My BMW journey
My first BMW was an e12, 1977 530i, grey or gray(?), sunroof, 5 speed, lots of fun and a great car.
- 3 of them I owned at one time…at the same time!
I did not have a garage when I owned the e12 (from 1989-1995?) or I may have kept it until today. But, as fate or God would have it, I traded the old bimmer in for another car that has since long gone.
My second BMW came (in 2008) when I saw a white e28 crossing through an intersection and I said to my daughter, “See that white car, that’s the style I really like!” Two weeks later the same car was sitting at Sonic and I approached the driver and her children to tell her I liked it and that I had been searching the internet for one like it. “Really? We are trying to sell this one!” Gave her my card, got a call, met JB in church parking lot, test drove, fell in love, bought it. 1987 535is 5 speed “Elka”.
One day while talking to a member of our church, he asked if I had seen the black BMW parked at a local tire store. Went in to the store to ask about the car. Blown motor, driver left it with instructions to get as much as they could for it. My new BMW friend JB and I offered $400 and we became the proud co-owners of an e34 which we towed to JB’s house and began to disassemble her…affectionately known as “Blackie” for her color. Stripped of her parts – JB got the interior for his BMW, I got the wheels for “Elka” and once all the parts were off (thanks to JB’s work) we took the empty shell to the crusher! This car has since supplied various parts to our bimmers and the rest is being auctioned off on ebay. JB decided recently to rebuild the blown motor for future use in his car.
Another day (2009) while dropping a friend off at the local foreign car mechanic shop, there parked in the gravel lot was a red 1975 BMW 2002. I had to ask, “what’s the story on this 02?” Long story short, found owner, made offer, paid mechanic what owner owed, towed her home, spent the next 2 years working and driving and just recently sold her, “Abby”, to a dude from Virginia. I hope he takes good care of “Abby”.
One day, my friend JB asked me, “Have you seen that red e28 sitting in the parking lot in Bluefield?” I had not. While on my way to Bluefield for something unrelated to this red BMW, I saw it sitting in a driveway. Stopped in to just take a look. Three months later (6/2011) I have the 1987 BMW 535is automatic parked in my garage. Oh yeah, her name is Bernadette, “Bernie” for short.
Thankfully, no one has spotted any more BMWs lately. I fear it will not be long before someone will approach me with the question, “Have you seen the bimmer over at…?” Please stop telling me about BMWs that I can purchase for nearly nothing…I really don’t have any more room for them. 😀
revse28 
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