Crazy way to buy a 76 02 in CA?

[flipper]

I live in the frigid Northeast and at the age o 55 am seriously trying to figure out how to get my hands on the car of my childhood dreams. As it happens, I have a hankering to take a trip cross the country, too. And, my company often sends me out to L.A. and would probably pay for a bit of my return journey.

So, my question is this: How difficult would it be for me to find a good 2002 in the greater LA area that's not only going to make it across the country -- a journey I plan to document on a blog for friends and family to snicker at -- but also continue to perform admirably once back on the East Coast?

And how would I go about finding such a car? Ideally, I'd have one waiting for me on arrival! But baring that, with limited time, I wonder how I could make it happen.

And how much should I expect more or less to pay for such a car? (I would like it to be less than $5k. Is that even possible?).

It's making me kind of feverish, thinking about it, so I'll stop now, but you get the drift: should I hatch this plan or stay local (and deal with buying a car that'll probably have tons of rust to begin with)?

Oh, I should mention this: I have no skills as a wrench. I want to learn the basics. But I won't even have that under my belt by the time this trip comes to pass, if it ever does.

Thanks for any thoughts and advice you may have!

[THE1ST3]

If your budget is $5k, buy a nice, mostly rust-free $4k 76 and ship it back east for about $1k. Plenty of FAQ'ers in SoCal that could ck it out in person. Having no wrenching skills could make a cross country venture in a 35 year-old car a heartbreaking (and expensive) experience for you.

[johnnysquare]

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,326847/

That's something like AAA for 2002's.

Read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (if you haven't already).

[johnnysquare]

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,326847/

That's something like AAA for 2002's.

Read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (if you haven't already).

[Gordon]

Here's a road trip adventure from CA back to Ohio from someone who's been there, done that

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,57/page,viewtopic/t,278957/highlight,road+trip/

G-Man

[Jim_75Sahara]

My friend, Kfunk, he's the man to talk to.... He drove a well-worn $700 '74 '02 from the west coast to Athens, Ohio. Amazing journey.

[CutteRug]

I'd say your budget is right on track... You should be able to find some cool 76 that someone can't get smogged (hopefully because somebody pulled all the smog crap off it and threw on a sweet tii manifold!)...

As for the trip, here's what I suggest. Get the AAA premium membership.. It includes four 250-mile free tows per year... AND BEST OF ALL!!! They've got this crazy thing called "road trip interruption coverage"....

Means if you're driving along in the middle of nowhere, and your car breaks down, you call them. They come out, tow the car to the nearest shop, and you're covered for up to like $1500 in lodging while your car gets fixed!! (Of course, it's reimbursement, but it's still like a free vacation!)

Anyway, that's if you're going to make the trip. Heck, if you got to within 1000 miles of home, you could just use all four tows in a row to get you home.

But have a mechanic (or SoCal FAQer) check the car for roadworthiness before you depart.

Cheers,

AC

ps - I just drove a '75 from Denver to San Fran (1600 miles) and it was a blast. And that was even with the exhaust blown out and the car pissing oil like an incontinent horse.

[flipper]

Great info and suggestions, guys. Love the "something like AAA for 2002s" idea and the AAA premium membership idea. Both could be life savers, if I decide to actually do this. And, that said, I might as well cough up the rest of my (probably misguided) Master Plan and why I really don't want to buy local.

I sometimes write for a magazine called Men's Journal and most recently I got it to sign off on the idea of me leaving my cozy home in the east and flying to the W.C., where I'd buy the vintage Porsche of my dreams and drive it home picking up every hitch hiker I could find, hopefully getting lots of speeding tickets, staying off major highways, hanging out in seedy bars, dealing with break downs, and just in general messing with my life. The end result: a funny story at my expense. They loved that idea.

But, a Porsche is turning out to cost more money than I can spend (unless I find a 76 912e; so far no luck) and a 2002 has always been another of my dream cars. So, a 2002 is what I'm thinking to make the journey in. I haven't pitched the replacement car to the magazine and I'm a little worried that my editor will shout, But it's not a Porsche!!! But if he's cool with it, then that's how I would go.

What's great for me, of course, is that I get paid for the story -- and the car becomes a tax deductible business expense! OTOH, if I pick up the wrong hitch hiker (does anyone even hitch hike anymore?), it could end up being less comedy and more tragedy, but that's how these things work. And if nothing happens to me? No story ... but at least the car (and the trip) would still be a tax deductible business expense!

So there you have it. *Now* what do you think? (And sorry for being less than 100% forthright in my initial post; part of me didn't want the story idea floating around out there in the world, but I've since decided I don't care ...)

[mcaden]

I think a lot of FAQers will want to read your article, even if it means buying an issue of Men's Journal (kidding). You might enjoy reading these two articles (posted recently in another link):

1. 1968 Car & Driver review of 2002 by Davis: http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/08q3/from_the_c_d_archives-info/from_the_c_2fd_archives_page_2

2. Feb. 2001 New York Times article - Love on Wheels:

http://www.nytimes.com/library/magazine/specials/20010225mag-lovewheels.html

You may also want look at a link posted by one of our members (Daniel Shor) that has address and contact info inserted into Google maps for many FAQ members nationwide. It could come in handy if you need some repair info, tools, random parts, or maybe even a place to crash. Here is the link: http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,336135/

Good luck with your search and trip.

-Marc

[Anschauer]

Here's a candidate (NM/NA etc):

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/1580052638.html

Lucky you - this is my all time favorite color combo..

[Hammer03]

I don't think I'd attempt that kind of a trip without some professional help, be it company on the trip (a buddy mechanic to tag along?) or just help picking the car.

Were I in your position, I would call a trusted source out here in California (Rob Torres at 2002Haus comes to mind, or any one of the other well known 2002 shops out here) and let them know what you're looking for. If they have one, or know of one, then you're set. Otherwise with enough notice, I think they would be able to put something together for you: take a good car, put a little work into it, sort it, and make it ready for a cross country trip.

I vaguely remember a similar article written by a Brit, although I think it was motorcycles.

[Elias]

Hello , Where in the NE are u located. I own a 74 02 that I love. I recently ran across a guy in Pelham NH that had a nice 76 for sale blue 4 -speed. 168k form I think from down south. If I didn't already have mine I would have bought it. He would have taken $3500.00 It 's a fine rust free driver. I know where he lives I could find out if it's still avalible .

[HarryPR]

Didn't Keith Kreeger do the trip from CA to KC on a cheapo '76 automatic a couple years ago? IIRC he had Rob Torres go over it stem to stern and had a relatively uneventful trip.

I've been wanting to do the cross-country-in-a-'76-'02 trip myself, but other old BMW's and the economy have gotten in the way.

[bueller]

per the future article, is not the idea to HAVE lots of adventures including breakdowns and those he would meet as a result? going over this car completely before departure would for sure decrease the adventures! perhaps make sure all bolts are secure and you don't lose a wheel. heh. i say take your chances and have some true crazy stuff happen and meet those wild characters!

but be safe

matt

[johnnysquare]

http://www.europeancarweb.com/features/0301ec_bmw_cca_oktoberfest_2002/index.html

Dan Erwin and Crusty come to mind.