///M-servations

[John Virnig <javirnig@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Guys, guys, GUYS!

No need to get upset about this, really.  People have been advertising
good they do not possess for as long as there have been cars!  Back in
high school, we all knew the guy who had the really hot Olds 442, and we
also knew the guy who put the 442 stripes and badges on his dads
straight 6 cutlass.  I see the same thing on Sentras (SE's vs. SE-R's),
Mazda 323's (GTX vs. DX), even Taurus (SHO vs. LX).  Some like to show,
some like to be more subtle.

I've got a mildly modified 328is and as much as I love the M3 look, I
won't put M-Contour wheels or the M front clip on it (even though I love
them, too) because I want to avoid being mistaken for an M3.  I want to
make the car look a little unique and leave 'em guessing.  I'd rather
leave the badges alone and let my dust do the talking.

On the other hand, I have a friend who only wants the look.  His theory
is that the look is what impresses and since the speed limit is 65
anyway, might as well spend the money on the look.  He wants
reliability, good gas mileage, an automatic but really horny looks.
Different strokes, that's all.

I personally don't have a problem with someone slapping a badge on a car
for a specific reason.  The gentlemen with the M-rear wing and whatnot
paid his money, let him brag a bit.  Every guy out there with a Dinan
badge on theie E36 doesn't have the 450bhp supercharged M3, but Dinan
got some of his money, even if it was just for the badge.

The only problem I have with the whole thing, and this is pretty
trivail, is when people THINK they have an M3 when they put the ///M on
their car.  My friend does not think this way yet fields 100 questions a
month about what he can beat.  To his credit, he's very coy about it and
declines all challenges.  But I also know others who think that their
Sentra SE with a K&N filter can beat John Force through the timing
lights, so it goes both ways.  So the real question is, if you meet my
friend at a stop light and walk away from him in your Sentra, do you
really think you beat an M3?  And when you get to the next light and try
that with me, do you think you should have been able to beat me because
I have a lesser car?

Think again, emblem boy!

John Virnig
'97 328is

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