2002 Recognition

[rstclark]

So What is it about the BMW 2002 that gets so much recognition from the general public ????

Today I drove my car for a couple of errands and got thumbs up and comments from passerby repeatedly.

Hadn't driven it for a while so I forgot the response the 2002 gets.

My guess is that it is not prestigious or opulent  It's approachable 

People often say they had one or had a friend who had one and it evokes good memories

By contrast when I drive my 81 Porsche 911 Targa ,that is a very good looking driver car, it gets far less notice

So what is it about the 2002 ?

Whats your take ?

[Conserv]

Everyone owned one, even if briefly... ?

 

And these people follow me to Home Depot, and park next to me, and have great stories about that car, bought in 1982, full of rust — and they miss that car terribly, or maybe it’s just their youth they miss! ?
 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[VWJake]

10 minutes ago, Conserv said:

Everyone owned one, even if briefly... ?

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

I always thought that was a VW Beetle...

[s99]

Good question! Its a quirky little car, and I think often times people arent sure what it is. I always have people looking over their shoulder when driving to see what make the car is by the emblem on the hood. I feel the old school safety colors really stand out among the silver/white sea of modern cars (no hate to my Polaris brothers). Like you attested to they look friendly and approachable, and appeal to all ages by way of shape/size. Just my take !

 

 

[Son of Marty]

Lets face it in a time when the world was trying to build a good compact car BMW hit a home run compare it to the vega or pinto or the dodge arrow or any of the first gen Japanese cars the 2002, only real head to head competition was the Alfa and their place in the US market was weak the cars although  were not.

 

PS I never owned a beetle but I did have a few busses. 

Edited July 15, 2020 by Son of Marty

[Mike Self]

Every time I show up at the Base gas station (Wright-Patterson AFB) in my '02, someone comes up to me to tell me they had one--usually when stationed in Germany, or that they brought one back from their European tour.  And invariably they say, "I never should have sold that car."  To which I reply, "I never did."

 

mike

 

PS--when I drive my much rarer all original, bright red E30 318is, I hardly get any comments unless it's another BMW owner that recognizes it as a desirable car...

[rstclark]

That’s a great bit of history Mike Congratulations.  And thanks for you contributions

[Steve Tochi]

Few months ago, I had mine parked out front on the street on a Saturday afternoon.  Usually its tucked away in the garage in the back.  I answer a knock at the front door, its a nice lady who said she was driving by and saw my car, and she just had to stop.  She went on to tell me she used to own one, and the car had saved her life when she totaled it in an accident.  My wife thought it was weird, my thought is its nice people aren't afraid to knock on stranger's door and people will still answer, unless they're selling magazine subscriptions.

[iinca]

it was a much better alternative to the owning a bug! Twice as sexy, you didn't have to adjust the valves every 500 miles, 3 people could fit in the trunk for drive in movies... and you didn't have to live in the slow lane on freeways.

[Steve Tochi]

I got another story.  I was driving down the road with windows down due to lack of AC, this guy on a hog is tailing me right on my rear end for a bit and I'm getting annoyed. Then he pulls out and up on my left, his bike is making everything in my car rattle.  This fella looked like a real biker, looked like he just got finished working security for the Stones at Altamont.  Then he pulls up to my open window, I grip the wheel tighter and tell myself to keep driving, just look ahead.  He yells out, "nice car", then he speeds away. I think I gave him the thumbs up or something. 

[2002FjordBaur]

My kids love joining me for a cruise in the Baur around London. We run the safe gauntlet of people pointing, smiling faces, shouts of 'lovely car' from bus and taxi drivers and even people jumping out to photograph as we pass (especially around Knightsbridge).

 

Its lovely but i do struggle slightly to know how to react... a smile back, thumbs up, shout 'thanks' but I'll never ignore!

Edited July 15, 2020 by 2002FjordBaur

[02Les]

In the 20 years since I brought my Touring over here, I rarely get the appreciated lookers/comments, maybe because it's a 'hatchback'; however, I continually get the steering wheel is on the wrong side and I reply, no it's on the right side. It's really getting boring.

[John_in_VA]

29 minutes ago, 02Les said:

... however, I continually get the steering wheel is on the wrong side and I reply, no it's on the right side. It's really getting boring.

 

Stiff upper lip, old boy!

[jp5Touring]

I'm always amazed at the response's I get driving mine.  Big smiles from people of all ages and lots of thumbs up.  Every once in a while someone will know the year and knowledge of what the car is.  Being Orange doesn't hurt either.

One quote "I love your cute little car"   really cute little car ??

[2002#3]

Could its recognition be due to its being the first "classy"/non-VW foreign car with which the US peopleage (my word) became familiar?