BMW M535i for £2300 Silly Me
Discussion
It was 2004 and I was looking out for a newer car. Budget around £4k.
In February 1980, my work experience was at a Ford dealership in Lancashire. The conclusion was: 'Go and work in a bank, you'll never be a motor mechanic. You are too 'brainy'.'
Silly 'twit' I'm still doing it in my sixties.
Anyway, it was February and the top 40 (30?) was simply the best ever and Radio 1 was playing all that week at the Ford workshop. Have a look to see what I mean. Unbelievable how so many great records shared the same few weeks in the chart...
The deciding factor in my 'failure' was that I wasn't strong enough to loosen the prop-shaft flange nuts on a Morris Marina. I was offered six apprenticeship places by the time I left school 44 years ago. One in a motorcycle dealership. I'd have been dead if I chose that job: I was obsessed with everything to do with motor bikes. I ended up at a Datsun garage. @ £2/car average warranty claim, I didn't learn too much. They simply never went wrong. Not even their light bulbs. I think I replaced fewer than 20 in three years...
The mechanic I was 'apprenticed' to was by 2006 working across the road at the ATS tyre shop. And there it was on sale:
His beautiful 53k genuine miles BMW M535i in black. Totally Mint.
Totally undesirable, really in 2004 they were ugly and unwanted...
And Totally the object of my dreams.
£2300 ono. Two owners from new. Mint.
So, common sense kicked in and I chose to buy my dad's car instead...
IDIOT.
A Honda Civic.
In truth, it - the BMW M-Series - may well have rusted away by now.
Any other tales of missed 'bargains' please share? Even those one didn't 'miss' but wished they had are welcome.
The MOT garage I've used for the last 20 years told me of some cars from the 70s & early 80s he'd just shifted owing to loss of storage. One was a zero miles Metro Turbo (I drove the Metro when it first came out and they were a great car - when new, that is - as was the Triumph Spitfire 1500. Great when brand new...) and it was immoveable. Totally corroded from the ground up. Sad.
My brother-in-law's Nova 1.3SR was in a similar state after six years on a farm. Outside. Not sad: Another Total 'Twit'...
I was offered a nearly new Citroen C15 Diesel Van for £500, but as she was selling it to get back at her ex, that Doesn't Count in this Contest.
And no, I didn't take her up on the offer. I think that's why I'm poor. Too many morals & principles. Thanks Dad!
In February 1980, my work experience was at a Ford dealership in Lancashire. The conclusion was: 'Go and work in a bank, you'll never be a motor mechanic. You are too 'brainy'.'
Silly 'twit' I'm still doing it in my sixties.
Anyway, it was February and the top 40 (30?) was simply the best ever and Radio 1 was playing all that week at the Ford workshop. Have a look to see what I mean. Unbelievable how so many great records shared the same few weeks in the chart...
The deciding factor in my 'failure' was that I wasn't strong enough to loosen the prop-shaft flange nuts on a Morris Marina. I was offered six apprenticeship places by the time I left school 44 years ago. One in a motorcycle dealership. I'd have been dead if I chose that job: I was obsessed with everything to do with motor bikes. I ended up at a Datsun garage. @ £2/car average warranty claim, I didn't learn too much. They simply never went wrong. Not even their light bulbs. I think I replaced fewer than 20 in three years...
The mechanic I was 'apprenticed' to was by 2006 working across the road at the ATS tyre shop. And there it was on sale:
His beautiful 53k genuine miles BMW M535i in black. Totally Mint.
Totally undesirable, really in 2004 they were ugly and unwanted...
And Totally the object of my dreams.
£2300 ono. Two owners from new. Mint.
So, common sense kicked in and I chose to buy my dad's car instead...
IDIOT.
A Honda Civic.
In truth, it - the BMW M-Series - may well have rusted away by now.
Any other tales of missed 'bargains' please share? Even those one didn't 'miss' but wished they had are welcome.
The MOT garage I've used for the last 20 years told me of some cars from the 70s & early 80s he'd just shifted owing to loss of storage. One was a zero miles Metro Turbo (I drove the Metro when it first came out and they were a great car - when new, that is - as was the Triumph Spitfire 1500. Great when brand new...) and it was immoveable. Totally corroded from the ground up. Sad.
My brother-in-law's Nova 1.3SR was in a similar state after six years on a farm. Outside. Not sad: Another Total 'Twit'...
I was offered a nearly new Citroen C15 Diesel Van for £500, but as she was selling it to get back at her ex, that Doesn't Count in this Contest.
And no, I didn't take her up on the offer. I think that's why I'm poor. Too many morals & principles. Thanks Dad!
Edited by tobytronicstereophonic on Sunday 2nd June 00:16
Edited by tobytronicstereophonic on Sunday 2nd June 00:38
@biggbn
That's a huge profit!
This:
A Mini Clubman 1275GT in black, with the factory gold pin-striping (Jesus I must be tired/old, 'Gold' looks to be mis-spelled to my eyes!)
Anyway, it was a '72 K-reg. Did I say it was black?
Owners' mum & dad asked me to check the brakes. This is Jan 1984.
Each of the wheel cylinder was pouring brake fluid. I gave them £20 for the car as they didn't want to spend too much on a "banger".
Took it to the auction the same day (only one of two cars I've ever sold that way) after replacing the cylinder seals and cleaned the shoes.
Two cars into the auction - Liverpool Rd, Burnley - a power cut at the venue ended that idea. Collecting the keys, two lads approached me and asked what I wanted for it: £40. Sold!
I thought I'd been dishonest to the previous owner's parents. So I gave them an extra tenner. As the title says 'Silly Me' :-)
Gawd, I AM boring:
About eighteen months prior, Pay day Friday, No envelope...
Redundant!!!
And just after I'd completed serving my 'time' as an apprentice motor mechanic. The following Friday, my dad's workplace folded too. The Monday prior, to my redundancy, mum also lost her job. Really. Within twelve days, household income went from around £260/week to literally zilch.
1983, February was a tough month at our house :-)
So I rented a 1920s wooden garage and started a car repair business. Offering a free collection/delivery service, so's the customer couldn't see my 'modest' premises...
The local newspaper ad' was a waste of money: Just about paying for itself.
However!
As the days went by, word of mouth started to bring new customer-after-customer. Not one single major 'cock-up' or 'comeback' in the whole time I ran the business. Aged 18 3/4. Lucky.
After ages doing nowt, I've started doing the same thing. My unit is 44xmore expensive, but I'm happy once again.
Health reasons restrict me to little cars and I specialise in Peugeot 107/Citroen C1/Toyota Aygo cars, as I love them...
I toyed with the idea of restoring them, too!
Fitting sub-10k miles engine/gearbox, as well as 'new' everything.
But nobody's going to pay £3k for an 'as new' old car?
So, if you have an older Citroen or Peugeot and want an ex-factory trained Citroen mech' to keep your car for a few weeks...
I DID WARN YOU I AM BORING :-)
That's a huge profit!
This:
A Mini Clubman 1275GT in black, with the factory gold pin-striping (Jesus I must be tired/old, 'Gold' looks to be mis-spelled to my eyes!)
Anyway, it was a '72 K-reg. Did I say it was black?
Owners' mum & dad asked me to check the brakes. This is Jan 1984.
Each of the wheel cylinder was pouring brake fluid. I gave them £20 for the car as they didn't want to spend too much on a "banger".
Took it to the auction the same day (only one of two cars I've ever sold that way) after replacing the cylinder seals and cleaned the shoes.
Two cars into the auction - Liverpool Rd, Burnley - a power cut at the venue ended that idea. Collecting the keys, two lads approached me and asked what I wanted for it: £40. Sold!
I thought I'd been dishonest to the previous owner's parents. So I gave them an extra tenner. As the title says 'Silly Me' :-)
Gawd, I AM boring:
About eighteen months prior, Pay day Friday, No envelope...
Redundant!!!
And just after I'd completed serving my 'time' as an apprentice motor mechanic. The following Friday, my dad's workplace folded too. The Monday prior, to my redundancy, mum also lost her job. Really. Within twelve days, household income went from around £260/week to literally zilch.
1983, February was a tough month at our house :-)
So I rented a 1920s wooden garage and started a car repair business. Offering a free collection/delivery service, so's the customer couldn't see my 'modest' premises...
The local newspaper ad' was a waste of money: Just about paying for itself.
However!
As the days went by, word of mouth started to bring new customer-after-customer. Not one single major 'cock-up' or 'comeback' in the whole time I ran the business. Aged 18 3/4. Lucky.
After ages doing nowt, I've started doing the same thing. My unit is 44xmore expensive, but I'm happy once again.
Health reasons restrict me to little cars and I specialise in Peugeot 107/Citroen C1/Toyota Aygo cars, as I love them...
I toyed with the idea of restoring them, too!
Fitting sub-10k miles engine/gearbox, as well as 'new' everything.
But nobody's going to pay £3k for an 'as new' old car?
So, if you have an older Citroen or Peugeot and want an ex-factory trained Citroen mech' to keep your car for a few weeks...
I DID WARN YOU I AM BORING :-)
Edited by tobytronicstereophonic on Sunday 2nd June 06:13
Edited by tobytronicstereophonic on Sunday 2nd June 06:20
Edited by tobytronicstereophonic on Sunday 2nd June 06:45
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