My BMW Interlude
 

I’ve now owned two 86s, actually one FR-S and a new 2020 86GT, but a BMW 228i interrupts this sequence with its abbreviated, six month stay in our garage. What explains that car’s presence my scary-long chronology of car ownership?

Like my first car, the BMW was white, but that’s about it for similarities. That first car was a 1966 Plymouth Barracuda, the ‘60s car with the huge, curved back window. And it was new when it became mine. Dense ingrate that I was, I didn’t appreciate at the time how privileged I was to have transportation like that. I attended high school in a different town and needed transportation, and one Saturday morning my father pushed a newspaper ad in front of me and said something like, “What about this?” What about this? I was a teenage boy who, at 14, had subscribed to Car and Driver, and in my eyes the roads looked cluttered with GTOs and 442s and even the somewhat girlish (i.e., pre-Bullitt) Mustang. I still have that newspaper ad and today wish I could ask my father what led him to that particular offer, and thank him properly for it (and much else), but amazingly, my parents actually equipped their hormone-saturated adolescent male progeny with a car named “Barracuda.”

By today’s standards, the Barracuda would hardly compete in most ways with any car of its type, but it definitely offers lots of opportunities for nostalgic reminiscence about what it did offer back then. Those benefits were mostly social. A car meant freedom, and because my high school friends lived nowhere nearby, transportation gave me access to them, and I made good use of that opportunity. I’ll also add, as a properly discreet husband and father, that the car was a hit with the non-male segment of my acquaintances. It supplied as well one noteworthy memory of a late night run south of Hartford when I discovered, with exuberant foolishness, that the broken highway lines do blur at 90 miles an hour.

In 1971, the ‘66 was replaced by a ‘71 Barracuda, of the generation you see in the Fast & Furious & Ludicrous franchise. Even with the smaller V8, at the tailpipe it still idled like a murmuring heavyweight. But that car was followed by a different life--marriage, children, and decades of a series of cars that were practical. (I pause here, as you might, and sigh knowingly at the sometimes dispiriting implications of ”practical” when talking about cars.) Toothache memories include a ‘78 Buick Century, with wheel covers that knew their own mind and regularly hopped off the car, clanging goodbye as they spun away into the woods. In that era, our engine replacement at 30,000 miles constituted a maintenance item. General Motors knew what it was selling. Its new car warrantee in 1978: 12 months or 10,000 miles. Finally, an ‘85 Chevy Celebrity made me declare U.S. car makers hopeless and led to our first Toyota in 1990, and it’s been Toyotas for us ever since.

With that one BMW exception. I’m getting to that.

But the new life I referred to eventually evolved into a life with grown children and no mortgage payments and an opportunity that surprised when I suddenly recognized it. I could shop for a car for myself. Lots of reading and looking, and lots of parking lot questions for strangers about their cars--all of it led to the FR-S as a possibility, and a Toyota product at that. As it turned out, destiny worked some magic, and the right car at the right price soon turned up in my daily perusal of web ads: a silver 2013 FR-S, 24,000 miles, in stunningly good condition.

I drove that car for more than three years and had never found a more invigorating road experience. Everyone reading these words on this site knows why. The term road hugging was invented for a car like the FR-S, and that’s what I had set out to drive.

When I bought it, I sent my son this email: Stiff suspension, road noise, and amazing handling. Mum will hate it. She didn’t exactly hate it. She did ride in it, once. The ride, diplomatically termed “firm,” at highway speed meant crossing expansion joints and feeling them in my teeth. I don’t blame any passenger for lack of enthusiasm. It’s a driver’s car, and passengers don't drive, but I looked for errands to run, excuses to drive.

So what happened? That valve spring recall happened. I detailed my experience here. Once the entire affair was settled, the car ran well, and I had no reason at all to doubt its reliability. But every time I turned the key, I found myself listening for an extra second, alert for any hint of the bearing rattle that had signaled big trouble under the hood. I also had grown tired of the Spartan aspect of the FR-S. It was no frills, but a noisy no frills, and even our other car, a standard-issue Camry, had convenience features that no early FR-S could expect.

And here I finally arrive at the BMW. Lots of reading, looking, etc., etc., and eventually I focused on the 228i, and once again, destiny stepped in and pointed, although this time maybe with a smirk. It, this time, was a 2016 228i xDrive, at 27,000 miles and in excellent condition. Convenience features. Yes. Anyone who considers heated seats a frivolous luxury has never lived through a New England winter while driving a car with heated seats. And that complaint about inadequate FR-S power? If you complain about a BMW, you probably don’t complain about anything like that. Highway entrance ramps regularly offer the chance to see why.

If postings here are any sign, the FR-S sound tube prompted heavy attention back when these cars were new, but BMW doesn't make do with noise siphoned from the engine. They call it Active Sound Design, and it’s the product of hardware in the trunk that pipes fake engine noise through the sound system. It actually sounds believable, the throaty growl of a prodded beast. One part of me enjoyed hearing it. But another part of me said, Don’t listen to that guy. Consider what you’d think of someone who enjoys fake engine noise.

The ASD feature can be customized or disabled with BimmerCode, a phone app that makes Carista look like the kid brother. Adjust each of the BMW’s three levels of seat heating temperatures. Maybe change the warning thresholds for the two low-fuel warnings, or mess with esoteric engine configuration. Adjusting many settings requires some facility with German to find what you’re looking for, but in some areas, BimmerCode offers Techstream-level opportunities to screw up your sweet ride.

But somehow, this car would never be truly mine. The car seemed designed for professional tending, the expensive kind paid for by people who call a plumber when the faucet drips. Lots of BMW owners aren't like that, but the cars are like that, or seemed that way to me. Run flat tires might be patchable, or might not be, depending on whose experience you hear about. Battery replacement means registering the new battery with the ECU if you have the right app, and dealer intervention if you don't. Routine maintenance includes brake fluid change every two years and similar patrician demands. Do-it-yourself is a sometimes a possibility, but BMW doesn’t build for that crowd. It builds for owners who’ll pay a dealer $125+ for an oil change and filter.

So I accepted the inevitable. I can say nothing bad about the BMW. It just wasn’t the car I wanted to drive. That car now sits in our garage, and it’s white, like its distant Plymouth ancestor and its BMW predecessor. When I drove this 86 home from the dealer and fussed with adjusting the seat, I realized that I had forgotten the cockpit feel behind the wheel. Or maybe the living room leather seating of the BMW contrasted with it starkly enough to make me notice it, appreciate it, for the first time.


And now I’m pretty sure I have errands to run, with heated seats.

That was a nice read... really enjoyed it. And it took this section of the forum to OVER 9000 threads! LOL

WOW! That was long, but well written - :clap:

GAD! You must be old!

My first NEW car was a 1966 Plymouth valiant signet, slant 6 and all that (like shown).

Where in CT did you live?


humfrz

Only some days.


The Barracuda was built on the Valiant frame. There were similarities, but at the time, I firmly denied that.



Just north of Hartford in a town that appears little changed today. To me, that's a good thing because it was a good place to grow up. I now live a hundred miles away, but occasionally I've made a pass through town. The people aren't familiar, but the place certainly is.

I can add this historic item. The dealership is long gone, as are the four-digit new car prices.

I never left CT... but I do love my Hyperblue 86.

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Yep, I have spirts of not feeling old .... but they don't last long - :sigh:

Well, of course, most young men would rather have a car named "Barracuda" rather that "Valiant". - :D

What the hell does any of that have to do with anything in this thread?

(oh, I just realized it's past ma nap time - :()

He's from a place 10 minutes away from I live. If you actually read that whole story lol.

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Read what? "I ain't got time for dat"

Who are you and why are you laughing at me?

:confused0068:

I'm p1l0t, and I'm not laughing at you (too much) actually I'm surprised I read it all myself just good timing when I saw the post I guess.

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Oh, as soon as that post matures into my long term memory, I'm sure I'll recognize you - :bonk:

I noted that "padded visor" is a big marketing hook. I can't remember if we have them on our Twins..

I wonder if on a BMW forum they are reading a similar thread "My FRS interlude' and they have welcomed it as warmly as here?

Unlikely. The price difference alone easily changes the community behind certain cars. Maybe an owner that tracks, but surely not a average BMW owner, they'd sooner scoff at the idea.

I currently own a 2013 FR-S and a 2014 228i. It's nice to meet someone else that shares similar opinions on both of these cars. I bought my 228i as a winter car and summer daily. The FR-S is now the track car and garage queen. I have the luxury of keeping both but if I had to get rid of one; I would give up the 228i as well but for different reasons.

I'm a decent home mechanic so I do all of the maintenance on the 228i and honestly it isn't bad and wouldn't be why I would give the car up.

The 228i just doesn't feel as focused or sporty as the FR-S. Especially when I take into account the MSRP, the list of "M" options and numerous "M" badges adorned throughout; the 228i just doesn't deliver the type of driving experience I expected. I thought the 228i would be a comfortable sports car; but in reality it's a compact grand tourer/highway cruiser (it's a commuter car).

My biggest issue with the car are with the weak plastic components that break during disassembly. BMW designs cars with novel, industry leading features and technology; but manufactures and sells them like commodity items.

Years from now the FR-S will be remembered as a once in a generation sports car for its uncompromising driving experience. The 228i will be remembered as a BMW that wasn't an SUV.

I'm also happy to see someone else with a reaction similar to my own. You have it exactly right: "I thought the 228i would be a comfortable sports car; but in reality it's a compact grand tourer/highway cruiser (it's a commuter car)." I truly wanted to like the BMW and did like it many ways, just not in the ways that matter most to me. I'm lucky enough not to need a commuter car.

I've also done lots of home mechanic work on almost every car we're owned, but your reference to breakable plastic components fits what I could see ahead of me eventually with the BMW. A support community exists, but read the sites, their forums. I sense nothing like the enthusiam that comes through the conversations on this site alone. The BMW so much implied, in so many ways, that its intended audience was buying its BMW name, on a 228i this year and maybe next year on an SUV.

doubt it....

BMW owners stem from the "this car is gods gift to driving and everyone else can go suck a lemon" thought process.

They would never sully their beloved BMW garage with a peasant Toyota or Subaru.

BMW's enthusiast base is getting pretty polarized actually. You have the typical BMW bros that are always going to justify buying one no matter how much worse to drive they've gotten in the past 10 years, and then you have the enthusiasts that actually care about the driving feel of the cars. These people have almost exclusively shunned the post ~2012 models and are sticking to E39s/E60s and E46s/E90s. Some of them even swear by the early 90s cars. A lot of them realize that the E series BMWs won't last forever and are looking for alternatives to daily, while their E series car stays in the garage waiting for nice weekend drives. There are a good bit of discussions on the forums about Genesis, the Stinger GT, Mercedes' newer C&E classes, Miatas, and yes the twins too.

My E90 sits in the garage and gets ~2000-3000 miles a year now, but I like driving the BRZ more anyway. The E90 is the nicer overall performance GT car. It's fast and comfortable and the turbo straight 6 howls just right, but the BRZ is the better sports car, by a mile.

I own a 2014 FR-S and a 2018 BMW M2. I was really surprised when I drove the M2: for all the glowing reviews of what a perfect "driver's" car it is, and a return to BMW's original M philosophy, it can't hold a candle to the pure enjoyment, connection, road holding, fun, and......"drivers" car the FR-S truly is!


My current usage of each: Daily drive the FR-S to work and back, golf and back, and any trip that does not have the girlfriend in the passenger seat. Drive M2 when with girlfriend (and she complains that the M2 is too harsh a ride!!).


If I had to give up one of those it would be the M2......except I would then have to deal with going everywhere in the girlfriend's car (SUV!!!) :sigh:

I think if I were you I might also consider giving up the girlfriend too. Seems like a red flag 🚩 to me that she finds the ride “too rough”. :lol:

Twins are light like go karts. Just too much fun. Sure BMWs are nice but I think the heavy weight of the German cars hurts them. Even the Porsche’s. Probably why so many people like the old air cooled 911 , they are light. That feeling of a light, toss-able car makes all the difference, regardless of power. (Not saying heavy cars with big power are not fun, just not as much)

For example: my sis works for Merc and has gotten some cool weekend cars. Years ago she got some monster AMG S-class 4 door sedan that was 4500lbs but had 5-600 hp. It was so much fun just nailing that pedal, like an insanely fast tank, but could not turn at all.

But the best car she brought home was a custom e-class convertible with a custom suspension, v-8 and cherry bomb glass pack mufflers. Car was not nearly as fast but it could turn, and if you closed your eyes you thought you were in a convertible muscle car. We did not want to give that one back.

Unfortunately, she never was able to take any of the really high end Mercs. Although we sat in a few that her colleague had, but Merc would not let us drive those.

As a daily still prefer my BRZ.

Loved reading this :)