Jim_75Sahara

My 1973 2002 recently suffered a broken rocker arm. Once it was in the shop, it was also clear that the cylinder head (E12) had a major crack at cylinder 3. The engine was overhauled in 2017. It has piano top pistons. I have been informed that I will need an E12 head to replaced the wrecked one. So, if anyone has one, please let me know. THANKS!

Exciting stuff. Fort Polk is in central Louisiana. Lived w/my parents and siblings in Alexandria, LA for 5 years when I was a kid. Alexandria is the only town of any size in the vicinity of Ft Polk. Alexandria used to host England AFB; now it's the municipal airport. Camp Beauregard is not far from Alexandria; it's a Marine base....

I don't want to sell mine at all, but with it being so similar to mine, it made me a bit giddy to see the nutso selling price. I certainly wasn't thinking investment value or status symbol when I bought mine. However, it does seem that some of the newer 2002 owners are running up the prices and moving the goal posts on us long-time devotees. Basically, I feel the same way about it now as when I bought my first one in 2003: Meaning: Buy it, restore it (to taste), care for it, DRIVE it, ENJOY it and try not to WORRY. It's a car. It's meant to be used. BMW had no idea we'd be so enamored with them 40 to 50 years later! Could they envision Barney, Andrew, Frank and others shipping their cars to Rotterdam and then driving them south to tour the Black Forest and the Bavarian Alps?? Simply amazing.

Whatever your taste in 2002's, you need to find yourself a quality 02 AND a quality seller. I've done pretty well buying used BMW's, but it's easy to get cheated by dealers or unscrupulous flippers. My best experience was buying my 73 2002 in 2017 from a true blue enthusiast who was honest and who badly wanted the car to be purchased by a genuine 02 enthusiast. By the recent auction prices, I'd say that I could easily sell it for double what I paid for it..... NOT that I intend to sell!! I bought a quality specimen. Study up on 2002's. Make friends with long-time 02 owners. Pick their brains here on the FAQ, by texting, in person, whatever. You may be able to find an 02 expert in your area who'd be quite happy to help you find the right 2002 for you.

I am guessing that there are quite a few of you who have either purchased a new Mazda Miata or talked yourself into buying a well-preserved older model. I am the new owner of this 97 5-speed Miata. It is definitely fun to drive. Tuesday it goes in to the shop for a checkup. I am thinking that it needs new shocks and a new timing belt. The tires are good, the a/c works and the top is quite new and in great condition. No rips or tears to the interior. No 'maus haus' or squirrel nests either! (108,600 miles) One question: Is the 1.8 engine an interference engine? (I am assuming that it is...) Post up photos of your non-BMW convertible.

Best of luck to you, Paul. You will provide BMW owners a great service while spreading Freude am Fahren.

Great find and a great save, since it was sitting outside, neglected. Please post photos of it once it is shiny and ready to go again. Good luck!

Using Pandora, I have been rediscovering the guitar sounds of The Shadows, The Ventures, The Trashmen, The Blue Corvettes, etc. The funny thing I learned: my wife, Mary, hates that type of music.

And here I am thinking: “Dad, why did you sell your nearly perfect 1964 Porsche 356 C back in 1969??!” It could have been gifted to me... I was such a good son....

I have never encountered an 02 dipshit. The worst that anyone has ever said to me is: “What is it?” Instead, I have encountered lots of admirers and their stories of long ago 02 ownership. However, sometimes SUV owners will pull alongside and literally look down on my 2002. They can’t help but look disdainful from my much lower vantage point!

Andrew: you are one of the very reliable sources of bimmer knowledge. Where do you keep all the data?? If you memorize enough VINs and part numbers, you can compete vs Mike Self!

Driving season is still on here in Ohio. Very wet though over the past week.

My 75 02, Dieter, doing some off-roading in April of 2011. The second picture is of the car one day later - after all of the mud and cow shit were cleaned off.

I didn't get a chance to note the license plate or to snap a quick photo, but I saw a very nice Pastelblau squaretail drive through Concord, Massachusetts on Friday the 25th. Anyone here??

Darn! I left too soon... ?

Anyone here drove a Pastelblau squaretail through Concord, Massachusetts yesterday afternoon? I saw your 02, but only for a moment.

Welcome Charlie. Glad that you came to your senses and bought a 2002! That one looks very nice. This year is a bust, but get your 02 road trip ready for next year: MidAmerica 02 Fest, The Vintage, Saratoga Springs, RGB drives, BMWCCA events.... Hope to meet you soon and have you at RGB get togethers...

Rare vintage BMW colors appeal to me as well.... but it’s your car, your dreams...

Wow, I approve heartily. I will have to check out Midnight Motorsport when I come to Seattle to visit my niece next year! Beautiful 02! Well done.

My 73 2002 was named Stella when I bought..... her. I renamed it...… Franz. Gender fluid? Regardless, I liked the story of WWII Luftwaffe pilot, Franz Stigler. He was a young man who had thought of going into the priesthood before the war. During the war, he became a top pilot and Luftwaffe officer. On a day when he had already shot down two B17s, he came upon a B17 that just wouldn't go down, despite the horrendous damage it had suffered. He pulled along the right side of the bomber in his ME109 to look closer at this riddled, smoking wreck that was still aloft. Franz then moved over to the left hand side of the bomber and made direct eye contact with the pilot, Charlie Brown (!!), and lost all interest in finishing off this pathetic plane full of Americans, some dead or dying. So, against orders and at the risk of facing a firing squad if caught, Franz escorted the B17 to the northern coast with hopes that the crew would make it to Sweden which was much closer than England. The bomber instead pressed on for Its base in England. Years later, both Franz and Charlie wondered about their adversary in that struggle and what might have become of the other guy. Somehow, they found each other, exchanged letters, phone calls and eventually visits. They became closer than most brothers until they died of old age issues. There is a fascinating book called: “A Higher Call” that I read about this encounter and moving friendship between Franz and Charlie. Anyhow, I have named my BMWs male names. I suppose that I could decide on a feminine name if the mood struck me. I'd certainly name a Miata a female name and ditto with the neo VW Beetle, but for me, it's a gray area at best! P.S. Dieter was named for the Mike Meyers character featured on 'Sprockets'. (SNL) Konrad was named for Konrad Adenauer the postwar German leader. My 2000 328ci was named Werner because I liked the sound of it. There was a guy on my swim team long ago named Werner Jessen. People always mispronounced his full name. His uber-German dad would correct them: "It's VAIRNER YESSSEN!" (phonetically there!)