by Chris Keefer | Jul 29, 2008 | BMW Restorations, Shop Talk and BMW Advice
A visit to the Monterey Historics should be on the ‘list of things to see before you die’ for any fan of vintage cars. It is just around the corner, running from 8/15-8/17, see www.montereyhistoric.com for more details. What the website won’t tell you is just how incredible this experience can be, and that you really need to be there for a full week. There are many events not to miss, especially the concours events that are not really part of the Rolex event, but always coincide with the weekend. This is a bit of a snap-shot from my last visit which was two years ago.
Far left is Rug Cunningham (since deceased) of Cunningham BMW. He was one of the great dealership owners who had an extreme passion for BMW racing and was a staple of the historics as long as BMW was allowed in the gates. Toward the middle is Boris Said, a successful GT Driver and current NASCAR driver for NoFear. I first met Boris at a BMW tech conference in St. Louis and see him at different events here and there. Incredibly edgy driver and a nice guy.
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by Chris Keefer | Jul 21, 2008 | BMW Restorations, Shop Talk and BMW Advice
If you are looking for a Classic BMW, but you’re not prepared to spend upwards of $15,000, you just can’t beat the BMW e30 3-series. The ‘e30’ was delivered to the US Market between about 1984-1992, but I’d stick to the 325i versions from 1987-1992. You can get them cheap, they are extremely reasonable to service, and they are a blast to drive. What more can you ask for in an older BMW? The e30 was available in various engine and interior combinations over the years, but the two that stand out are the 325ic and the 325is from about 1987-1992.
The BMW e30 325ic (1987-1992) – BMW goes topless for the Masses
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by Chris Keefer | Jul 16, 2008 | Shop Talk and BMW Advice
Buying tires for your BMW can be expensive, and with so many brands these days that it can be hard to find what’s best for you and your car. In San Diego we have it easy; all we use are High Performance Summer tires and never really have to worry about wet weather or snow. If you live in an area that is subject to foul weather, my first suggestion is that you pick up another set of wheels and have all-weather tires mounted and keep them in your garage for when the weather gets bad. (more…)
by Chris Keefer | Jul 2, 2008 | Funny BMW stories
For some reason these cars are always dropped off after hours. I’m starting to think that the owners are so embarrassed that they don’t want to see the look on my face when they show up. I’ve got a 17 year old sister that would kill for this car, unfortunately this car has just been killed its whole life.
As usual, I have to find the key, and of course, the battery is dead. So I go to the trunk and find out that the battery isn’t actually dead, it’s just not there. Who does this? (more…)
by Chris Keefer | Jul 1, 2008 | BMW Service
If you have a BMW produced after 1992, and your brake lining light appears, you’ll need a brake job that will consist of new brake pads and new brake rotors. I know, it sucks and it’s more expensive; but it’s not all bad. This is the brake warning for newer BMWs equipped with iDrive (I’m starting to like iDrive), and it’s starting to cause some confusion . . .
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