!
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      04-19-2015, 06:52 AM   #2
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... and just like you would know! I don't even know where to start! But I'll do my best.


My first introduction to the brand was in 1997. With a few month old drivers license in hand, I knew everything there was to know about cars, BMW's and the world! I happened to have an older brother who was also a BMW fan, and we would mostly gawk at other BMW's at the time and not even dare to dream that we would own one someday. Growing up in a family of 5 siblings, resources were scare at times, and not much excess. Ok, now that I have you teary eyed, just don't feel too bad for me quite yet. We weren't poor or even close, but you know ... just your average middle class family that could not afford "nice" things or designer clothes and fancy restaurant meals and the such.


Aaaaaanyway! My brother finally convinced my dad to buy him a car, so he could run the family errands, take some responsibility off my moms shoulders and drive to college. Pretty sweet!


With budget in mind, he had several options to choose from. A late model Japanese import. A few year old Volks Wagen. Or a dirt old BMW! Being the sensible BMW fan he is, we know which one he picked. He eventually found a 1977 BMW 315i, in "Delphin Dolphin Metallic Grey ", with 150,000 miles on the clock. And what a mistake that was ...

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      04-19-2015, 06:59 AM   #3
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... that car was at the shop several times a week. A money pit! But it meant the world to him. It was one of the first "nice" things I remember our family ever owning. It was a source of tremendous pride. Finally a taste of the good life!


Within no time, with little money, he started modding the car right away. Now mind you, the year was 1998, and we didn't have a lot of money. So let's just say that we didn't get the best kind of help nor advice in making some of these terribly guided decisions! But we planned, researched, and did what we thought was "cool" at the time. Remember now, van damme was all the rage back then, so please keep that in mind.


Here is what we ended up with (faces obscured to prevent a lifetime of public humiliation)


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      04-19-2015, 07:10 AM   #4
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Just look at these pictures ... LOOK AT THEM! How many horrors can you count? The front "air dam"? The hand-molded sideskirts? The rear wing? The murdered out tail lights? The hubcaps ... the M logo ... the aftermarket white interior ... the fake dual exhaust!!!? I think I need to go lay down for a few minutes ...
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      04-19-2015, 07:14 AM   #5
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But you know what? WE LOVED IT! It was such a source of pride. And when my high school class mates would ask what car my family drives, I would say my mom drives a Peugeot, BUT MY BROTHER DRIVES A BMW COUPE! Made friends instantly! Yessss!


Just look at how proud we are, all 3 guys standing next to this hot-mess of a car in all it's glory, and we could not be happier!


That car, be it what it may, launched my life-long obsession with the brand!


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      04-19-2015, 07:21 AM   #6
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Years went by, and my older brother moved away for school. Leaving the e21 behind, I became the sole beneficiary of this "beast". Needless to say I was ecstatic!


But again, with limited resources, and a car constantly at the shop, it was hard to justify keeping it much longer, now that my brother had left. My dad put his foot down, and of course demanded something more practical and less costly. I even went to junk yards to look for spare parts, went to used part dealers and even let some cheapo hack mechanic work on it. Just trying to keep costs down, in hopes of hanging on to an impractical and illogical dream!


But our first ever BMW was slowly slipping away, like sand through my very own fingers. And at 19 years old, there was nothing I could do about it.


We eventually sold the e21, for a second hand Mitsubishi Lancer.

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      04-19-2015, 07:32 AM   #7
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At some point before we sold that car, I was scouring parts at a used BMW parts dealer, when my whole world was flipped upside down. I developed a new crush. I saw the dealer's own car (BMW ofcourse), but this one was different. This one was not like any BMW's I had seen up to that point in my life ... it was A REAL BMW! OEM! It wasn't altered, it hadn't been molested with black tailights, hand-moulded wavy side skirts, it didn't have any fake badges. It was just ... A BMW. Just like the Germans intended it to be.


It had a couple additions to it, but all OEM. Not a single piece from the dumpster. Just all BMW in it's glory! All of a sudden, the e21 315i we had looked like a piece of crap! It kind of hurt, to see such a nice car like his honestly. Just because I suddenly realised what we didn;t have. And that we had not really attained the BMW dreams of our childhood, but were merely pretending.


His car was a 1989 e30 325i. This was unheard of for our time. Most BMW's at the time (where we lived) were either 316i or 318i. Maybe a few 320i. But a 325i???? That was rare. Very rare.


This is a stock picture, representing what it looked like. It had the "HUGE" 17 inch aftermarket OZ wheels, low profile tires, 5 speed manual, OEM BMW trunk spoiler and I remember it having some sort of bucket cloth seat interior.


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      04-19-2015, 07:35 AM   #8
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This is it! This WAS IT! That is my new dream car, I said to myself. I could never, EVER see myself having enough money to afford such a car and not be driving it. It was such a strong and un-shakable feeling at the time, I can almost still see myself going out to buy an e30 BMW just to fulfill that dream.


This was my new IT car. And for the next few jobs I had, THIS is what I was saving for. To get rid of the piece of crap Mitsubishi and get into a BMW again. But not just any BMW. An e30!!! I could even settle for a 316i or 318i. But it had to be an e30! That was IT!!!! The e21 was my brother's dream car, but I'm my own man now, and BY GOD, I WANT AN E30 BMW!!!
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      04-19-2015, 07:38 AM   #9
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Well, wouldn't you know ... I never had enough money to buy that e30. I endured the 1.3 liter Mitsubishi Lancer for a few years to come, until I was ready to move out myself, and go to school and face my own realities. I definitely still appreciated the Mitsubishi, and was appreciative of just even having a car at that age and being able to run errands, go to school and what not. It just wasn't anything I was passionate about.
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      04-19-2015, 08:07 AM   #10
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Years went by, and out of college, onto a few odd jobs and finally back to professional school, my passion for driving another BMW just seemed to be further away, by the day. Never becoming closer, but further away each day, measly pacy-check after pathetic paycheck. With my student loan burden becoming heavier and heavier every day, I thought I would be a lucky man just to pay them off before I die. Just keep your head down, work hard and drive something sensible, I said to myself. That's what anyone would think of that situation really.


Driving a 1997 Altima for a while, and a 1995 Toyota Camry after that, the dream of another BMW never seemed further out of reach!





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      04-19-2015, 08:08 AM   #11
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And then I did it. I finally DID IT! I leased my very first car! This was the very first BRAND NEW, off the showroom floor car my family had ever owned! I my mean ... my ENTIRE family. My mom, dad and siblings had never owned a brand new car, so in a lot of ways, this was a big deal for me. For us. I made it!


Except it still wasn't a BMW. It was a 2008 Honda Accord.



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      04-19-2015, 08:23 AM   #12
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As excellent as that car was, it was obviously lacking in the emotional department. Whoever coined the term "appliance-car" is a genius. It felt just like an appliance. Nothing wrong with that, but I tend to take my driving a bit mroe seriously. I demand more oooomph and joy out of my toasters and microwaves!


I did some research, and tried my best to budget for my next car, and the logical answer was a BMW. But how? There's no way I could afford a BMW lease let alone finance payment! Not with what I was making at the time, and these huge student loan payments I was under water with. It was real ugly!


So after months of research and a lot of thinking, I finally had made up my mind. I was going to get another BMW. It would be used, I would have ot bring it to the shop every few weeks, and I was OK with that. That's the price you pay for driving a BMW, I thought to myself.


I started my search looking for that elusive e30 325i. But so many years ad gone by, and it didn't really age that well. I couldn't find many well-maintained e30 325i cars that appealed to me. Not to mention that living in the northeast, an all wheel drive car would edge out any rear wheel drive, again, my thinking back then.


Anyway, long story short, I found this beautiful 2003, 330 XI e46. 6 speed manual! Sport package, premium package and heated seats! It was like a needle in a haystack! I almost couldn't believe it was still for sale, and within my price range. It was kind of suspicious that they did not list the mileage. But I quickly found out why. It had 180,000 miles on it. Yup. But being a 1 owner car, and the fact that I was able to talk to the owner myself, I felt it was more of a calculated risk.


So ... with my brother in tow, we drove a 7 hour round trip to New Hampshire to buy it anyway!


I could taste it. I was driving a BMW again. It's all that mattered! Didn't care about the mileage, didn't care if it was new or that it would probably kill me on repair bills. Just happy to be back in a BMW!!!!!


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      04-19-2015, 08:30 AM   #13
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The e46 solidified everything I remembered about how BMWs drive. It reinforced the notion that these cars are truly exceptional, and worth having at almost any cost. Very rewarding to drive, fun and engaging to play with and extremely safe.


With 190,000 miles on the clock, the e46 still ran strong, was very reliable and surprisingly popular on resale! I sold it for a modest profit, with 210,000 miles on the clock! And the gentleman who bought it, flew in all the way from Texas, and drove it back! Wow!


You will be missed!


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      04-19-2015, 08:32 AM   #14
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I can't believe I'm still here writing, but it's Sunday morning and my wife is still asleep, so I'll just keep going ...
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      04-19-2015, 08:46 AM   #15
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Things started to get better (financially speaking), and I was slowly but surely clawing my way out of the dark abyss, otherwise known as student loans! I was making more, my student loan payments were gradually becoming smaller, so I had some money left over. As any American Consumer would know, that doesn't mean you open a savings account. That means you BUY MORE STUFF YOU DON'T REALLY NEED! Stimulate the economy!


And of course, I needed a "nicer" more reliable car, with less miles. Because if I can't get to my job, I can't make money. If I don't make money, I can repay those damn loans. If I don't repay my loans, I go to jail! "DO YOU WANT TO GO TO JAIL?", I reasoned with myself. Well, if I don't want to go to jail, I surely better get a newer more reliable car. Who wants to go to jail????


Impeccable logic right there.


So after much planning and research, she walked into my life. The black beauty, the dark stallion, the knight in shinning Black Sapphire Metallic armor. My 6MT, sport package, e90 330i, with a 100,000 miles (still much better than 210,000!).


I initially missed my e46, but not for long. I complained that the e90 was SO STIFF and VERY HARSH, not realizing at that point that the 330XI "base suspension" is in an entirely different category that the 330i "sport suspension" which also happens to be much stiffer and lower. It took me a while to figure that out, and have ever since come to appreciate the e90 330i so much. It was perfect. I loved it! I could never imagine driving a different car!


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      04-19-2015, 08:54 AM   #16
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I made a few small modifications on the e90, but not much. Performance exhaust, 219m wheels and some interior M sport touches. She was perfect otherwise!


Here she is stock:


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      04-19-2015, 08:55 AM   #17
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And with a few mods ...


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      04-19-2015, 08:59 AM   #18
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And one of my favorite things about my e90, ofcourse, the n52 ///M performance exhaust!


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      04-19-2015, 09:50 AM   #19
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The e90 was excellent! I can honestly say I enjoyed it to the fullest, and had such a great time, and consider it to be my first "true" BMW love! It had the performance exhaust, sport package, the 6MT and was black on black! Come on now!!!


... well, that love fest did not survive for that long. With the first surprise snow storm of the season, I was caught right in the thick of it on my way home from work ... on my performance summer tires. What a night mare! A pleasant and mostly uneventful 20 minute commute turned into a 4.5 hour nightmare, bringing me within inches of disastrous conditions with several motorists and trucks!


Needless to say, the very next day I was shopping for an xDrive BMW.


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      04-19-2015, 10:11 AM   #20
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The deed was done. I placed my order for a brand new BMW. My very own, custom built to order, very first brand spankin' new from the dealership BMW! How exciting is that!!! I carefully configured the car, eagerly specd out every option I deemed to be worthy and patiently and very painfully waited for her to arrive.


It was an f30 335i xDrive M Sport package, with the magical ZF 8 speed sport auto transmission!


My life was about to change! I would be driving a brand new BMW, a 335i no less, with "SO MUCH MORE POWER" than the 330i, forums members promised. It's a dream! It's almost as fast as the e90 M3, some bragged! It was highly anticipated. And I bought into the hype.


No two ways around it however, this car turned out to be a dud. BMW's version of the appliance-car. BMW's first crack at an electric steering rack was light and sloppy, the xDrive suspension was good but very floaty (even with the optioned Dynamic Handling Package), the car was quiet and you could barely tell what was going on with the engine revs, it was VERY BIG for it's class, and the list goes on and on ...


It was disappointing to say the very least. But at least it looked sharp!!! The design was aggressive, I loved the body lines, and the interior lay out was light years ahead of my e90. The wheels looked great, it had the heads up display, I got the long desired Coral Red interior and the M Sport exclsuive Estoril Blue ll exterior!


I fell in love with the looks, but for some reason was not able to make any sort of emotional connection with this car. It just felt empty on the inside. Not what I signed up for when I bought this expensive BMW.


This had to be a violent wake-up call for me.


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      04-19-2015, 10:15 AM   #21
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I can honestly say that I had never felt so lost in my life, when it comes to shopping for cars, after loosing confidence in the f30. I mean, I've been a BMW fanboi my whole life. This is all I know. It's the only kind of car I've ever loved! Where do I go from here?


Do I sell the f30 and get another e90? Maybe give Audi a chance? Mercedes? Try some smaller and more fun hatchbacks, to get back some of that driving fun? Maybe a GTI?


Do I just suck it up and accept the f30 for what it is, and accept the reality that newer BMW's all drive this way and that our best days may in fact be behind us?


As I said, LOST.
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      04-19-2015, 10:29 AM   #22
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Well, the answer would surprise even myself! I sold the f30 after 6 short months, and in the process of searching for a 335i e90, I came across a local listing for a lease transfer in the form of an e92 M3! YES, an M3!!! Could this be it? Could this be happening??? Finally, a taste of the much famed, and much storied 4.0 liter V8???? Me? Driving an M3???? Wow. It was not really anything I had planned carefully, but being a lease, I thought it would be easy to get out of, as easy as it was to get in. I mustered the courage, crunched the numbers and it worked!!! Having a local seller helped make things even that much better! I was in disbelief!


When I went to see the car for the first time, the seller asked me if I wanted ot test drive it. I was like, naaaaah. What more is there to learn? I've seen all the videos, read all the reviews, know all the specs and have studied all the comparos out there! I GOT THIS!


Besides, quite selfishly, I didn't want the first time for me to experience an M car, be someone elses car who may or may not judge how I am driving. I just didn't want to share that "moment" with a total stranger.


"NO MISTER", I said. I'm going to buy this car FIRST, and THEN i'll drive it which ever way I damn please!!!


So I did.


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