What got you into BMWs?

jrougeux · 01-21-2010, 11:29 PM

I grew up riding around in my dad's 1984 E28 528e. I was 3 years old when he bought it. The interior had all of these strange status lights above, like an aircraft almost, and there was this "calculator" looking thing next to the steering wheel. Weird. The window switches were even next to the gear knob instead of on the door. I knew something was special about it. But I wouldn't know why until years later.

Fast forward a decade, and I'm 15 and learning how to drive. My dad still has the E28. Although I get to drive the car to learn a stick shift, I still don't know what's so great about the car. I haven't driven enough to appreciate what a proper car feels like. I'm always stalling the car out and worrying about getting in the right gear. Most of the time, I accidentally start in 3rd gear, since reverse was right next to 1st, and I was really cautious about backing my dad's BMW into another car!

When I finally get my own ride, it's not a bimmer, though, but a 1997 Jeep Cherokee. All my buddies had Jeeps and were into four wheeling, so a BMW wasn't even in the cards. But in 2000, my dad finally buys a new car after 180K miles: a black 528i. 16 years later and he buys the same damn car. All I could think was, how boring!?! But I didn't know. I didn't know how the 528i would handle, the way it would deliver feedback to the driver. I didn't know that you could drive it for 6 hours without fatiguing. I didn't know what smooth power output it would have. But that all changed once I got behind the wheel. I then knew that I'd own one, some day...

Eight years later, it's the winter of 2008, and I'm 27. It's time to sell the Jeep I bought in high school, and move on. I'm no longer four wheeling, so the time is right for a fast car. Of course I only looked at BMWs. I didn't even test drive any other makes. The E90 330i fit my budget and my taste, so I headed over to the local dealer to try one out, and the rest is history.

Now, my little brother drives the '84 E28. It's older than he is, and no one knows exactly how many miles are on the car, because he's swapped out the engine and transmission so many times. The E28 is faded, old, and beat up. But he loves the car, and loves bimmers more than anyone I know. Now all I have to do is convince my other brother to get rid of his Accord and buy a real car!

JulieDriving · 01-21-2010, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWinNorthdakota

wow.

+ 1

My

to lopealle as well.

I love those sooo much more than hearing things like,

"Hey man, check out my new M3. My parents bought it for me (even though I didn't do a thing to deserve it). Not bad for a first car, huh? wink, wink. I'd say I'm doing pretty good *proud-of-oneself smirk* "

bulldog_yyc · 01-21-2010, 11:40 PM

the pricks down the street at Mercedes laughed at me when I told them I was ready to buy a car today. I guess I was younger than their typical client? Little did they know I had already had a test drive at BMW and had scheduled one immediately after with MB for a C350. The SA at BMW was much friendlier and let my GF and I take the car out for an entire afternoon. Needless to say I walked back and bought my 335 from him after leaving MB.

tuco44 · 01-21-2010, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JulieDriving

Master Ovr, who helped me go down the "chosen path... the Bimmer path" -

Signed,
Your grateful Jedi pupil.

You're very welcome, Julie.

boogiee90 · 01-22-2010, 12:01 AM

I USED TO DriVE a hood rat 91' honda accord lx sedan passed on to me by my mother. I did some ghetto DIY mods in it like:
1. cutting springs with a grinding tool that i bought from wal-mart(then returned after i used it): $80 after returned $0 = $2 gas to drive back and forth
2.I painted the wheels black with a spray paint from autozone. $5
3.I installed $40 intake system from ebay and stuck a TORNADO(as seen on tv crap)<<found at a chop shop $10 http://www.tornadoair.com/buy1/ LOL
*But driving a ghetto ricer as hard as you can was: priceless
I remember i had to use the passenger side front door to get in because the driver side was jammed. Anyway, just being able to drive a normal car was a relief...Just happened to be a BMW e90

ideas82 · 01-22-2010, 12:18 AM

1990 325is to be exact. I really started taking notice of BMW years back, but It was a test drive in my cousins e30 which i ended up buying off him which caused the change in BMW addiction. Then it was on to Chapters to pick up every Bimmer Magazine I could find. Then came across (The Ultimate History of BMW) EVER SERIOUS BMW CAR OWNER should have that book. Highly recommended. And the rest is history.

Here is a simple test. Talk to 10 different BMW owners and ask them if they know what BMW stands for. Most won't know.

lopealle · 01-22-2010, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWinNorthdakota

wow.

yea being poor sucked

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtla4

Geez....I tought I had problems....what a motivational speech

i dont think there is anything worse than living in a homeless shelter dude.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JulieDriving

+ 1

My

to lopealle as well.

I love those sooo much more than hearing things like,

"Hey man, check out my new M3. My parents bought it for me (even though I didn't do a thing to deserve it). Not bad for a first car, huh? wink, wink. I'd say I'm doing pretty good *proud-of-oneself smirk* "

yea dude i use to see those types in highschool all the time. even the ones who got like kias or whatever still complained. i cant say they didnt deserve it. but alot of them didnt appreciate it.

yea dudes my childhood sucked. trust me being poor is no fun. its funny im reading all these people saying yea my mom or dad use to have this and that. im like damn we didnt have bikes lol.

lopealle · 01-22-2010, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rick1

1990 325is to be exact. I really started taking notice of BMW years back, but It was a test drive in my cousins e30 which i ended up buying off him which caused the change in BMW addiction. Then it was on to Chapters to pick up every Bimmer Magazine I could find. Then came across (The Ultimate History of BMW) EVER SERIOUS BMW CAR OWNER should have that book. Highly recommended. And the rest is history.

Here is a simple test. Talk to 10 different BMW owners and ask them if they know what BMW stands for. Most won't know.

bavarian motor works

docjay · 01-22-2010, 12:45 AM

was inspired by my father who was a doctor-he had several Bimmers in our garage,now im a doctor with my first bimmer,an e90 LCI.

BV 50ANA · 01-22-2010, 01:17 AM

i always admired bmw's but a friend who is a big big fan of bmw transfered me the virus of bmw and after the X5 E70 i bought the E92.....my next car...probably after i sell the E70 will also be an X5 or maybe X6.....

1013mm · 01-22-2010, 01:26 AM

E46 M3. nuff said.

BMWDavid · 01-22-2010, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrougeux

I grew up riding around in my dad's 1984 E28 528e. I was 3 years old when he bought it. The interior had all of these strange status lights above, like an aircraft almost, and there was this "calculator" looking thing next to the steering wheel. Weird. The window switches were even next to the gear knob instead of on the door. I knew something was special about it. But I wouldn't know why until years later...

Great story! My first BMW was a 1984 528e Burgundrot on beige. It was fantastic and saved my life. At the time it was 10 years old and like today's BMWs, way ahead of it's time. In icy conditions I lost control entering the I-495 Beltway and spun across four lanes of traffic, almost. A Ford Taurus hit me head-on in the fast lane. Miraculously I walked away with only a headache. My BMW sustained relatively minor damage to the front end. Luckily the Taurus driver was OK but the front axle looked like it had broken off. I have never driven anything but a BMW since.

I've had a few: 84 528e, 86 325e, 88 M6, 2005 M3 ZCP, 2006 M3 ZCP, 2006 X3, 2007 335i e92, 2007 X3, 2008 328xi e92, and various company BMWs

Once I left the Marine Corps in 1999 I decided my civilian career would involve enjoying each day at the office. The choice was easy. In October of 2009 I hit my 10 year mark with BMW. The great community of enthusiasts and the fact BMW just keeps getting better has really made it a fun ride.

BarbeRouge · 01-22-2010, 01:50 AM

The e46 M3. Period. I've always loved cars, with this M3 I was hooked. My first bimmer was an e46 323ci(2000). Then I bought an 03' M3. The bangleized bimmers have left me wanting something more, so i'm happy to see the new 5,m1,335is, 7, etc. It's all good stuff from BMW.

335fourdoor · 01-22-2010, 02:45 AM

for me,just two words:

TWIN TURBO.

smack · 01-22-2010, 04:38 AM

Got started on a 1990 325i M-Technic 2 door while stationed in Germany. I had so much fun with that little car as it had factory 3.73 gears and lsd in it. After a while it started needing a lot of maintenance and I wasnt going to put to much into a German spec BMW that i couldnt bring home with me. I decided it was time for a new BMW and bought an 07 E90 335i sport package. Since having that old Bimmer in Germany I will always stay true to them.

OwnAge · 01-22-2010, 05:08 AM

I had my 1st WooHoo in my buddy's e46 330ci

After that i knew i had to get my own. Only I went for Sedan, it was more practical

ebeem · 01-22-2010, 05:41 AM

where are the German guys?

I wonder if they were influenced by there hometown as well

e.g Stuttgart = Mercedes / Porsche
Ingolstadt = Audi

etc

G.I.Joe · 01-22-2010, 06:23 AM

I trained for my drivers license in an E21 320 back in 1983 and I have been hooked ever since. Went astray for some years, driving Saab's and Audi's, but when the E92 model came out in late 2006 I was hooked on the design again.

All it took was one testdrive and I was "back"

Now my wife is totally hooked as well, and she doesn't want anything else than a BMW either. At this point all I need to contemplate is whether to get a 3 series or a 5 series the next time, unless of course I can talk my wife into letting me buy a Z4is when the son moves out of the house in a year or 2

Antinontoxic · 01-22-2010, 07:14 AM

I remember it as it was yesterday. Back in 2002 I was looking for my first car. I loved how the Subaru Impreza looked, but as the two door version was not available as a LHD car in Europe I was a bit let down because I did not care that much about the 4dr version.

Already year earlier, before I had my license, I was looking at E36 coupe (awful wing etc.) and wanted that one so much, but as it was actually time to buy my first car I thought that there were too many of those on the roads. Then I saw this beautiful E46 sedan at DTMpower and it was love at first sight! Later I saw the coupe version and loved it even more, but could not afford one. Two years later I changed my car to coupe

I still get goose bumps watching this video

rori zahr · 01-22-2010, 08:10 AM

a 1982 635i, the rest is history... always BMW

Genro757 · 01-22-2010, 09:40 AM

I got into BMW's becuase of 90's rap songs

Why Knot · 01-22-2010, 10:03 AM

In the late 80's and early 90's I realized my "dream" and owned 2 Porsche 911's. Both turned out to be major disappointments and soured me on German cars. In 2000 I bought a 323Ci and was very happy with it. In 2004 I got seduced by the Audi TT and then the Volvo S 60 R. Good cars, but not BMW's. I bought a 335i in 2007. A good car, but not the driving experience I rememberd from the 323Ci. Last year I bought my 135i and it appears I have finally found my car. I just hope my luck with the HPFP holds.

01-21-2010, 11:29 PM	#89
jrougeux Private First Class 10 Rep 149 Posts Drives: 2006 330i - 6SPD ZSP ZPP Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisville, KY iTrader: (0)	I grew up riding around in my dad's 1984 E28 528e. I was 3 years old when he bought it. The interior had all of these strange status lights above, like an aircraft almost, and there was this "calculator" looking thing next to the steering wheel. Weird. The window switches were even next to the gear knob instead of on the door. I knew something was special about it. But I wouldn't know why until years later. Fast forward a decade, and I'm 15 and learning how to drive. My dad still has the E28. Although I get to drive the car to learn a stick shift, I still don't know what's so great about the car. I haven't driven enough to appreciate what a proper car feels like. I'm always stalling the car out and worrying about getting in the right gear. Most of the time, I accidentally start in 3rd gear, since reverse was right next to 1st, and I was really cautious about backing my dad's BMW into another car! When I finally get my own ride, it's not a bimmer, though, but a 1997 Jeep Cherokee. All my buddies had Jeeps and were into four wheeling, so a BMW wasn't even in the cards. But in 2000, my dad finally buys a new car after 180K miles: a black 528i. 16 years later and he buys the same damn car. All I could think was, how boring!?! But I didn't know. I didn't know how the 528i would handle, the way it would deliver feedback to the driver. I didn't know that you could drive it for 6 hours without fatiguing. I didn't know what smooth power output it would have. But that all changed once I got behind the wheel. I then knew that I'd own one, some day... Eight years later, it's the winter of 2008, and I'm 27. It's time to sell the Jeep I bought in high school, and move on. I'm no longer four wheeling, so the time is right for a fast car. Of course I only looked at BMWs. I didn't even test drive any other makes. The E90 330i fit my budget and my taste, so I headed over to the local dealer to try one out, and the rest is history. Now, my little brother drives the '84 E28. It's older than he is, and no one knows exactly how many miles are on the car, because he's swapped out the engine and transmission so many times. The E28 is faded, old, and beat up. But he loves the car, and loves bimmers more than anyone I know. Now all I have to do is convince my other brother to get rid of his Accord and buy a real car! __________________ 2006 330i - 6MT ZSP ZPP
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01-21-2010, 11:40 PM	#91
bulldog_yyc Major General 136 Rep 5,040 Posts Drives: GT3RS Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: probably work iTrader: (28)	the pricks down the street at Mercedes laughed at me when I told them I was ready to buy a car today. I guess I was younger than their typical client? Little did they know I had already had a test drive at BMW and had scheduled one immediately after with MB for a C350. The SA at BMW was much friendlier and let my GF and I take the car out for an entire afternoon. Needless to say I walked back and bought my 335 from him after leaving MB.
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01-22-2010, 12:01 AM	#93
boogiee90 POGI 147 Rep 1,096 Posts Drives: 06 E90 Jet black Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (7) Garage List 2006 e90 [5.50]	I USED TO DriVE a hood rat 91' honda accord lx sedan passed on to me by my mother. I did some ghetto DIY mods in it like: 1. cutting springs with a grinding tool that i bought from wal-mart(then returned after i used it): $80 after returned $0 = $2 gas to drive back and forth 2.I painted the wheels black with a spray paint from autozone. $5 3.I installed $40 intake system from ebay and stuck a TORNADO(as seen on tv crap)<<found at a chop shop $10 http://www.tornadoair.com/buy1/ LOL *But driving a ghetto ricer as hard as you can was: priceless I remember i had to use the passenger side front door to get in because the driver side was jammed. Anyway, just being able to drive a normal car was a relief...Just happened to be a BMW e90
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01-22-2010, 12:18 AM	#94
ideas82 Ideas82 1 Rep 28 Posts Drives: Pending... Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	Plain and simply the E30 1990 325is to be exact. I really started taking notice of BMW years back, but It was a test drive in my cousins e30 which i ended up buying off him which caused the change in BMW addiction. Then it was on to Chapters to pick up every Bimmer Magazine I could find. Then came across (The Ultimate History of BMW) EVER SERIOUS BMW CAR OWNER should have that book. Highly recommended. And the rest is history. Here is a simple test. Talk to 10 different BMW owners and ask them if they know what BMW stands for. Most won't know.
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01-22-2010, 12:45 AM	#97
docjay Second Lieutenant 6 Rep 233 Posts Drives: 2010 E90 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Manila iTrader: (0) Garage List 2010 e90 320i LCI [0.00]	was inspired by my father who was a doctor-he had several Bimmers in our garage,now im a doctor with my first bimmer,an e90 LCI.
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01-22-2010, 01:17 AM	#98
BV 50ANA Private 18 Rep 71 Posts Drives: G06 M50D Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Romania iTrader: (0)	i always admired bmw's but a friend who is a big big fan of bmw transfered me the virus of bmw and after the X5 E70 i bought the E92.....my next car...probably after i sell the E70 will also be an X5 or maybe X6.....
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01-22-2010, 01:26 AM	#99
1013mm aka 1013MM 1310 Rep 9,545 Posts Drives: pokingly flush Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Los Angeles / HK iTrader: (7) Garage List 2009 135i [8.26]	E46 M3. nuff said. __________________ -John Project YOSHI Sale Thread
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01-22-2010, 01:50 AM	#101
BarbeRouge Life is short 219 Rep 274 Posts Drives: Macan Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Charlotte iTrader: (0)	The e46 M3. Period. I've always loved cars, with this M3 I was hooked. My first bimmer was an e46 323ci(2000). Then I bought an 03' M3. The bangleized bimmers have left me wanting something more, so i'm happy to see the new 5,m1,335is, 7, etc. It's all good stuff from BMW.
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01-22-2010, 02:45 AM	#102
335fourdoor Captain 13 Rep 668 Posts Drives: 335 e90 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: west iTrader: (3)	for me,just two words: TWIN TURBO.
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01-22-2010, 04:38 AM	#103
smack Lieutenant Colonel 34 Rep 1,569 Posts Drives: BMW's/Flex Polishers Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Spangdahlem Germany iTrader: (0)	Got started on a 1990 325i M-Technic 2 door while stationed in Germany. I had so much fun with that little car as it had factory 3.73 gears and lsd in it. After a while it started needing a lot of maintenance and I wasnt going to put to much into a German spec BMW that i couldnt bring home with me. I decided it was time for a new BMW and bought an 07 E90 335i sport package. Since having that old Bimmer in Germany I will always stay true to them.
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01-22-2010, 05:08 AM	#104
OwnAge Gourik 190 Rep 4,302 Posts Drives: soon Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Innisfil Ontario. iTrader: (1) Garage List 2009 328i [8.90]	I had my 1st WooHoo in my buddy's e46 330ci After that i knew i had to get my own. Only I went for Sedan, it was more practical __________________
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01-22-2010, 05:41 AM	#105
ebeem First Lieutenant 16 Rep 329 Posts Drives: E93 335i M - Paket Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Munich,Germany iTrader: (0)	where are the German guys? I wonder if they were influenced by there hometown as well e.g Stuttgart = Mercedes / Porsche Ingolstadt = Audi etc
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01-22-2010, 06:23 AM	#106
G.I.Joe Major 30 Rep 1,041 Posts Drives: E92 335i 2008 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark iTrader: (0)	I trained for my drivers license in an E21 320 back in 1983 and I have been hooked ever since. Went astray for some years, driving Saab's and Audi's, but when the E92 model came out in late 2006 I was hooked on the design again. All it took was one testdrive and I was "back" Now my wife is totally hooked as well, and she doesn't want anything else than a BMW either. At this point all I need to contemplate is whether to get a 3 series or a 5 series the next time, unless of course I can talk my wife into letting me buy a Z4is when the son moves out of the house in a year or 2
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01-22-2010, 07:14 AM	#107
Antinontoxic Lieutenant 128 Rep 510 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Finland iTrader: (0)	I remember it as it was yesterday. Back in 2002 I was looking for my first car. I loved how the Subaru Impreza looked, but as the two door version was not available as a LHD car in Europe I was a bit let down because I did not care that much about the 4dr version. Already year earlier, before I had my license, I was looking at E36 coupe (awful wing etc.) and wanted that one so much, but as it was actually time to buy my first car I thought that there were too many of those on the roads. Then I saw this beautiful E46 sedan at DTMpower and it was love at first sight! Later I saw the coupe version and loved it even more, but could not afford one. Two years later I changed my car to coupe I still get goose bumps watching this video
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01-22-2010, 08:10 AM	#108
rori zahr AristoCat 43 Rep 676 Posts Drives: M2 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Beirut iTrader: (0)	a 1982 635i, the rest is history... always BMW __________________ AristoCat
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01-22-2010, 09:40 AM	#109
Genro757 ///M-Flight VP 77 Rep 669 Posts Drives: '13 Frozen Red Edition E92 M3 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: NOVA/Virginia Beach, VA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2013 E92 M3 [0.00]	I got into BMW's becuase of 90's rap songs __________________ 2013 "Frozen Red Edition" E92 M3, M-DCT with all the 'fixin's, Akrapovic Evolution w/CF Tips, BPM Stage 2 Tune, BPM DCT Software
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01-22-2010, 10:03 AM	#110
Why Knot Private First Class 4 Rep 124 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: New England iTrader: (0)	In the late 80's and early 90's I realized my "dream" and owned 2 Porsche 911's. Both turned out to be major disappointments and soured me on German cars. In 2000 I bought a 323Ci and was very happy with it. In 2004 I got seduced by the Audi TT and then the Volvo S 60 R. Good cars, but not BMW's. I bought a 335i in 2007. A good car, but not the driving experience I rememberd from the 323Ci. Last year I bought my 135i and it appears I have finally found my car. I just hope my luck with the HPFP holds.
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