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RE:(rant)Motorhomes,ABS,kids w/nice cars

OK....  I can only stand so much.....
First, before we begin, there are BMW motorhomes about.  Before my year here in 
Maryland, I lived in Alaska for 20 years, and saw three small motorhomes with 
roundels on them.  They are slightly larger than a nice conversion van, but 
smaller than a C class motorhome.  They ar VERY aero looking and they usually 
(that I have seen) run a small deisel engine.  Very european.  Two had germen 
tags and one had CA tags.
Next...ABS.
Those of us in winter "climes" usually understand the problem with 4-wheel 
drivers.  They often believe that they can turn faster, maintain control at 
higher speeds, and stop faster than 2-wheel drives.  Because they usually have 
wider tires with larger lugs, this is exactly the opposite of the truth.  The 
most safe cars in the snow in my opinion are Audi Quattros with 4 studded ice 
racing tires on them.  This is illegal most places though besides AK, and you 
can slide on the studs on dry pavement (a very very bad experience).  The tires 
are about 6 inches wide on the ground.  Truly awesome.  Anyways...
ABS is a tool.  Many, many times it has saved my cars from dents.  Never once 
have I thought (on or off the track) "boy, I would have prefered to lock up my 
tires back there."  So to be honest, I dont understand why people wouldn't want 
it.  If we were talking about early Mitsu. Eclipses, I would agree that the 
crappy ABS feels like it could destroy your knee it a couple stops, but we are 
here for BMWs, which all (to my knowledge) use 3 channel or better Bosch ABS 
units.  
Airbags...  Why the HELL would you not want an airbag?  The Germans use 
excellent systems, particularly Mercedes.  Whats the deal?  By the way, it is 
not illegal to diconnect any airbag in your vehicle.  My 79 Mercedes has it 
diconnected because the age of the system warrants replacement.  The new 
systems are great.  PLEASE EXPLAIN YOU REASONING.  Woman or man, I don't care!
KIDS w/ NICE cars....  I am the perfect candidate for someone who loathes 17 yr 
olds w/ 95 M3s.  While the entire defensive line at my highschool got brand new 
87 IROC Z's from all there parents, I was given an 81 Prelude w/o a front 
bumper.  We called it the mouth.  It died trying to eat the front of a school 
bus.
Yet for some reason I smile when I see these kids.  After the Prelude, I did 
loads of body work on my mother's 450 SEL as then had it painted by a freind.  
An experience that tought me alot.  Then (after the timing chain left) I went 
out and bought a 944 turbo S.  I got some HUGE speeding tickets, paid more for 
insurance than the car, and then sold it to get the 2002 tii im driving now.  
Wow...  So why do I smile?  The most fun I ever had was in that 2002.  The 
hardest time I ever had making friends was when I drove the Porsche.  They all 
assumed that since I could afford to have a Porsche I must be able to provide 
every financial outlay any of them ever needed.  If I didn't, they thought I 
was being an A-hole.  The kind of people that befriended me are not the friends 
I still have.

Do I remember driving 85 down C st. in the porsche, blowing away the Stealth, 
and then showing off my car in front of the Frat party?  Barely.
Do I remember losing my virginity in the back of the rusty 450 SEL?  
uhhhhhhh..... Guess?

The question we should ask is not "Do these kids deserve M3's?"
It's "Do these kids deserve our 73' 2002 tii's"

I dunno.....   It's my perspective.

Chris.    (CNolke@domain.elided)
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Chris Nolke         Satellite Networks
  Project Engineering
  Hughes Network Sys.
  cnolke@domain.elided
  (301) 428-2816
"uhhhhhh...are you, like, OLD or something?.....", Butthead
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