the funny thing is that at first i didn't remember posting about the '22 and thought "wow, michelle edited my post"

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You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.

Chevy Caprice Classic Convertible
Diesel Oldsmobile Cutlass (totalled)
Diesel Pontiac Bonneville
78 Corvette Pace Car L82
Diesel Lincoln Mark VII
Saab 900 Coupe
90 Nissan Maxima (Great car)
2 Door Chevy Blazer
Ford Explorer LTD
Range Rover Discovery
BMW 325
Eddie Bauer Ford Explorer
Eddie Bauer Ford
Lincoln Mark VIII (great engine)
Lincoln Continental (floaty)
Jaguar X Type
Chevy Tahoe Texas Edition
BMW 540i
2001 BMW X5
2005 Mercedes Benz CLK320 Cabriolet
2005 BMW X5

So what's deal with the diesel? Family owned a trucking company, so we bought a lot of diesel. The corvette was OK, and I am sure a lot of people would have thought at the time it was one of those ultimate, but it was just OK. Felt every bump in the road, heat of the engine poured through the firewall. I enjoyed my BMWs, they all seem to leak oil. MB makes a very fine engine, I think BMW are easier to service or get parts.

Here we go, since obtaining my driver's license in 1971:


1969 Buick Skylark
1970 Pontiac Firebird
1978 Chevrolet Blazer 4X4
1979 Chevrolet Monte Carlo (inspired by near marriage)

1981 Pontiac Bonneville Diesel (Last of the 2-dr)
1985 Plymouth Tourismo (acquired through marriage)

1991 Mazda MPV (necessitated by marriage & kids)

1993 Mazda 626 ES

2001 BMW E46 (maintained the marriage)

2004 BMW E46
2002 BMW E53
2014 BMW F32 (enhanced the marriage)

2016 BMW F15


Not so many in the list as I tend to drive the wheels off them.

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2016 F15 x35i
2014 F32 428i


2004 E46 325i sold at 123,600 miles
2002 E53 3.0 sold at 388,801 miles
2001 E46 325i sold at 66,000 miles


1970 Firebird Under restoration

After a year of meaning to list my former and present cars, including those I shared with my younger brothers (90% of my money was involved, and most of the labor in keeping them running), and cars I either bought for my spouses (+ one gf), and shared with them, before I moved on.

As you can see, I've had little experience with Euro cars since the 1970's, except for helping out friends with their cars, or in shops. Nearly bought a 2002 back in the day, but bought two VW Superbeetles (1972 & 1973) and a used '73 Volvo in quick succession. I gave the '72 VW to my brother, expecting a payback eventually, but never received a cent, and bought the '73 VW. So, a few years later, when I was itching for the BMW 2002 in 1977, I bought (for half the price) a barely-used Volvo instead (a friend had one just like it, and it was pretty good car...until that same brother "borrowed" mine in '81, and totalled it). Never forgave him for it. Finally, I have a BMW.

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01 BMW X5 E53,3.0i-5L40E, 7/13/01
topas-blau,Leder-grau,"resto-project car"

Here:
14 Lexus ES350,3.5L-U660E
09 HHR Panel,2.2L-4T45E
04 Chevy 2500HD,6.0L-4L80E
98 GMC Sierra 1500,5.7L-4L60E

Gone:
66 Chevelle Malibu 2dr ht.,327>441c.i.-TH350>PGlide/transbrake
08 Cobalt Coupe,2.2L-4T45E
69 & 75 C10s,350c.i.-TH350
86 S10,2.8L-700R4
73 Volvo 142,2.0L-MT4
72 & 73 VW SuperBeetles,1.6l-MT4
64 VW,1.2l-MT4
67 Dodge Monaco 500 2dr ht.,383c.i.-A727
56 Chevy 210 4dr,265c.i.-PGlide

Jeeps and BMWs sound a lot like my list, with a couple random makes thrown in:

1972 Audi Fox
1984 Saab 900S
1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee (still with me as my dog and airport car although I fear she's reaching the end of the line without some significant investment)
1996 BMW Z3 (fun car, newlyweds, no kids)
1998 E36 M3 Sedan (along came kids)
2002 E53 X5 4.4i (More kids...now my 4.6 swapped in 2022, overland project, daily driver)
2004 E46 M3 (kids got older)
2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland (wife's car and still with us...about 80k)

The X5 after the 4.6 swap and other work is definitely my favorite BMW I've owned. Of the others, I wish I still had the E36 M3 sedan.

I don't like the looks of the new Grand Cherokees and incresingly I find myself on the BMW USA site building different color X5 xDrive 45e versions. 52 MPG from an X5 with net 389 HP sounds pretty amazing as I watch the needle go down in real time in my "4.6i" - it is a beast and tons of fun so no chance its leaving the barn any time soon, but my wife's jeep is getting along in milage, and I am not sure I want to find out if it is going age well.

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Current
Original owner 2002 E53 X5 4.4i to 4.6i swap
2026 G80 M3 6 spd
2025 G06 X5 50e
Former
1972 Audi Fox
1986 Saab 900S
1996 BMW Z3
1998 BMW E36 M3 Sedan
2004 BMW E46 M3
2006 Audi A3 Quatro
1993 Mopar 318 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2015 V6 Jeep Grand Cherokee

I keep mine much longer than I should, because they're not just machines to me. You put a lot of time & work into some, and just don't let them go, unless for the better.

I'll trade if it's necessary, usually if mutually beneficial, especially if the other guy will restore it, or put it back on the street (i.e. the Chevelle drag car is being fixed-up to be a streetable Pro Street/Resto Mod, with a tamer hydraulic cammed/fuel injected engine ... not a gas gulping solid-roller cammed one). I just wanted to see it live again, even if the trade for the X5 lost money for me (the extra parts and race-only items he's using to finance the streetable new parts were worth a lot).

I've listed the vehicles I've kept for over 5 years, from the Chevelle at 27+ years, to the last C-10 project I had for almost 6 years. I even had a Fiero for 19+ (12 not working), so that shows I keep some a bit too long!

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01 BMW X5 E53,3.0i-5L40E, 7/13/01
topas-blau,Leder-grau,"resto-project car"

Here:
14 Lexus ES350,3.5L-U660E
09 HHR Panel,2.2L-4T45E
04 Chevy 2500HD,6.0L-4L80E
98 GMC Sierra 1500,5.7L-4L60E

Gone:
66 Chevelle Malibu 2dr ht.,327>441c.i.-TH350>PGlide/transbrake
08 Cobalt Coupe,2.2L-4T45E
69 & 75 C10s,350c.i.-TH350
86 S10,2.8L-700R4
73 Volvo 142,2.0L-MT4
72 & 73 VW SuperBeetles,1.6l-MT4
64 VW,1.2l-MT4
67 Dodge Monaco 500 2dr ht.,383c.i.-A727
56 Chevy 210 4dr,265c.i.-PGlide

I've got a pretty long list:

'77 Pontiac Grand Prix
'79 Toyota Celica liftback
'79 Chevy Malibu
'77 Cadillac Coupe DeVille
'77 Buick Skylark Wagon
'81 Chevrolet Malibu Wagon
'91 Honda Accord Coupe
'81 Datsun 280zx
'71 Datsun 510 wagon
'89 Nissan 240sx
'72 Datsun 510 wagon
'03 Subaru WRX wagon
'14 Ford Focus hatch
'17 Mustang
'01 BMW X5

Other's I've had to care for over the years:
'81 Datsun 200sx
'93 Toyota pickup
'98 Honda Passport
'10 Mini Cooper
'09 Mini Cooper S

Updating my list...again!

1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited (Green with Gray interior) Sept 1996 to Feb 2000
1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited (Black with Black interior) Feb 2000 to May 2005
2001 BMW X5 E53 4.4i (Jet Black with Black interior) May 2005 to May 2012
2008 BMW X5 E70 3.0si (Black Sapphire Metallic with Black interior) Aug 2011 to Aug 2015
2012 BMW X5 E70 35d (Black Sapphire Metallic with Cinnamon interior) Aug 2015 to Sept 2020
2015 Ford F350 Platinum Dually (Ruby Red with Black interior) Feb 2018 to Present
2018 BMW X5 F15 35i M Sport (Carbon Black with with Black interior) Sept 2020 to Present

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/ / / Michelle
Administrator, Moderator, and Premier Member

My Bimmer Garage
2018 F15 X5 35i M Sport (Sept 2020 to present)
2012 E70 X5 35d (Aug 2015 to Sept 2020)
2008 E70 X5 3.0si (Aug 2011 to Aug 2015)
2001 E53 X5 4.4i (May 2005 to May 2012)

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Rest In Peace SuperGreg <3

updated

__________________
You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.