Am I becoming disenchanted with my 02s?

[JsnPpp]

I have been working from home the last 2 years and so really don't drive the 2002's as much as I used to. I still enjoy getting in them when I have the chance, but truthfully one has been on blocks all Summer because I am swapping out steering box and changing the master cylinder. Due to work and family time I haven't had much time to work on it, but got to thinking lately, have I missed it?

I drive the other car as much as I can, but usually it's a 4 mile trip to the store and thats about it.

Been thinking that perhaps it's time to move on? Focus on other things? I still love the cars, but I'm concerned they are becoming more conversational pieces rather than drivers. Not cool!

Has anyone else gone up and down in terms of 2002 ownership? Or is it just me?

Maybe I just need to organize a road trip. :-)

-Jason

[powelli]

Jason -

With little kids at home and other commitments, mine isn't used as often as I would like either. When it sits, I have similar thoughts.

However, all it usually takes is a spirited drive to remind me why I own it.

- Ian

[inkatouring]

You are not alone.

My old tii that I sold to a friend is still sitting in his garage waiting the header to be reinstalled (it cracked). The header was fixed and waiting to get reinstalled over three years.

My touring is off at A1-Imports having work done to it that I never found the time to do. Do I miss the car? Well, it is nice to look at it in the back of the garage while parking my daily-driver. But as the garage is tandem and the touring is in the back, it never gets used anyway. Plus, the daily-driver is as much fun to drive.

But I've decided not to sell the touring because I know I will regret it someday and I'm lucky enough not to need the money -- although I could use the garage space. If I had two, like you do, however, I probably would have a hard time justifying not selling one. But which would you keep? They're both so nice......

[jerry]

not driving a sorted out 02 is the quickest way to loose the romance with it.

i haven't driven mine as much lately after i had it professionally detailed in preparation for selling it, but every time i drive it, i smile and think positively towards my next rehabilitation project.

when they sit, you start to imagine the space it occupies and other goodies that would benefit by taking over that space.

[JsnPpp]

Yes.

Two seems excessive and unnecessary. It would be better to have one 02 and then if there is room, have a different car for a different purpose (convertible?). It's too bad they are so similar and yet so alike.

I'd probably sell the blue car before the red one, but right now I guess I still have the emotional attachment to both. Some days there isn't an attachment, and I start to think about selling one and buying parts to fix the other...

-Jason

[MatthewCervi]

You're not alone. I've been wanting an E30 M3 for a while and have been feeling disenchanted with my tii. I decided a couple months ago it was time to sell, but my wife asked me to wait a couple months so we could get some things done around the house.

Now that the 2 months have passed, I'm not so sure anymore. I've got a couple projects to do to prep it for sale, so it will be at least another month. Then maybe I'll find another excuse...

[inkatouring]

Yes.

Two seems excessive and unnecessary. It would be better to have one 02 and then if there is room, have a different car for a different purpose (convertible?). It's too bad they are so similar and yet so alike.

I'd probably sell the blue car before the red one, but right now I guess I still have the emotional attachment to both. Some days there isn't an attachment, and I start to think about selling one and buying parts to fix the other...

-Jason

The red one has the A4 system and all that H&B stuff, right? Blue is fairly stock IIRC. And did you paint both? Reason I won't sell the touring is I like to keep my handiwork. If I painted a car (and it turned out as nice as yours did) I doubt I could part with it....

[SteveJ]

It goes in cycles.

Sometimes, like in my case, it goes in bicycles. My limited amount of personal time can only be juggled between a couple of passions at one time. I'll spend some time wrenching on the cars, then I'll start getting in heavy on the cycling again. Then when you start to put up all the barriers, it just makes it tougher to get at your passion. Doing house projects, things get piled in the way of the cars. Having a child at home and family commitments takes more time. Then there's that thing called a job.

I've started to realize what the triggers are that push me to one passion or the other: Warmer weather and seeing my flabby body in the mirror pushes me to cycling. An upcoming car gathering/drive pushes my to wrench on the cars. My wife complaining that the light fixture has been loose for 3 months pushes me to house projects.

As the Moody Blues titled their album- A Question of Balance. That's the trick. Still trying to master it. I fail. Often.

As far as getting rid of the 2002, you have to decide if really you need a car. Most often, the answer is yes, you do. Then remember that there are cool cars and there are utilitarian cars. Luckily, a 2002 can be both.

Now I'll try to figure out the balance so I can wrench on my E30M3 that has been on stands for several years.

[Otis]

I'm lucky enough not to need the money

Then won't you please be a good Sugar Daddy and give me your car?

[JsnPpp]

Thanks for that. Yes, blue is the almost stock '73 Tii (5spd OD, 3.91 LSD, springs, swaybars) and Michael painted it. Schatz and Krum rebuild. It's a daily driver so is a bit more dings than a few years ago.

The red car has the A4 and is the Hardy and Beck car. I painted that one in Michael's shop. It's still pretty nice but has a few dings too. I guess I have touched more of the red car than the blue, making it more "mine".

Bought both from original owners, so I also have the "I'll be the next caretaker for 20 years" thing going...

I think it's just one of those passing things. I do need a 3 car garage :-)

-Jason

[JsnPpp]

I like that - it's all about balance. And I do the same - things come and go, when there is a drive planned I spend more time cleaning and prepping. And I am into bicycles as well, one of the things I need to do is build up a new set of wheels.

I have a couple of kids, and so with work there goes any real free time I guess.

An e30 M3, now that is what I need... :-) (I'm serious!)

-Jason

[MikeWooldridge]

Nice thread. And it's good to read of the thoughts of fellow enthusiasts.

Having owned a new '71 bought in Germany and shipped home (and later sold it) I couldn't pass up the chance to own another. After all the "fun" of getting her in top shape, I decided to find a tii.

Now, that's two cars, two storage places, two insurances, two property taxes, TWO OF EVERYTHING. Something had to give, so the tii, although not painted, is of this date ending its home with me and going to another enthusiast (I hope) who will finish her right.

I thought each car had its good points and the determination as to which one to sell fell squarely on the fact that my first BMW was a '71 and my last BMW will be a '71. That's what I promised my wife. UhOh.

[auggiemize]

Balance is right. All relationships ebb and flow. I know that cars and wives (or hubbies) are different, but there are some parallels. To put it into delicate terms, the level of arousal tends to diminish over time. You have to work hard to get out of it what you put in. Have you ever noticed the strange sensation that you get when you wash and wax a vehicle to sell it, and realize that you still love it? Why would I ever want to sell this beauty, great memories, and now the door thresholds are as clean as when it left the factory...... Every time that I get "restless" about my Volvo wagon, I see one like it on the road, and wonder how I could even think of parting with her.

No one has mentioned what the economy does to us from a psychological standpoint. When times are good, some of us boy-dogs (I'm guilty to some extent) just want more. I hate to admit the accumulation of wheels here from, say, 2000-2008. A coupe, a 2002, another coupe parts car, another 2002, another fixer-upper coupe...Then the economic wake-up call. Your priorities change. Children grow. Parents get older. Life interferes with itself...Work is still work...When times are lousy, like the last couple of years, you wonder and evaluate whether your hobby is just a hobby, or an extravagence.

I have much more fun and less worry taking the 2002 to the store. And the coupe thats about restored sits quietly a lot more than before the 02. Its a different kind of fun to drive than the 2002. The 2002 collects the salad greens, washes, chops, and cooks dinner; the coupe likes to go out for dinner. Cloth napkins,etc...I love the coupe, always wanted one since I was 15 years old. Two years later, I bought my first car, a 69 2002.

And like you probably do, I think about how life would be changed if I let something go. Will I just want to replace it in a couple of years for more money, or will it be an life exercise in smart editing. Anyway... Was it Thoreau that said, "Simplify, simplify, simplify.." If it was so easy, why'd he have to say it three times. Sorry for the long blather. Dave V. in NC

[JsnPpp]

Very well said, I couldn't agree more. My interest ebbs and flows like the tide - for instance I have parts coming in this week to get one of the cars back on the road and so I'm back to being excited about crawling underneath and getting them installed. But for the most part this Summer they been like unread books on the top shelf of the bookcase - take 'em or leave 'em, it doesn't matter.

What I should do is clean them like I would before selling them, I bet that will help too. I also have a wide band 02 meter that I have been dying to complete and install, thats also pretty fun.

And of course go for a drive. There are some new names down here in Austin and I bet folks are willing to get together once this weather breaks...

I know I'm not quite ready to sell one or both, but I do recognize that 2 of the same cars doesn't make sense at all. If one was an e30 M3 or a jeep or a type 2 VW or SOMEthing different, that would be better...

Thanks for the reply, I don't feel quite so out there anymore!

-Jason

[JsnPpp]

Yes, it's the TWO of everything that gets me too!

-Jason