From E36, to E46, to 350Z... to E36! I'm back! (damonchoy)

[damonchoy]

Hey guys!

Not sure if you guys still remember me, haha.

For those of you who don't remember me or don't know me at all, here's a brief summary of my car ownership since day 1.

First car was an E36 328iC. Bought it when I was 15. Loved it.

Changed the lighting to smoked all around, FX-R 3.0 retrofit, gold Style 5s, KW V1 coilovers, etc.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5461/9088567525_3d1cd7f6d7_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/9090894490_726e1e275a_b.jpg

After about a year I sold the E36 to buy my E46 when I was 16 - an Imola Red on Alcantara M-Sport.

Installed catless headers myself, got a Rogue DMS, VMR wheels. Great car as well.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3717/13771564235_59b2919b33_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3781/13553703364_438b788483_b.jpg

After about another year, now at 17 I bought my 350Z which I still currently own.

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa387/damonchoy/IMG_2096EDITNRSMALL_zpsb82c49f3.jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/damonchoy/media/IMG_2096EDITNRSMALL_zpsb82c49f3.jpg.html)

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa387/damonchoy/IMG_2062EDITNRSMALL_zps39e0a904.jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/damonchoy/media/IMG_2062EDITNRSMALL_zps39e0a904.jpg.html)

So now that Winter is coming soon, and the Z has never been Winter driven, it was time to store the Z and pick up something for the Winter...

... I present to you my Winter E36!

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa387/damonchoy/IMG_2870EDITNRSMALL_zps977e7b6f.jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/damonchoy/media/IMG_2870EDITNRSMALL_zps977e7b6f.jpg.html)

It's been owned by an enthusiast for the last 9 years. He gave me a THICK stack of maintenance and modification records.

It has a 3.23 LSD, Dinan intake, M50 Manifold, BC BR Coilovers, full M3 brake conversion, real BBS RA wheels, CD43, short shifter, reinforced subframe and shock mounts and the entire cooling system has been taken care of.

I got it for $2,500 e-tested and safety certified - ready to hit the road! The only catch is it has 443,000km (275,000 miles) and has quite a bit of rust. I'm not too concerned since it's my Winter car and it's still very mechanically sound. Drives perfect and pulls strong... stronger than my old E46 actually!

Feels quite nostalgic to be back in a green on tan E36... just like my first car! Glad I'm back, even if it's only for a few months until I take the Z back out in the Spring.

Anyway, just wanted to say hello again! :)

[Avetiso]

Sweet car! Don't worry about the mileage if it's a beater. Just enjoy it and stay safe on the snowy roads.

[alexandre]

Holy cow, 433,000km!! Looks decent though. Excellent choice.

[damonchoy]

Sweet car! Don't worry about the mileage if it's a beater. Just enjoy it and stay safe on the snowy roads.

Thanks!

Not worried about the mileage at all. The only place it shows is on the body with the rust. It drives flawlessly and the interior is in surprisingly good condition as well. Loving it so far! Feels good to be back in an E36. So balanced! I'm excited for my first Winter with an LSD, hehe.


Holy cow, 433,000km!! Looks decent though. Excellent choice.

443,000! I know right!

Still can't beat all the value I got for $2,500. I'm very happy with it.

I was worried any Winter car I'd pick up for less than $3,000 would be a complete bore but this E36 has been an absolute blast so far!

[danewilson77]

Congrats. Good hearing from you.

"No flamesuit required"

[ELCID86]

Welcome back. Hope you'll consider the trek to OH for the reunion next year.

[johnrando]

Sure we remember you. Welcome back. Nice cars.

[brettbimmer]

Haha, I second the green E36 with high miles movement - currently at 271,500 myself. Welcome back and good luck with the new ride!!

Sent from my pineapple under the sea.

[fredo]

Welcome, man ! Nice e36.

[webster]

part of me wants to say the nissan should be winter driven and the bmw stored for winter....but, congrats and safe driving regardless!

[webster]

also don't want to make assumptions but at your age most of us were driving beaters. you must either have loaded and enabling parents or a sweet part time job. congrats either way.

[LivesNearCostco]

Wow, I thoght my E36 was high mileage with 208K miles. Guess not! I have tentative plans to buy a rebuilt transmission for it once it hits 300,000 miles, or when the current transmission dies--whichever comes first.

[damonchoy]

Congrats. Good hearing from you.

"No flamesuit required"

Thank you!


Welcome back. Hope you'll consider the trek to OH for the reunion next year.

If it's during July or August I'd actually be interested in making the trip! I frequently travel 4-7 hours for car related events, haha.


Sure we remember you. Welcome back. Nice cars.

Thank you!


Haha, I second the green E36 with high miles movement - currently at 271,500 myself. Welcome back and good luck with the new ride!!

Sent from my pineapple under the sea.

Thank you! Green E36s will run forever! ;)


Welcome, man ! Nice e36.

Thank you!


part of me wants to say the nissan should be winter driven and the bmw stored for winter....but, congrats and safe driving regardless!

Hahaha, the Nissan is my baby. She's never seen a snowflake or grain of salt in her life. Meanwhile, the E36 is already quite rusted.


also don't want to make assumptions but at your age most of us were driving beaters. you must either have loaded and enabling parents or a sweet part time job. congrats either way.

Thank you, most people like to assume right away, so I appreciate it.

All my cars have indeed been 100% funded by me. I started saving at around 13 or so and I've been working since then doing things from yard work to video production. I knew owning a car was what I wanted and I was going to get there no matter what it took.

Now I'm a server at a local restaurant where I make excellent money, especially given my age. Of course, it's pretty easy since I'm in high school, which of course means I'm living at home, which means I have very little expenses other than the car-related ones that I give myself! But anyway, I've proudly paid cash for purchasing, licensing, maintaining, modifying, insuring and gassing all my cars.


Wow, I thoght my E36 was high mileage with 208K miles. Guess not! I have tentative plans to buy a rebuilt transmission for it once it hits 300,000 miles, or when the current transmission dies--whichever comes first.

That's still pretty high, but I've got you beat! ;)

[pilotnick1203]

Dang how do you afford all of these at this age!


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[johnrando]

Uh, he just said how :) I know it's not easy to read all the threads, so just messing with ya.

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[damonchoy]

Dang how do you afford all of these at this age!


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To sum it up quickly: a lot of working and even more self control to not blow all the money on stupid teenager stuff.

That, and I've gotten pretty lucky and haven't lost money to depreciation when buying/selling cars since I only own them for about a year at a time. I of course lost the money I put into them throughout ownership but I haven't experienced much depreciation of the residual values. For example, I sold my first E36 for $1,330 more than I bought it for after almost a year of owning it and I sold my E46 for something like a $200 loss, again after owning it for about a year. I then picked the 350Z up for only $500 more than I sold the E46 for.

[pilotnick1203]

Impressive. I would so do that if I didn't rent an airplane as well LOL


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[damonchoy]

Impressive. I would so do that if I didn't rent an airplane as well LOL


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Airplane?! Here I am thinking I'm doing okay having just purchased my 4th car, LOL.

[stephenkirsh]

To sum it up quickly: a lot of working and even more self control to not blow all the money on stupid teenager stuff.

That, and I've gotten pretty lucky and haven't lost money to depreciation when buying/selling cars since I only own them for about a year at a time. I of course lost the money I put into them throughout ownership but I haven't experienced much depreciation of the residual values. For example, I sold my first E36 for $1,330 more than I bought it for after almost a year of owning it and I sold my E46 for something like a $200 loss, again after owning it for about a year. I then picked the 350Z up for only $500 more than I sold the E46 for.

Are you taking taxes/registration into those numbers? Just curious.

[pilotnick1203]

Airplane?! Here I am thinking I'm doing okay having just purchased my 4th car, LOL.

Yeah just hourly rent a Cessna... No money to buy a toy car unfortunately...


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[damonchoy]

Are you taking taxes/registration into those numbers? Just curious.

Oops. For all but the E46, yes.


Yeah just hourly rent a Cessna... No money to buy a toy car unfortunately...


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I'd almost say that's cooler than a car! Plus, you already drive a ZHP! :)

[stephenkirsh]

Oops. For all but the E46, yes.


Not bad. I'm impressed actually.

[flavo]

Not bad. I'm impressed actually.

X2

Do you enjoy the Z car more then your M sport? What's your impression of the 2?

[damonchoy]

Not bad. I'm impressed actually.

Thanks, I was most pleased with my E46 to 350Z transition only costing me a little over $500.


X2

Do you enjoy the Z car more then your M sport? What's your impression of the 2?

Absolutely. In my opinion, they're in completely different leagues in terms of performance. Mind you, it's a little bit unfair to compare a mostly stock M-Sport to a fairly modified 350Z, so keep that in mind.

The Z is much, much quicker - no surprise with roughly 100hp over the M-Sport as well as a 3.9 final drive (not stock). The Z also handles a lot better. Maybe not in stock form, but in my case with Tein MonoFlex coilovers, SPC camber arms and wide tires (285R, 245F) it sticks to the road very well and handles very predictably.

The Z was an absolute blast when I took it to the track, passing (or outdriving) BRZs, Miatas, S2000s, a Lotus Elise, an M4 (definitely the driver in this case, lol), WRXs, STis, etc.

Obligatory track pic:

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa387/damonchoy/10533048_756054437773888_8712727393320981261_n_zps 0194dc9b.jpg

A huge advantage for the Z in any scenario is the LSD which I so very desperately wish BMW had blessed the M-Sports and ZHPs with. Even my $2,500 E36 has an LSD. Come on, BMW.

Driving aside, when each car is parked, there are differences there too. The M-Sport could generally fly under the radar. It was a nice car but a more subtle one. Most wouldn't give it a second look unless they knew what it was and could appreciate it like we do. Cops would also almost never give it a second look. Toss a 17 year-old who looks more like a 14 year-old in an incredibly loud, bright orange 350Z and it's a different story. I've been pulled over countless times driving at/under the limit to "check my paperwork" or to check for illegal modifications.

I also don't go a day without the Z grabbing someone's attention. Whether it's the teenager who stops me and says "this is the exact car I want to own!", the little kid jumping up and down pointing at it and yelling for his mom to look at it, the group of kids cheering for me to rev it or the dad unloading his minivan while crying a little bit inside... it gets attention. Sometimes I don't mind the attention, I always thank people when they compliment my car and I'll usually give the kids a little rev.

But other times the attention is bad. It's mostly with cops where the attention is bad. I was also banned from my school parking lot at one point since they "heard me peel out," which I most definitely did not to do a motor that hasn't even warmed up yet! The gears are short and the car is very loud, so it sounds like I'm going a lot faster than I really am, but they were having none of it. I'm young, drive a nice "sports car" so therefore I must drive it like an idiot. If I had "peeled out" there'd have been two 285 wide black strips running up the entire hill! ;)

I digress...

Most people told me the interior was going to be a major downgrade. Honestly, I love the Zs interior. It has a really cool look to it and it's very comfortable for what it is. The materials aren't quite as nice as in the M-Sport, but the fit and finish is also well above that of a Subaru Impreza for example. I'm actually quite pleased with the Zs interior. I also have an Alcantara headliner to help soothe me when I miss all the Alcantara goodness that the M-Sport had. The only downside is trunk space, of which there is a very little usable amount of.

Anyway, they're completely different cars. It almost feels weird comparing them since they're so different. The M-Sport was an awesome, grown-up feeling, classy, comfortable German coupe that was also decently fun to drive. The Z is more of a "young" car that attracts more attention, isn't nearly as comfortable nor practical but to make up for all that is an absolute blast to drive.

I love them both dearly but for me right now the Z is my choice. I'm sure I'll be back in an E46 (M3?) at some point in my life, but I figure now is the time in my life to enjoy owning a completely impractical 2-seater.

[flavo]

Wonderfully written information and I really enjoyed your thoughts.
Thanks!

[pilotnick1203]

Oops. For all but the E46, yes.



I'd almost say that's cooler than a car! Plus, you already drive a ZHP! :)

Thank you, still want a toy car eventually LOL!


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[damonchoy]

Wonderfully written information and I really enjoyed your thoughts.
Thanks!

Thank you! :)