A reintroduction of sorts

[02Pilot]

I haven't been active on this forum in a long, long time, but circumstances have shifted a bit and I have a little more time and energy to devote to my 2002, so I figure I might as well reintroduce myself to the community.

 

I've had my current car since 1995. I built it with a stiff suspension, big brakes, and a fairly energetic motor. New England and Mid-Atlantic folks may remember it from drives I organized around New York and up to Lime Rock for 02 Fest East, back when everyone parked on the main straight.

 

 

It went down to SC and back for 02-02-02 as well.

 

 

While down there I managed FTD in the autox, and got photos of the car in action in the Roundel and European Car.

 

 

I moved away from autox soon thereafter and just used the car for many years driving around New England and New York. Inevitably, the relationship plateaued, and while I still drove the car, it wasn't as far or as frequently. While I did all the basic regular maintenance when I thawed the car out every spring, a lot of little non-critical jobs (aesthetics mostly) were put off. The years passed....

 

Fast forward to last summer. I bought a new daily driver, to which the 2002 is the spiritual ancestor.

 

 

It's an M-Sport 128i. Six speeds instead of four, six cylinders instead of four, basic black instead of retina-searing yellow, but the lineage is unmistakable. Maybe the new car made me nostalgic or something, but after I got it my enthusiasm for the has 02 gradually returned. Lots of little things got done, along with one or two bigger ones, and a garage reorganization. The car is running and driving as well as it ever has, and I'm enjoying it as much as I did years ago. It looks a little different now than it did for many years.

 

 

Anyway, I'm done rambling for the moment. Howdy to the old-timers who might remember me or my car, and it's nice to be back.

 

 

[Son of Marty]

Having a 02 and being on the FAQ is a bit like the Hotel California, you can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave.

 

PS welcome back?

Edited August 16, 2018 by Son of Marty

[Nut Dragger]

Welcom back

[Cruzr]

I do remember you. We met at a couple of gatherings years ago, the Mid-Atlantik 2002's that John Weese used to organize. Welcome back.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[Mike Self]

Welcome back--to paraphrase the old milk commercial, "you never outgrow your need for 2002s."  As a 49 year owner I can attest to that!

 

Plan to attend Mid America (join our caravan from Dayton) and/or Vintage in 2019.

 

mike

[wegweiser]

Welcome back, old man!

[SteveJ]

They always come back.

[02Pilot]

Thanks folks. Nice to see a few familiar names are still lurking about.

[Jim_75Sahara]

You can park it in the garage and ignore it for a long while or you can sell your 02, but you'll be BACK. Wilkommen!

Edited August 16, 2018 by Jim_75Sahara

[irdave]

Nice to meet you.

 

I've been finding that nothing makes me want to drive my 2002 more than driving a modern car... Even (especially?) a modern BMW.

[02Pilot]

20 minutes ago, irdave said:

Nice to meet you.

 

I've been finding that nothing makes me want to drive my 2002 more than driving a modern car... Even (especially?) a modern BMW.

 

I take your point, but the 128i isn't like most modern cars. The interior is conventional (knobs and buttons). Mine has no iDrive, manual seats, three pedals, basically drives like an updated (and much faster) 2002. Putting M3 control arms, Bilsteins and Eibachs in it didn't hurt, of course.