Jim_75Sahara

Hi Bryan: I was on vacation so I missed this earlier. I love my 75, purchased in 2003. Sometimes the 75 is less-loved than the older roundies, but they are great too, once you get the smog junk out of the engine bay. Rust is number one to avoid. Collision damage (if more than a tap) is a concern. I would want it mostly stock with matching numbers -- orig. engine, etc. Neglected items will include: window seals, shocks, brakes, upholstery, carpet, several electrical gremlins will be very likely as well. Count on the door brakes to be totally shot. New ones are worth the effort. The engine may have been overhauled. Try to determine if it was done properly and thoroughly by a BMW mechanic that knows the older models. Paint and bodywork are quite expensive. If you do a repaint, it is generally recommended to use a correct BMW color for the year of the car espec. the orig. color if that meets your needs. I'd be wary of one that has sat too long or has been monkeyed with by a half-baked backyard tuner dude. Once in a while you see one owned by a BMW mechanic or somebody who has been in the BMWCCA for years and has dumped loads of money on required maintenance and very tasteful upgrades or refurbishments on the car. They know they will not get back all of the $$ they have put into their "baby" over the years. They will want the car to go to a good owner that will appreciate the car! I went on too long but, hey, it's fun. Good luck! ------ JIM P.S. Just buy the best car that you can poss. afford. You won't regret it. Heaps will cost way too much to restore!!

Don't let anybody tell you that Golf isn't a cool color! My intro to 2002's was a 72 Golf in perfect condition and it certainly got attention back in the day. Good luck w/your new toy! (not like I am envious)

Hey Doug: Several things: Love your Ceylon! Sorry that you flatlined, but I am glad that you're here and ready to enjoy the little things in life! (like a shining '02) BTW: I lived in Cincinnati for many years: Greenhills in my early childhood and lastly in the Northside area. I went to Madeira H.S. a northeast suburb of Cincinnati.

Hey, I just want to give credit to BLUNT. I bought something from him through EBay and he was super. It does get tiresome when folks are so incredibly negative and passive-aggressive vs. a guy who wants to sell BMW parts and happens to be part of the FAQ community. IMO just keep it on the QT. Give the fellow a call on the phone or a private e-mail if a concern/problem/question/dispute comes up. I think most people are honest and would like you to be pleased at the end of the transaction. Anyhow, thanks for sticking your neck out, BLUNT. I appreciate you. Bottom line is: DON'T FLAME SOMEONE ON THIS BOARD. Settle your conflicts person to person if at all possible. Thanks all.

I emailed the seller as well & surprise! -- no reply either. I have never seen this car in the area. Buyer beware on this one.

Thanks for the nice pix Karl. It was great fun and we need to do these drives more often. Drive down to V at the V with us! Anyone else in this area that wants to do a drive like this, let us know and we'll go.

I have a set of them and I like them a lot. Floppy doors don't impress people too much. It has two stopping points between fully open and fully closed which is good. I was told that this design is sturdier/improved over the door brakes on the original '02's.

What luck!! How can you go wrong with such a beauty for $500? Mine was lots more and not really any nicer than this one. Calif. is just different when it comes to these cars. Rust-free is kind of a joke around here! Have fun!

Mary & I nabbed the Wachovia room. She will like the deep claw-foot bathtub and the King-sized bed! Let's hope for some great weather.

Count us in Mike. I will make a call this afternoon to the Shaftner House. Jim (& Mary)

re. 3rd brake light on the boot lid: I have one on mine. I am not 100% thrilled with it as it leaks a small bit of moisture in where the wiring leads in from the top of the car and into the trunk. It was there when I bought the car. I keep it for safety. I like the looks of the ones posted here, though. Mine is sorta cheesey I think..... (No accidents thus far)

The rear end whips around on the ice, skids and then a whipeout?? Lots of falls on the Olympic ice this time around.

I agree w/Barfola. Why put siennabraun on a roundie? Use a rare, interesting color you don't see so much if it's gonna be a color change. How's about: maisgelb, turkis, ceylon, or no, I know nobody would paint it sahara. haha!

I paid $3500 for mine -- its best feature was lack of rust. Rust is a very big deal. Think of the cars you have seen for sale with loads of nice parts but a cancerous body. Then it's merely a donor for another project car. My car needed new struts, shocks and brakes. (& a center steering link!!) I have never been stranded anywhere with it. It was fun when my old exhaust manifold blew a chunk (where somebody had plugged a hole from the emission control crap that had been removed) -- the bang was very loud and the fumes inside the car were pretty foul. Put a tii exhaust manifold on it and I love the sound it makes -- very pleasing to the ear. Another thing, mine had been used too little & was very HAPPY to get used again. I remember blowing a nice cloud of smoke on one of my 1st aggressive drives and it seemed to run better after that tuneup.

Jon: Good luck w/your Sahara 75 project. A fine addition to your stable of 02's. My dad should be interested in mine but is not. He's the one that bought one in the early 70's and got me interested. Enjoy the time w/ your dad.

Glad mine were replaced 1st thing when I bought the car. The seals were so dry and hard that I wondered what bizarre compound they were made from.

Hey, I typed that in pretty well for a guy who'd worked a 12 hr. night shift and was in his undies sending emails!! Still a cool story for vin. junkies. You're way harsh. haha

I looked at Ebay Motors today. There is a 1975 Sahara '02 listed in Chico, Calif. that has the very vin. no. just before mine. Mine is 2365006 and the car on Ebay is 2365005. I emailed him and he thought it pretty interesting too. His car has some nice upgrades and is in very good shape other than the door rust. Looks like the cars rolled out virtually identical back in 1975 & both are proud survivors.

YOWW! you will be seen a comin' & a goin'!! That looks like a lot of fun. No boring cars for you.

John: Here in Ohio, we got missed. We had maybe one inch of wimpy fluff -- loads of overkill SALT on the roads, however. Not a big year for snow here. We may get dumped on before the cold gives out for the season.

Blunt; You could drive down to Dayton. We are going to throw an 06-06-06 party in honor of 02-02-02 4 yrs.back. Several of us would like to have a drive, a cookout, etc. and we have some interest in getting it off the ground. My party last summer in honor of my car's 30th birthday was a hit. It was lacking a drive through the countryside, but it sure was good to see so many '02's outside of my house!!

You've got lots of fans, Mike -- even if you do sneak in some French & Italian cars once in a while!

Hey Doug: If you're ever up in the Dayton/Cincinnati area, look us up and we can all get together. Mike Self, Karl Hendrickson, Ray Daley, & quite a few others are in this area. We'd be happy to meet you if you come up here to visit family or friends. Mike could show you Ludwig, Johannes, & Wolfgang. I could show off Dieter. I cannot go to that event in April, but I will go to the V at the V in NC in late May. O'fest is close to us this year, so I am going to that too.

Wow, Jon! BMW #5 I take it? My wife was reluctant when I got my 1st & still only BMW. Best of luck w/your new one!

I have seen square taillight cars with an all grey interior, not two-toned. Larry Wilson of Indianapolis has a beautiful 1975 '02 (Schwarz = black) with original grey interior. It looks very nice with the black paint and also with Malaga.