We all remember the first BMW we drove but did you ever ride in one before you drove one? For me it was back in 1995 when my uncle had a E36 318i coupe. Back then I knew nothing about cars/BMW but I though it was great. He also had a bimmer in the early eighties but I don't remember which one it was. My gut tells me it was a E21 320i or a E28 533i that I could have rode in it when I was a young lad
First one I rode in was in '99, a e36 328 in Germany. My boss picked me up at the airport and I remember cruising along at about 130mph. Rode real tight, no vibrations, like it was meant to go that fast. First bimmer I drove was a company 525 Touring. Not real quick but was a great driving car. Got to take it all around southern Germany.
THAT is a cool license plate! I guess we know your favorite beer! names of your favorites? oh.. umm! maybe a salesman's 320i....
My brother's 540i 6-speed accelerated the addiction. I've been addicted well before that, but the first time I rode in a Bimmer was when my brother felt the necessity to hit the speed limiter at 155 on I-95... my God was that car quick. And to top it off, he took a 30mph exit at 60 and the car didn't even break a sweat.
First test-drove a 318tI back in the early 90's (I think)...it was like driving a tin-can with the roundel affixed to it. And they *still* wanted well over what I was willing to pay...so I "settled" on a 1990 Nissan 240-SX. Nice car...would've kept her a while...but totalling it 6 months after paying it off sent me back BMW's way...where I ended up leasing a '96 328is coupe. The "rest" (read:addiction), as they say, is history...
March 1972...in a 1972 2002. Die was cast. Shortly thereafter, my father bought a 1972 Bavaria in April of '72, so I was first exposed to the BMWCCA at Lime Rock that spring when we went in the Bavaria (6 cyl cars were very rare back then) to a Trans-Am race I believe and were surprised at the attention it drew in the club parking area. My thought at the time was "what a bunch of crazy people". My dad joined the club that day, and we started getting this newsletter in the mail (Roundel). I was only 13 then and was into drag racing and muscle cars (begged my father to buy a hemi 'cuda instead of this weird Bavaria thing), but his experience with the Bavaria (that I later bought from him in 1980) showed me that precision engineering and efficiency were pretty cool things.
Not favorites, first! 1978 320i demo ... in 1978. Decided then that I would own one of these things. Now on my ... ummm ... tenth?
1975 530i. I probably rode in that car the day I left the hospital after I was born. It was in our family for 21 years, eventially getting an 85 535i drivetrain with manual trans swap and Motronic conversion when I was 17. Incidentally, that was my first engine swap as well.
1987, 5th Grade. My best friend's dad bought an 85 or 86 4 door 325e. Blue on blue cloth. Manual trans of course. I thought it was fantastic!
My first ride in a BMW was the day I test drove my 1999 318ti. Unlike most other people, I loved the bobtail look of the ti. That was my first Bimmer, I hadn't ridden in any others before that. Ironically, I've now owned 3 BMW's but they have all been within 2 years of each other. 1999 318ti bought new in December 1998, then 1998 M3 Sedan bought in 2004 and now 2000 M Roadster bought in 2007.
Thanks! I had to have some kind of German themed plate. One of my favorites is a hefe from Gold Ochsen in Ulm, Germany (can't get it here), I also like Memminger, even though it doesn't get great reviews, oh yeah, can't get that here either. I like most hefe's, Hacker-Pschor, Paulaner, Widmer and others. I like to try different ones I find at the beer store.
I tried a Southhampton Publick House Double White lately - was just like chewing on wheat stalks, which was a bit too much for my tastes.
First bimmer was the 1983 320i (Alpine White - I was hooked!) which I test-drove and bought on the spot.
First was a 1977 530i 4spd manual. I don't really remember much of it, as I was very young. First BMW I ever drove tho was a 1995 525i back in 1996. I was instantly hooked.
