Found a long time dream! Now what?

Found my dream car...wanted one since seeing them being unloaded off the truck brand new while working at the dealer.

1997 540i 6 speed. Original paint 100% unmolested. First decent non vanos manual I have seen for years. Not too nice to daily drive (shows its 215k miles here and there) but very clean and presentable. Cooling system and timing chains recently done. Going to fix some pixels, add an aux jack, change some fluids to be safe-and just drive it. And pray for no snow.

Now what to do with the other cars....I have a bad habit of buying cars then wondering what the hell to do with them, but I think I have a plan but want to hear opinions from the group.

In order of what I feel should go first.

1987 BMW 528e

Told myself this is a forever car. Just like the e39 it is 96% original. Only changes from stock have been done by me-e60 sport seats, modern head unit, remote locks. Built like a brick and everything works, but has had a front fender replaced that doesnt really match, and needs a bit of love (tailshaft housing leak, shifter pretty loose, struts and bushings again, driveshaft is still not 100% even after new guibo and bearing) but after driving the new one it feels like a slow old dinosaur. No way will this be as fun to drive as anything else I own without transformation beyond my skills/budget. But can't believe even considering letting it go, but its purpose has been replaced...

1983 944

Nice enough looking but needs way more mechanicals than the 528. Bought it on a whim and never really warmed up to it even though it is my daily driver. Reliable and gets great mpg. Think it would be an affordable toy-but not sure about keeping. If I spend the $ to go thru suspension, brakes and driveline is it going to transform my opinion of it? Just doesn't seem that engaging to me. And where I live it seems to be a coal rolling magnet-every 19 year old with an old cummins cannot resist racing and sooting that dick in the Porsche. Kinda opposite of what I like.

1986 S10

Just bought it and need to scratch the itch of a total hoon truck. Leaky smoky 350 4 barrel with a cam. 700r4 trans with a 3k stall converter and shift kit. Ugly stick beaten all over. Potential for strip, can be made to handle, and actually useful. This is the project for this winter. I think.

Have to sell one to pay off the 540 as I hate debt.

What would you do?

First off that 540 is a very nice looking car. Ditch the 944. Seems like it is your least wanted car. The up side to that year 944 is it has forged internals. No other na 944 had them.

Sounds like you need to dump the 944 and the 528e.

At least dump the 528e. Things change. It's ok. It's the bargain basement 5. And you sound like you're stretching too hard for reasons to dump the other two.

Dump the truck, trucks are pointless vehicles to begin with. If you need to get rid of two then the 944. The 528e sounds like it's a keeper to me.

Dump the truck, trucks are pointless vehicles to begin with. If you need to get rid of two then the 944. The 528e sounds like it's a keeper to me.

Actually trucks are very practical and do totally different things than cars. Having one in the fleet is a good idea.

What do you want for the 944? I have always liked those cars. And sell the E28.. Your New 5 does everything better.

But...

It's a 4-door....

Trucks are far from useless...I wanted an old beater that I could haul crap around with, came across a trade in at work, practically had the deal for it done before I knew it had a swap. So it is less practical than what I looking for but waaaay more fun. Dirt cheap fun. Truck is staying.

Have a message in with the local air cooled VW repair shop (aka hoarder) who has several very original A2 GTI projects in his collection (hoard stash) see if a trade might work-he has expressed interest in the 528. E39, GTI 16v and s10 sounds like a good fleet to me. Constant reasonable cash offers never worked with him in the past....maybe a car he wants might pry that maroon 16v from its storage container its been sleeping in since Clinton was in office.

If not, my thought (which seem to change by the minute) is to let the market make the decision. List them both and see which one goes first. Or both

Or, maybe a couple hundred $ a month for a year (payment on the 540i is $241 for 12 months) wont be too bad. Sell one (both?) and take the cash to actually build a car that is not made solely of traded parts and pick a part would be nice.

Having the daughter drive the 944 over the next couple days to see how she like it compared to her e30. Maybe she will feel a connection with it. Really suprised I did not. I enjoy driving her car more..

Tim, I will message you once she lives w the 944 for a bit. If it does go for sale will give you first shot.

4 doors add a level of stealth and I love em. After 3ish years living in Nevada, guess which car has had me pulled over by highway patrol x4?

"Trucks are pointless vehicles" wtf? Mine gets used all the time.....I couldn't support my hobby errr obsession without it. I'd ditch the 944 if I were in your shoes.

What can a truck do that a van or trailer can't do better? Kepp the 944 lose the truck ;)

Adrian_Thompson wrote: What can a truck do that a van or trailer can't do better?

Drop an engine off a hoist into the bed of a truck or into the back of a van and get back with me. Haul a ton of scrub brush to the dump. Drop your teenage daughter at school without looking like a molester. Had a few vans....never smiled driving one. Laugh every time in my truck. And most important...

Big Smoky Burnouts.

Putting in the 8.5 blazer rear end later today...disc brakes and now both 205s will spin.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: What can a truck do that a van or trailer can't do better? Kepp the 944 lose the truck ;)

Already exist in his driveway....

Carried engines in vans an trailers. Took building materials to dump in our Explorer and trailer last week. Never felt like a molester dropping daughter off at school in a car. I stand by my POV

Actually dropping an engine off a hoist was easier with my van than a truck. I could go in either the side or the back and the floor was at a reasonable height, not so with modern trucks where you need an oxygen supply to stand in the bed.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: What can a truck do that a van or trailer can't do better? Kepp the 944 lose the truck ;)

Haul my 36 foot gooseneck with your van and get back to me.

Van and trailer combo takes 2 parking spots, truck and a tarp shoved behind the seat for the rare instance you need to cover something take up 1. This is a hot rodded 1986 S10, so I doubt the load floor is very high, though the new trucks are ridiculous.

That sounds like a sweet truck. Any pics?

You need a truck to keep the stank where it belongs.

Pretty soon your van smells like 90wt and tires.

You and I might like that smell but not everyone does.

V8 s10 sounds awesome. Keep it.

How this turned into a van vs. truck thread I dont know....not anti-van-but I dont have one

S10 is not leaving, spent some time on it this weekend-the rear axle swap stopped when I found the gear oil full of metal. Argh. Back to the yard...maybe explorer 8.8 if I cant find a 2wd 98+ S10 with posi.

Here is the in the garage glamour shot

Leaky smokey 350 that still sounds good; still need to determine if it is any good or not

All the unnecessary crap that came out when pulling the dash-along with 2 alarm systems; a half dozen stereo installs; and remote start (?)

Looks comfortable; no?

Dash will be replaced minus all climate control stuff-old dash broke in half when removing; so another part on the list for the junkyard.

Front clip removal next on the agenda-planning on leaving inner fenders out for access and to see what kind of room that leaves for some real exhaust. Lots of room in some spots-very tight in others

Well it is done.

528e is gone. Sold to a co worker so I hope he takes care of it.....