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02-20-2011, 08:21 AM
UNDER CONSTRUCTION, some stuff is old or have been modified.
Hello fellow bimmers, I live in Houston for 2 years now and I am already calling it home, I drive BMWs since 2002 and with a small time-frame exception, have stuck to the best gosh darn car ever built, the BMW 3 Series
My first BMW was a 94 325i 5spd manual, bought with 250K miles and sold with 375K on the odometer, car was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT, nothing to be done, had headers, custom exhaust, wheels, TMS Comforti chip, I rebuilt the whole interior, looked like brand new.. Miss that car a lot, the guy who bought was a BMW mechanic, and he examined the car for 4 freaking hours trying to find the "catch" and ended not arguing or trying to get a deal, he just paid me in cash and left bearing a smile from ear to ear... My kids named that car Helga, because she was a "though german lady that could kick ass", they were referring to Hagar the Horrible (http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/hagar/about.htm)'s wife (BTW, the are not from Germany, but the kids thought they were...). I use to read Hagar strips for them as bed time histories... I know, not the "Parent's Choice" material, but both of them are GT students now!!
My second BMW I purchased in Houston a few days after arriving here, it was a 2001 330i auto. Bought with 85K miles and paid $9995 out-the-door at Momentum BMW, it had a few things loose, rattlings, steering pump issues, oil separator issues, some bad clips, it hadn't been taken care as much as the car deserved, but in the course of 1 1/2 years, with some help from my mechanic Cliff from Sports Car Repairs (http://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=7441011029391370644&q=Sports+Car+Repair,+Star+Lane,+Houston,+TX&hl=en&sll=29.727331,-95.47905&sspn=0.006295,0.006295&ie=UTF8&ll=29.730946,-95.485482&spn=0,0&z=17) we got her in tip top shape, not one little noise or rattle, performing and driving like a brand new car. The kids named this one Honi (http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/hagar/charactMaina.htm), Hagar and Helga's daughter, because of course, she was younger and more "calm", since she was an automatic and less bouncy ride. Unfortunately in January 2011 after a long day at work I was driving home not at my regular time, normally I hit traffic on i45 and the speeds are lower and there is a lot of stop and go, but that day was 8PM and the road was clear, I reach for my gum in the back cup holder and it wasn't there, so I looked dow and it was in the front one, a friend had moved, and when I looked back up to the road, it was a parking lot... I hit the back of a Toyota Tacoma at around 50mph, I was cruising @ 70 and had a few feet to slow down. Honi died there, on the mile 39 of i45 Gulf Freeway NB @ 8:15PM.. :crying
It took me two weeks to bury(get the insurance docs and pay) Honi, and find a replacement for her. A friend recommended me a wholesaler that purchases trades directly from the local BMW dealers, and I went to see what they had in stock, I road tested a 2004 midnight blue on black 325i auto and took to Cliff to be examined, it needed about $700 in small stuff, half of which I could do it myself), but overall a great car, but I wanted to go back to a manual, so I kept looking. The next day this guy called me, he had just bought from Momentum BMW a '02 TiAg 325i 5spd Sport Package with 101K miles, but he said it was in a very good shape. I took to Cliff and he couldn't believe the shape the car was in, in his report he wrote it needed:
- 4 tires
- cabin air filter
- alignment
- windshield(6" crack")
The car passed compression tests, suspension checks, transmission, everything!!!
The price was right, $7K2 out the door, $4K less the what my insurance paid for the 330i... So I bought it.
Since I got the car, I did:
Stuff done outside the list so far:
- Detailing + leather conditioning, almost done! (phase II of detailing will be done after windshield and ///M Steering wheel and (probably) CF interior trim)
- Window tint,
- BMW Original rubber floor mats,
- Expansion tank cap(original had cracked plastic and dry rubber),
- BMW rubber cargo tray,
- Cabin air filter (Bosch w/ charcoal)
- License plate frames - black plastic to match car details
- De-badget (she's got a clean looking a$$ and no ///M knockoff dealer logo...)
- Steering Wheel M Style from a 530 w/Sport Package (Is it proper to call it an M5 wheel?)
- ZHP "short" shift Knob
- CF trunk lip
Wish List:
- Suspension upgrades
- Dynavin Link (http://www.dynavin.com/products/product_dnv_e46.php)
- TMS corners link (http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-904-e46-facelift-sedan-2002-2005-euro-clear-lens-package.aspx)
- AE (undecided)
- CF interior trim(or wrap)
The kids named this new BMW Kvack, Helga's pet duck, because she seats lower in the ground (Sport seats...) and it's very temperamental... Go figure...
Kvack: http://www.student.unimaas.nl/ku.ahlgren/images/kvack.gif
Here are some recents pics of my car:
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100511/DSC_3945/web.jpg?ver=12979743330001
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100511/DSC_3943/web.jpg?ver=12979743300001
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100511/IMG_1257/web.jpg?ver=12970306220001
Before the ZHP shift knob:
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100511/DSC_3946/web.jpg?ver=12979743290001
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100511/photo-203_7/web.jpg?ver=12979931190001
New Shoes:
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100530/photo/web.jpg?ver=13005938490001
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100530/IMG_1611/web.jpg?ver=13005709150001
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100530/IMG_1610/web.jpg?ver=13005709190001
Hello fellow bimmers, I live in Houston for 2 years now and I am already calling it home, I drive BMWs since 2002 and with a small time-frame exception, have stuck to the best gosh darn car ever built, the BMW 3 Series
My first BMW was a 94 325i 5spd manual, bought with 250K miles and sold with 375K on the odometer, car was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT, nothing to be done, had headers, custom exhaust, wheels, TMS Comforti chip, I rebuilt the whole interior, looked like brand new.. Miss that car a lot, the guy who bought was a BMW mechanic, and he examined the car for 4 freaking hours trying to find the "catch" and ended not arguing or trying to get a deal, he just paid me in cash and left bearing a smile from ear to ear... My kids named that car Helga, because she was a "though german lady that could kick ass", they were referring to Hagar the Horrible (http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/hagar/about.htm)'s wife (BTW, the are not from Germany, but the kids thought they were...). I use to read Hagar strips for them as bed time histories... I know, not the "Parent's Choice" material, but both of them are GT students now!!
My second BMW I purchased in Houston a few days after arriving here, it was a 2001 330i auto. Bought with 85K miles and paid $9995 out-the-door at Momentum BMW, it had a few things loose, rattlings, steering pump issues, oil separator issues, some bad clips, it hadn't been taken care as much as the car deserved, but in the course of 1 1/2 years, with some help from my mechanic Cliff from Sports Car Repairs (http://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=7441011029391370644&q=Sports+Car+Repair,+Star+Lane,+Houston,+TX&hl=en&sll=29.727331,-95.47905&sspn=0.006295,0.006295&ie=UTF8&ll=29.730946,-95.485482&spn=0,0&z=17) we got her in tip top shape, not one little noise or rattle, performing and driving like a brand new car. The kids named this one Honi (http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/hagar/charactMaina.htm), Hagar and Helga's daughter, because of course, she was younger and more "calm", since she was an automatic and less bouncy ride. Unfortunately in January 2011 after a long day at work I was driving home not at my regular time, normally I hit traffic on i45 and the speeds are lower and there is a lot of stop and go, but that day was 8PM and the road was clear, I reach for my gum in the back cup holder and it wasn't there, so I looked dow and it was in the front one, a friend had moved, and when I looked back up to the road, it was a parking lot... I hit the back of a Toyota Tacoma at around 50mph, I was cruising @ 70 and had a few feet to slow down. Honi died there, on the mile 39 of i45 Gulf Freeway NB @ 8:15PM.. :crying
It took me two weeks to bury(get the insurance docs and pay) Honi, and find a replacement for her. A friend recommended me a wholesaler that purchases trades directly from the local BMW dealers, and I went to see what they had in stock, I road tested a 2004 midnight blue on black 325i auto and took to Cliff to be examined, it needed about $700 in small stuff, half of which I could do it myself), but overall a great car, but I wanted to go back to a manual, so I kept looking. The next day this guy called me, he had just bought from Momentum BMW a '02 TiAg 325i 5spd Sport Package with 101K miles, but he said it was in a very good shape. I took to Cliff and he couldn't believe the shape the car was in, in his report he wrote it needed:
- 4 tires
- cabin air filter
- alignment
- windshield(6" crack")
The car passed compression tests, suspension checks, transmission, everything!!!
The price was right, $7K2 out the door, $4K less the what my insurance paid for the 330i... So I bought it.
Since I got the car, I did:
Stuff done outside the list so far:
- Detailing + leather conditioning, almost done! (phase II of detailing will be done after windshield and ///M Steering wheel and (probably) CF interior trim)
- Window tint,
- BMW Original rubber floor mats,
- Expansion tank cap(original had cracked plastic and dry rubber),
- BMW rubber cargo tray,
- Cabin air filter (Bosch w/ charcoal)
- License plate frames - black plastic to match car details
- De-badget (she's got a clean looking a$$ and no ///M knockoff dealer logo...)
- Steering Wheel M Style from a 530 w/Sport Package (Is it proper to call it an M5 wheel?)
- ZHP "short" shift Knob
- CF trunk lip
Wish List:
- Suspension upgrades
- Dynavin Link (http://www.dynavin.com/products/product_dnv_e46.php)
- TMS corners link (http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-904-e46-facelift-sedan-2002-2005-euro-clear-lens-package.aspx)
- AE (undecided)
- CF interior trim(or wrap)
The kids named this new BMW Kvack, Helga's pet duck, because she seats lower in the ground (Sport seats...) and it's very temperamental... Go figure...
Kvack: http://www.student.unimaas.nl/ku.ahlgren/images/kvack.gif
Here are some recents pics of my car:
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100511/DSC_3945/web.jpg?ver=12979743330001
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100511/DSC_3943/web.jpg?ver=12979743300001
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100511/IMG_1257/web.jpg?ver=12970306220001
Before the ZHP shift knob:
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100511/DSC_3946/web.jpg?ver=12979743290001
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100511/photo-203_7/web.jpg?ver=12979931190001
New Shoes:
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100530/photo/web.jpg?ver=13005938490001
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100530/IMG_1611/web.jpg?ver=13005709150001
http://gallery.me.com/eduardocesconetto/100530/IMG_1610/web.jpg?ver=13005709190001