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Thread: New member from AZ

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    Prescott, AZ
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    My Cars
    1996 BMW 320i Touring

    New member from AZ

    Greetings,

    Joined the forum after recently acquiring an E36 320i Touring. Not my first BMW, but my first with four wheels.



    I'm sure I will have plenty of questions, as I'm new to BMW cars, and I expect the Touring to be a challenge at times having never been officially imported to the US. I've already dug up a fair amount of useful information searching old threads.

    I'm not new to the car hobby or motorsports, having spent almost 40 years modifying and racing cars and bikes. We currently HPDE/TT a '92 Miata, and I'm working on a Cosworth powered Mk 1 Capri, getting it ready to go back on track.




    Fortunately, everyone seems to be getting along just fine so far...



    Anyway, looking forward to participating in the forums here, and maybe meeting some other members here in the Southwest.

  2. #2
    MauiM3Mania's Avatar
    MauiM3Mania is offline Observer/Master Skeptic Moderator
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
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    Central Pacific
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    10,809
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    88M3 99M3 04M3 ITBx16
    Nice cars! A Touring has always been on my list.

    From where did you import it? Any issues in the process?
    04M3 TiAg 69k slick-top 3 pedal
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    88M3 AW 43k miles Project FS


    WTB: 3.5" Eurosport/Conforti CAI

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Arlington, VA
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    9,933
    My Cars
    2018 BMW M240i
    I like your stable!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    Prescott, AZ
    Posts
    32
    My Cars
    1996 BMW 320i Touring
    Quote Originally Posted by MauiM3Mania View Post
    Nice cars! A Touring has always been on my list.

    From where did you import it? Any issues in the process?
    Thanks!

    I did not import it myself, but bought it on one of the online auction sites. Since it was already titled/registered in the US, the process was very simple for me, just a title transfer and in-state registration. The car came from Germany. I was originally looking at E30 Tourings, but ultimately decided the E36 would be better for the semi- daily driver role it's going to fill.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    Prescott, AZ
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    My Cars
    1996 BMW 320i Touring
    Quote Originally Posted by MarcoZandrini View Post
    I like your stable!
    Thanks!

    We also have a '99 Miata (Miatas are addictive, BTW!) street project that started out as an automatic with bad paint... I swapped in a manual drivetrain from a later car, and painted it last year. I have most of the parts to turbocharge it, but I've had too many other things going on and have been reluctant to pull it off the road for the work. Now that I have the Touring to drive, that may get started...



    - - - Updated - - -

    Here's a couple more pics of the E36 Touring...





    Already have some parts inbound for it... and researching a lot more.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Arida Zona
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    30,108
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    z3
    Time to S54 swap it!

    Congrats, nice touring... I'm also in AZ, but across the valley near gilbert/mesa area

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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    Prescott, AZ
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    My Cars
    1996 BMW 320i Touring
    Quote Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker View Post
    Time to S54 swap it!

    Congrats, nice touring... I'm also in AZ, but across the valley near gilbert/mesa area
    Thanks!

    An S52 swap is a solid possibility. Don't know that my goals for the car justify the cost/effort for an S54.

    If you ever make it out to ProAutosports' events, look for us in the pits!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Peoria, AZ
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    7,696
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    03 zhp, 97 e36m3, 04 zhp
    I would strongly suggest considering LaminX film fro your fog lights at the very least. I found these to be pretty much consumables on AZ roads. Beautiful touring though!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2023
    Location
    Vancouver, BC, Canada
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    29
    My Cars
    2019 BMW 440i xDrive Cab
    Hah, so you had Beamers before, and now you have a Bimmer.
    Love your stable too.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    Prescott, AZ
    Posts
    32
    My Cars
    1996 BMW 320i Touring
    Quote Originally Posted by F33B58M View Post
    Hah, so you had Beamers before, and now you have a Bimmer.
    Love your stable too.
    Thanks!

    Never really understood that whole "Beemer/Beamer" vs. "Bimmer" thing...

    I had an R1100RSL back in the day. Fantastic sport-touring bike. Rode it all over the western US. Finally sold it when replacing the shocks was going to cost more than the bike was worth.


  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2023
    Location
    Vancouver, BC, Canada
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    2019 BMW 440i xDrive Cab
    Quote Originally Posted by RodanAZ View Post
    Thanks!

    Never really understood that whole "Beemer/Beamer" vs. "Bimmer" thing...

    I had an R1100RSL back in the day. Fantastic sport-touring bike. Rode it all over the western US. Finally sold it when replacing the shocks was going to cost more than the bike was worth.


    Nice Beemer.
    I guess the bike thing started after BSA were called "Beesa", which became Beeser". This prompted BMW bikes to be called "Beemer" (rhyming with "Reemer")
    The cars were originally called "Bimmer" (rhyming with "Simmer"). But people didn't know the history (especially in North America) and they
    also started calling them "Beemer" like the bikes. Nowadays they even pronounce "Bimmer" as "Beemer". For example, people pronounce "Bimmercode" as "Beemercode".
    My pet peeve, sorry!

    I believe the BMW website has some info on this. It was Beemer for bikes, and Bimmer for cars.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    Prescott, AZ
    Posts
    32
    My Cars
    1996 BMW 320i Touring
    Oh, I knew all that. I just never understood why anyone cared that the cars and bikes needed different nicknames.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2023
    Location
    Vancouver, BC, Canada
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    29
    My Cars
    2019 BMW 440i xDrive Cab
    I can only share my reasoning.....once could NEVER call a "boxer", "banger" or "vanger" by the same name!

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