weekend in reverse: the e34 fiasco
...or "My Dad becomes a BMW brand Ho"
So, after haranguing Dad to be my wingman on the Desperate Friday Car-Search©, replacing my burned-out wife, I developed a list of 5 "likely" cars from the lists I could find online:
- At World Class Autos in Nicholasville: an Infiniti I30, and '95 BMW 525i
- At Big Blue Autos: The Camry, the Accord, and another I30.
Upon arriving at World Class Autos (Home of "Kentucky's largest used car showroom"...yeah right, you could fit their building inside CarMax, but whatever...), we scoured the frosty lot for the e34 I was so keen on.
Aside: An e34 is a 1989-1995 BMW 5-series. It's like a bigger version of my car 325
We finally found the car, and it was a rough back-lot special: Filthy outside, with pitted paint, and 130k miles on the odo. The power/heated driver's seat had burned-out its fore/aft adjustment motor. Oh, and the battery (located beneath the rear seats) was dead.
But how this thing drove!! Tight, great steering and plenty of power from the short gearing (good for only 21mpg highway). Plus, it was well within our budget, even at their asking price.
(As Jamie said yesterday, "His 'n' hers Beamers...nice!")
The coolest part about driving it was Dad's reaction. Initially, he was really doubtful--old, worn out car, what was I thinking? Then, on the test drive, he got interested. When I told him their asking price, he got VERY interested. Then he started looking at every other BMW on the lot--a nice E46 coupe in the showroom, and E36 someone drove-up in, and a brand-new E90 that someone brought in for trade (!?!)
Granted the car was a darkhorse candidate--it needed work, and I had no idea if Whitney could fit in it. So, they promply did a Puppy Dog Close, "Whydoncha take it on up to 'er, and let 'er sit in it?" said Henry, the overbearing sell-it-sellit-SELLIT sales manager.
Sure, why not?
So, they took FORTY-FIVE MINUTES to clean-up the car, and Dad and I drove it back up to G'town for Whitney to examine. Of course, the battery had been jumped to get it started so I couldn't turn it off...
Well, long story short--no pun intended--Whitney just didn't fit. I was heartbroken for about 2 hours after that, but I moved on. Dropped Dad back at his truck, then made the long drive back to return the car.
* * *
Whenever the 325 gives up the ghost, I may just have to look for a cared-for e34 to bring home :-)
So, after haranguing Dad to be my wingman on the Desperate Friday Car-Search©, replacing my burned-out wife, I developed a list of 5 "likely" cars from the lists I could find online:
- At World Class Autos in Nicholasville: an Infiniti I30, and '95 BMW 525i
- At Big Blue Autos: The Camry, the Accord, and another I30.
Upon arriving at World Class Autos (Home of "Kentucky's largest used car showroom"...yeah right, you could fit their building inside CarMax, but whatever...), we scoured the frosty lot for the e34 I was so keen on.
Aside: An e34 is a 1989-1995 BMW 5-series. It's like a bigger version of my car 325
We finally found the car, and it was a rough back-lot special: Filthy outside, with pitted paint, and 130k miles on the odo. The power/heated driver's seat had burned-out its fore/aft adjustment motor. Oh, and the battery (located beneath the rear seats) was dead.
But how this thing drove!! Tight, great steering and plenty of power from the short gearing (good for only 21mpg highway). Plus, it was well within our budget, even at their asking price.
(As Jamie said yesterday, "His 'n' hers Beamers...nice!")
The coolest part about driving it was Dad's reaction. Initially, he was really doubtful--old, worn out car, what was I thinking? Then, on the test drive, he got interested. When I told him their asking price, he got VERY interested. Then he started looking at every other BMW on the lot--a nice E46 coupe in the showroom, and E36 someone drove-up in, and a brand-new E90 that someone brought in for trade (!?!)
Granted the car was a darkhorse candidate--it needed work, and I had no idea if Whitney could fit in it. So, they promply did a Puppy Dog Close, "Whydoncha take it on up to 'er, and let 'er sit in it?" said Henry, the overbearing sell-it-sellit-SELLIT sales manager.
Sure, why not?
So, they took FORTY-FIVE MINUTES to clean-up the car, and Dad and I drove it back up to G'town for Whitney to examine. Of course, the battery had been jumped to get it started so I couldn't turn it off...
Well, long story short--no pun intended--Whitney just didn't fit. I was heartbroken for about 2 hours after that, but I moved on. Dropped Dad back at his truck, then made the long drive back to return the car.
* * *
Whenever the 325 gives up the ghost, I may just have to look for a cared-for e34 to bring home :-)
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