Hello there...

I threw up an "e36 or e34 for family" post over in general, and bicyclefreak told me I should come introduce myself... thought it might be a good idea... so here I am.

My name's Brent, lived in East Ridge for a few years, cookeville (TTU) for a couple, and Jasper for 20 or so. I've been into german cars for a while, having owned an older audi (broke) and now a cadillac catera (aka Opel Omega, its german, I promise). I'm probably in the market for a decent e34 (after responses on my post), and hope to be joining the BMW family within the next few months.

I used to be the unofficial official photographer for Scenic City Miatas, though I never owned a miata. There is as crop of the SCM logo on a red 2k3 (6sp, bilstein package, LSD) on the dragon.

I've also owned a blazer (pre-SUV craze), a slighly modded wrecked civic (first 5spd, needed cheap transportation b/c of the audi breaking), the audi (5000s), and other than the catera, that's about it. I've borrowed an 89 grand marquis with no heat or and a power steering leak, and borrowed a tacoma truck (another 5spd I have an aquaintance with). Its a decently wide variety of cars, some in great condition, some barely running. I'm looking to get into a good reliable car that's fun and lets me carry around my 3y/o and newborn kids.

I look forward to being part of the BF.c community, as well as the Chatt bimmer community.

Hope to see many of you on the road and at meets. I'm hoping to check out the Nov. 5 drive... if nothing else, meet up in the parking lot to say Hi.

**BRENT**

Welcome Brent :)

It will be nice to have another E34 on group drives :)

Brent, WELCOME to Chattanooga and Bf.c
!
Also, there is a local drive this Saturday running between Chatt and Sequatchie Valley over 3 diff mtns.
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This is the local BMW CCA event, Choo Choo Bimmers Fall Color Cruise.
Come out and joins us to meet & greet some locals.
.
If you can go along be there by 8:45 to 9am behind Chick-Fil-A on Hwy 153 by Wal-Mart past Northgate..
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edit, any one needing directions mail steve@reedcraft.com
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Joe, are you still going to be there ?

I dont think I will have my car by then :(

Welcome Brent! Its nice to see a new face(or username) in here...Im tired of just talking to Steve and Joe! ;) I have an extra passenger seat in my car if you would like to take part in the drive. Spead the word!

Josh K

Welcome! Hopefully we'll get to meet this coming Saturday.
John B.

Hey guys... good to be here.

I definately plan on getting out to meet people on saturday, as long as I get out of work on time... all dependant on the mail flow (USPS). I'd be thrilled to tag along on the ride... my only concern is that I have a newborn baby (10 days old, almost), and a 3 y/o. Gotta czech with mommy to see if its ok to stay out late (yes, 3rd shift + 2 kids = 12 noon is late... gotta love the kids!).

Just wondering, you guys gonna do Rocky River road (or morrison springs, depending on which end you start at). I remember last year doing suck creek down to powells crossroads, cutting over, going to a party, then taking MS/RR rd. back. Such a fun road, if you have the time.

I don't know if (i believe) cerealkiller93 is gonna be there, but I was talking to him about his car when he was selling it (its either kept or sold now, not sure, I was going to meet up to see the car, but had a baby, kinda got caught up). If you read this, try to make it, I'd still like to see the car.

Til next post...

**BRENT**

Brent
If you are wanting to get into a BMW CHEAP, I have just the car for you :)
It runs, it drives, it stops! (and its cheap...float me an offer)
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=433931
A good project car, and one to learn on.

hmmm.... 7 series... ridin' in style...

if i'd have known a couple months ago, i'd have had a killer mtn bike for you.

99 specialized stumpjumper FSR XC with XT shifter-lever combo/crank/rear Derailluer/bottom bracket... LX front D, avid 1.9 brakes... killer ride... but alas, I traded it off for my other hobby... portable audiophillia. www dot head-fi dot org (was supposed to be posted last night, but didn't know I couldn't pose URL's... well, you guys know how to decipher that).

check it out, if you have $$$ to blow, or if you care about headphones/music. My portable audio setup is around 1300$ these days.

If you care to know my setup, here it goes. and if you're local to chatt and want to meet up and hear some music that will sound better than most multiple thousand dollar speaker systems, let me know. I'll probably have my gear at the parking lot for the run saturday... if you have a low end e34 and are looking for a caddy (catera) and some audio, let me know... <g>

4G 60 gig iPod (photo) or Sony d-121-> pocketdock -> cardas 6" mini-mini -> Xin SuperMacro v1 w/switches -> Grado HF-1 #39 (limited edition Grado Labs headphone, #39 of 450)

take out the pocketdock (line out adapter for the iPod), cardas cable, and SuperMacro (this is a headphone amp), and then i'll also have a sangean DT-110 digital radio or sony d-ne500 mp3 pcdp.

Trust me... if you listen to stock earbuds... this setup will make you want to spend 100$ to a couple grand on a good portable setup. (sweetspot is around 200 unamped, 500 with good portable amp/headphones)

btw...BF... i'm not necessarily looking to get into a BMW cheap... inexpensive isn't bad though. I'm all about finding good deals. I found a 95 540i/6 with 145k on it... 6900. That sounds good to me, but I won't have the $$$ for a couple more months. (new baby, 1 paycheck only right now, gotta wait). I don't want to link here, b/c I know someone will probably jump on it... but if you were really in the market, you'll find it, or are already looking into it.

BTW, don't think i have PM privileges yet, but the e-mail addy is BrentLawson @ bellsouth dot net. (trying to keep that one spam free, doing a mighty fine job of it so far).

That's enough for now, I do believe. Oh, btw, is there a BF.c chat on IRC or AIM? there is a headphone chat or two on IRC, just wondering.

**BRENT**

Wow, your setup makes my ipod look GHETTO!
*3g 20gig Ipod with wallyworld Koss headphones!!!

A few of us have AIM.
Mine is bicyclefreak. Hit me up sometime

Oakleyluvr is my AIM name... i'm signed on most all the time... i'm here early mornin'/mid day (maybe). Definately IM me if you're around. I love talking to people, and my sig O gets tired of car chatter...<g>

**BRENT**

Welcome to the boards!!

Ifg you were lookimg for a change of pace, but still wanting to not have to worry about day to day maintainence, This may interest you:
http://www.crownvic.us/forum/showthread.php?p=220015#post220015

Ifg you were lookimg for a change of pace, but still wanting to not have to worry about day to day maintainence, This may interest you:


Hi ashirji. Thanks for the link, but not really something I'm interested in. I'm really wanting something with a manual, and right now i'm looking at a mazda 5 and protege5, along with 535i's and 540i's, or a 525iT if I could find it. I know that the link sent me to the bottom of the page where the mercedes was, but I figured you were linking me to the CV. I drove an older grand marquis, and that is just too big of a car for me. I do know a guy with an old unmarked impala/caprice, and he loved it. Just not my style though. I want german/sporty/reliable... in reverse order. Might just buy a couple different cars to get what I need. Thanks for the reply.

**BRENT**

Brent,
Why just the 5-series? I know you probally need the extra backseat for your child. Have you looked into an M3 Sedan? or a 328 Sedan for that matter? Im not ditching the 5's, just asking a question. I love the 5's, especially the E34 and E28s. There are a couple nice E34 M5's for sale on eBaymotors.com right now. I have also seen this one in Atlanta that is PERFECT. Here is the linky:

http://autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=188140999&dealer_id=56808310&car_year=1991&search_type=both&make=BMW&distance=300&model=M5&address=37421&certified=&advanced=&max_price=&bkms=1131969640851&min_price=&end_year=1995&start_year=1982&isp=y&lang=en&cardist=91#vdptop

Yuuuuuuuuummmyyy...E34 M5's:)

Josh K

I think he should consider the Z3 Coupe, M or not. We need some more Z's representing at these runs.:D

Good luck on your search,
John B.

Hey guys... yeah... i'm thinking Z3 is out. I wouldn't mind an M coupe though. <g> vert... I have been wanting an e36 for a long time, just don't know if its big enough or reliable enough to have as an only car. I think it'd work ok, just have to consider budget. The e34 M5 is DEFINATELY out (loved the link though... soooo sexy). The e36 M3/4 is out too, b/c I can't throw down 15k on a used car. I've been looking into the Mazda 5 and Gray Ep. has a protege5 or two up there, so i'm going to run by today (or maybe later in the week) to take a look at those, and see if the family fits. I know, i know, FWD, 130HP... but they're good cars. It just bugs me hearing M3 and M5 (mazda 3 and 5 respectively) at the mazda dealer, knowing that the salesman was an enthusiast (VP of Scenic City Miatas) and the boss used to work for BMW in SC. Pretty much, they should know better.

If I do decide to with an e36, budget will probably be around 5 grand... that's about the most I could just throw down, and that could be as soon as a few weeks, but no later than february (tax time. There's nothing like a 6000$ tax refund to make car buying a joy!). I'll sell my catera after I get a new car, or trade it in, we'll see. There is a 99 miata at grey ep that I think could go for as little as 6500-7500, can't remember which, but that's tempting as well. That plus the protege5 would be less than a new mazda 5... but it won't happen. I'm really wanting to get into a bimmer. I think the e36 is the way to go for me, just need to find a good one that's been serviced recently, has all the repairs that to be done, done. And its gotta be a 5 spd.

I'm also entertaining a 540i/6 in woodstock, ga on autotrader. 5900$. The guy wouldn't e-mail me back after my initial e-mail. I'll resend it, but I asked a lot of questions. His is a 95, and I'd asked about the nikasil/alusil block, but he said "if you're referring to the problems they had in 92-93, they were fixed in 94, and this is a 95." I seriously doubt that, seeing that I remember reading about blocks being changed in the late 90's. I've also been told by someone, maybe BicycleFreak, that that was wrong. He doesn't have records, but says there are no problems he knows of. I just don't know if I want to drive to Woodstock, GA to check it out or not. I worry about repairs on a 540 too much to have it as an only car.

Here's a link...well, most of it. I don't have html privaleges yet, so just add the beginning. (Edit. Looks like I can post links now.)

http://autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=190958315&dealer_id=57060812&car_year=1995&model=540I&bkms=1130828777905&make2=sel_one&lang=en&isp=y&start_year=1981&engine=&certified=&fuel=&search_type=used&distance=0&make=BMW&color=&min_price=&body_style=SEDAN&drive=&max_mileage=&address=37412&advanced=y&end_year=1996&doors=&transmission=Manual&max_price=&cardist=75#vdptop


If any chattanooga area people want to make a trip down there to check it out, let me know.

I know most people recommended the e34 5 series to me over the e36 for a family-mobile, but really, i'm thinking most of my trips will be 20 minutes at the most. Lots of decisions to make in the coming months. I'd MUCH rather own a car outright than finance, but I could pay off the protege5 in about 1.5 years, so that wouldn't be bad. I drove the "M5" at the mazda dealer, it was pretty nice. Felt lighter on its feet than you might expect. The middle seats are INSANELY comfortable, but I just don't really know if I want a 500+ commitment after payment + insurance for a new car. If only I could get an M3/4... sigh. But a nicely modded e36 4 door that already has some suspension mods, and maybe a chip and exhaust, I might pick that up instead. Gotta pass the "significant other" test though. I know some of you saw my catera on the run a couple of weeks ago. I'm afraid the e36 would be about the same size interior wise, maybe smaller, and that would be a concern, but we'll see.

Ok, enough typing for now.

**BRENT**

Damn you write long posts! :)

Yeah, ALL E34 540s were M60s, and NONE had the newer M62.
I have one of the very late build 540/6 cars (10/95) and its Nikasil.

Leakdown test is your friend.

Damn you write long posts! :)

Its a curse, what can I say. It comes in handy in HS/early college, when you're trying to BS your way through a paper. I'm making up for early in my life when I didn't talk hardly at all, now I don't shut up. It even goes to the 'net... kinda sad, isn't it?

I thought that guy was, we'll say, mistaken, about the engine. I re-sent the e-mail, but he bumped his price from 5500 to 5900$. It was 6900$. We'll see what happens when I get some cash together.

**BRENT**

Good luck finding a car and a warm and hearty welcome to the boards.

I was born in Chattanooga and visit often; which part of town are you in?

Congrats on the little one, too.

If any chattanooga area people want to make a trip down there to check it out, let me know.

Let me know when you are going. Id be more than happy to go to ATL to check it out. My mother had a 94 530 that I loved dearly. It was a great car!

Josh K

Hi there dane.

I'm in the east ridge area, behind camp jordan. I've been in ER for about 3 years now, grew up in jasper, and a little school in cookeville. Not a bad place, east ridge, just don't care for emissions testing too much.

vert... if I get to get down there to check it out, i'll definately post and let cha know. Know any back roads? Btw, i'd probably need a ride down... hopefully wouldn't need a ride back though. <g> Still have to look at the mazda contingent though.

**BRENT**