The official E36 OT Thread!!

Originally Posted by TheFinanceGuy

I had to deal with Amex on a vendor side, and from that they are awful! They charge incredibly high fees to accept, and are really bad about paying the vendor.
That's where my opinion comes in about them being terrible.

Yes, Amex is VERY consumer oriented and almost never sides with the merchant. High discount rates too since they have big perks for the consumer. Sorry to hear about the rest of your day

In other news, the E38 is handling family life pretty well



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Two words:
















Fake














Tree

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like saab, but not a big fan of the v6 used in that model...and turbo just makes it worse...

to work on at least....


ever see tht timing belt in those things?? it's the same design as the older catera caddy's, with 3 (count em...3) tensioners.

to do a t-belt properly you need the cam lock tools and tension in sequence. (well, not absolutely, but is makes it a million times easier....)

that alone has simply turned me off from them as i had looked at them a while ago.

if i get a saab, it's got to be a red 9-3 aero turbo coupe with a black interior and manual trans.

if those came awd then that would be schweeet!!, but alas, not to be....


in other news i tore into the parts car today...boy did it get whacked hard...

pics will be taken tomorrow, forgot the camera today....


and i now smell fuel in katka, so gottat get that figured out.

then there's the clunks, rattles, leaky exhaust...





df

^This!^







Had a near disaster last year with the real tree. Back to the fake from here on.....


Got it and all the rest of the inside stuff put up today. Outside lights will go up next weekend......too hot out today to be up on the roof

anyone have any experience with buying cars @ auction??



df

Originally Posted by FenderBender

Two words:

Fake
Tree

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Ok Grinch....

I can't stand fake trees. They seem so blah. I mean, really, half the fun of having a tree is picking it out and cutting out down (unfortunately didn't get to this year)

Originally Posted by drivinfaster

anyone have any experience with buying cars @ auction??

df

Unfortunately, not yet. Maybe in a year or so.

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So, didn't really get any conclusive credit card info. Mastercard, CU, etc, what should I go with?? What do I look for?

This is the first time since 2008 that ill be in this country for Christmas. Never mind home in my own house!

Which means we don't really have decorations..... Or have never out a tree up!

Need to buy so many things. Like a tree stand. And tree decorations, and outside lights.

So much to do!




Also, what's a slipping clutch feel like?

Originally Posted by TheFinanceGuy

This is the first time since 2008 that ill be in this country for Christmas. Never mind home in my own house!

Which means we don't really have decorations..... Or have never out a tree up!

Need to buy so many things. Like a tree stand. And tree decorations, and outside lights.

So much to do!




Also, what's a slipping clutch feel like?

RPMs climb faster than they should, and slide back quickly if you get off the gas. It'll be pretty obvious.

Originally Posted by cj.surr

RPMs climb faster than they should, and slide back quickly if you get off the gas. It'll be pretty obvious.

K thanks.... I'm good then.

Had a few moments where I thought it was slipping, but it didn't really do that. Longer drive tomorrow so ill know better.

Originally Posted by FenderBender

So, didn't really get any conclusive credit card info. Mastercard, CU, etc, what should I go with?? What do I look for?

You're not inundated with mailers?

Originally Posted by TheFinanceGuy

This is the first time since 2008 that ill be in this country for Christmas. Never mind home in my own house!

Which means we don't really have decorations..... Or have never out a tree up!

Need to buy so many things. Like a tree stand. And tree decorations, and outside lights.

So much to do!

Also, what's a slipping clutch feel like?

Fun with a newborn eh?

And pre-decoration



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Originally Posted by E36 Phantom

Fun with a newborn eh?

Bingo!

We always travel to Berlin Germany for the holidays

Nope, not getting spam email Chad, why?

Originally Posted by drivinfaster

anyone have any experience with buying cars @ auction??



df

Not recently. Used to go with a friends father who had a dealer license years ago. Hard to say if that experience is still relevant. They used to use a stop light system. Cars sold under the green light had been inspected by the selling dealer and didn't have any issue found. The selling dealer provided a "buy back" warranty to the buyer if a problem was found. Yellow light cars had been inspected and had known issues that were usually listed in the auction guide. Red light cars were pay your money and take your chances cars. Sometimes red light cars were OK but very high mileage. Yugos and the Hyundais of that day always sold under the red light.

Originally Posted by FenderBender

Nope, not getting spam email Chad, why?

They'll never send you spam, it's direct mail. If you're not getting direct mail you may need to start with something like a Cap1 secured card.

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[QUOTE=dc_wright;7227186]Not recently. Used to go with a friends father who had a dealer license years ago. Hard to say if that experience is still relevant. [QUOTE]

Pretty sure Mannheim auctions still run that way. My old bf had our mechanic pick up a big #ss truck at a Mannheim auction....and sold it to us for $500 more than he paid for it. Major deal. Do you have a friend with a dealer's license? I would not buy from an auction unless it was a dealer auction....public auctions are verrrry hit or miss (mostly miss).

I too bought my Xmas tree today. Always go to the same cut your own place (Patrick..it's Doe Orchard in Harvard, if you guys are interested. Great family operation with literally hundreds of great trees). The baggers in the parking lot were drooling over my car (and scared I hadn't brought anything for the roof..silly kids).

Pics when I get it decorated .

Oh, and Matt. Limited revolving credit does a credit score good. Don't get a store card, those actually can be detrimental (since they approve almost anyone). Secured MC or Visa cards (where you put a savings deposit in a similar amount to the credit limit) are usually the only option for first timers. And Amex generally does not issue cards to first-timers. Best thing to do is read, read, read....since it's all about the fine print. http://money.usnews.com/money/person...y-credit-score.

Quickest way to build good credit score is to keep a small amount unpaid every month (less that 10% of the credit limit).....but then you have to pay finance charges. Your call on what is most important. But what matters is that you pay on time, no matter what. They will look at 3 years of credit history to calculate your credit score...and one late payment can knock your score 50 points or more....denying you access to future credit with low interest rates. I like this site....http://www.creditkarma.com/

No decorating tonight. 6:30 am flight awaits

Originally Posted by E36 Phantom

They'll never send you spam, it's direct mail. If you're not getting direct mail you may need to start with something like a Cap1 secured card.

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How come? I mean, I certainly haven't received any lately, but I may have at some point.

[QUOTE=TechieTechie;7227255][QUOTE=dc_wright;7227186]Not recently. Used to go with a friends father who had a dealer license years ago. Hard to say if that experience is still relevant.

Pretty sure Mannheim auctions still run that way. My old bf had our mechanic pick up a big #ss truck at a Mannheim auction....and sold it to us for $500 more than he paid for it. Major deal. Do you have a friend with a dealer's license? I would not buy from an auction unless it was a dealer auction....public auctions are verrrry hit or miss (mostly miss).

I too bought my Xmas tree today. Always go to the same cut your own place (Patrick..it's Doe Orchard in Harvard, if you guys are interested. Great family operation with literally hundreds of great trees). The baggers in the parking lot were drooling over my car (and scared I hadn't brought anything for the roof..silly kids).

Pics when I get it decorated .

Oh, and Matt. Revolving credit does a credit score good. Don't get a store card, those actually can be detrimental (since they approve almost anyone). Secured cards (where you put a savings deposit in a similar amount to the credit limit) are usually the only option for first timers. And Amex generally does not issue cards to first-timers, better to get a MC or Visa (my first card was a Capital One secured card). Best thing to do is read, read, read....since it's all about the fine print. http://money.usnews.com/money/person...y-credit-score

No decorating tonight. 6:30 am flight awaits

Thanks guys and gals!


So I'll look into Capital one?

[QUOTE=FenderBender;7227266]How come? I mean, I certainly haven't received any lately, but I may have at some point.

[QUOTE=TechieTechie;7227255]

Originally Posted by dc_wright

Not recently. Used to go with a friends father who had a dealer license years ago. Hard to say if that experience is still relevant.


Thanks guys and gals!


So I'll look into Capital one?

Matt..actually, have you pulled your credit score?

By Federal law, each major credit bureau must present you, upon request, your credit history free once per year. However, they usually give you a crappy, non FICO credit score (which is what all major lending institutions use to determine your credit worthiness).

Lots of sites (and even the big 3) will give you a free score, but it's not the same calculations as the FICO score....look for one that gives you a FICO score (usually you have to sign up for some 30 day trial of credit monitoring....but I usually grab my score and then immediately cancel my subscription )

You may already have a credit score...and if it's good, you can try for a better card than Capital One (which can be sneaky in their fine print). Again, my best advice is read, read, read. Particularly when you get your CC statement. The monthly due date changes every month on most cards....another trap they use to get you to pay the $35 late charge and additional interest.

Rackets...I tell you. I got burned when I was your age (waaaay too much credit card debt when I graduated from college). I am a cash only gal now (except for asset purchases).....

[QUOTE=FenderBender;7227266]How come? I mean, I certainly haven't received any lately, but I may have at some point.

[QUOTE=TechieTechie;7227255]

Originally Posted by dc_wright

Not recently. Used to go with a friends father who had a dealer license years ago. Hard to say if that experience is still relevant.


Thanks guys and gals!


So I'll look into Capital one?

I've got a Cap1, a B of A MC and a B of A Visa. Cap1 has had the best customer service so far. So long as you pay them off each month they'll all be about the same. Pay attention to the payment cycles, late penalties and max interest. As everyone has said, read and re-read the fine print. The interest rates can get down right draconian once you've been late once.

My USAA card has the best rates I've seen, but that won't matter if you pay it off every month.

I probably wouldn't pay it off each month, looking to earn some credit and possibly make non small purchases with it.


Jen, last time I saw my credit, it was a 720 with not much history. Only a car loan, now I'm on my second, but needed a co signer for it. I need to get more history if I want to get a house in a few years.

Holy crap, Chad! 16k posts? You're like 20th on the number of top posters.



But it will be years before anyone catches Jever, though, and he's been gone for what seems like years.

Went to a charity car show today. Thousands of cars, but 75% of them were shi##y hondas with "illest" and "fatlace" stickers in the window. The BMW attendance was low.

Turbo E34 525i:


I found a few BMWs to park near. In total, there were somewhere between 5-7 other E36s there.


The track was offering lead/follow laps, where you could pay money to drive your car at parade lap speed. As I predicted, some asshat had an incident. Can't believe the event organizers decided to conduct the lead/follow laps knowing the boneheads that attend this show...


Then an Infinity intentionally ran a stop sign and was t-boned by an innocent Volvo just outside of the track property...

Originally Posted by ZeGerman

Went to a charity car show today. Thousands of cars, but 75% of them were shi##y hondas with "illest" and "fatlace" stickers in the window. The BMW attendance was low.

Turbo E34 525i:


I found a few BMWs to park near. In total, there were somewhere between 5-7 other E36s there.


The track was offering lead/follow laps, where you could pay money to drive your car at parade lap speed. As I predicted, some asshat had an incident. Can't believe the event organizers decided to conduct the lead/follow laps knowing the boneheads that attend this show...


Then an Infinity intentionally ran a stop sign and was t-boned by an innocent Volvo just outside of the track property...

...there's always one. In this case, two.

Hahah an the idiot had an Evo -_-