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RE: Japan Bashing/ Re: Real BMW or Not?

RE: Japan Bashing/
Bill Posted:

>The other MAJOR problem I have is that they will not import any of their
>truly >great cars to the US (Skyline, etc....)

Yeah this is a bummer.  My girl friend's brother has been driving 2nd hand
GTR's (Skylines) for some time now.  Last time we went to Japan he drove us
around in his 2nd generation machine.  Wow! is all I can say.  Now he's got
the twin Turbo! version and I can't wait to go visit.  8.)

I believe the reason they don't bring the car over here is that it wouldn't
be cost effective.  Part of the reason would be crash tests, which they
probably do anyway, but the big reason is all those people buying perverted
trucks and vans to look cool.

America has forgotten that Sports Cars look cool and sport uts and minivans
look stupid.  And before anyone jumps my train and states the utility of
these machines, I'd put a 5 door Saab 9000 up against any of these machines
for utility and still beat them in an autocross.

Re: Real BMW or Not?
Bill also Posted:

>       At least at the High School I went to, those few people who owned
>BMWs were all snobs except one.  I went to an uppity college prep school in
>Hillsborough, Cal.  The most common car among students was the 325is!  They
>were all poor drivers, but they like the look.  I even had one friend who
>got a 911 cabrio on his 15th birthday so that he would have a "proper" car
>to learn to drive in!  I don't know about you, but this really pissed me
>off when I was driving my crappy little Mercury Lynx.

My high school, you may have seen the movie made from it, Fast Times at
Ridgemont High, well it was really Clairmont High in Sandy Eggo, and most
people had 4th hand VW's or something on that order.  I don't remember
anyone with a Bimmer.  I had an Opel Manta which is probably as close as
any one got.  One friend bought a cripled V12 Jag and brought it back to
life.  Must have been the fastest car at the school.

>Now that I can finally afford my BMW (well, I'm trying!), I can full
>apreciate >it.  But how many 18 year-olds truly can?

I guess that can be said about most people and thier cars.  We could also
say that people driving 8 series are the same way.  They probably got thier
money from thier family and what not too.  But it doesn't always reflect
wether or not they apreciate the car.  But I can cerntainly see your point
of view.  8.)

But why can't an 18 year old apreciate a good car?  Most will have 2 plus
years of driving under thier belt, probably a fair amount of wrenching too.
When I was 18 I apretiated my Opel, of course I had trashed it pretty bad
while getting to 18.  8.)

When my little sister was 16 we got here an old (even then!) '74 Saab 99 2
door, 2nd Saab in the family.  It had it's problems and all, but it was a
well built car.  She understood that of the 3 kids in my family she started
out with the best car of the bunch.  She took very good care of the car,
and I'm quite sure she apreciated it, and would probably still have it if
it wasn't for some hack at a gas station wrecking the engine by droping a
bolt in to the timing chain space. My other sister had a VW412, until it
was hit, as was my Opel.

>Of course, if they have a 2002, and they work on it themselves, it's
>another story all together.  But those who get new ones piss me off unless
>they paid for it!

Yeah I guess so, but you can buy a (used) 7 series these days for what most
high school kids can come up with (with a little help).  I got mine for
about $4K.  And 2nd and 3rd hand 3 series can be had for much less.  These
days the 002's are getting hard to get if you are in high school.  All
those kids that wanted them when they were the "Cool" car to have, have
grown up, and bought the 002's and are restoring them!  8.)

- -Rob-

79' 733i
and a gagle of Saabs dateing back to 1959!