After a morning of sleeping-in, procuring some coffee at Kroger, and gassing-up the Intrigue, we headed to Beattyville, leaving at 2 and arriving around 5 (!) The news: - Dad bought a truck. It’s the same truck as his last truck, but it has the advantage of 97k fewer miles and a higher differential ratio (3.43 v 3.73) - Used the air tools to rotate the tires on the intrigue. ...
Mechanic’s Tale: Junkyard Dogs - The Car Connection: “In the crazy Jac Nasser years at Ford I kept hearing rumors of Ford attempting to buy up large numbers of junkyards. He chased every unprofitable business strategy that came down the pike, so I guess he could have taken the profit out of junkyards too.” (to the tune of “Oh, how I love Jesus”) _ Oh, how I hate Fo-ords, Oh, how I hate Fo-ords, Yes, Oh, how I hate Fo-ords, Because they first hated me. _ ...
My old “private” blog is no more. It went to the scary delete button purgatory of Blogger, complete with its so-not-me-anymore sentiments. In its place, I have a new public blog: Bimmer Whoa’s, to document my time with my 1990 325iS. Should be interesting.
TCL thread Okay, I take several things from this thread: Just as cars used to be designed to rust/break, they’re now designed to run forever, but require dealer visits for all maintenance. Old cars rock. Engineered by rules-of-thumb and experience, not by CAD tolerances down to 1 mm / part. Understressed, overbuilt engines that were evolutionary. Wow, I don’t want to own a new VW. Oh yeah, I knew that already. ...
Car lounge link Coupla thoughts here: Since cars have more computers, does this imply they’ll have bugs, by definition? Will any inside engineer even admit to “defective” products, especially given the legal ramifications? Interested to see where my CL thread goes, if it goes anywhere.
Now that I’m a whole month removed from having one of the coolest cars of the last decade, I have some downsides for all those of you considering a MINI purchase. The 02-04’s are garbage. BMW came to Oxford, England and converted a plant with…ahem…“sufficient” build quality to build a 21st century automobile. They simplified the mechanicals and did constant improvements, even amid model years. Get an 05 or 06, especially if you’re getting an ‘S’. ...
Okay, so you know you’re on the wagon when you’re considering swapping out your 3.73 Limited-slip differential ( 3k RPM @ 70 mph ) for a 2.93 diff from a 325e. If my autocross days are over, then switching-over to a diff less mechanical advantage would cause immediate gains in fuel economy. *** nerd factor 4 time *** Using the calculator found Here gear rpm 3.73 (stock) 3025 3.25 2636 2.93 ...
A: Cold turkey. First you realize that you have no spiritual, familial, or financial ability to do said hobby. Realize that it’s costing you money you don’t have, destroying the only car you have to get your butt to work. Moreover, understand that you don’t have the time or funds to compete at the (obsessive) level to which you’re accustomed. Realize there are more important things in this life and what comes after it to occupy your (limited) time. You have a son to raise and food to put on the table, and the coming years will likely be harder than even your history-savvy brain can imagine. ...
It felt so weird not typing ‘…in the MINI’ just now. My old car’s gone, and my old ways of autocross are gone. Well, 55 more horsepower and rear wheel drive do NOT make for a faster car, at least not without magical, R-compound race tires. There were some great moments though: - Being second in class, despite having 100 fewer hp than one of the cars (Mazadaspeed 6) and no race tires (E36 323i w/Kumho Victoracers) ...
The Bimmer just turned-over 137,000 miles on my way to work this morning, and it’s running just like a top. I’d put up some pictures, but I lack a camera-phone anymore (sold on Ebay 6 months ago) and my powerbook’s dead and we haven’t figured-out how to do pics via PC.
Post over at The Car Lounge asks how many cars you’ve owned since you started reading TCL. My count: 1995 200SX SE-R - gone 2001 VW Jetta Wolfsburg - gone 2003 MINI Cooper - gone 2001 Chevy Silverado 4.8L - gone 2004 Pontiac GTO - gone 2001 Olds intrigue 1990 BMW 325is 7 cars…geeze.
Talked to Phil last night about that 1990 325is…got within $150 of buying the car, but I’m at the high end of my price range. After Tax, Title, License, and the “VIN Inspection” at the sheriff’s ofice, it’ll be an extra $350. More bad news: Insurance on E30’s is just as bad as the MINI, while insuring a vehicle for a whopping $2500. Yike.
Didn’t get the Knoxville E30, but the Lord had pretty much prep’d me for that…had a strong feeling in church that wasn’t going to fly. Feeling a VERY strong tug towards the 325is up in Cincy; I called the local BMW experts here in Lex and they said they’d never heard of 1990 M20 needed a headgasket repair. Taking a hard look at the car budget and trying to figure out what I could offer the guy / what I could afford.
With only hours until the end of our Ebay auction, Bella and I went up to look at a BMW in Cincy: Awesome little car…mint condition (almost), owned by a former autocrosser + racer. It’s his wife’s car, and you can tell she really doesn’t want to part with it. Negatives: - Hasn’t had the head-gasket done, though I’m researching prices on it right now… - “smells like an old car” - wheel + tire combo isn’t as nice as the one in Knoxville. - price is pretty high for what it is. ...
:-) I’m currently the highest bidder on a 1990 325is down in Maryville, TN (outside Knoxville). Whitney and I have been drooling over this car for days now, and we finally decided to bid on it this morning. I bid it up enough to get rid of the “Buy it now,” so it’s just a waiting game at this point. I think we’ll head down there and inspect it Saturday. I’m excited, and a bit frightened. This is what I’ve wanted, but the price is rather high.
at least two more interested parties in the MINI. :-) Should have it sold by the weekend, hopefully! One guy’s from Louisville, the other from Williamson, WV.
Guy1: Hey, I’m buying an engagement ring! I just paid cash for a Mazda Miata, and I won’t be able to do all the car stuff I want to do in the coming year, but at least I will be getting laid more often, for a while anyway. Guy2: Do you have that in writing? * * * :-)
It occurred to me yesterday that there are way too many automobile brands and companies, relative to other industries. Cars are bucking the trend, and I predict the comind 5 years will see them fall back in line: Cases in point: There are only TWO major commerical airline manufacturers–Boeing and Airbus. The banking/financials industry is clumping together like bad gravy We have only 3 telcos left in this country… Honestly, there’s not enough room in the market for all the sucky cars made on the periphery of the industry. Ford, GM, Chrysler, I’m talking to you.
Couple from Jackson, Tennessee (Irony…) have an offer in on the mini @ $15k. I’ve accepted, but they’ve yet to provide cash. Kind of an interesting story. Gal named Tina calls-up around 4pm EST and says she wants to buy the MINI for her birthday on Monday, and asks if we’ll take a personal check. …umm, no. So then her HUSBAND calls and says they have the loan and everything, they just can’t get a certified check by close of business friday… ...
Interesting article on Scott Adams’s rare condition that makes him unable to speak. Pretty cool, affirming story, actually. * * * Kentucky is presently down 31-26 to Mississippi in the 2nd, and the office is a ghosttown. Haven’t been moved to blog much lately. MINI still sits unsold, after offers from Carmax ($13k) and Frank Shoop ($12.5k), Whitney and I are trying to be patient. Seen some E30’s that’ve caught my eye, as well as some Chevy Prizms (don’t laugh…) ...