Well, here's the rundown on the BMWs I currently own:
1995 318ti Club Sport- Owned since new. 115,000 miles. Non-scheduled maintenance has consisted of a couple of idler pulleys, one set of pads and rotors, one thermostat, and one brake lamp switch. Maintenance and repair costs(including three sets of W-rated tires) average @$45 per month.
2004 X3 2.5- CPO, Owned since 12/05. 76,000 miles. Non scheduled repairs: SRS sensor(warranty) and one set of pads/rotors. Maintenance/repair costs (including one set of Pirelli P Zero Nero M+S tires) average $67 per month.
1975 2002 Owned since 10/08. Running costs: Who knows? Frankly, I don't care. I bought it off eBay because I always wanted one- and I missed my Bavaria 3.0. It's got a solid body and a newly rebuilt engine and tranny. The interior is a little tired, but I just bought some Recaros off eBay- that should spruce the cabin up a bit.
Tune in next week to see if I'm able to sell the Mazdaspeed 3 in order to fund the purchase of a 2003 540i 6 speed. Or possibly an E30 or E36 M3...
It's all about priorities. I will only own cars that make me smile when I get behind the wheel. The BMWs do that. So does my 1999 Wrangler Sahara. The Mazdaspeed did it for almost 18 months. For me, the pleasure that I receive from driving cars that I enjoy more than outweighs any minimal increase in running costs.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
jimbres wrote : " Puh-leez! "Beemer" refers to BMW motorcycles. If you're talking about BMW cars, the correct nickname is "Bimmer". " Your posts are always informative and interesting so it's not often I will defer, but I think most people use " beemer' to refer to bmw auto's. . Has anyone noticed we haven't had an actual auto salesperson post in many a page? When the times get tough, a blind eye is turned. Or their job function as our British friends like to say, becomes redundant. In '10 look to " stay on topic" You heard it here first.
Back on topic as all know I am a stickler for.
From your alarm clock's warning Take the 8:15 into the city There's a whistle up above And people pushin', people shovin' And the girls who try to look pretty
A trillion used to be billions until we let financial hysteria take hold. Muchos zero's and through our elected representatives we let it happen. S. Clemens; Politics, from the Greek word Poly, meaning Many and Tics(sp), a small vicious blood sucking insect.Oh well, water over the bridge. Main st., Wall st. Rhetoric, pay up.
Gp, outstanding, 55 lbs is phenomenal, you must be close to your goal . Good work !
richard, let us all be so lucky. Your wife is a precious gift . A soul mate if ever there was.
snake , a gorgeous grandaughter, and every reason to be proud. Please spoil her outrageously.
LD, famous fish for forty. This fish sucks... duke humor, ( humour for our Canadian friends) In Canada, please add $2.95 for shipping and handling. I can get away with this while oil is low.
"He said, 'Son now here's some little something' And stuck them on my wall And now my nights ain't quite so lonely In fact I, I don't feel bad at all. " Ramblings, damn that incipient Alzheimers.
Snake, I just saw the post with the picture of your new granddaughter. What a beautiful baby. I know that your heart is full. May you have many years to enjoy this wonderful blessing. Congratulations.
I appreciate all of your supportive comments regarding my decision. In fact, all of you agreed with it. That is a rare moment for this thread. :P
To Driver: Thanks for your suggestion, but I just couldn't buy a car and then paint it. I would feel as if I had purchased an old clunker. As for getting used to the color, I wouldn't have that many years left on this planet. I do appreciate the faith that you had in my ability to handle this deal.
To gg: I couldn't do a special order because I was considering an '08 model. They did mention that if I decided on an '09, that they would be happy to find what I wanted.
To oldfarmer: I believe that the extra offer on my trade of $500 was because I had only rated my trade as "clean" when I did the research. They may have found it to be "excellent". It was a pleasant surprise. As you say, I would like to give this dealership my business. I was very impressed with the "no pressure" attitude and the efforts made to help me.
To jmonroe: You are correct. There are many cars on many lots. It would be foolish to write a check for thousands for something that you didn't really want.
To Duke: That was a very nice comment. Some 42 years ago, neither our parents nor our friends thought that the marriage would last a year because we were very different types. Many of those people have either passed away or have divorced. The two of us are still here.
To Jipster, the Team Captain: Driving a car for fun comes in many different packages, doesn't it? Some people would think that I was more bent than I am because I could have fun driving a GM tank. I've had several convertibles and sports cars during my life. Yes, they were fun. Fun to me now is floating down the road in a super comfortable machine. Whether you drive a $60,000 car or a $15,000 car, if it makes you feel safe, reliable, and happy, then it is the car for you.
Where are joel, isell, moo, and the others? My story is over. We need some people to take up the slack.
My story is over. We need some people to take up the slack.
Good timing as I just got back from holidays.
I must admit that San Francisco is a beautiful city with lots of charm. Wife an I loved every minute of it from the art deco style hotel room we had to the cable cars to the victorian style houses to the steep hills.
Sounds like the costs are below average for the cars.
>And I do understand how much fun they are to drive in between, but the ride is not for me. --imidazol97
Notice I said that I understand that some cars are fun to drive. This discussion reminds me of the CTS advertisements from a few months ago about your car should "turn you on."
There are 200 uses of "beemer" (some may be in quoted messages) throughout Edmunds history. There also are 200 uses of "bimmer" in Edmunds history with the save caveat as the previous sentence A quick perusal of topics didn't note any that were motorcycle in nature.
In my original post I referred to a BMW as a "Bimmer"... as I have in several posts from the past. Then edited it upon reading your post spelling it as ""Beemer", thinking well you have your double "e"s so maybe it is Beemer. Frankly Scarlett I don't give a dang, but I think it's suppose to be "Bimmer"... as I usually am right about stuff like that. :shades:
Doesn't anybody remember our pal JOLIE from the CCBA thread who lives in Alaska and bought a different car every few months?????????????
I do remember her when I would take a stroll over there to CCBA. Most of what she bought were trucks, however. I do remember more than a few times she got into a financial bind by doing that, however. I think she did put a ton of miles on her vehicles, though.
She didn't seem to keep a vehicle more than several months....finding one thing or another with every vehicle she had that she didn't like.
Then again, if I lived in parts o Alaska wilderness (which it sounded like she did), I don't know that I'd find any vehicle that would be perfect for that climate.
Main Entry: Beemer Part of Speech: n Definition: a vehicle produced by BMW; also written Beamer Etymology: resembling pronunciation of BM + -er Usage: slang
When I searched dictionary.com for "bimmer" it didn't come up with a first level definition. Google.com however did come up with hits for beemer as motorcycle related and bimmer as car related.
Sounds like the costs are below average for the cars.
Well, I've owned nine Bimmers since 1983, and the only one that was a tad expensive to run was my 1988 M6. That said, I drove it for three years and sold it for just $500 less than I paid for it, so I still came out ahead. Most of the "BMWs are gosh-awful expensive to run" stories come from people who are passing on second or third-hand urban legends, or else they have a dealer who gouges them at every opportunity. For example, I know of one dealer who charges $1100 to perform the Inspection II(AKA the 60,000 mile) service on an X3 2.5. My dealer charges $380.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Good timing as I just got back from holidays. I must admit that San Francisco is a beautiful city with lots of charm
Welcome back Boom and thanks for helping the economy get going again.
We definitely need input from a salesperson, seems most are hibernating. Seriously, recessions are not fun, I have lost a few jobs in recessions myself. It is tough out there.
jipster was right re google.com searches that folks in the know use bimmer for cars and beemer for cycles. I wasn't real clear in my prevous post that he had it right.
richard....I was just thinking that even though you were looking at an '08 GM that was part of their "fleet", why they wouldn't try to swing a deal on a "black" one. Even if they had to find and trade for one, or order one for you.
Price would be different on an '09....thinking with discounts, I've seen the local lots advertise them for $2,000 UNDER Employee Pricing. That would put a brand new one right around $22K...on an MSRP of nearly $30K.
I know you were also mildly interested in a Lincoln. I bet it's a lot easier to find one of those in your preferred "black" color, either slightly used or brand new. An MKZ, using the same ads I've seen in the newspaper, can't cost much more than a new GM.
I bet it's even easier to find a black '08 Town Car than a black GM.
Then again, it's your money I'm trying to spend......
Though there are no real English rules when it comes to slang names, here is what I was able to find out for you. "Beemer" became a slang name in Great Britain for the BMW made motorcycle. When the company began making automobiles in the 1920's, Americans adopted the term "Bimmer" for the cars. Still, it is an arbitrary issue. Hollywood and the media still use the term "Beemer" for the cars, though car owners insist that the correct term is "Bimmer". In fact, BMW owners become very irritated if you write it as "Beemer".
Another interesting tidbit: The circle logo represents BMW's original purpose---to make airplanes. The white represents airplane blades cutting through a blue sky. The treaty ending WW 1 prevented BMW from ever making airplanes again. That is why they began making motorcycles, and later cars.
Here's another shocking bit of information to me: In Great Britain, BMW's are frowned upon. Brits say that only drug dealers and traveling salesmen drive BMW's. This goes to show that there are cultural preferences around the globe.
Hope this was helpful. Remember---don't shoot the one who delivered the message. :P
They ARE going to look for an '08 black one this week. The dealer said that he might have to pay a bit more for it but that he would see what he could do. You are so right about the black Town Cars. I can find them easily. There is one right here in town, and another one 30 miles from here.
It's fine with me that you are trying to spend my money---as long as I don't allow you to do it. :P
Sorry for sounding so cranky when I corrected you. I might have been a bit grouchy after listening to my wife criticize what she calls my unhealthy eating habits. It seems that bacon is no longer a vegetable. When did that happen?
Doesn't she know the 3 food groups, your red meats (bacon included), your beef group (includes steak and hamburgers) and your liquids (lots of beer to wash it all down.
Another interesting tidbit: The circle logo represents BMW's original purpose---to make airplanes.
Not exactly. BMW built airplane engines. The first Beemer was the R32, which was introduced in 1923. The first production Bimmer was the Dixi 3/15, an Austin Seven built under license. BMW also continued to build airplane engines, powering WW II aircraft such as the JU 52 and FW 190.
The white represents airplane blades cutting through a blue sky.
The white and blue actually represent the colors of the Bavarian state flag.
Here's another shocking bit of information to me: In Great Britain, BMW's are frowned upon. Brits say that only drug dealers and traveling salesmen drive BMW's. This goes to show that there are cultural preferences around the globe.
I think that is just flat-out wrong. Three monthly BMW-specific magazines(BMW Car, Performance BMW, and Total BMW) are published in GB, and you will usually find at least one article on BMWs in every issue of Autocar, Classic and Sportscar, Car, Performance Car, Practical Classic, Thoroughbred and Classic Car, and Top Gear.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I stand corrected. I should have said airplane engines rather than airplanes.
If they built the engines in WW II, they violated the Versailles Treaty of 1917. But then, treaties have been violated before. Just ask a Native American.
Perhaps the logo colors have various folk legends, and perhaps both stories are true.
I can certainly appreciate your point about the drug dealers and traveling salesmen. I was rather dubious about that as well. Here again, I just delivered the message. Having owned nine Bimmers, I consider you to be the resident expert on this thread.
Of course bacon is a vegetable! Think: Bacon, lettuce and tomato. Three peas in a pod.
What next? Mayonaise isn't a veggie spread that goes with your BLT?
And Duke, way to go from the obvious (BTO) to the semi-obscure-ish (Pictures of Lily...).
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
"...gave me a Kelley Blue Book printout of the car and it was priced around $17000..."
Let me understand this. He gave you a KBB value of 17K but he wants you to pay 19K which he marked down from 21K?
Tell me, when you were shopping there did you see lots of white powder spilled on the salesman's desk? Were the garbage cans filled with tiny little pipes? Were the owner's pupils dilated when he presented his offer?
To tell a customer that the KBB "asking price" is 2K less than your offer must be either reverse psychology....or the whole place is smoking crack. :confuse:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
gg, not sure if you knew, but ak and family have moved closer to Anchorage, so I don't think they're doing as much rural driving as in the past.
And, I believe the Pilot is not long for the family, despite all the accolades she has showered upon it .. she was talking about a used 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton Suburban to pull the horse trailer.
Richard, so sorry to hear about your GM experience. I had something similar happen to me back in 1991. I was looking to buy a Nissan Sentra, but couldn't decide between red and black. I actually had the dealer trade with another dealer to bring a black one to look at.
When I got to the dealership, I found that the black one had pinstripes added to it, which, on a sporty model (this was the SE version), looked out of place. I ended up buying the red one....
I've come to learn that colors on a computer monitor do not always translate well to the color when you see it live, especially on cars.
Michael, you are so right about computer monitor colors. I must have looked at the pictures of that car 100 times before I went to actually see it. In the pictures, it was as tan as tan could be. To see that it was mostly silver just blew me away.
Here's another example. Don't EVER buy an oriental rug on the internet. We saw a Karistan rug for the dining room that was just perfect with the window treatments and the chair covers. When it arrived at the store, it wasn't even close to the color that we had selected. It is often best to make big purchases in person.
I completely agree. When I bought my last car, I wasn't entirely sure what color I wanted, but was leaning towards either a silver or gray metallic.
When I stopped by the Saturn dealer, they offered a color of the L-series called "Pewter". It's very tough to describe in words, but has some brown tones to it. When I think of pewter, I think of teapots and other things - more of a dark gray, almost metallic charcoal, color.
Well, I also knew that I wanted leather interior in my car, but the specific car the dealer had in stock with all the other options I wanted had a cloth interior. For about $1500, I added a custom leather interior in the color of my choice .. I went with a taupe like color that complimented the black carpets and light colored headliner perfectly.
It took a week for the leather interior (and heated seats) to be installed, but 6+ years and 78K later, I still drive the Saturn daily.
I enjoyed seeing all of your car pictures. You really do keep your Saturns in beautiful shape. Is that your red Chevy truck? What a wonderful collector's item!
Richard, I wish I could take credit, but those pictures of the Saturns were snapped when the cars were brand new - fresh home from the dealership.
I suspect that if I were to invest a bit of money into a nice detailing, the L300 would look pretty close to new - a couple of small dimples is all, plus some embedded brake dust on the chrome wheels. The VUE, unfortunately, received some hail damage about 3 weeks after we bought it .. a couple of dimples in both the hood and roof. Not enough to try to repair.
Plus, here in Colorado, they don't use salt for the snow, but rather a special gravel mix that contains chemicals to help melt the snow. So, dirty cars are the order of the day at this time of year.
The Chevy truck belongs to my dad in California ... the story is that he bought it new in 1970, at which point my mom told him that it would be the last truck he ever bought. I think he took her at her word.
The pictures were taken about 18 months ago. My dad spent somewhere between $5-7K to "refresh" the truck not long before those pictures were taken - new trim, chrome, window gaskets and a paint job, so it does look factory fresh. The top half of the engine was rebuilt just after 100K - I think the body has, after 39 years, around 200K on it. He really just drove it to and from work and to haul his boat and tools around town. I can't remember him ever taking on a real long trip - maybe a few hundred miles to a lake or reservoir.
The Jeepster belonged to my wifes' step father, who passed away a few months ago. I snapped the pictures so I could help my mother in law sell the car on-line.
She ended up having better luck with an ad in the local paper - this was in Cheyenne, WY.
Now she's down to two vehicles - a '97 Eldorado and a '97 Grand Cherokee. I'd be surprised if either one of them has 30K on it, after 10 years. She's not sure which one to sell, but she's not in a hurry - both are tagged and insured to the end of the year.
If they built the engines in WW II, they violated the Versailles Treaty of 1917.
Since Germany violated most provisions of the treaty of Versailles by the beginning of WWII I wouldn't think that BMW making airplane engines was a big deal.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I have a Hyundai as a daily drive, and as I said before profiles do go out of date. \
I was getting worried about you today...you haven't been around all day. I thought maybe your Hyundai might have broken down on the freeway. Glad you are ok.
Actually, I kind of like Hyundais (is that the plural?). They have nice lines and they can almost be mistaken for a Mercedes, they have learned how to copy the lines quite well. Talk about colors...Hyundai has some of the nicest colors out there too, I would find it hard to choose which one I like the best. I almost rented one, I was supposed to get it, but they upgraded me to a Volvo for an extra $8 a day so I went with the Volvo, which I did enjoy. I would certainly consider one based on the looks, price, value and reliability if I was looking for a car in that price range. I'd like to try one though...hopefully my dreams won't be shattered. I don't know if I'd trade in my Bimmer for one just yet though.
Comments
Book prices from the lower 48 don't mean squat up there!
Used cars in Ak. go for big bucks and over book!
1995 318ti Club Sport- Owned since new. 115,000 miles. Non-scheduled maintenance has consisted of a couple of idler pulleys, one set of pads and rotors, one thermostat, and one brake lamp switch. Maintenance and repair costs(including three sets of W-rated tires) average @$45 per month.
2004 X3 2.5- CPO, Owned since 12/05. 76,000 miles. Non scheduled repairs: SRS sensor(warranty) and one set of pads/rotors. Maintenance/repair costs (including one set of Pirelli P Zero Nero M+S tires) average $67 per month.
1975 2002 Owned since 10/08. Running costs: Who knows? Frankly, I don't care. I bought it off eBay because I always wanted one- and I missed my Bavaria 3.0. It's got a solid body and a newly rebuilt engine and tranny. The interior is a little tired, but I just bought some Recaros off eBay- that should spruce the cabin up a bit.
Tune in next week to see if I'm able to sell the Mazdaspeed 3 in order to fund the purchase of a 2003 540i 6 speed. Or possibly an E30 or E36 M3...
It's all about priorities. I will only own cars that make me smile when I get behind the wheel. The BMWs do that. So does my 1999 Wrangler Sahara. The Mazdaspeed did it for almost 18 months. For me, the pleasure that I receive from driving cars that I enjoy more than outweighs any minimal increase in running costs.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
" Puh-leez! "Beemer" refers to BMW motorcycles. If you're talking about BMW cars, the correct nickname is "Bimmer". "
Your posts are always informative and interesting so it's not often I will defer, but I think most people use " beemer' to refer to bmw auto's.
.
Has anyone noticed we haven't had an actual auto salesperson post in many a page? When the times get tough, a blind eye is turned. Or their job function as our British friends like to say, becomes redundant. In '10 look to " stay on topic" You heard it here first.
Back on topic as all know I am a stickler for.
From your alarm clock's warning
Take the 8:15 into the city
There's a whistle up above
And people pushin', people shovin'
And the girls who try to look pretty
A trillion used to be billions until we let financial hysteria take hold. Muchos zero's and through our elected representatives we let it happen.
S. Clemens; Politics, from the Greek word Poly, meaning Many and Tics(sp), a small vicious blood sucking insect.Oh well, water over the bridge. Main st., Wall st. Rhetoric, pay up.
Gp, outstanding, 55 lbs is phenomenal, you must be close to your goal . Good work !
richard, let us all be so lucky. Your wife is a precious gift . A soul mate if ever there was.
snake , a gorgeous grandaughter, and every reason to be proud. Please spoil her outrageously.
LD, famous fish for forty. This fish sucks...
duke humor, ( humour for our Canadian friends)
In Canada, please add $2.95 for shipping and handling. I can get away with this while oil is low.
"He said, 'Son now here's some little something'
And stuck them on my wall
And now my nights ain't quite so lonely
In fact I, I don't feel bad at all. "
Ramblings, damn that incipient Alzheimers.
Richard
To Driver: Thanks for your suggestion, but I just couldn't buy a car and then paint it. I would feel as if I had purchased an old clunker. As for getting used to the color, I wouldn't have that many years left on this planet.
To gg: I couldn't do a special order because I was considering an '08 model. They did mention that if I decided on an '09, that they would be happy to find what I wanted.
To oldfarmer: I believe that the extra offer on my trade of $500 was because I had only rated my trade as "clean" when I did the research. They may have found it to be "excellent". It was a pleasant surprise. As you say, I would like to give this dealership my business. I was very impressed with the "no pressure" attitude and the efforts made to help me.
To jmonroe: You are correct. There are many cars on many lots. It would be foolish to write a check for thousands for something that you didn't really want.
To Duke: That was a very nice comment. Some 42 years ago, neither our parents nor our friends thought that the marriage would last a year because we were very different types. Many of those people have either passed away or have divorced. The two of us are still here.
To Jipster, the Team Captain: Driving a car for fun comes in many different packages, doesn't it? Some people would think that I was more bent than I am because I could have fun driving a GM tank. I've had several convertibles and sports cars during my life. Yes, they were fun. Fun to me now is floating down the road in a super comfortable machine. Whether you drive a $60,000 car or a $15,000 car, if it makes you feel safe, reliable, and happy, then it is the car for you.
Where are joel, isell, moo, and the others? My story is over. We need some people to take up the slack.
Richard
That may or may not be so but people in the know certainly don't. :P
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Good timing as I just got back from holidays.
I must admit that San Francisco is a beautiful city with lots of charm. Wife an I loved every minute of it from the art deco style hotel room we had to the cable cars to the victorian style houses to the steep hills.
Should have some stories this week.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
>And I do understand how much fun they are to drive in between, but the ride is not for me. --imidazol97
Notice I said that I understand that some cars are fun to drive. This discussion reminds me of the CTS advertisements from a few months ago about your car should "turn you on."
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
#1459
18251
32694
38612
each referred to the vehicle brand as "beemers."
There are 200 uses of "beemer" (some may be in quoted messages) throughout Edmunds history.
There also are 200 uses of "bimmer" in Edmunds history with the save caveat as the previous sentence
A quick perusal of topics didn't note any that were motorcycle in nature.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
In my original post I referred to a BMW as a "Bimmer"... as I have in several posts from the past. Then edited it upon reading your post spelling it as ""Beemer", thinking well you have your double "e"s so maybe it is Beemer. Frankly Scarlett I don't give a dang, but I think it's suppose to be "Bimmer"... as I usually am right about stuff like that. :shades:
What a waste. He should try to get out on the highway. How come he keeps telling us he has a Kia or something?
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I do remember her when I would take a stroll over there to CCBA. Most of what she bought were trucks, however. I do remember more than a few times she got into a financial bind by doing that, however. I think she did put a ton of miles on her vehicles, though.
She didn't seem to keep a vehicle more than several months....finding one thing or another with every vehicle she had that she didn't like.
Then again, if I lived in parts o Alaska wilderness (which it sounded like she did), I don't know that I'd find any vehicle that would be perfect for that climate.
Haven't seen her around in quite a while.
How would that be pronounced?
Main Entry: Beemer
Part of Speech: n
Definition: a vehicle produced by BMW; also written Beamer
Etymology: resembling pronunciation of BM + -er
Usage: slang
When I searched dictionary.com for "bimmer" it didn't come up with a first level definition. Google.com however did come up with hits for beemer as motorcycle related and bimmer as car related.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
lol Well said Jip........there's more to life than just saving up all those $1s.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
It's pronounced the same.... Bimmer, Beemer, Beamer. Actually "Beemer" and "Beamer" look more grammatically correct, but I've always seen Bimmer used.
Well, I've owned nine Bimmers since 1983, and the only one that was a tad expensive to run was my 1988 M6. That said, I drove it for three years and sold it for just $500 less than I paid for it, so I still came out ahead. Most of the "BMWs are gosh-awful expensive to run" stories come from people who are passing on second or third-hand urban legends, or else they have a dealer who gouges them at every opportunity. For example, I know of one dealer who charges $1100 to perform the Inspection II(AKA the 60,000 mile) service on an X3 2.5. My dealer charges $380.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I must admit that San Francisco is a beautiful city with lots of charm
Welcome back Boom and thanks for helping the economy get going again.
We definitely need input from a salesperson, seems most are hibernating. Seriously, recessions are not fun, I have lost a few jobs in recessions myself. It is tough out there.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
jipster was right re google.com searches that folks in the know use bimmer for cars and beemer for cycles. I wasn't real clear in my prevous post that he had it right.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Price would be different on an '09....thinking with discounts, I've seen the local lots advertise them for $2,000 UNDER Employee Pricing. That would put a brand new one right around $22K...on an MSRP of nearly $30K.
I know you were also mildly interested in a Lincoln. I bet it's a lot easier to find one of those in your preferred "black" color, either slightly used or brand new. An MKZ, using the same ads I've seen in the newspaper, can't cost much more than a new GM.
I bet it's even easier to find a black '08 Town Car than a black GM.
Then again, it's your money I'm trying to spend......
Another interesting tidbit: The circle logo represents BMW's original purpose---to make airplanes. The white represents airplane blades cutting through a blue sky. The treaty ending WW 1 prevented BMW from ever making airplanes again. That is why they began making motorcycles, and later cars.
Here's another shocking bit of information to me: In Great Britain, BMW's are frowned upon. Brits say that only drug dealers and traveling salesmen drive BMW's. This goes to show that there are cultural preferences around the globe.
Hope this was helpful. Remember---don't shoot the one who delivered the message. :P
Richard
It's fine with me that you are trying to spend my money---as long as I don't allow you to do it. :P
Richard
Very interesting (as Sgt Klink would say). Thanks for all the good info. Did it say what accountants drive in Germany?
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Doesn't she know the 3 food groups, your red meats (bacon included), your beef group (includes steak and hamburgers) and your liquids (lots of beer to wash it all down.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Not exactly. BMW built airplane engines. The first Beemer was the R32, which was introduced in 1923. The first production Bimmer was the Dixi 3/15, an Austin Seven built under license. BMW also continued to build airplane engines, powering WW II aircraft such as the JU 52 and FW 190.
The white represents airplane blades cutting through a blue sky.
The white and blue actually represent the colors of the Bavarian state flag.
Here's another shocking bit of information to me: In Great Britain, BMW's are frowned upon. Brits say that only drug dealers and traveling salesmen drive BMW's. This goes to show that there are cultural preferences around the globe.
I think that is just flat-out wrong. Three monthly BMW-specific magazines(BMW Car, Performance BMW, and Total BMW) are published in GB, and you will usually find at least one article on BMWs in every issue of Autocar, Classic and Sportscar, Car, Performance Car, Practical Classic, Thoroughbred and Classic Car, and Top Gear.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Yes, they drive bicycles. In the U.S. they drive bicycles with four wheels. :P
Richard
If they built the engines in WW II, they violated the Versailles Treaty of 1917. But then, treaties have been violated before. Just ask a Native American.
Perhaps the logo colors have various folk legends, and perhaps both stories are true.
I can certainly appreciate your point about the drug dealers and traveling salesmen. I was rather dubious about that as well. Here again, I just delivered the message. Having owned nine Bimmers, I consider you to be the resident expert on this thread.
Richard
What next? Mayonaise isn't a veggie spread that goes with your BLT?
And Duke, way to go from the obvious (BTO) to the semi-obscure-ish (Pictures of Lily...).
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Let me understand this. He gave you a KBB value of 17K but he wants you to pay 19K which he marked down from 21K?
Tell me, when you were shopping there did you see lots of white powder spilled on the salesman's desk? Were the garbage cans filled with tiny little pipes? Were the owner's pupils dilated when he presented his offer?
To tell a customer that the KBB "asking price" is 2K less than your offer must be either reverse psychology....or the whole place is smoking crack. :confuse:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
That would be Sgt. Schultz that would say, "Very Interesting." Though, "I see nothing....NOTHING!", was more popular in my book.
Colonel Klink was the Mr. Peanut looking dude who always said,"HO-GAANNN!!"
Or, "Oh no, I'm being sent to the Russian Front... again!" :shades:
When you forgot to wrap it around a stick of butter. :P
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
That's a far cry from all of those Dodge, Chevy and Ford Heavy Duty 4WD pickups she usually preferred.
I'm still trying to wrap my arms around how well a Civic would do in the FROZEN TUNDRA in the wilds of Alaska....... :surprise:
And, I believe the Pilot is not long for the family, despite all the accolades she has showered upon it .. she was talking about a used 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton Suburban to pull the horse trailer.
Richard, so sorry to hear about your GM experience. I had something similar happen to me back in 1991. I was looking to buy a Nissan Sentra, but couldn't decide between red and black. I actually had the dealer trade with another dealer to bring a black one to look at.
When I got to the dealership, I found that the black one had pinstripes added to it, which, on a sporty model (this was the SE version), looked out of place. I ended up buying the red one....
I've come to learn that colors on a computer monitor do not always translate well to the color when you see it live, especially on cars.
I couldn't find an appropriate Laugh-In clip, but here's a reprise on the show "Mad About You". Artie comes in about 55 seconds in.
Laugh-in parody
Here's another example. Don't EVER buy an oriental rug on the internet. We saw a Karistan rug for the dining room that was just perfect with the window treatments and the chair covers. When it arrived at the store, it wasn't even close to the color that we had selected. It is often best to make big purchases in person.
Richard
When I stopped by the Saturn dealer, they offered a color of the L-series called "Pewter". It's very tough to describe in words, but has some brown tones to it. When I think of pewter, I think of teapots and other things - more of a dark gray, almost metallic charcoal, color.
Well, I also knew that I wanted leather interior in my car, but the specific car the dealer had in stock with all the other options I wanted had a cloth interior. For about $1500, I added a custom leather interior in the color of my choice .. I went with a taupe like color that complimented the black carpets and light colored headliner perfectly.
It took a week for the leather interior (and heated seats) to be installed, but 6+ years and 78K later, I still drive the Saturn daily.
Probably easier to just post a picture ....
Yeah, those comedic German [non-permissible content removed] English speaking soldiers are hard to keep track of.
Richard
It does look good, but I really like the Jeepster or is it Jipster?
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I suspect that if I were to invest a bit of money into a nice detailing, the L300 would look pretty close to new - a couple of small dimples is all, plus some embedded brake dust on the chrome wheels. The VUE, unfortunately, received some hail damage about 3 weeks after we bought it .. a couple of dimples in both the hood and roof. Not enough to try to repair.
Plus, here in Colorado, they don't use salt for the snow, but rather a special gravel mix that contains chemicals to help melt the snow. So, dirty cars are the order of the day at this time of year.
The Chevy truck belongs to my dad in California ... the story is that he bought it new in 1970, at which point my mom told him that it would be the last truck he ever bought. I think he took her at her word.
The pictures were taken about 18 months ago. My dad spent somewhere between $5-7K to "refresh" the truck not long before those pictures were taken - new trim, chrome, window gaskets and a paint job, so it does look factory fresh. The top half of the engine was rebuilt just after 100K - I think the body has, after 39 years, around 200K on it. He really just drove it to and from work and to haul his boat and tools around town. I can't remember him ever taking on a real long trip - maybe a few hundred miles to a lake or reservoir.
She ended up having better luck with an ad in the local paper - this was in Cheyenne, WY.
Now she's down to two vehicles - a '97 Eldorado and a '97 Grand Cherokee. I'd be surprised if either one of them has 30K on it, after 10 years. She's not sure which one to sell, but she's not in a hurry - both are tagged and insured to the end of the year.
Richard
Richard
I have had plenty of excitement in my life, much more than you can get from a car.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Since Germany violated most provisions of the treaty of Versailles by the beginning of WWII I wouldn't think that BMW making airplane engines was a big deal.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Nope that was Arte Johnson from "Laugh In"
Edited to add: Rats someone beat me to it.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I was getting worried about you today...you haven't been around all day.
I thought maybe your Hyundai might have broken down on the freeway.
Glad you are ok.
Actually, I kind of like Hyundais (is that the plural?). They have nice lines and they can almost be mistaken for a Mercedes, they have learned how to copy the lines quite well. Talk about colors...Hyundai has some of the nicest colors out there too, I would find it hard to choose which one I like the best. I almost rented one, I was supposed to get it, but they upgraded me to a Volvo for an extra $8 a day so I went with the Volvo, which I did enjoy. I would certainly consider one based on the looks, price, value and reliability if I was looking for a car in that price range. I'd like to try one though...hopefully my dreams won't be shattered. I don't know if I'd trade in my Bimmer for one just yet though.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250