My first BMW - What's yours?

[Misterted]

My first BMW was an Alpine White 1990 E30 M3 with Black Leather Interior.

I did not own another BMW until 2008 and I am now on #4.

[mattE82]

My first car was an e46 330xi!
Now im on to the 135i, and loving it

[Sandman614]

Just got my first BMW this past Saturday.

09 335i x-drive, already deeply in love with it

[Ammonia]

The 135i I'm in now is my first one.

[osxcode]

Originally Posted by techietaichi

People in general or at least "go getters", competitive types, and "Alphas", prefer to be first. Hey, we just like winning! Aside from that though, we as humans also fondly or not remember our "first time" or "first one's" as later on in life those things take us back in time and I don't know about you, but things like that always manage to put a smile on my face. I know you've heard it before from somebody, anybody, "I remember the first time when....". Well, as BMW enthusiasts I know everyone remembers the first "Beemer" or Bimmer" they had and unless you lived where everyone but God had one, just having a BMW, beat up or not, indelibly made you "The Man" amongst your crowd.

Well, that being said, I'll start this thread with the first Beemer I ever owned and invite all of you to share your fond memories and/or stories of the car that set your BMW infatuation into motion!

In '96 after 3 tours in the Army(9 yrs), I decided that it was time for me to head back to the civilian world. Uncle Sam at the time decided that "downsizing" was necessary and to coerce some people out, was offering severance pay and a few years more of additional benefits to say, "Adios!". Well, I took that offer. They handed me 20G's and I bought this '82 320i for 4K. A buddy of mine who'd come from Germany brought this car back with him and like us was an enthusiast and what do most enthusiast do to their cars? Mod it! For the time, this baby was tuned and in the first week that I had it damn near got thrown in the can for wreckless driving, but managed to get just a speeding ticket for being a veteran. I was just coming down from around 120 on I70 just north of Manhattan, KS, give or take a few mph when that Kansas trooper busted my ass. Damn I miss this car. Good times!

I love this thread and the OP's story! My first was an '84 318i -- seems like many of us started with the 3

[OrangeCrush]

My first bmw is my 1M.

[Chihuahua]

First BMW was my E30 325iS (still have it, it's the one on the left).

[Glideslope]

Got the wife a CPO 2008 X3 back in 2009. I was fascinated by BMW before and am now sufficiently addicted!

[PandaM3]

Here's my first BMW that I had from 2001 to 2010... Sienna Red 325ci





Missing that car

[hammadurb]

My first BMW was a 2000 540i. Then moved on to the following:
2003 745li -> 2006 750li -> 2009 750li -> 2012 650i -> 2013 M5

[jester17]

About 6 years ago, I drove my step brother's 2001 750il. Until then, BMW might as well have been ??? to me. Three days later, we were talking about me buying it, but, well... a Cert. BMW Mech. said something prophetic to me: "That 750il? If you can't afford it new, you can't afford it used." So I balked. Until last Tue., when I bought the 2011 135i MSport conv.

The 750il was an uh-MAZING ride -- that beast had everything you could imagine, 65,000 mi, and I could've had it for $12,000...

...and until last week I always regretted it. Then I took the 135 to its name-speed at about only 4,000 RPMs.

I am truly in heaven.

[Twix]

My first is still in Leipzig! 2014 X1 28i sportline black on black. Been on order since May 28, can't wait to pick it up

[dazzabb]

My first was a 2006 330i bought new that I still own.

[jrodimon]

2007 328xi coupe.

[365 AUTOSPORTS]

First BMW was an E46 M3.

[mathjonc]

My first BMW was an E46 M3... and I still have it!

[rjd598]

My first BMW was an 06 e90 325i. Man was I excited when that thing came home

[RhoXS]

My first BMW was a brand new 1988 E30 M3.

Between 1974 and 1988 I had a number of mostly Datsun/Nissan 260/280/300ZX's with a Mazda RX7 in there somewhere. In 1988 my 1985 300ZX Turbo (with intercooler and running about 10-12 psi boost) was ready for replacement. By 1988 the 300ZX was a four year old stale design and I had no desire to replace it with the same. One day, while passing the local BMW dealer, I noticed this absolutely gorgeous bright red car on the showroom floor. I had never seen an M3 previously but it was serious love at first sight. Within a few weeks a red M3 with white leather interior and less than 20 miles on the odometer was sitting in my driveway. It took no more than a millisecond behind the wheel to understand why BMWs are such wondeful cars.

As a side note, at the time, I lived in a townhouse and my next door neighbor was salesman at the local BMW dealer. Over the next few days I asked him on at least two occassions what he could do for me, with the clear intention of buying the car from him. On both occassions he refused to give me anything useful and never got back to me with anything specific so I ended up buying the car elsewhere. I will never forget his expression when he first saw the M3 in my driveway. He quickly asked me why I didn't come to him. I politely told him about the two times I did ask him about the car and reminded him he never told me anything specific. The expression on his face was worth a million dollars but I highly doubt he learned anything.

[CarEnthused]

Every car that I have bought myself (I didn't buy my first car) has been a BMW. When I was 18 I saved up and bought a salvaged '95 318ti. I liked the car a lot and learned a lot about BMWs. Enough to learn that I wanted more.

So just short of a year later I bought an arctic silver '97 M3. I still own that car. She's slammed and ready for a track day... if she ever gets the chance to go to one.

In October of last year (about 1.5 years after I bought the M3) I decided that I was making enough money to actually take out a loan on a car, so I bought my other current car, a 2007 e92 335i (jet black).

I don't honestly see myself leaving this brand anytime soon. I love BMW's. They feel superior to any other car that I've ever driven, the looks are outstanding, they're incredibly reliable and they always have felt like a sound investment.

[Future1118]

I don't have BMW yet, but I am thinking of getting something used under 5k, any suggestions?

[vasmir]

#1) '98 Z3, 1.9... Bought 2004, Sold 2012


#2) '12 Z4, 35i

[techietaichi]

Originally Posted by Future1118

I don't have BMW yet, but I am thinking of getting something used under 5k, any suggestions?

You know, we all have our own likes and dislikes, but it all comes down to your own personal taste. See what cars are out there in the price range you're looking for(probably a boat load of E46's which is a great chassis), find which you like and research some. When you've finally narrowed it down to "the one", take it to a trusted BMW mechanic(see what indies you have around you) and get a second opinion. The body work goes without saying, you can check that pretty much on your own, but mechanicals? Get that checked thoroughly. Once you feel comfy about it, drop that dough and get ready to mod! Good luck man.