The official E36 OT Thread!!

I hate the stealers.

Wtf joe????

Originally Posted by cj.surr

Chad... That's insane!

$.50 blub and 3 min of labor...

It's both insane and borderline criminal. Seriously, imagine if the dealers employed a non-STEP person, basically a lot porter, to pay minimum wage and handle little things like wiper, switch, and bulb replacements while you wait. No appointment needed. How many non-car people would line up for the deal of a century to get their minor items repaired for a reasonable part cost + $20, and then talk about it to their friends of what a nice dealer it is. Contrast that to only making a killing on the most gullible and getting their name dragged through the mud.

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Originally Posted by Poorboysracing

I hate the stealers.

Ima Patriots guy myself.

part number for said bulb?? didn't know they lit up...


thanks guys....yet *another* little thing for me to do now...


and that caddy reminds me of the pontiac coupe. not that that's a bad thing....

still think gm shoulda killed buick... booooriiiinng. pontiac did an awful lot (as did oldsmobile prior to its demise) to shuffle off 'ticky-tacky' rebadging, and i had actually hopes that it would be able to pull through with some of its offerings.

but, the axe fell, and the rest, as they say, is history.

i am glad to say, though, that it appears that the cadillac brand is picking up the performance slack.

it looks like it wil be giving the 3 series a run for its money, no doubt, with the availability of a manual trans in the mix.




df

Actually DF, Buick is doing very well. All their products now are competitive and good looking. No more old man tan cars.

Originally Posted by drivinfaster

still think gm shoulda killed buick... booooriiiinng. pontiac did an awful lot (as did oldsmobile prior to its demise) to shuffle off 'ticky-tacky' rebadging, and i had actually hopes that it would be able to pull through with some of its offerings.

df

You must be joking.....Buick has immeasurable brand cache in China. It's what people there aspire to own. Killing them would have been an awful decision.

Now as to what on earth the Chinese are smoking to actually want to drive Buicks, I can't answer, but they do for some reason.

I do really like the new Regal Turbo though. Incredibly fun little car to drive.


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China is the only reason why Buick was saved. The old man stigma remains and Buick will be a hard sell to the new car buyers of the future. But a new market of 1 mirrion can't be denied.

...and I'm slightly partial to the arrowhead

Speaking of GM, anyone else see the new Traverse? That thing is SHARP. Very clean design, I'm so proud of GM. The list of GM cars that I laugh at is shrinking.

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Originally Posted by E36 Phantom

You must be joking.....Buick has immeasurable brand cache in China. It's what people there aspire to own. Killing them would have been an awful decision.

Now as to what on earth the Chinese are smoking to actually want to drive Buicks, I can't answer, but they do for some reason.

I do really like the new Regal Turbo though. Incredibly fun little car to drive.


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This is why Buicks are selling in China. A lot of the Chinese cars look like '60s era Japanese cars.

So.....if the worst comes....I'ma thinkin' long term I will upgrade to the perfect e46M3 or a 'shoe...but, in the short term, since I don't wanna drive the funmobile in the snow....yes, you heard it right...about getting an e36 M3.

There are a lot of them around...and they are pretty cheap (comparitively). If/when I find my perfect fancy car, this could continue to be the winter beater, or I could convert it into a track car. Or if I find the right one, I could sell it for decent buckos.

This one seems nice. http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=422946. Not crazy about the gray, but the mileage and the condition seem great..and it's priced right.

Originally Posted by E36 Phantom

I can tell you why.....this discussion gave me a fun idea: Call my local dealer and find out what they would charge.

$167

Let that digest. $167. Yes, really.

I asked him a few times after the price quote if they couldn't just replace a bulb and he said its all a single unit and the bulb was not replaceable. $70-something + tax for the switch assembly and 1/2hr labor at $176/hr.

I just laughed. A lot. Makes sense why none of these work though.

Damn, that is criminal, because it's outright fraud. It's obviously not a single unit with a non-replaceable bulb, and telling people otherwise is straight up lying.

Ken, the bulb is P/N 61138360844. I replaced mine in under 5 minutes while I was waiting in a parking lot for the misses. Super easy.

Jen, that E36 M3 looks like a very nice example. If you see yourself upgrading to an E46 M3 or Clownshoe in the not so distant future, I'd consider getting a well maintained but higher mileage E36 M3 for less money. Sure, it won't be as minty as that silver M3, but it would be hard to turn such a nice M3 into a track car.

meh...wasn't aware of the buick following in china, but that would make sense to continue it if it is selling well.

but i still don't hafta like them...



df

Originally Posted by E36 Phantom

Speaking of GM, anyone else see the new Traverse? That thing is SHARP. Very clean design, I'm so proud of GM. The list of GM cars that I laugh at is shrinking.

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Haven't seen it in person yet, mind you it's just a mild refresh.


I'm telling you though, EVERY Buick is the US right now is good. I would GLADLY drive any one of them.

Biggest turn around brand in a long while IMO. Just think where they were in like, 05? They had less than nothing.

My list of GM cars in the US I laugh at:

Silverado, it's fantastic, but the interior and exterior should never have been approved, except the LTZ. Barf, can't wait for the new one to come out next year.

Escalade, it was good a few years ago, but it's getting dated FAST!

Corvette, now mind you there is absolutely nothing to complain about sports car wise, but the interior has been shameful since debut. Spyshots of the C7 interior look amazing. Check them out if you get a chance, awesome looking seats.

Impala, obvious choice, but the new one will be here shortly, very sharp.

CTS isn't laughable in the slightest, but it is getting a little old. V is obviously insanely awesome.

Everything else is pretty much at least above average in terms of class leading stuff. (though this is my opinion and I may have missed something.

Every Buick, Matt?

I drove a new lacrosse in san Antonio as a rental. 3700 on the clock. This puppy was decked out with pretty much every option (full leather, power, backup camera). I must be in tune to the e36, because it felt super floaty with zero throttle response. The AT shifted all over the place. The interior was nice, but it truly isn't meant for anyone who wants more than a cushy ride.

Best part: I am in the emerald/pick-anything-in-the-aisle club. I totally snatched this up from a 50-something who was a step too slow. He was not amused

Originally Posted by EnserioJose

Every Buick, Matt?

I drove a new lacrosse in san Antonio as a rental. 3700 on the clock. This puppy was decked out with pretty much every option (full leather, power, backup camera). I must be in tune to the e36, because it felt super floaty with zero throttle response. The AT shifted all over the place. The interior was nice, but it truly isn't meant for anyone who wants more than a cushy ride.

Best part: I am in the emerald/pick-anything-in-the-aisle club. I totally snatched this up from a 50-something who was a step too slow. He was not amused

I have no driven a Lacrosse, I try to not count rental cars, they are just so beat.


It is SUPPOSED to be floaty lol (I think)

I hear you on the throttle response, but I think that almost all new cars feel that way, I hate it too.


I love how it looks, interior too.

Originally Posted by TechieTechie

So.....if the worst comes....I'ma thinkin' long term I will upgrade to the perfect e46M3 or a 'shoe...but, in the short term, since I don't wanna drive the funmobile in the snow....yes, you heard it right...about getting an e36 M3.

There are a lot of them around...and they are pretty cheap (comparitively). If/when I find my perfect fancy car, this could continue to be the winter beater, or I could convert it into a track car. Or if I find the right one, I could sell it for decent buckos.

This one seems nice. http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=422946. Not crazy about the gray, but the mileage and the condition seem great..and it's priced right.

Originally Posted by FenderBender

I have no driven a Lacrosse, I try to not count rental cars, they are just so beat.


It is SUPPOSED to be floaty lol (I think)

I hear you on the throttle response, but I think that almost all new cars feel that way, I hate it too.


I love how it looks, interior too.

Don't get me wrong.

Lacrosse interior >> e36 interior.

A cross country drive would be much more comfortable in any new Buick. That's how it should be considering mine had 130k more miles. I'm afraid driving an e36 has ruined my car judging ability. Responsiveness is paramount.

I think most of us agree lol.

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@Karl...valid point about the mileage. Guess I was just thinking I want a car that is gonna be pretty pain free for a while. I've been beaten up enough for one year and I am not gonna get spanked by insurance again.

@Dino...

Well, the good news for today, though, that micey man showed up today. Hopefully no more dealing with mice! And with that, Jen out.

jen,

did the exterminator inspect the structure for potential entry points?? any exterior devices?? snaptraps?? sticky traps?? rodenticides??

sorry, just very particualr with this sort of stuff, and am the same way when it comes to someone taking a car in for service. i always ask lots of questions and such...



df

DF...first off, thank you. Your mousemail was very helpful :-). Yep, he went from ship to stern, attic to basement, inside and out. Filled a bunch of holes, used roadentraps where he saw mouse droppings (he must have used 2 dozen, at least) and even told me how mice get in (heat) and how they use their whiskers to find their way around (had no idea). I have a 6 month warranty. If I see any signs of Mr Mice, the sequel, he comes back out, no questions asked. No outside traps though...that might be the only thing he missed.

I very much appeciated it...he seemed much, much, more experienced than my previous company.

Originally Posted by ZeGerman

I didn't know that it lit up for at least a solid year. Then one time at night I was reaching around in the dark for the headlight switch, thinking to myself that it had to be illuminated. I looked it up, and sure enough, it had a bulb! Replaced the burned out bulb and I was back in bid'ness.

That's exactly what I did today lol...also took apart my illuminated knob and put in the right color bulb...next I'm replacing my climate control bulbs...they look awful in pic, actually not bad in person unless you compare to my headlight switch lol...also just ordered a new pass window switch bc bulb blew today

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I just got 100 Orange LEDs off eBay and just solder one in to every bulb holder when the incandescent burns out.

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I'm officially addicted to Sons of Anarchy.. I've watched seasons 1-2 in the past 2.5 days, and I just started season 3..