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View Full Version : Schools of Thought or Different Strokes for Different Folks



wstr75
05-21-2017, 10:43 AM
From following this board for 2.5 years, it is easy to conclude the folks on this board keep their cars in great shape both from a mechanical and appearance standpoint. Today I passed a BMW 325 convertible having a browned-out rear glass and was bouncing up-down and side-to-side with every road imperfection. The owner was a guy in his 60s and had the look of a guy who has owned the car a long time.

This 325 owner represents the other side of the ownership bell curve from the folks on the ZHP Mafia board. From his car's appearance and suspension jiggles this guy obviously sees his car as transportation and only does the minimum in maintenance and cleaning. Two years ago I was in the parking lot of the Topgolf near downtown Atlanta and walked past a black ZHP convertible in similar shape. It broke my heart to see a special car in such sad shape (interior and exterior).

I recently had a conversation with a guy who owns a E90 335i with 185K miles from new and has done nothing to the suspension. He proudly told me the car was in great shape and looked at me quizzically when I mentioned totally re-furbishing my E46's suspension at 107K miles. I had a similar conversation with a E46 M3 Cabrio owner selling his car with 180K miles and who had owned the car since 60K miles. When asked about suspension refresh and cooling system work (cooling system done at 60K), he said, "none". Up to that point I was seriously contemplating buying his rare Individual model, but got to thinking about how much work immediately needed (probably $3K) together with his asking price and it quickly became a passing thought.

Help me understand why this happens. We can assume some folks don't have the funds to keep their cars in excellent condition. That is probably a given and likely represents an increasing percentage of folks with E46s as the purchase prices keep decreasing with age and mileage. What do you think is the rationale for the folks who have money but do not keep their cars in good condition? Don't care? Don't care about keeping up with the Joneses? No esteem problems? Rather be investing their money in investments that grow over time? What? What? What?

Why do you think the 60 something guy was rolling down the road in a BMW 325 with a badly worn out suspension and a rear window impossible to see through? Inquiring minds want to know.

Oli77
05-21-2017, 10:57 AM
I think most people, me including, to a point, do not want to spend an extra penny. Car works = good.
To be average takes at least two opposite extremes.
We are one, that guy was the other.
I like to be in the middle.

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L0veZHP
05-21-2017, 11:01 AM
Wow, wow, wow! You've just described my uncle. He has or just sold my brother a badly kept 325i in Alpine White. It's nothing rare but it's a fellow e46 and I've seen the same model and trim car be kept very well by another friend with the same exact car.

Long story short. My uncles definitely has the funds to maintain his e46 but never does. He even goes around maintenance things just to not do them. Idk why he has that car, he should have just bought a Toyota which is what he did now a RAV4 no leather or anything which is like "crap" (sorry to no leather car owners) to our culture.

Once again lol long story short.. I think some people just don't care for cars. I've noticed that people invest in what they like. For example my father is a country man and loves raising chickens and farm animals. We're Dominican so in Dominican Republic he's bought plenty of land and has had built plenty of ranches and etc.. spent plenty of money on it. I wouldn't have done that. My mother loves traveling and spending money on traveling the world. I rather spend money on my car lol and go sideways on a speed bump.

Lol it just comes down to what people want/like most of the time if they're able to afford things.


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wstr75
05-21-2017, 11:04 AM
Like you, I prefer to be in the middle. Sometimes it is hard to discern what is the middle. I tend to not obsess over my car's appearance, but do worry about the mechanicals, so I tend to spend ahead of situations occurring.

For those interested in seeing how a bell curve (normal distribution) operates:
http://www.statisticshowto.com/bell-curve/

wstr75
05-21-2017, 12:45 PM
LoveZHP, I trust your brother got a great deal on the uncle's car. Will your brother upgrade the car (cooling system, suspension refresh and the like) or will he keep on keeping on like Uncle?

L0veZHP
05-21-2017, 12:53 PM
My brother already has about 3-4 months with the car nothing's gone wrong with it. He just got it straight piped, borrowed my ZHP wheels, and put music in it. Surprisingly noting gone wrong with the car. I think it has about 165k on it. He got it for $2,000.


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L0veZHP
05-21-2017, 12:57 PM
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170521/0e08f85f101e3ab1e081ab1c5da09e0b.pnghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170521/d05ef953ae69b83a56c12ac4f4179b1b.png

And he's got heated seats [emoji30]lucky.

The paint is pretty good besides the usual NYC back bumper.. lol. Good deal.

I also sold him my AFE Intake and a Strut bar.
And my clears lol..

I sold him everything for super cheap because it was just laying in my trunk doing nothing.. but he is def due for a suspension refresh which would probably cost as much as the car itself or more... maybe that's why people don't want to invest in their e46/BMW.

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wstr75
05-21-2017, 03:10 PM
Your brother got a good price from your uncle. Sounds like you are doing your part being a good brother in selling him components for super cheap. The car looks good in the pictures. ZHP enthusiasts will be doing a double take seeing the 135 wheels on his car.