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July 14, 2010 7:34 p.m. NONACK New Reader

Ok, so after my Impulse blew up, I bought an 86 535i, which I thought would be perfect, and I guess it technically is. I'm in college, and it has an invincible engine, room for 5 ppl+stuff, a 5 spd, and looks respectable.

But it feels ALL wrong. It's slow, boring to drive, and doesn't have 1/3 the "evil factor" the Impulse did (although I got bored with that car quickly as well). I really want a 1st gen rx7 or mr2, and could easily sell this car to buy one of either, but it seems wrong to throw away such a "perfect" car.

Do I have car ADD? Is this how everyone feels by their 6th car or so? Am I just berkeleying stupid? Does anybody want to trade an FB or AW11 for an e28?
July 14, 2010 7:40 p.m. NYG95GA SuperDork

Miata. Shotgun. P71. Bacon.
July 14, 2010 8:35 p.m. NONACK New Reader

NYG95GA wrote:

Miata. Shotgun. P71. Bacon.

No thanks. Upstairs closet. Autotragic. Yes.
July 14, 2010 8:39 p.m. Platinum90 SuperDork

P71 with T-45 swap. Works wonders!
July 14, 2010 8:47 p.m. stuart in mn SuperDork

An e28 isn't particularly fast by today's standards, but boring to drive? There must be something wrong with your car.
July 14, 2010 8:53 p.m. NONACK New Reader

stuart in mn wrote:

An e28 isn't particularly fast by today's standards, but boring to drive? There must be something wrong with your car.

I think it's more something wrong with my butt dyno. It's calibrated to things that weigh around 1/10 what the e28 does. Don't get me wrong, it's about as fun as my b13 SE-R was, but I sold that for the same reason.
July 14, 2010 8:54 p.m. belteshazzar SuperDork

j-mod the p71.
July 14, 2010 8:56 p.m. integraguy Dork

The "voice of experience?"

Between 1971 and 1984 I owned nearly 2 dozen cars....some for periods as short as a few weeks. Admittedly, the majority of these cars were used before I got them (only 4 or 5 were brand new) and it does seem like a sort of AADD or Automotive Attention Deficit Disorder could be to blame, but mostly it was a case of taking advantage of "deals" that came my way.

Depending on the mileage on your 535, I imagine selling one with a 5 speed wouldn't be that difficult. But like others here, I have to wonder what you are doing/not doing? that makes this seem like a boring car.
July 14, 2010 9:04 p.m. NONACK New Reader

Well here's some background: I've been autocrossing since I could drive, have a few LeMons races under my belt, and am the main driver for the Lehigh FSAE team. The e28 is decent to drive considering the fact that it is a big, heavy sedan from the 80s with power steering, but I am the type of guy who, given the choice, would DD a locost with no windshield.

I could make the e28 more fit my definition of fun, but that would ruin what it's good at: carrying 4-5 people in relative comfort. Therefore, I look to sports cars that would be improved by performance modifications, rather than ruined.

As stated in my original post, I am prepared to accept the fact that I am just really not very smart.
July 14, 2010 11:50 p.m. mtn SuperDork

I'm a college student, autocrosser, and driver of a SAAB 9-5 which does all that your BMW does. So I know where you are coming from.

I say sell it. Get what you want. You don't like the car, then its not perfect. Besides, at some point in life you will probably have time to have the "perfect" car that does all that the E28 does and the two seater/whatever.

The only reason against it is if you are going to lose money on the sale, or if you think that the car is going to appreciate significantly in the relatively near future.
July 15, 2010 2:24 a.m. friedgreencorrado SuperDork

NONACK wrote:

Well here's some background: I've been autocrossing since I could drive, have a few LeMons races under my belt, and am the main driver for the Lehigh FSAE team. The e28 is decent to drive considering the fact that it is a big, heavy sedan from the 80s with power steering, but I am the type of guy who, given the choice, would DD a locost with no windshield.

I could make the e28 more fit my definition of fun, but that would ruin what it's good at: carrying 4-5 people in relative comfort. Therefore, I look to sports cars that would be improved by performance modifications, rather than ruined.

As stated in my original post, I am prepared to accept the fact that I am just really not very smart.

In college, I had a BMW 2002 (DD), a Grey Market 6cyl BMW E21 (hobby car), and a BMW E3 ("big heavy sedan" from the 70s with power steering).

2002 to get to class/work, 323i for dates, and E3 for "road trips".

Moral of the story... get the right tool for the job. Buy more cars. 4th Gen Civic (EC/ED/EE/EF/whatever, I like Hondas, but can't get all that Japanese stuff about giving a chassis a different name because it's got a different engine in it straight in my head) to class/work, 1st Gen Miata for dates, and the E28 for road trips.

Just my .02...
July 15, 2010 6:52 a.m. 4cylndrfury SuperDork

If people and items hauling is on your short list of wants when choosing a DD, sounds like you need a WRX or IS300 or some other "Sportier" sedan that also is regarded as a sports car. I understand where you are coming from. My G20 is plenty sporty, but I...it bores me. Honesty the luxo-bloat items are fun for a minute - I love my Bose stereo and some of the electric hoozeywhatzits, the leather and so on, but in the long run, its just extra stuff that my (albeit potent) 4 banger has to haul around. To be frank, my favorite car Ive owned was my 95 corolla - 1.6 liters of angry, h pattern in the right hand, and manual everything (except steering) - dependable as the day is long and still a sedan. Its allure was its simplicity. I miss that care desperately now (especially since my current daily is autotragic). I really think some iteration of the WRX or a cobalt SS sedan will be my next daily.
July 15, 2010 7:21 a.m. MadScientistMatt Dork

Turbocharge the big six. That'll give you plenty of extra speed, and nobody is going to expect a 535 to be packing that much power. On an evil factor chart, a sleeper E28 is going to be about halfway between BP executives and Anton Chigura from No Country for Old Men. Problem solved.
July 15, 2010 7:50 a.m. NONACK New Reader

More cars would be a fantastic solution, but unfortunately my budget doesn't allow me to insure more than one at a time. Turbocharging is tempting, although that could be a time and money issue as well. As for people and stuff, berkeley em, everything I own fits in a large bag and a toolbox.

Hopefully I can trade the car outright to somebody who needs 4 seats, I see that type of reasoning on CL all the time...
July 15, 2010 8:02 a.m. racerdave600 HalfDork

I find those boring too, so don't feel bad. I had a TR4 in college, along with a MG, Jeep, and Alfa Romeo. Oh, and a '67 Cougar and Boss 302 Mustang, a Mazda GLC, Audi 100LS, and maybe a few more. I'm no stranger to auto ADD.

There needs to be a support group. I watched all my friends drive the same cars year after year, where I was like a crack addict looking for my next fix; standing in line waiting on the new Autotrader to come out! (no internet in the stone age '80's) During Spring Break I would have to "nut and bolt" the Triumph and maybe replace a few parts to be able to leave, where they would simply jump in, turn a key and go. How could that possibly be? Are there cars that do that? I thought surely those people have no idea what they're missing.

Of course now I'm glad I had the experiences that I did. Most of those guys waited to have excitement later, which may or may not have shown up. I got live out a few dreams of owning cars I might not be able to afford today, even if it meant eating noodles and drinking Hamm's to pay for them!

So, my advice is, if you can afford to do it, buy something you really want and forget about it being a good car. There's plenty of time later to regret cars you've sold!

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