My 50th Birthday prezzie (with other stuff thrown in)

[Pinch]

Hi All.

Mrs P and me have been chatting about making a small investment and I came up with the idea of buying a future classic car. Something we can dry store on the farm for many years and enjoy whenever it takes our fancy.

This is where it now gets good... I've been looking at iconic cars like BMW for a while, with preference of a convertible. We went to look at a Z3 last Saturday and after driving it, we decided against it. I forgot how uncomfortable they are and we're not getting any younger. So, plan 'B' was a 325i E36 convertible I already had in my favourites list, but this was in Leeds - about 280 miles from were we live.

Last Monday, I was on an aircraft flying up to Leeds. The flight was awful due to high winds. I had both blowers blowing cold air on me while I focussed on looking at the ceiling and I had the sick bag ready! What a journey!

Anyway, I arrived back home after 11pm that night and this is when Mrs P told me the car was my 50th Birthday present in a few weeks - wow!!

Here's the Beamer - 1999, lovely condition, under the bonnet is mint, 92k on the clock, everything works and she drives like a train.

Roll on summer!

Cheers,

 

[TrimTheKing]

Nice! Enjoy the summer drives.

Cheers
Mark

 

[AndyP]

Just right for a mini Tour de France.

 

[chataigner]

Lovely - congrats. You'll get tons of pleasure from that, especially if you kit yourself for driving roof off even in cold weather. :text-bravo:

I dont have experience of the BMW, but I had a SAAB convertible in the UK and a Peugeot 307CC (the 180BHP version) here in France and the heaters were man enough to make driving open top even in frosty conditions quite comfortable provided you had a good scarf and gloves. People will say you are nuts, but its great !!

 

[Pinch]

Nice! Enjoy the summer drives.

Cheers
Mark

Cheers Mark. Will do and we can't wait!

 

[Pinch]

Just right for a mini Tour de France.

Absolutely! Sue's already changed the vehicle details for the Eurotunnel crossing. Here's hoping for a sunny week.

 

[Pinch]

Lovely - congrats. You'll get tons of pleasure from that, especially if you kit yourself for driving roof off even in cold weather. :text-bravo:

I dont have experience of the BMW, but I had a SAAB convertible in the UK and a Peugeot 307CC (the 180BHP version) here in France and the heaters were man enough to make driving open top even in frosty conditions quite comfortable provided you had a good scarf and gloves. People will say you are nuts, but its great !!

Cheers David. I had a convertible years ago and like you, I dropped the roof whenever it was sunny - winter or summer. I still have my original Russian hat (ushanka) which is spot on for the sunny winter days.

My two top favourites were the Saab 90-3 or the BMW 3 series and the BM has just pipped the post for me. I shall certainly drop the roof before spring, but Mrs P isn't so enthused as me. I think she'll feel differently when I get her winter wooly stuff out and ready. Can't wait!

 

[AndyP]

My first ever car was also a french convertible. A 2CV6. Brilliant car.

 

[Rod]

Nice car - I've been running BMW's for the last 20 odd years - love 'em.

I had a 3:25i saloon in the late 90's - went like a rocket and great to drive. You'll love it.

Rod

 

[DaveL]

My first ever car was also a french convertible. A 2CV6. Brilliant car.

Not my first car, but I have had 2 of them, driven 100,000 miles between them, great cars. I used to be the sound man for a caliegh band, I used to get the PA system, bass amp, bass and the bassman in the car with me and it would still do 55~60 mph.
My first car was an Austin A40.

 

[Rod]

I learnt to drive in an A40 but my first "car" was an A35 Van in British Racing Green and semaphore indicators!
Those were the days?

Rod

 

[9fingers]

My first car was an Isetta bubble car. It did have a BMW engine but only 300cc does that count?


Bob

 

[stephen.wood125]

Gorgeous, Paul

I am a huge BMW fan and have had several before my RR. I still want an E30 325i convertible as a summer 'toy'

Last E36 I had was a 328i sport coupe and I still regret getting rid of it. 10 year old bolts that come out as if new, They're SO well made

Here's to many very happy miles and the grin that only a 6 cylinder BMW can put on your face bscene-drinkingcheers:

Steve

 

[DaveL]

My first car was an Isetta bubble car. It did have a BMW engine but only 300cc does that count?

When I was small, our family doctor had an Isetta, I was fascinated buy the way the steering wheel was fixed to the door on the front of the car and moved to let you get in.

 

[Rod]

A school friend of mine had one of them - you had to be careful not to park too close to something in front, as you could not open the door [emoji2]

Rod

 

[9fingers]

A school friend of mine had one of them - you had to be careful not to park too close to something in front, as you could not open the door [emoji2]

Rod

Great little car, in 1970, £10 road tax and £10 to insure as a 16YO with no NCD history.

Some, not mine, had no reverse gear (something to do with what sort of licence was need to drive them) so you had to be doubly aware of not parking the front too close to an obstacle.

Other makes such as the Heinkel Trojan had no reverse gear but instead the engine had to be started in reverse direction (2 stroke engines can do this with a second offset contact breaker).
However, the starter was an external kick starter on some models :shock: Made a 3 point turns impractical but the turning circle of the short bubbles was so good a U turn was the normal method.

Not sure what the reversing set up was on the Mescherschmidt (SP) that was the two seater -one behind the other)

Bob

 

[Wizard9999]

I am a huge BMW fan and have had several before my RR.

RR = Rolls Royce or Range Rover or Reliant Robin...?

Terry.

 

[RogerS]

I am a huge BMW fan and have had several before my RR.

RR = Rolls Royce or Range Rover or Reliant Robin...?

Terry.

or Rusting wReck ? :lol:

 

[Rod]

I didn't know about the E numbers etc until I joined the BMW forum to sell some wheels.

Apart from 2 earlier 3 series I've had an E39, E61 and now a F25 [emoji3]
The 6 cylinder 3lt diesels where fantastic and very economical for their size.
I downgraded to a 4 cylinder 2lt engine and was concerned that I would be disappointed but aren't as it produces only 9bhp less than the older 3lt - I suppose that's progress?

Rod

 

[Pinch]

Thanks chaps! Steve got it right - the beemer is gorgeous

We had the grandchildren stay with us Saturday night and I dropped them off Sunday afternoon. Driving home (about 20 miles), I thought hmmm it's a beautiful day, I'm already wearing a beanie hat and I remembered my pair of leather gloves were in the glove box from when I collected the car last Monday. So that was it... I pulled over, opened the roof, put the gloves on and sped off down the dual carriageway deep into the open countryside - bloody lovely!

Over the weekend, I was also trying to count up how many vehicles I've owned in the last 30+ years - including bikes, vans and cars, the figure is around 70. This is the first BMW I've owned and I'm learning more about it each day. Can anyone tell me where E36 come from? This beemer also has the 'M' badge down each side, on the steering wheel and on the wheels. Am I right in saying the 'M' is Motorsport? I know she's a 6 cylinder 2.5 190'ish bhp. I'm not going to boot this car around (I've done all of that), but I did give her a bit yesterday and she pulls away very smoothly and gets to speed pretty well.

 

[Rod]

E36 is the model range number.
M is their Motor or M Sport level of trim and accessories the other being SE.
Sadly it's not a "M" model - that's a completely different beast.
My 5 series e39 and e61 were MSports and had sport seats, sport wheels, sports steering wheel etc etc and a lower, sportier and firmer suspension.
The engines were not tweaked though, so although they cornered better they didn't really go any faster.

Rod

 

[Pinch]

Ah right, cheers Rod. What does the 'E' stand for? Is it 'Evolution' or am I getting mixed up with the M3. A pal of mine had an M3 years ago and that went like a rocket. So the 'M' badges on my car don't mean anything then :|

 

[RogerS]

I'm not an expert but I'd always assumed that the M Series were a cut above the normal in terms of power, handling etc.

 

[Rod]

E is just the series number they are now using "F" - my X3 is a F25 the previous model was an E83 I think?

The high performance "beastie" models are ones with M before the series Number M3, M5 etc with very high performance engines, brakes, suspension etc.
M Sport, as I said before, is a sporty trim range with maybe some suspension changes but the same basic engines.
My wife found, as a passenger, the M Sport suspension to be too firm and uncomfortable especially with Run Free Tyres. As a driver I loved it![emoji2]
On my X3 we opted for the SE model with various other M extras and variable damper control ( which gives the best of both worlds as it adjusts according to road conditions and how you are driving)
You can also control the suspension, power and handling from another control which gives the choices of "Economy", "Comfort", "Sport" and "Super sport".
On start up it defaults to Comfort, Economy feels like there's a spring holding back the accelerator, Sport stiffens the handling and suspension and gives more power and Super Sport switches off all the safety devices like traction control etc - I've never been there yet! [emoji3]

Rod

 

[RogerS]

What happens when all the electronic gizmos pack up, Rod? Expensive, I would hazard a guess.

 

[stephen.wood125]

Haha! in my case it's Range Rover (though Rusting wReck is always a possibility :lol: )

As said above the M on your model is M-Tech the sporty bits, usually thicker anti roll bar stiffer suspension, much nicer crossed over side skirts etc. The M3 is a dual vanos (variable valve timing witchcraft) unit of 3.2l with 321bhp. Trouble is finding one that has not been thrashed! Yours is an altogether nicer prospect and much more usable.

bscene-drinkingcheers:

 

[Pinch]

Ah that's it - M-Tech. I remember now :|

I wouldn't want a performance car now. I'm at that age where I'm happy to poodle along - except on motorways of course. Outside laner me, but not an intimidating one - I can't stand people driving right up my back side GRRRRRRrrrrrrrrr :x

Three of the fastest cars I've owned; Sierra Cosworth back in the early 90's, a souped up Peugeot 406 Coupe (a 7k project - great fun!) and a Porshe 911 Targa - I was a fool to sell it. I've also had a few Range Rovers (the classic - worth a bit now), a few Land Rovers, Jags, plenty of Fords including MK 1 Escorts, Cortinas, and all sorts of other stuff.

I met up with the landlord on the farm today and he showed me one of the storage barns. It isn't ideal, but £25 a month is pretty darn good. There are other cars in there which have been there for years apparently. These were left behind by a chap who was storing his stuff and with no warning, he apparently left for Canada and hasn't paid the storage rent since. Cars include a Frog Eyed Sprite, a Moggy Minor, and a Mk 1 & 2 Ford Cortina - all under dust covers, but in need of full restoration.

 

[stephen.wood125]

Auspicious list there Mr. P!

Yes I'm a huge fan of the classic, Mine is an L322 Supercharged. Proper Range Rover, not the Sport. (gentle fun poked really, they are Disco's in drag, but still very nice )

Don't get much for £25/month these days

Yes, far too stressful tearing around everywhere. far nicer to be in a decent machine with comfort poise and power at your disposal (God, I'm not 37 until Sunday!! )

:lol: :lol:

 

[RogerS]

It's very true but I'm not sure whether or not it's an age thing as well. I too have had my fair share of sporty and classic cars. MGB's, brand new Sprite that I treated myself to, as my 21st birthday present. Lotus Elan S2...a hole in the ground into which you poured money. VW Corrado. Toyota MR2's. Nissan 280ZX's. RS Turbo. And the current stable of S2000 (1999 plate and only 20k on the clock), an RX-8 that I used to blast up and down to London in and Hector - the '04 plated Discovery 2 - which is my workhorse and the car I use.

The Discovery is a chugger. It takes ages to get up to any sort of reasonable speed and so one tends to also pootle. But I find now that when I get in either the S2000 or the RX-8 that I still pootle. I'd be interested to know if my driving style changed were I to always drive either the S2000 or the RX-8 and also for longer distances as that is another factor, I think, in ones driving style.

Whereas my 'world' used to be most of the UK, in recent years my driving stays on just two pages of the road atlas! So you know roughly how long it's going to take to get from A to B. You know that there are few safe overtaking places and so you pootle. You still get cretins sticking up your backside though. I don't really care if I'm in Hector as at over 2 tons of solid metal, as the late Ian Banks once said when asked if his Land Rover had crumple zones replied 'Yes, other people's cars'.

Of course, pootling has to take backseat once one ventures down to the South East where they take no prisoners on the roads and I always note a change in my diving style to suit.

 

[AndyP]

I've always been more concerned with MPG that MPH or BHP.
A 2vc6, Mini, 2 x Micra, Skoda Felicia, Citroen Berlingo, Fiat Puntu (bloody awful car), Hyundai i10 and VW Caddy Maxi were all acquired for economy over performance.

My driving style has changed since the Caddy. Cruise control and a trip computer with fuel consumption data has resulted in my being even more fixated on MPG than ever before. I have always kept a record of petrol consumed each time I fill up. To see this data displayed on the dash makes me even more determined to try and better the published figures for the car. This I only managed to achieve on the 2cv, Mini, Micras and Skoda. The way the MPG is calculated by the manufacturers makes it impossible to achieve these days but I like to try.

 

[RogerS]

You could always try 'Scotsman's Fifth', Andy, to help your fuel consumption.

 

[9fingers]

It was the trip computer in my cmax that enabled me to find out that 6th gear was only more economic at above the UK speed limit and there was a band of about 20 mpg between 55 and 75 where the mpg figures on a long flat straight bit of French Autoroute were almost identical in 5th or 6th gear. It is a 2 litre diseasel and the optimum economy for each gear seems to be when the turbo is just cutting in 1700-1800 rpm apart from 6th for some reason. (70mph =2000rpm in 6th)

It will still achieve 60mpg and its 10 years old so can't be bad!

Bob

 

[RogerS]

All three of our cars have the same consistent MPG regardless as to how they are driven.

20 MPG

 

[AndyP]

You could always try 'Scotsman's Fifth', Andy, to help your fuel consumption.

Even google has not helped with that one. Scotsmans fifth?

 

[RogerS]

You could always try 'Scotsman's Fifth', Andy, to help your fuel consumption.

Even google has not helped with that one. Scotsmans fifth?

:lol: Switch the engine off when going down hill

 

[9fingers]

You could always try 'Scotsman's Fifth', Andy, to help your fuel consumption.

Even google has not helped with that one. Scotsmans fifth?

:lol: Switch the engine off when going down hill

Needs great care now as most cars will lose most of their braking and steering capability with the engine off.
De-clutching is a bit safer but still illegal as it is deemed that you do not have full control of the vehicle.

Bob

 

[RogerS]

Absolutely...the phrase was coined by a friend of mine some 40 odd years ago pre- power assisted steering or servo brakes. Or steering locks, for that matter!

 

[9fingers]

Absolutely...the phrase was coined by a friend of mine some 40 odd years ago pre- power assisted steering or servo brakes. Or steering locks, for that matter!

Yup in those days Servo brakes were often a retro fit or an option so the brakes basically worked with out servo assistance and the servo just added a bit of advantage.
Now brakes are virtually useless in the event of a vacuum failure and steering with no PAS is incredibly heavy with the wide tyres fitted to the most modest of vehicles.

Bob

 

[Rod]

A friend of mine used to coast down hill in neutral - didn't have a name for it? [emoji3]

My cars : Austin A45 Van, Ford Anglia 105E, Rover 2000, 2 x Austin Maxis, Opel Kadet, 2 Vauxhall Cavaliers, BMW 3.18i, 3.25i, 2 x 5.3d, X3. We also ran as 2nd cars Austin Mini, Allegro, VW Golf, VW Golf GTI, Ford Kuga.

As well as driving to my office, I've driven every day to various construction sites dotted around the country - so have driven a fair old mileage over the years.
I've never been fixated about mpg though I've never had a car that was particularly thirsty.
I try to drive carefully, safely and as quickly as conditions and speed limits allowed. I've never been a racer - couldn't care less if somebody pulls away quicker at travel lights and have always been economical with brake pad wear and tyres.
For comfort I keep the Climate Control switched on at all times which probably costs me a few mpg but I don't care - it's much safer.
My last two cars have been automatics so unless I switch to manual I don't have a lot of control over the gears.
I bought the X3 in October 2013 but due to my illness have only done 7k miles, mainly short journeys and the computer says it's averaged 35 mpg.
It's a 2lt diesel which produces 184 bhp, 8 speed automatic gear box and 4 wheel drive.
It has 4 driving modes : on switch on it defaults to "Comfort " which is the mode I normally use.
I towns I sometimes use "Economy" which maximises fuel consumption but it feels like driving a snail.
Occasionally, on some nice twisty country roads, I might switch to "Sport" which cuts out 8th gear, allows higher revs before changing gear, increase the performance, stiffens the suspension and quickens the steering - it's a GTI mode [emoji3]
The 4th mode "Sports Plus" switches off all the safety modes and I've never dared using it!
All modes have Stop Start which I find a nuisance at times but you can switch it off except in Economy mode.
All the BMWs I've owned have an instant mpg gauge under the Rev Counter so you can observe your consumption at all times - very frightening when accelerating!
On level motorways my 5.3d gave 55mpg cruising at 90.
I think it averaged 45 overall which is pretty good for quite a large car?

Rod

 

[AndyP]

For comfort I keep the Climate Control switched on at all times which probably costs me a few mpg but I don't care - it's much safer.
Rod

there's an article I read online some time ago that listed the difference in MPG between having the AC on and having the window open but AC off. The difference in MPG IIRC was negligible so I also drive with the AC permanently on.