Bad thoughts

[dkl]

Originally Posted by srmmmm

That's 9-10 month's worth of new car payments, so the repairs pay for themselves in less than a year.

Or, if I downgrade...That's exactly 2 years worth of payments for a new Toyota Corolla SE! At least that was the going rate before this crazy pandemic shortage thing.

Originally Posted by workingonit

I've been too attached to many of my 25-26 vehicles I've owned (either outright, or shared with my spouse) in the 55 years since my first (1956 Chevy 210 4-dr sedan) in 1965. It was given to me by my Grandmother after my Aunt suddenly died at 38; she had planned to give it to me on my next birthday (16), in two months. I grew attached to it (probably due to sentimentality), though a younger brother stole it and totalled it two years later.

I seem to keep all my vehicles too long, thru some sort of attachment: sentimental, having nebulous dreams of fixing them up again, or what?? I 'm not sure why. My record attachment was 27+ years, to the '66 Chevelle I bought to restore, but ended up racing instead, then traded at long last for my current obsession: my '01 X5.

Long-lived vehicles that I've owned and cared for:

'66 Chevelle Malibu 2-dr hardtop, Onyx black 1994-2021 27+ years, a once a week "daily driver" (weekend racer), converted to a dedicated drag racer (full cage, spool, 4.88 gears, etc.), with various engine/equipment variations, from 327c.i. (L-79 clone) street, to 427c.i.(431)/646 rwhp dragracing.

'86 Chevy S-10 Tahoe extended cab, Charcoal Gray Metallic, 1986-2004 18+ years, 2.8l v-6 (three rebuilds), daily driver

'04 Chevy Silverado WT 2500HD reg. cab, Summit White, 2004-2021> 17+ years ongoing, 6.0l v-8, daily driver to dedicated #1 trailer hauler (beefed trans, springs & shocks)

'98 GMC Sierra 1500 ext. cab, Fire Red, 2007-2021> 14+ years ongoing, 5.7l v-8, family transport, #2 trailer hauler (beefed trans, tuned engine, springs & shocks)

'08 Cobalt LS (SE) 2-dr coupe, Slate Metallic Gray 2008-2021> 14+ years ongoing, 2.2l 4cyl, wife's car

'09 HHR Panel, 2-seat utility van, Summit White, 2009-2021> 13+ years ongoing , 2.2l 4cyl, daily driver + utility usage

Other long-lived/kept vehicles were:
1)'88 Fiero 1998-2017 19+ years (engine died in 2005, given away in 2017)
2)'92 Olds Achieva SC (Quad 4) 2005-2017 12+ years (parked in 2009, needed timing chain + CV axles)
3)'69 Chevy C-10 1997-2004 7+ years (restored in 1999, traded for '65 ChevyII -never restored- + trans-braked Powerglide racing transmission, 2 spare engines, various other parts)
4)'75 Chevy C-10 2002-2007 5+ years (rebuilt engine, trans, rear end; partial trade for '98 GMC + DIXON ZTR mower)

all others (of 25 total) were kept for 5 years or less

'01 BMW X5 3.0i (acquired in May 2021) will be my last (planned) vehicle; I hope to have it as long as the Chevelle (27+ years)

Wow I would imagined that you have a warehouse of some sort to store all those cars? Truth be told, I would be in deep trouble if I had more room to store cars. But I would be ecstatic to be able to store one or two more cars

[dkl]

Originally Posted by dkl

Got a quote from Carvana just for kicks and this is what they'd offered...lol. At that price, I would keep it until the wheels falls off. I just put in 3x what they offered into the X (new tires, battery, water pump, T-stats, expansion tank, hoses, transfer case fluids, etc...)

Wooohooo...the "collector" status has begun My car has gone up in value...a whopping $29 in 2 years

[motordavid]

^ I guess my 2001 E53 is 'worth less' than your 2004...
Maybe my 2001 is actually worthless?!

Doesn't matter; I am keeping it for another year(s). When I go off to Valhalla my CEO can sell it to one of you/the Xoutpost gang.

$800...what does Carvana know?!

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by dkl

Wooohooo...the "collector" status has begun My car has gone up in value...a whopping $29 in 2 years

Hell it's worth more if you parted it out than $800.

[dkl]

Well...The deed is done! The ol' gal is sold I could no longer bear watching her deteriorate and beaten down by the sun sitting out there rotting away. Hope the new owner have many more years of enjoyment out of it! Also sold the MCoupe last year...liquidating the inventory! For the first time in over 23 years, I'm officially without a BMW!

I want to thank everyone on here with all the help throughout the years, especially those OG from Toadfly who decided to go rogue and started all this! I could not have kept the ol' gal running, at least economically, without any of you - THANK YOU!

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by dkl

Well...The deed is done! The ol' gal is sold I could no longer bear watching her deteriorate and beaten down by the sun sitting out there rotting away. Hope the new owner have many more years of enjoyment out of it! Also sold the MCoupe last year...liquidating the inventory! For the first time in over 23 years, I'm officially without a BMW!

I want to thank everyone on here with all the help throughout the years, especially those OG from Toadfly who decided to go rogue and started all this! I could not have kept the ol' gal running, at least economically, without any of you - THANK YOU!

I hope she went to a good home. They're great vehicles and I'm sure you took care of her.

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by dkl

Well...The deed is done! The ol' gal is sold I could no longer bear watching her deteriorate and beaten down by the sun sitting out there rotting away. Hope the new owner have many more years of enjoyment out of it! Also sold the MCoupe last year...liquidating the inventory! For the first time in over 23 years, I'm officially without a BMW!

I want to thank everyone on here with all the help throughout the years, especially those OG from Toadfly who decided to go rogue and started all this! I could not have kept the ol' gal running, at least economically, without any of you - THANK YOU!

GL with your future automotive endeavors. Watching cars with any kind of enthusiast value sit unused is hard. Understand the move.

[haigha]

Thanks for letting us know... best of luck in the future!

This has been a great community for many years

[dkl]

Originally Posted by Fifty150hs

I hope she went to a good home. They're great vehicles and I'm sure you took care of her.

The new owner appears to be an enthusiast, so I hope it will live on for many more years. I have pointed the new owner this way, so who knows, he may join this community one day. However, it has appeared that the ol' gal is not happy with me selling her. I got a text from the new owner within 24 hours that the driver's window regulator is broken and the door won't shut (most likely the carrier that was replaced 9 month ago)! That's a nice welcome to the e53 ownership!

Originally Posted by crystalworks

GL with your future automotive endeavors. Watching cars with any kind of enthusiast value sit unused is hard. Understand the move.

Originally Posted by haigha

Thanks for letting us know... best of luck in the future!

This has been a great community for many years

Thanks. This has definitely been a great community, if not the best for sure! With how BMW is heading, I'm not so sure I will have another one.