Cars, Cigars & Guitars (One Man's Lament)

[Mike Duncan]

All of this AND he's two months younger than me....

 

[11top]

All of this AND he's two months younger than me....

Me, too!

 

[Bill SAS 513]

Congrats, Hans...gorgeous ride!

 

[Big Mike]

All of this AND he's two months younger than me....

Bastid.

 

[Big Mike]

I keeeeeeeeeeeed.

What a fun experience Hans! Enjoy the new car.

 

[Jester]

Congrats! Awesome car and a very cool experience.

A few weeks ago, Mama Bear and I took the fast-train to München for the weekend and picked up my new ride. On the morning of the 11th of Feb, we took a taxi to BMW Welt and were met by a man who escorted us up to the new vehicle reception area. After checking-in, we were taken to the VIP lounge where we had some snacks while waiting for our scheduled delivery time.

Just outside the VIP lounge is a balcony where you can see other people taking delivery of their new car and doing a few laps around the arena before exiting the building. You can also see spectators from the museum on the distant balcony. I waited here until I saw (and heard) my car come up the elevator and out to the floor.

We were first taken to an area with large touch screens and walked through a presentation of the tech in my car. Then we headed down the stairwell to the car. As we got close, the spot-lights came on and it started spinning.

Needless to say, it will never be this clean again.

After I did a few (loud) laps of the Welt, we handed the car to the valet and went back inside to grab one more drink, use the facilities, and pass through the gift shop before hitting the road. Here is the valet handing off the car in front of the BMW Welt as we were leaving.

The next morning, I had these winter tires installed. The M2 Competition is a track-focused car and is only delivered with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires; which aren't legal (or safe) for winter use.

The brakes on this car are HUGE.

I just passed the 1200 mile break-in period. Time to let all 405 horses out.

 

[Tremontinator]

Cars, Cigars & Guitars. These are my most favourite things. And while I have plenty of the later two, I am currently without a car and winter is coming.

My beater was starting to show signs of death so I cut it loose. Until I buy something else, I am relegated to the motorcycle or depending on my lovely wife for a ride to work - which is a hassle because we live 30 minutes from my office and she would also have to retrieve me.

Replacing my car has proven to be a bigger challenge than I expected. I don't want a car payment but I also don't want to plop-down a wad of cash for a car that will depreciate by 20% the moment I drive off the lot. While I'd love to be the wise old owl and buy a modest car that gets the job done, I am tired of driving old cars. I want something shiny and fast. Before its all over, I suspect I'll be selling some guitars.

If I could get a 2-door Golf R, that might scratch the itch but the 4-door doesn't work for me (the B-pillar gets in my way). I'd settle for the 2-door Audi S3 but I can only get the 4-door version in US specification. Even if I could get the 2-door S3, Audi stopped building it last year. A 2-door car, with longer doors, is ideal. If I could find a US-spec 2014 Carrara 4s in Germany, that would be my first pick. Alas, there aren't many US-spec 911's coming into Germany. An Audi R8 would be a riot but they're just too damned expensive. I briefly considered a XR1 or Z06 but a 'Vette just isn't my style. Besides, that's PfennRock's scene.

Fortunately, many manufacturers have a program that will allow me to buy a US-spec car while here in Germany (BMW, Chevy, Dodge, Volvo, Mercedes Benz, VW, Audi, Toyota, Ford, Jeep, and Harley-Davidson). I am not wanting for selection but I'll be damned if this isn't one of the more difficult decisions I've made in a long while.

At the moment, I am leaning heavily toward buying a 2019 BMW M2 Competition or a 2019 Ford Raptor. If I knew I was going to stay in Germany for a few more years, the M2 Competition would be a done deal. But all that track-oriented performance would be a waste in the states unless I was going to track-days.

[sigh]

If you guys were on the market for a fun-to-drive and all-wheel-drive 2-door car. What would it be?

I was stationed at USAG Bamberg so, I think I can speak from a lot more experience than most here.


US spec cars + Autobahn = bad idea


They're not designed for it. Period. First, the brakes aren't designed to stop at those speeds. You'll heat em up and they'll fade. This leads to Brown spots in your Trousers. Ask me how I know.

If you can manage not to overheat them, they'll wear out alarmingly fast. I was doing brake jobs on my buddy's Honda Civic every 6 effing weeks. Hell, he faded a few within a week. (Young, dumb, and full of a certain liquid that rhymes with dumb.)

Next is differentials
They can't oil themselves properly at those speeds. Driving US spec cars on the Autobahn for prolonged periods will rapidly deteriorate your gear oil and lead to welded gears. And brother, you haven't smelled stink until you change out burnt gear oil.

Again, ask me how I know.

Transmission
Manual gear oil can't hold up to the heat of high speeds
Neither can synchros
Trannys are designed to run on a specific fluid. Changing to something that works on the Autobahn mucks with the required lubricity, detergents, additives, viscosity, and other characteristics

Automatic transmissions are worse yet. You'll blow hydraulic pistons and melt clutches and warp bands. Probably not good for hard parts either such as the planetary set, final drive differential, torque converter, etc etc etc

And you'll have your motor pinned up against redline which accelerates wear on the internal components and increases heat to the point that the cooling system cannot handle it.


Plus, you'll need to put high speed tires on it immediately or risk a blowout at Autobahn speeds. American spec includes tires that cannot handle the heat generated from such high speeds.

Even American race cars such as Vettes, Camaros, Vipers, Shitstang Slowbras, etc aren't designed to run high speeds for extended periods of time or that frequently.

American buyers of these cars rarely if ever exceed American speed limits. Manufacturers know this, and build them accordingly.

A US spec Camaro Z/28 for example will run better and last longer than say a US spec Honda but, ultimately, it's just not going to hold up to extended and repeated jaunts down the Autobahn.



I watched plenty of guys fail to grasp the simple concept that US spec cars aren't designed to run the Autobahn. And I made an avalanche of cash fixing their rides. More than enough to buy a beater 93 325i with a man's transmission and carry insurance. And I ran that baby hard up and down the Autobahn.



Fresh American G.I. Jane comes to town "Hey, baby, you ever been down the Autobahn before?"



Them're solid cars. Ugly as hell but, they got me around on post and they went fast enough to get laid. I changed oil in them, always needed a fuel pump, went through some tires and suspension components but, overall, I was mostly impressed.

Hated working on them though. EuroTrash is just an absolute nightmare