[Daffynition]

How olde is your Beemer?

I just gave mine to my good neighbor, a '02 X-5 with 195K miles. I just spent a small fortune on getting it running well, [no I can't do the work myself]; it still needs new brakes and routers and replace the PCV breather systems. Ouch! Being on a fixed-income now, these things become an issue. I'd own another one in a heart beat! But I would have to win the lottery.

I've been battling my town b/c they have the car waaaaaaaay over-evaluated for property tax [CT] and turned down my written protests.

So I started looking for an old wagon...was hoping to find an estate wagon [had a few back-in-the-day] ...those were great cars/engines. I happened on this woodie, lovingly restored by a Chrysler mechanic. Much to my delight I was able to get it at a very fair price. About the cost of 4 new brakes on the BMW.

I expect it to be very reliable. It has no pick-up on the road, labors [4 cyl] up hills but is fun to drive. At least I don't have to put premium fuel in it. ;)

[Yardstick]

I think you got a great car there — far more interesting than anything you can find new. I’ll bet people swivel to look at the woodie trim, which is such a rarity these days as to be positively radical.

My bimmer is an ‘86 with less than 150k miles. From more than 5 feet away it looks new. The interior is nearly perfect. I like it because it’s old enough to be simple — not a lot of computers — but recent enough to have a modern stuff like electronic fuel injection. I think cars from the eighties, especially the mid to late eighties, strike the perfect balance. It’s my favorite period.