Picture of your car (2011)

[hobbyrennfahrer]

crappy iphone 4 picture, sorry for that

my bmw 135i with winter rims

 

[Blasphemic]

My car

Still the same car but got some new pictures: Opel Corsa 1.4 Swing from 1997, worth about nothing but it means alot to me
First 2 are outside the building where i live, and yes i know she could really need a wash but that wont be done untill they have time to do it at work (i work at a Car rental company)

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wXLXKwnhy9eY0TMZdMXHEw?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rkrAdjzNNR1-snLEoQ-syA?feat=directlink
The inside could really use a good cleaning aswell

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/c5sYp9nOeu1wbtYNlQRTxA?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/89Ncn1aLHvyvNOlJt6D51g?feat=directlink
And she has quite a few Km on the clock.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6T-PpSGfPzAtBL3BAv1uoQ?feat=directlink

And here is what i drive when im at work (i dont clean the cars, im the guy standing behind the counter saying sir to people)
First one is a Porsche Cayenne

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ebentzen/5330241084/
Jaguar XF (i didnt take this picture)

http://www.speedlux.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Jaguar-XF-3.jpg
And theres all the Audis and Mercs =)

i posted the links aswell since i cant get it to post the actual pictures
why dont picasa/flick let me link to the the picture >_<

 

[gr8whtd0pe]

...but it was seen on Top Gear a few years back when the boys made their electric car and took it to Oxford.

That. Is. Awesome.

 

[spencers]

To the BMW guys, how reliable is the E46 325i?
I have a chance to pick one up for a fairly low cost (Less than $6,000 canadian). It is pretty much mint and VERY well maintained.
Car has a bit higher miles (~125,000 miles/ 205,000km), but I am guessing well maintained they will last quite a while?

I really enjoyed my brothers E36, and I just got rid of my project cars so I figure this would be a nice change.

If properly maintained, mileage holds no bounds! BMW's will go to 250k easy.

Bimmerforums is mainly an E36 site. Bimmerfest is a better E46 resource.

E46Fanatics is another good forum. If you can sift through all the BS posts, there's a wealth of information hiding within.

 

[63dot]

If properly maintained, mileage holds no bounds! BMW's will go to 250k easy.

Any car will go 250K miles if properly maintained, yet some cars would need more proper maintenance.

There is nothing better looking on the inside and out as the new BMWs, and if I could have a company car for 5 years, it would be a BMW. But today's BMW (engine longevity wise) is not the same company in any way as the one who put together the very rugged 2002 model. There may not have been the same attention to looks and style, but what counted was that the engine was made to last forever. You wouldn't believe how many of those rusted out and ripped up 2002s there are out there, but they keep on going. Kids get them from their parents and soon grandkids will have them from their grandparents.

That being said, today's automobile safety standards are far more strict. If I got hit, or crashed, I would want to be in a new BMW with airbags vs. an old BMW 2002. And I am sure the new BMW could simply kill the 2002 on a slalom course. And as far as chick magnets (or what some guys use as an accessory), the new BMWs have all the looks going for it.

The maintenance on indestructible cars like the BMW 2002 series, and cars like my 70s/80s Volvo DL-GL series amounts to making sure the upholstery is not too ripped up and the rust is kept to a minimum (bondo, sanding, etc) but what you have is a car, as ugly as the weather and age can pit the hell out of it, which will go for 40 or 50 years without any major engine work. And to be fair, my mechanic says the new Volvo engines of the last decade are pretty fragile. A three year old Volvo engine appears to have more wear than my '84's engine according to him. Of course, the sheer durability and weight of my old Volvo engine does amount to a heavier car that doesn't handle any better than a school bus, and gets terrible mileage.

And when you look at where American cars used to be in terms of reliability compared to anything post 1970s, it's sad. Take a look at Cuba who got left behind after Fidel Castro. Many of the cars people have that are still running are 1950s American cars, back when America used to build everlasting cars.

 

[Tonsko]

If properly maintained, mileage holds no bounds! BMW's will go to 250k easy.

The engines will, no problem. It's all the expensive bits around them that can't!

 

[techluvr]

When I get my license, if everything goes according to plan, it will be a 2011 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited. Absolute sportiest car I've ever driven, and it's a wagon. Perfect. Don't have any pics right now, sorry.

 

[RITZFit]

My teggy

 

[spencers]

On a side note, the previous owner of my E30 that I posted on page 1 just called and offered to buy it back, and offered to do a trade + cash for his much newer e9033i (if I understood him correctly). I need to take the e30 out AutoXing first to decide...still, will give him first dibs once I decide to depart with this classic car. I think I would have to get rid of it for an E30 M3 though ;-)

That's a heck of a decision! I'd sell it back though. If he built that car, there's a huge bond he's now missing. There's always a mint E30 M3 out there somewhere.

The engines will, no problem. It's all the expensive bits around them that can't!

That's all that matters, no? I'm not gonna be going around Fred Flintstone-ing my bimmer...

 

[quagmire]

That's all that matters, no? I'm not gonna be going around Fred Flintstone-ing my bimmer...

There is the electronics that control the engine, etc. You will probably have to do some engine work along the way as well. My dads old E46 had to replace the water pump at 45,000 miles because it blew up( warranty), replace a pulley as it began to squeal at 65,000 miles( wasn't cheap, but forgot the exact amount it cost), and started to run roughly at 70,000 miles when idling. Dealer said it was due to my dad putting 87 in the tank when BMW recommends 91/93. Though when my brother got the car and replaced the spark plugs, the engine smoothed out again. Right now at 150,000 miles I believe my brother stated he thinks the crankcase is starting to go.

BMW( or any German vehicle) is going to be expensive to maintain. There is no getting around it.

 

[RaceTripper]

...and started to run roughly at 70,000 miles when idling. Dealer said it was due to my dad putting 87 in the tank when BMW recommends 91/93....

There's a reason BMW says to use high-octane fuel. If you don't use the recommended fuels and fluids and the engine starts to get rough, you can't entirely blame BMW.

I run my BMW and MINI on 91/93 always. My 70K miles 330ci purrs like a kitten.

 

[Tonsko]

Heh. I used to use 98/99 until about a year ago. Fuel is just too expensive now. I know my golf's ECU adjusts the timing automatically depending on what octane level the fuel is. It shouldn't really matter.

 

[rezenclowd3]

That's a heck of a decision! I'd sell it back though. If he built that car, there's a huge bond he's now missing. There's always a mint E30 M3 out there somewhere.

Yup. I will not find a buyer that has more invested into a car than the one who did the majority of the restoration/ engine+suspension swap. Damn, I've only had the car for 6 days, and he called again today to make another hard offer. I have to put my thinking cap on, but honestly I am already tired of searching for a good DD/ AutoX car to buy. Pics to come of another car should something happen LOL.

MMMM, E30 M3. Gives me chills....

 

[quagmire]

There's a reason BMW says to use high-octane fuel. If you don't use the recommended fuels and fluids and the engine starts to get rough, you can't entirely blame BMW.

I run my BMW and MINI on 91/93 always. My 70K miles 330ci purrs like a kitten.

I wasn't blaming BMW. Just stating, but it looks like it was just the spark plugs going bad as when my brother replaced them the engine smoothed back out.

 

[clj7]

Here's my first and only car I've ever "owned". It's a 1.2 litre Corsa SXI 2001. It was initially bought as a learner car for me and my sisters to start learning in. I passed 2 years ago, and since then it's only me who's been driving the car. My big sister has her own car now, and my little sister won't be starting for another year.

So at the moment it's just me who's using the car, so I get to use it in University - which makes me very lucky I believe.

And I also took this picture this morning. A fresh wave of snow has just arrived in Wales, just when I thought I had seen the last of the snow last week.

 

[Blasphemic]

Here's my first and only car I've ever "owned". It's a 1.2 litre Corsa SXI 2001. It was initially bought as a learner car for me and my sisters to start learning in. I passed 2 years ago, and since then it's only me who's been driving the car. My big sister has her own car now, and my little sister won't be starting for another year.

So at the moment it's just me who's using the car, so I get to use it in University - which makes me very lucky I believe.

And I also took this picture this morning. A fresh wave of snow has just arrived in Wales, just when I thought I had seen the last of the snow last week.

Is that a Vauxhall Corsa i see there? great little car, not very cool i admit but it just keeps on going =)

 

[clj7]

Is that a Vauxhall Corsa i see there? great little car, not very cool i admit but it just keeps on going =)

Yes, it's a Vauxhall Corsa. Brilliant car to start in, never broken down either. Except I did brake the hand-break once Pulled it to hard I think, had to park the car in gear over night.

 

[itsmeGAV]

Well here is my new pride and joy..
2009/59 VW Polo GTi, I had to get rid of the R32 as the MPG was stupidly low, and needed something more economical..

This is the R32, very nice but had to go!

 

[Tonsko]

weyhay, another R32 owner! But yeh. Petrol is a killer.

 

[clj7]

My Dad also drives a a VW Golf, which has a GTI engine. Can't even imagine how much petrol it must be going through.

 

[Tonsko]

Not too bad, if it's a modern one. Depends if he rags it all the time, but you'll get 35+ out of it I imagine.

 

[Blasphemic]

Yes, it's a Vauxhall Corsa. Brilliant car to start in, never broken down either. Except I did brake the hand-break once Pulled it to hard I think, had to park the car in gear over night.

yea starts everytime =)
The electronics on the other hand is acting abit up so when i brake or use the indicators the fog lights come on in the dashboard, but its those little things that make it so special

 

[itsmeGAV]

I was spending a hell of a lot of money a week on petrol, so it's possibly the best move I've ever made in all honesty! I will eventually buy a Mk4 R32 for show purposes only!

 

[spencers]

I wasn't blaming BMW. Just stating, but it looks like it was just the spark plugs going bad as when my brother replaced them the engine smoothed back out.

They needed replacement because they were probably on their last leg before putting in the wrong fuel.

To be fair, the only things that have actually failed on me with my E46 are:
-cooling system (expansion tank burst; it was the OE tank, and the car was at 200k) - $300 DIY repair (did the entire cooling system overhaul).
-final stage resistor (a/c / heater vents would not turn on, it was the OE part, and the car was at 200k) - $90 DIY repair.

Everything else has been maintenance. Oil, filters, spark plugs, gaskets, etc. If I have learned anything from the failures mentioned above, it's that these cars will run a very, very long time, even on ORIGINAL parts. It still baffles me that the expansion tank held up so long! Just do the work yourself, and you'll save a bundle. I've also owned an E30 and E36, so I've been through the generations.

 

[Tonsko]

I'm hanging onto my MkIV (daily driver) for now - in the vain hope that it will eventually start to go up in value. What's your read on that? What makes me think that is that they will be a future classic, and that there were only 2000-odd brought into the UK in the first place. I could just be pissing in the wind, however.

Having said that, the fuel cost is a sting. The g/f has also decided she wants to be driven to the church in it on our wedding day. Haha!