What did you drive before getting hooked on BMW?

[mecheng77]

Originally Posted by NotMe

1972 mazda rx3
1985 mitsubishi mirage turbo
1987.5 vw gti 16v
1993 ford f150
1998 chevy s10 zr2
2000 chevy camaro z28
2002 bmw m3
2008 bmw 335i
2015 audi a5 (pos)
2017 chevy camaro ss (current)

bikes

1985 yamaha rz350
1990 yamaha fzr600
1995 honda cbr600 f3
1999 yamaha r6 (crashed-done with bikes)

Originally Posted by NotMe

1972 mazda rx3
1985 mitsubishi mirage turbo
1987.5 vw gti 16v
1993 ford f150
1998 chevy s10 zr2
2000 chevy camaro z28
2002 bmw m3
2008 bmw 335i
2015 audi a5 (pos)
2017 chevy camaro ss (current)

bikes

1985 yamaha rz350
1990 yamaha fzr600
1995 honda cbr600 f3
1999 yamaha r6 (crashed-done with bikes)

Why was the a5, a pos? They look nice

[alphaod]

I was fortunate that my first car was a BMW...

And my first BMW was a 2001 E53 X5 4.4, then a 2009 E70 X5 4.8, currently a 2015 F15 X5 50i... you can see where this is going. Kind of holding off the G05 cause the front end looks so hideous, maybe I'll change when they release the LCI...

[Wolfus Aurelius]

I've been driving since 1976.

Ford/Mercury for my first three cars;
Oldsmobile Cutlasses for my next two;
Mercedes -- 1984 280CE, 1986 420SEL, and 1997 C230
Buick -- 2003 Park Avenue and 2011 Regal CXL (which sparked my taste for smaller and sportier)

Now the 2015 328i, which is more powerful than any of them and as luxurious as the '86 MB S-Class was. I hope it will be as solid as that car.

[MZWIE]

Nothing. I started driving BMW's at sixteen and never looked any where else. After 50 years I am on BMW #29.

[happyjack]

Originally Posted by MZWIE

Nothing. I started driving BMW's at sixteen and never looked any where else. After 50 years I am on BMW #29.

i bought my son a low-mileage E90 for his first car, and have taken him to a couple of BMW driving events as well...likely the start of him taking a similar path as you!

[Mason Hatcher]

Why y'all use F22, E90, etc as descriptors? Causes this neophyte to BMW all sorts of confusion.

To the question; at 57 years old I have been driving for 42 years, and this is my first BMW, purchased at the end of January. So far it is superior to everything I have ever owned. Until I am many years in I won't call myself hooked, but so far so good.

[Wolfus Aurelius]

Originally Posted by Mason Hatcher

Why y'all use F22, E90, etc as descriptors? Causes this neophyte to BMW all sorts of confusion.

To the question; at 57 years old I have been driving for 42 years, and this is my first BMW, purchased at the end of January. So far it is superior to everything I have ever owned. Until I am many years in I won't call myself hooked, but so far so good.

Mason,

I'm as new to all this as you are and have been driving as long. I suspect it's because BMW -- if it's anything like Mercedes -- puts different engines in the same body and badges them differently. For example, among MBs there have been a slew of very different cars called "300SEL" since 1970 or so. To distinguish them, enthusiasts specify the chassis number, W108, W126, etc. Apparently BMW assigns the code based on body type (sedan is F30, wagon is F31, etc.) Either one could be a 328i, so the enthusiasts tell them apart with the code.

You can look up the meanings and the pictures of each BMW platform, E46 or E90 or F30, with a DuckDuckGo or Ixquick search. (Don't use G**gle. They know too much about us now. . . .)

[Mason Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Wolfus Aurelius

Mason,

I'm as new to all this as you are and have been driving as long. I suspect it's because BMW -- if it's anything like Mercedes -- puts different engines in the same body and badges them differently. For example, among MBs there have been a slew of very different cars called "300SEL" since 1970 or so. To distinguish them, enthusiasts specify the chassis number, W108, W126, etc. Apparently BMW assigns the code based on body type (sedan is F30, wagon is F31, etc.) Either one could be a 328i, so the enthusiasts tell them apart with the code.

You can look up the meanings and the pictures of each BMW platform, E46 or E90 or F30, with a DuckDuckGo or Ixquick search. (Don't use G**gle. They know too much about us now. . . .)

Thanks for taking the time to write. I know where to find the designations, I just don't want to have to get out my flip chart every time i read a thread.

[swunder]

2004 Mini Cooper S

[happyjack]

Originally Posted by Wolfus Aurelius

Mason,

I'm as new to all this as you are and have been driving as long. I suspect it's because BMW -- if it's anything like Mercedes -- puts different engines in the same body and badges them differently. For example, among MBs there have been a slew of very different cars called "300SEL" since 1970 or so. To distinguish them, enthusiasts specify the chassis number, W108, W126, etc. Apparently BMW assigns the code based on body type (sedan is F30, wagon is F31, etc.) Either one could be a 328i, so the enthusiasts tell them apart with the code.

You can look up the meanings and the pictures of each BMW platform, E46 or E90 or F30, with a DuckDuckGo or Ixquick search. (Don't use G**gle. They know too much about us now. . . .)

i'd also say it helps most enthusiasts -- at least me -- quickly ID which era of BMW is being discussed. i dont have the body style changes of every year memorized -- so i might not know which 5-series if someone references a 2003 vs 2004; but if someone says E39 vs E60 then i instantly know which one they're discussing.

[Concerns]

I was driving a Dodge Viper before switching to BMW.

[Taco_Bueno]

A Dodge Ram 1500

[Bigboyrolo]

Porsche Panamera e-Hybrid 2016

[sisu]

BMW E30 1984
Honda Civic 1996
Peugeot 206 S16 2001
Peugeot 206CC 2004
BMW E87 2009
Opel Insignia 2010
Ford Focus 2013
Honda HRV 2016
BMW F20 2017 until now

[kyrix1st]

Originally Posted by Mason Hatcher

Why y'all use F22, E90, etc as descriptors? Causes this neophyte to BMW all sorts of confusion.

Because ultimate driving machine.

[louscrw]

1987 Toyota Celica
1994 Yukon GT (2door) (HS Grad present)
2006 Sierra 1500
2008 Lexus IS250 (wife's)
2011 VW CC (wife's)
2014 Lexus IS350 (wife's)
2015 Toyota Tundra
2017 Toyota Tundra - current
2019 G20 (wife's) - current

[jlo0109]

2001 Toyota Corolla Blue/Black (Gone)
2003 G35 5AT Silver/Black (Gone)
2003 G35 6Spd Manual Black/Black (Gone)
2010 Toyota Camry White/Beige (Gone)
1998 Toyota Camry White/Beige (Gone)
2014 Toyota Camry Black/Beige (Gone)
1993 Toyota Supra SE White/Black (Gone)
1995 Toyota Supra Turbo Black/Black (Current)
2013 BMW M3 White/Red (Gone)
1998 Lexus GS300 White/Beige (Gone)
2013 BMW 535i M-Sport White/Black (Current)

[S EyeLand]

1996 aIR dYNO

[tturedraider]

1972 Buick Skylark
1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham
1973 MGB
1982 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham
1991 Mazda Protege LX w/alloy wheels. My first four door car. I haven’t owned a two door again since. Loved the Protege, but that’s where I learned having substantially more horsepower than torque is not a good combination.
1990 Nissan Stanza GXE
1996 Infiniti G20. Car and Driver called it a Japanese BMW.
Six BMW 3ers since

As someone else mentioned, I had determined I would own a BMW when the E30 first came out, long before I could afford one.

[CLTMDA]

1971 Ford Mustang Grande (Avocado Green)
1990 Mazda MX6
1993 Mitsubishi Diamonte
1997 BMW 5 Series
2001 Porsche 911
2006 BMW 7 Series
1965 Superformance Cobra Replica with Rousch 427 (coffin on wheels)
2012 Infiniti M56S
2015 BMW B7
2015 BMW M5
1973 Ford Mustang Convertible (Restored with modern parts)
1968 Ford Mustang California Special (Restored with original parts)
2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring
2025 BMW X5 m60i on order

[jzeiler4]

50 Plymouth coupe
53 Chevy Bel air
61 Oldsmobile convertible
59 Austin Healy Frog Eye Sprite
59 MGA
61 MGA
71 Subaru Wagon (first new car)
78 Pontiac sedan
79 Subaru Wagon
59 Austin Healy Frog Eyed Sprite
85 Dodge Caravan (second new car)
75 MGB
92 Saturn Sport Coupe MT
98 Dodge Caravan
03 Town & Country
95 Lincoln MK8
04 330 ci Convertible

[christianb5s4]

Some great collections in this thread! Mine is nowhere near as lengthy, but here's my history:

1996 Saab 900se (sold)
2010 Nissan 370Z (sold)
2001 Audi S4 (fully built, still have it)
2009 Audi A6 (sold)
2016 Audi A6 (sold)
2019 g05 X5 (wife)
2024 G80 CompX