Why did you get a 2002?

[Zorac]

because my wife told me i had to sell all my bikes, but i could have a sports car instead.

[Koblenz]

Learned to drive in. one. Been on my list. Them it moved to my bucket list. Got it!!!!

Its great to drive and I enjoy rebuilding the ol girl.

[Chamoix]

I bought a used Porsche 911 in '88 and a year later it needed a muffler. When the mechanic I bought it from said "Yeah, no problem. That will cost you about $2,000", I said "This isn't going to work. What else do you have?" He took me out back of the shop and said "I'll trade you even up for the BMW 2002". I liked the look of it and took the deal. I'm on my 4th one and just love the simplicity, honesty, and the community like this Forum that comes from owning one.

[Cynical_1]

it was either a 2002 or a Datsun 510.

i happened to find the 2002 first... 510 will come later when the 2002 is done...

love the boxy look, size, capability and style of them... i simply was born in the wrong decade to get them new...

[BradInPA]

Saw one in 1987 when I was looking for my first car and thought it was something different that none of my friends had, so we bought it and fixed up. The car was so much fun to drive, but little did I know that 25 years later I would still be driving a 2002. Granted, it's not the same one, but I have had my current one for 12+ years now and the feeling is still the same when I get in and drive it. Now my kids love it and the thumbs up we get from people almost every time we go somewhere in it.

[saaron]

I bought mine in 1987 when I was about 20. In 1987, there were very few cars that a college kid could buy that were good cars. I mean, an '82 anything (which is what I could afford) is not going to be good. So back in the day, you had to rewind to the early 70s at least to find really good cars that you could afford.

I had a friend in HS that had an 02 - it just drove great. It wasn't "fast" necessarily, but it has that German car thing where you think you're going slow but you're not. It just felt like it was made to go 100mph all day without drama, and went around corners with aplomb. Having grown up with mostly American cars, this was a very different sensation.

Still, in '87 I was thinking '65 Mustang Convertible or 2002. At the last minute before college started back up, I found a '72 tii in the next town over for sale for $3500. It was in good shape, so I bought it. I still have it, and I have made some sacrifices over the years to keep it, but I did.

I wish I would have known...that there are a great group of helpful and fun folks that like 02s, and are generous with their expertise. I really felt I was taking a flyer at the time - who's going to help me if this crazy fuel injection stops working - I remember being really worried about that kind of thing.

Also, I didn't realize it so much at the time, but to other "regular" people, it is cool that the 02 is an old BMW, and not a Toyota or something like that. It has some cache and specialness to it because it is a Bimmer, even to people that don't care about cars. It's classy and classic.

I just drove mine this morning, and felt my inner James May say, "this is most excellent!"

Scott

PS Studebaker is also cool.

[roadhog0]

Well. Mine sorta fell into my lap. I was looking at buying a truck till gas came up in price so I then wanted a Datsun Roadster or 280z. Then my twin friends at school told me they had this old BMW in their garage while we were in drivers ed. That got me curious but I wasnt that interested cause I wasnt that into BMW's. After bugging them for 6 months on a price they called my while I was driving my dads truck and told me they wanted a grand for it. Told them I would be there that weekend to pick it up!

Well I trailered it home and wasnt crazy interested in it but I got it running anyways and after about a week driving it fell in love with it and still got it 3 years and 22,000 miles later!

A little before and after

[jgerock]

It has taught me how to work on a relatively easy water-cooled car, brings a smile to my face every time I drive it and you cannot beat the friendship of other '02 owners.

[scoTTlarock]

I was looking at a '35 chevy pickup and a '64 mercury breezeway. Picked up a '76 Malaga on the cheap, got hooked. Worked a '34 Harley VL in the midst. 14 years later still working an '02. Must need better meds.

Interesting on the breezeway. I'm looking at a 65 Monterey sedan right now and also a 66 breezeway. I LOVE the pure square design of those Mercs

[AceAndrew]

it was either a 2002 or a Datsun 510.

i happened to find the 2002 first... 510 will come later when the 2002 is done...

..

Old Leif Anderberg story was that Datsun purchased 3 1602's and had them shipped to Japan then a little while later the 510 appeared. If you look at the suspension setups you certainly can see the resemblance.

I bought mine shortly after moving to Los Angeles in 2008. Had wanted a fun and affordable classic european car ever since studying auto-design, the 2002 fit the bill.

[Guest Anonymous]

The Studebaker model you are considering set a land speed record at Boniville salt flats for production cars. I doubt you would want to drive that Studebaker around town when you get it done!

Have fun

[BobBreed]

I used to vintage race a 320i (E21) and was getting beat by all 2002's - hence the "often last racing" website. So, I decided to join the ranks. I used the engine and drive train from the E21 in the 2002 and picked up 3 seconds just from the better handling and lighter weight. Having sold that car, I moved on to the Touring. I like to be a little different!

Bob

[hnichols]

Like some others here, I grew up with one: my dad bought a 1970 when I was four. It sounded completely different from any other car, and it didn't rattle like our Buick. And nobody heard of a BMW -- a totally unpretentious car. The family (of 5) drove across country (CT to CA and back) in it in the summer of '73. Ponder that for a minute!

Fast forward to 2008. I wanted a car with rear drive, stick, and a minimum of power accessories. Then I remembered my dad's '02.

[BrentF]

Why? Reliving my youth.

Had a '74 2002 that I bought in '78. Previous to that I had a '67 1600. In between I had a '59 Vette. When I started working at General Motors, I sold the '74 2002, and bought a '63 Split Window Vette

So, BMW, Vette, BMW, Vette.

Now I own both, a '72 tii and '66 427 Coupe, along with a '66 Corvair Corsa Turbo Convertible (aka poor man's Porsche).

[Guest Anonymous]

I have a passion for 70's era european and japanese 4 cylinder cars. I much prefer the european. I spent summers as a kid in Germany and rode in these cars when they were new. To me the 70's era foreign cars felt very machine, felt very connected with the road and driver. Just seems these 4 cylinder cars become an extension of you when you drive them. Like the hood is part of you, tires are part of you. Like you have machine cloths on

That feeling was quickly lost in the 80's with computers, steering assists etc

The 02, IMO is the car that captures this feeling the best. I remember in about 1972 or so my aunt picked my sister and I up in a Tii from Frankfurt airport. Car was brand new, I was 8 years old. I LOVED that car, the engine noise, wind noise...impacted me...spent the whole summer riding in that car. The following year she picked us up in a 3.0CS...brand new. Did not like it near as much. Even rode ina new Bavaria....the 02 had that feeling these others did not.

“Cars that felt very machine?” Hood and tires that are “part of you?” Like you have machine cloths on?” Bet you have not missed a single Transformer, Iron Man or Harry Potter.

You must have evaluated many other cars as an eight-year-old. Was that as a passenger in both front and rear seats? Windows, up or down?

LOL