other Some Simple/mixed Quiz Questions About The '02...

[S-L]

Guys, all your great help on this site really helps me out more than you can imagine...but I've got some questions, and need some tips:

 

I always get people giving me weird looks when I show them a picture the car I'm about to buy soon. Many think it's ugly, old...and I simply can't get the point across to them. Something I often say, "If have a limited budget and don't want the regular crappy '99 Toyota Corolla that every other other high schooler gets, but yet still want something special & something people will appreciate and respect you for- BMW 2002.

 

Couple questions (PLEASE ANSWER!):

 

-I'm currently in highschool, have about 1k saved up (planning to spend 3.5-5k on the car)...just received a job at Adidas, so all that income will be going towards my future baby...what would you recommend for me? (I need something running to drive to work and/or college- fairly close to my home)

 

-How does car insurance work for the '02? One of the biggest fears for my parents is me getting involved with all the payments, etc. Does this have some type of special classic insurance and/or is it more or less expensive than the average sedan? Don't 2-doors really spike up the insurance? Also, does color change the price? I'm obviously a complete newbie to all this..

 

-What season/time is best to purchase or pickup an '02?

 

-How well does this handle on the freeway, say 60MPH? (Is that pushing it too much?)

 

-Also, would this serve me as a primary/all-season car? (I know many of you use it as a hobbie car, and/or take it out on the weekends or sunny days..)

 

-How big is it, and what kind of tight spaces could I fit it in? (Have you fit/parked it places a regular car wouldn't fit?

 

-I've heard these cars are heard from blocks away, but I've seen a couple throughout the downtown..and didn't really here them from my car...?

 

-Also, how well do these boys do on the drag race?

 

-I have a cousin that has an '02, and his friends always prank him by picking up his car & moving it around a parking lot because it's so light...is that really true for all '02's? Will I have a problem with that...I mean if it's really that light, then could I possibly have trouble with very heavy winds? (I have VERY heavy winds in my city- Troutdale, Oregon)

 

-How easy is it to hookup an AUX for playing some music from your phone, and/or a cigarrettte charger also for keeping the phone charged while listening to your favorite tunes while driving it down the roads? 

 

-Lastly, if I don't really know much people with 02's or anything..how can I get to know one in person? I would really like to get the feel of them, and how they drive...?

 

Oh, and finally...where's the best place to find BMW 2002 wallpapers...other than Google images?

 

Thank you in advance! (Sorry for being such a newbie, but as a 17 year old..I'm DEEPLY in LOVE with this car)

 

If you answer any of the questions, you passed the quiz!

Edited October 28, 2013 by Scommando1

[adawil2002]

To answer your questions. They are great handling cars that are small on the outside and feel big on the inside, They love to be driven fast on the highway and twisty back roads. If you are in an area with warm weather and NO SNOW or SALT. you can drive it when it's not raining. They are not galvanized that will and do rust. Even California cars rust to a point from water exposure.

Depending on the radio, there is a DIN plug available to hook in an auxiliary to use an iPod/iPhone. I have a dock set up in the ash try with aux power.

 

If you are looking for a reliable fun 45-36 year old car that you like to work on by all means buy a 2002 as your second car,

Edited October 28, 2013 by adawil2002

[osbourne]

Like esty said and based on what you're told us, your best bet is a used Honda or Toyota. A 2002, especially one purchased for under 6 or 8K, will already have or will soon develop some expensive problems. Repairing them cheaply will only create more expensive problems.

I fully understand how you feel (I've been there, BIG TIME), but do yourself (and your parents) a huge favor and stay away from classic cars until you have the income to support them, along with a safe place to keep one AND another car to act as a daily driver.

[roadhog0]

I disagree with the others here because I bought a $1000 dollar 2002 as my first car. Yes I did have a parents rig if I needed it but that was rare. And my 2002 has been more reliable by far than the daily driver I bought so the '02 wasnt always on the road.

 

For 1000 bucks you're not going to get a lot. Basically you'll get a car like this in the WA/OR area. Not really rusty but needs lots of stuff.

 

 

The insurance for my '02 was more than my sister with her 90's S10, not sure what her Honda is now though... But I was paying about 100 a month when it was a daily driver with a stated value policy. I also had the good student discount which help quite a bit.

 

You can buy an 02 anytime of the year. I wouldnt say any season is better than another. They're all about the same. My car handled a lot better on the freeway before I lowered it and put wide tires on it. It's still not bad but a little more darty so I just have to pay attention a but more.

 

I've driven my '02 every season since Ive owned it. This will be the first winter it's garaged due to snow where I'm living now. 

 

They're small cars. They're not a smart car but they definitely have a lot bigger trunk than you'd think!

 

My car use to be able to be heard from across the valley at my parents.... That was when my exhaust was falling apart. Keep a good exhaust on them and they're just the right kind of noisy. Not to loud and not to quiet.

 

These cars run 17+ I believe in the 1/4. Not a drag race car at all. So dont be expecting to beat your buddies Nissan pickup anytime soon in a straight line.

 

If they can pick up a car that weighs 2300lbs I give them props! I never had this issue at my school. But again, you need a lot of big guys to pick up a car. It's not just 4 guys go out there and BOOM it's on the school roof.

 

As far as the winds go I dont have a problem. Yes it gets thrown around the road when it get windy on the highway and you know when the winds there. But it's never been a problem. You just have to be paying attention.

 

Best way to find out what an 02's like is go take one for a test drive. Go find one you can afford and go take a look.

 

And as far as buying one, dont forget, dont buy the first one you see (unless it's a crazy good deal). Buy the best car you can afford because buying a car whole is cheaper than buying all its parts.

 

But really in the end, if you're willing to put money and time into a car an '02 isn't a bad rig at all. Yes, there are days it's going to frustrate you, days it will be on jack stands in the driveway/garage and you have to drive something else, and days it's just going to be finicky. It's all part of the old car thing. Find yourself a solid stock car in the 3000 dollar range and have at it! Sometimes you gotta just jump in

 

Good luck!

[TobyB]

In Portland, you could use a 2002 as a daily. You've got Max!

(we got nothin', here)

 

Get one with big bumpers- they're tiny and fragile enough as it is.

 

Then make monthly pilgrimiages to Dave Lumbra in Eugene.

 

And make friends with the dozen (or more) 2002 addicts in your local area.

There are some good people around you- if you're nice to them, they're a

great resource.

 

That said, an E30 is almost a 2002 for a fraction of the liability and maintnance... and an airbag

if you find a later model.  The abs is primitive- but it helps, most of the time. You could

start there, and if it seems like you can handle more than the E30 throws at you,

you'll have time and wheels to find a 2002.

Me, I didn't have cash or brain space for a car until I got kicked out of higher education....

 

hth

 

t

Edited October 27, 2013 by TobyB

[gliding_serpent2]

2002 as a daily driver for someone with a limited budget?

Do as you want but think about this: i was GIVEN a well loved 2002 tii garage queen. Well cared for, never saw salt, always garaged, no rust, excellent interior, never rebuilt. Sounds like a gem? 1 year and 20,000$ later on just mechanicals and i still have more on my list. It was not a dog by any means... Just a 40 year old car that needed work (mind you i did more than was NEEDED). No matter the love, age catches up with every car. Things get old and rot. Diy saves money for sure... IF you have the time, skill, tools, space, and experience to not do it wrong twice before you get it right.

For every instagram photo of a guy with his slammed old car with stretched tires and a hip bike rack, there are countless more who tried the same and just got in over their head financially.

That being said, great hobby car if you have a daily driver already, and proper daily storage. My advice... Invest in your education now so that you can get a career that allows you to afford a home with a double garage. Once you have your mortgage, and money to spare, buy your 2002. Starting with the car first is a bad idea, unless you are spending someone elses money... In that case, go buy one now and enjoy!!!

Edited October 28, 2013 by gliding_serpent

[FB73tii]

I always get people giving me weird looks when I show them a picture the car I'm about to buy soon. Many think it's ugly, old...and I simply can't get the point across to them.

 

Here:

 

 Why Do We All Do It.

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/topic/146567-why-do-we-all-do-it/

 

I do it because it is classic, handles well, has lots of room, and is easy to work on. I do it because I am an individual, not one of the masses. I do it because I like it

 

Best of luck, Fred   '69 & 74tii

[Mike Self]

An '02 makes a great daily driver--but with a LOT of caveats:

1.  the more routine and not-so-routine work you can do yourself, the less it's gonna cost

2.  don't plan on driving it when there's salt on the roads--and if you live near the ocean, you have to keep it clean of salt in the air

3.  if you're used to new cars with lots of gadgets, this ain't it.  Very basic--no power steering, no anti lock/skid electronics.  It's you and the car.

4..The newest one you'll find is now 37 years old--and even a well-preserved low mileage car is gonna have deteriorated systems--cooling, controls, rubber pieces in the suspension etc etc.  See #1 above.  If you can't it's gonna be $$$ to your mechanic

 

Having said that, I've been driving one for 44 years, but I have always done most of my own work, am fairly fanatical about routine maintenance and don't drive it in the salt. 

 

Two suggestions: 

1.  Find a local 2002 owner who will show you his/her car, take you for a ride, maybe let you drive it--and tell you their experience with it as a daily driver. 

2.  Look at an E30--especially a 90/91 318i (4 door) or 318is (2 door).  The latter car is the closest you'll come to a 2002 with some modern amenities (I have one for winter use--and yes, it's extensively rustproofed).  You'll pay a premium for the is model, but 4-door cars are more plentiful and considerably cheaper. 

 

Good luck

 

mike

[S-L]

FYI, just to clear up some confusion- I have 1k saved up, but am planning to purchase the car for 4-5k! (I don't have the time & money to go and buy a 1k car, and work on it...I need something now that'll drive consistently, and I think I can find that for 4k or 5k (obviously the cheaper, the better though )

 

Oh, and I'm in the Northwest- Portland, Oregon to be specific.

[willie002]

Why don't you send me an email and I can show you one of my 2002's. I don't live to far from Portland and I'm up there a lot of the time. willie002@wbcable.net

[13]

Being a younger dude here's my 2 cents

Insurance is subjective to age, car, location, etc but it shouldn't be bad

Best time to pick one up is when you've found a solid one,, seasons don't really have too much affects on cheap cars (we aren't talking about high end exotics or bikes here)

Doing 60 is just fine, I had mine up to 100mph the day I bought mine for $1500 and it was fine. Only thing that sucks is that 4 speed keeps your revs fairly high at highway speeds but the car doesn't mind it at all

If you get snow and have no experience with a red in slippery conditions you WILL die

The car is about the size of a cavalier, the interior up front is tight but decent. The trunk has plenty of room

Drag racing is pretty weak, you will lose to the old rusty minivan that's eyeing you up

The car is light but it's still a car that weighs 2300 lbs... Your cousins buddies must lift quite often, bouncing it is possible though. As for winds, I've been through some windy areas and it's not bad

Stereos are pretty straight forward to install if you have patience and any experience hooking up any electronics

Meeting fellow 2002 owners can be few and far between but they are all usually pretty good for helping you out. Best way to check one out is to find one for sale and test drive it if no one is close to lend you a car

Now, this is what you need to really know...

It's an old car, it's gonna squeak and rattle and need tlc, they all do. You WILL need to put money into it at some point so don't think they will be worry free for years to come. They smell of fuel, the are what I would consider the most basic means of motorized 4 wheel transport. You will need tools, you will need a repair manual, and the willingness to work on the car in the lamest of situations. They can be somewhat fussy and parts can be tricky to locate... But, if you accept the car for what it is and take care of it, you will LOVE IT! They handle awesome, they have a happy nature about them, they always make you smile, strangers stare and envy you, and the car can be a delight to thrash. It is an excellent little set of wheels for most days of the year. But you must accept that it is probably not the easiest car to live with as a DD if you are always on a tight budget. Little expenses will add up just like any car. Find one, drive it, and research about common faults and annoyances (see heater cores lol).

In all honesty, if you want to drop $5-6000 on a daily driver, find a Civic or something reliable first (think $3000 for a reliable dd, and put the rest to a 2002 and fix it up here and there if you have the coin and space). If you can't afford to put money into a car after you buy it, steer away from ANY old/niche cars

[adawil2002]

Buy the first 5 2002 books read them twice. Especially the Mike Macartney book. Then look for a car.

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=bmw+2002

[Mike Self]

An '02 makes a great daily driver--but with a LOT of caveats:

1.  the more routine and not-so-routine work you can do yourself, the less it's gonna cost

2.  don't plan on driving it when there's salt on the roads--and if you live near the ocean, you have to keep it clean of salt in the air

3.  if you're used to new cars with lots of gadgets, this ain't it.  Very basic--no power steering, no anti lock/skid electronics.  It's you and the car.

4..The newest one you'll find is now 37 years old--and even a well-preserved low mileage car is gonna have deteriorated systems--cooling, controls, rubber pieces in the suspension etc etc.  See #1 above.  If you can't it's gonna be $$$ to your mechanic

 

Having said that, I've been driving one for 44 years, but I have always done most of my own work, am fairly fanatical about routine maintenance and don't drive it in the salt. 

 

Two suggestions: 

1.  Find a local 2002 owner who will show you his/her car, take you for a ride, maybe let you drive it--and tell you their experience with it as a daily driver. 

2.  Look at an E30--especially a 90/91 318i (4 door) or 318is (2 door).  The latter car is the closest you'll come to a 2002 with some modern amenities (I have one for winter use--and yes, it's extensively rustproofed).  You'll pay a premium for the is model, but 4-door cars are more plentiful and considerably cheaper. 

 

Good luck

 

mike

[tim385]

Id go the E30 route for a while , may be a 2002 project on the side later.

['76mintgrün'02]

Something like this perhaps...

 

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/van/cto/4153746555.html