Embarrassing moments in your E36...

[catalyst.]

One time when i accidentally hit the horn while pulling into a gas station.. wasnt even really embarrasing though :P

Oh and when i first got my car.. i was showing my uncle where reverse was.. was going like 5mph forward, and i had the clutch pressed it, tried to put the selector in the reverse notch.. GRIND, i think i was more pissed than embarrased though.

WTF is with that anyway, you cant put the selector in the reverse notch when your moving forward, even when the clutch is pressed? BS!

[Seala8]

i was driving 3 girls home, the one sitting shottie was pretty hott and decides the put up the window. The damn white clip inside the door broke so the window fell into the door halfway. so it was crooked the whole ride home

[Nomad316]

it's funny how many problems we bmw owners get when there are hot girls in our cars.

i think maybe the cars gte jelous or something and decide to self destruct

[WickedCrispy]

Yeah, rule number one of owning a used Bimmer: don't give rides to hot chicks.

Oh, and you can't push into Reverse while moving forward because the synchros in the transmission are spinning forward when the car is rolling forward. I didn't know shit about how transmissions work till I went to "howstuffworks" dot com and read up on it. I love that site. It's got pictures and animations for just about everything.

[alvizzo913]

Most embarrassing moment: First day driving a stick, I tried to race two hot chicks that pulled up next to me at a red light in an Acura RSX. I was revving at them, and then the light turns green and I stalled off the line. I caught up to them at the next red light, and they were pointing at me laughing. Thankfully, I figured out the clutch this time and showed them up the second time!

[Uberdude328i]

It's got pictures and animations for just about everything.

How about women, cause I still don't understand those wiley bitches...

[95325i]

^ how the hell do you stall an automatic? lol

I have no idea some how the other guy did...

[328 Power 04]

i think by far the funniest are the door panel coming off when trying to close the door ... lol i'm laughing just thinking about it! never happened .. but it would be hilarious


its interesting how this stuff happens only with good looking girls around ... werd

[Wildo2003]

I recently just got my car. Man, you guys are making me nervous to drive hot girls around. The last thing I want (and can't afford) is another problem to fix on this car. But perhaps the benefit outweighs the risks..?

[NHbmw325I]

I personally like the idea of Reverse next to 1st gear, as I'd rather slip into R at idle instead of from 5th to R (instead of downshifting into 4th) at 70 on the freeway. Plus, I dunno about everyone else's but on every Bimmer I've driven it's harder to knock the shifter over into the R line from neutral. You can just feel it. Oh yeah, it's easier to rock in the snow/whatever with 1st and R so close together.

Though I can admit in a race I once had slipping from 1st gear into 4th... and I feel everyone's pain. When in doubt about stalling? Gibt mehr gas!

I thought with most 5 speed cars that had reverse at the "6th" gear spot, you had a little plastic thing you had to pull up, might have just been my old car.

[jjoel]

man, everytime i think about a hot chick slamming a door shut and the window falling into the door or the door panel falling off........ eek.

i gotta fix my door panel when i get my car out of the shop. anyone have a good diy? the whole door panel is like barely hanging on.

[Goon]

Had a hottie in the car this arvo and started it up, first thing she said was "your engine light is on" (SRS light).
grr... "yes i know, thank you for pointing that out".

[WickedCrispy]

Maybe uh........ BMW wanted to save .02 cents on a little uh.... plastic lock... I dunno, Germans love David Hasselhoff.

[Woodster]

There is a sensor just above the rear view mirror in all BMWs

it detects, with german accuracy, how much you a posing and or showing off.

When this reaches dangerous levels your BMW will fail and you will need to take it to the stealership where they can humble you enough to get your car going again.

[e36vert]

I picked up this chick at a club and we were ready to go back to my place when the upper radiator hose broke and the car overheated. By the time the tow truck arrived she was sober already


I lowered my car and on that same night I went to sf to go clubbing. there was nowhere to park except aamco parking but I have to leave my keys to the attendant. came back to pick my car up and the freaking bumper was torn off. the clips airducts was dangling. he prked it all the way to that concrete parking block and when he backed it out everything caught on the bottom part of the bumper and tore everything off. I was so embarassed because I left at closing time and alot of people were walking to their cars and saw it.

Cinco de mayo in san jose, cruising around in major traffic. a loud thud everytime I release the clutch and it will pop out of first. happened all the way. so i decided to start on 2nd and go home. still in traffic, a car full of chicks beside me goes "your car smells like something is burning". It was my clutch because of the stop and go in 2nd. arrggghh


alot more but I still love my BMW's.

[325cab1995]

First time, when I just got my cab - wasnt used to the longer nose (compared to my lexus) and while parallel parking - got into the spot, ran into the car in the front - right in a popular spot in town, busy street, while people were checking out my car.

Second time, had just changed a bulb on my clear turn signal when I heard a funny noise, realized the driver side turn signal was dangling by the wires and bumping up and down.

Third, time, had the car lowered (too low) couldnt figure out what the scraping noise was coming from as I would turn into my apartment parking ramp. When I finally decided to figure it out - by driving in the same spot and trying to find the rubbing (thought it was coming from under the car) I heard a huge noise, realized it was the front tire catching on the front fender - which got punched out

Fourth, was driving with the top down - suddenly I drove into a "rainy area" and am at a stop - activate the roof to close - it gets stuck halfway going up - and I gotta drive with the top half open to keep traffic from stopping behind me and not turning onto a bridge onramp. While all the cars around are having a laugh at my expense.

I think Ill stop here. BTW, alot of these probs have only happened one - Phew!

[325cab1995]

Oh, almost forgot. Was racing up a steep hill, in summer. Suddenly, the water pump goes - coolant all over the engine - steam everywhere - not cool!

[shebagrl]

First embarassing thing (though it didn't happen in my 328, it was still in a BMW)...I went to get my first oil change, dropped mine off at the dealer, and they gave me an X5 to drive while they had mine. Well, later in the day, I had to fill up the tank in the X5. I pull up to the pump, get out, and stare at the gas door. I look inside for a gas door release, look in the manual, nothing...can't figure out how to open it to save my life. I'm sitting at that pump for at least 10 minutes..the attendant is just staring at me like I'm insane. Ego bruised, I get back in, drive into a parking spot, and call the dealership back to ask how to open the gas door. Through much dismay and stifled laughter the guy who answered the phone tells me just to push it. I get out, push the door, realize what a dumbass I am and drive to a different gas station because I couldn't bare to face the attendant who just watched me at that not-so-fine moment.

#2.. After spending the night out clubbing with my sister, we get back to my car. It's a beautiful night, I open the sunroof, roll down the windows, turn on some music. Feeling pretty confident, I reverse out of my parking space and proceed to drive forward into the cement base of a lamppost. Everyone in the parking lot stops, looks at me, and just stares at me, pointing at the crazy chick who just hit the huge light. My sister jumps out of the car, sees the damage and bursts into tears. A young couple comes up to my window, asks "Oh man, did that JUST happen? That REALLY sucks!" Yeah. Thanks for pointing that out, Captain Obvious. I didn't even get out to look at the damage.

All of this happens in the first 2 months of owning my car. Of course it couldn't happen when I drove a Honda!

[shebagrl]

There is a sensor just above the rear view mirror in all BMWs

it detects, with german accuracy, how much you a posing and or showing off.

When this reaches dangerous levels your BMW will fail and you will need to take it to the stealership where they can humble you enough to get your car going again.

[auto3251]

Driving into an automatic car wash, and having the guy behind me help push the car out because it wouldn't start. Then having to sit for 2hrs across the street from the county jail waiting for a tow truck to come pick me and the car up.

damn flooded dme.

[redline effect]

ah yeserday. Waiting to pick up a girl from school and my car starts to overheat.

[myblackcar]

What is even more embarrassing than an e36 on the side of the road is a Porsche on the side of the road. My e36 is the reliable child (whew). My 944 constantly overheats (still diagnosing) Being brave and throwing caution to the wind one night, I drove her out. I blew a heater control valve and had to be towed home. I had a bum come up to me and ask me for money while standing next to a Porsche in a puddle of green. The tow truck driver talked like a slick pedifile. The real insult was when he decided to take a detour to help two women with their Audi. The women said it was ironic? when they saw my car being towed.

The moral of this experience is lots of preventive maintenance for the e36. Women and broken e36 do not mix.

[Reprisal]

when my friend had just got his e36 M3, and I got behined him at a light where he ended up getting right next to a worked F-350 turbo diesel. Truch is revving at him, he just stays out of the throttle, but i could tell he was gonna go. Light went green.... all you see is my friends car jerk for a second.... and stall. That truck was pretty dang quick too. I sat there and laughed for a second, then realized i was driving the same car....

[patrickrolfsen]

There is a sensor just above the rear view mirror in all BMWs

it detects, with german accuracy, how much you a posing and or showing off.

When this reaches dangerous levels your BMW will fail and you will need to take it to the stealership where they can humble you enough to get your car going again.

very true

[alvizzo913]

man, everytime i think about a hot chick slamming a door shut and the window falling into the door or the door panel falling off........ eek.

i gotta fix my door panel when i get my car out of the shop. anyone have a good diy? the whole door panel is like barely hanging on.

Very good DIY found here www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114629 ...Hope that helps.