Not for nothing and not that anyone really cares...but... Last night I had an experience that reminded me why I am a faithful, loyal BMW driver/owner. Setting the scene...I'm on the NJ Turnpike around 6:00 PM after a longer than usual workday. Traffic seemed to have subsided as the rush-hour slowly winded down. I'm around Exit 6, the one someone would take for a direct route to the PA turnpike. I happen to hit a rare stretch where I'm the only one on the road...nobody in front for miles, no one in back for miles. Soooo...BAM - I hit the gas...70 MPH...80...90...95...100...all of a sudden I'm up to 110 miles an hour and I don't even realize it. Car is floating along at 110, smooth as newly-Zambonied ice, no shakes, engine purrs along, and it hits me: I'm doing a smooth 110 in an almost-10-y/o car with @150,000 miles on the odometer...and I can't stop smiling! PURE JOY!!! Feeling passes, I drop it back down to 70 before the "stateys" pick me up and shut me down. Those of you who are familiar with driving in Joisey know what I mean! Life is good in my BMW. Just my .02 cents, for what that's worth.
I can relate. Not that I would ever speed. I can drive my car with +246,000 miles to the track. Beat on it all weekend and drive 4 hours home. Repeat. I never had a car last that long before that still brings me joy.
Form letter from the New Jersey State Police.... "To Mr. Frank whateveryerlastnameis: Thank you for your recent post on an internet message forum - your speeding ticket is attached to the bottom of this form, you have 168 hours to return the attached ticket with payment in the amount of $785.83. Your fine will double every 15 minutes if it is not received by the payment date. We have taken the liberty of notifying your insurance company and cancelling your insurance coverage for you. Although you have no recourse with your insurance company, you can opt-in to New Jersey's AAAAAIGHS (Automatic Allied All-American Automobile Insurance Gap Helping System), whereby you will be insured by the State of New Jersey for state-minimum high-risk insurance coverage at a rate of $33.33 per minute of driving time (rates may be subject to increase without notice at any time). AAAAAIGHS participants are charged only for their driving time, and are required to install a live-gps driving-monitor box which records every parameter of participants' driving and transmits it to a state monitoring computer system in real-time. Participants are also required to use the state-provided GPS system and drive the dictated routes, which the state of New Jersey guarantees will not be the most circuitous, time-consuming routes possible. Installation of the AAAAAIGHS system may be accomplished by state-certified installers and typically does not cost more than two or three thousand dollars. The current AAAAAIGHS system is compatible with the following list of vehicles: 1. Chevy Volt 2. GM EV1 If your vehicle is not on the list, as a participant in the system, you will be required to forego driving any current vehicle you have on New Jersey roadways, and drive one of the system-compatible vehicles listed above. Note that if a participant does not already have a system-compatible vehicle, acquisition of one may be necessary. Although there is nothing the state of New Jersey can do about forcing your insurance company to cancel your coverage, if you do not choose to be a participant in the AAAAAIGHS program, it may still be possible to obtain minimum-coverage, high-risk insurance from state approved insurance providers, typically at prices only as high as 5-to-20 times the value of your vehicle, per month. Thank you for responding promptly, please continue transiting the NJRS, as our state budget deficit needs more drivers like you every day!" Glad you had a brief moment to open it up and enjoy the open road - gotta love a smooth highway (with no enforcement being imposed, that is)!
ROTFLMAO!! Classic...thanks for the guffaws... Yes, it's rare indeed we get this chance in the over-crowded roads of the Northeast. I'm just amazed this car performs this well after all this time/miles. It's my daily driver too, which makes it even more amazing to me.
i know exactly what you mean, i have those feelings in my 20 y/o Bimmer with 200k on the clock! TFS! Similarly, I was working late with some co-workers one night, and we decided to get some dinner. I opted to drive my E30, on an open stretch of I-70, I gave it some gas and got it up to about 85, smooth as smooth can be. They then told me that they were surprised a car that old can easily reach those speeds, but do it almost effortlessly and as smoothly all while inspiring confidence in the build of the car. I guess they decided beforehand that anything that old was a rusty tin can. Put the biggest smile on my face.
85? If you look back at Roundel, you'll see the issue that covers the Silver State Classic, in which we averaged 115—for 90 miles—in my E30 iX. . . .
i was with a buncha co-workers just driving back from dinner, i didnt want them to have an accident in their pants!
I believe the appropro saying here would have been as follows... "Get in, Sit down, Shut up, and HOLD ON!"
I assure you that in the recent Thunderbird Rally, however, we did NOT average 115. . . Heck, we weren't even in my iX! T-Bird results
