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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Higgs Field
Posts: 22,677
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Thinking of Buying this BMW
So, I really don't know all that much about BMW sedans. I went to look at a slightly modified (usual suspension, brake, and engine hop up stuff, nothing radical) E36 with my wife the other day, thinking it would be a good car for her. A friend of ours had let us know about it and had said it was a solid car. Since it was a coworker of his that has it, he set it up for us to meet the guy and test drive the car.
I figured since it would be my wife's commuter car, she should drive and let me know how she likes it. Right off the bat, though, we noticed a potential deal breaker. It is a manual transmission. While my wife can drive a stick if she has to, she really prefers not to. Especially in traffic. The guy assured her that it was probably easier to shift than what she was used to in a stick, so, what the hell. She agreed to drive it. She actually did take to it fairly quickly. Unfortunately, the traffic we started out in was a bit heavy. My wife commented that it looked just like I-5 at rush hour, so it wasn't really all that big of a deal to her. She's grown used to driving in Seattle rush hour traffic. In spite of what felt like pretty strong acceleration, it took her awhile to get clear of all of that traffic so she could get a feel for how it drove. Once we got it out where she could get it rolling at a decent clip, we both became a little bit worried. We both think the transmission sounded funny. It was kind of on the loud side. Anyway, I was recording our test drive on my video cam, so I was hoping some of you guys that are familiar with BMW's could take a look and tell me what you think. We both really like the car, but the transmission noise has us worried. Here is a video clip:
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Jeff '72 911T 3.0 MFI '93 Ducati 900 Super Sport "God invented whiskey so the Irish wouldn't rule the world" |
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01-18-2009, 07:53 PM
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Location: Chalfont Pa
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eats porsches for lunch!!!!!!!!!!!
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01-18-2009, 09:14 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Calgary Alberta, CANADA
Posts: 2,113
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that thing ate everything... wow!
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We're all in the gutter,but some of us are looking at the stars. -Oscar Wilde |
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01-18-2009, 10:10 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: South Hill Puyallup
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Sounds perfectly fine, tell your wife to wear earplugs.
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86 Carrera 70 914-6 |
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01-18-2009, 10:17 PM
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Now in 993 land ...
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Yikes - that must be the differential. it just gets higher in pitch with speed.
George |
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01-18-2009, 10:56 PM
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Porsche Enthusiast
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Monterey, CA
Posts: 811
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That noise would drive me insane, I don't know how the driver deals with it. But wow, great driving, and what a fast car.
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sold - 1978 911SC. Best car I have, and will ever own. Current moving scraps of metal: 2010 Nissan Titan 2009 Buell Firebolt XB12R |
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01-19-2009, 01:25 AM
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drag racing the short bus
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Location, Location...
Posts: 21,983
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LOL! Is your wife Hans Stuck's sister?
If so, then I'm sure she wouldn't mind a little tranny noise on the I-5. 
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The Terror of Tiny Town |
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01-19-2009, 02:28 AM
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Straight cut gears in the gearbox, looks like someone went and mod the gearbox. Take a walk. Only people that run straight cut gears in a gear box are RACERS. Car could have been tracked.
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01-19-2009, 05:12 AM
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MBruns for President
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For the first five minutes it didn't look like the laws of physics applied to him - after the tires got hot - there were a few squiggles to prove he was in fact human...
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Current Whip: - 2003 996 Twin Turbo - 39K miles - Lapis Blue/Grey Past: 1974 IROC (3.6) , 1987 Cabriolet (3.4) , 1990 C2 Targa, 1989 S2 |
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01-19-2009, 06:11 AM
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Double Trouble
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: North of Pittsburgh
Posts: 11,706
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Quote:
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01-19-2009, 07:17 AM
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For the seller to let you test drive it like that, he obviously has nothing to hide.
 My wife would be more concerned that the helmet would mess up her hair.
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Michael |
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01-19-2009, 08:44 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: www.fakelife.com
Posts: 1,672
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Still amazed every time I watch that video...
On the second video, anyone have any idea how fast he's going on that long straight, around the 8 minute mark? He certainly ran up on that other car in a hurry...
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I turn away with fear and horror from this lamentable sore of continuous functions without derivatives. --Charles Hermite Fakelife.com Nothing to do with archery anymore. Porsche/BMW/Ferrari/Honda videos |
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01-19-2009, 09:15 AM
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drag racing the short bus
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Location, Location...
Posts: 21,983
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Straight cut, sequential shift, Hans Stuck approved...
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The Terror of Tiny Town |
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01-19-2009, 09:55 AM
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(the shotguns)
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Maryland
Posts: 21,902
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that reminds me of a video someone once posted of an Exige or Elise blowing through traffic like it was nothing.
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***************************************** Well i had #6 adjusted perfectly but then just before i tightened it a butterfly in Zimbabwe farted and now i have to start all over again! I believe we all make mistakes but I will not validate your poor choices and/or perversions and subsidize the results your actions. |
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01-19-2009, 10:09 AM
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I don't remember rush hour in Seattle being like THAT!
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Silver '88 RoW Carrera Grey '06 A4 Avant |
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01-19-2009, 10:16 AM
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East Coast R Gruppe
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Philly Area
Posts: 461
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I wish my wife could drive that fast.....
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OGRP3 RGRPNE |
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01-19-2009, 10:26 AM
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Tell him it needs a new box, and offer him 5K... LOL
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01-19-2009, 03:41 PM
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I think he got confused and arrived late on the grid for the lower class' race. That's why he starts in last place and gobbles up everyone ahead like a 2nd grader taking candy from the kindergarteners. The squealing is his wife driving from the back seat.
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1989 3.2 Carrera coupe; 1988 Westy Vanagon, Zetec; 1986 E28 M30; 1994 W124; 2004 S211 What? Uh . . . “he” and “him”? |
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01-19-2009, 06:50 PM
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abides.
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Shoulda used Swepco!
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Graham 1984 Carrera Targa |
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01-19-2009, 08:56 PM
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Navin Johnson
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Wantagh, NY
Posts: 8,822
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Thats what happens when you screw up or miss qualifying, or a tech infraction gets you bumped from your original qualifying spot....
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Don't feed the trolls. Don't quote the trolls  http://www.southshoreperformanceny.com '69 911 GT-5 '75 914 GT-3 and others |
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01-19-2009, 11:18 PM
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Gone to California
Turbo
72 Porsche 911T 3.2 
V70R
1988 Porsche Carrera 3.2
1989 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2
1984 Porsche Carrera Targa
