Ferrari Mailing List: Re: German Cars

[kjtar (kjtar]

W124 300E.  Could very well be the best "all around" car ever made.  1986-1993. 
 
Tom (no kiddin') Reynolds
Tulsa, OK

---- jashburne [at] aol.com wrote: 
> My old 300E was horrendous in the snow on its summer tires.  Put 4 good real 
> snow tires on it and it transformed the car into a very good snow car.  I 
> took it on many ski trips to Vermont with never a worry or problem.
> 
> John
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael James <cavallino_rapante [at] yahoo.com>
> Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:54:02 
> To: <jashburne [at] aol.com>
> Cc: The FerrariList<ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com>
> Subject: Re: [Ferrari] German Cars
> 
> Well, I've been driving a rear-wheel-drive, 4 cylinder truck with 
> nothing-in-the-bed during winters' worst these past three years....dunno if 
> I'm dumb, lucky, or BOTH, but the last time I 'almost' got stuck was on I-84 
> in Connecticut last XMas when almost 12-18 inches fell during rush-hour.  I 
> still managed to save things, even when tractor-trailers were getting jammed 
> in the Pocono mountains.  I'd like to believe ground clearance was a factor, 
> but perhaps I just know how to drive.  The plastic radiators really concern 
> me - I think I've cracked just about every radiator I own in the past two 
> years.  Including the Ferrari that was stored in the garage and has now 
> decided to leak (aluminum).  The Ford radiator cost $800 to replace....it 
> ain't cheap either.
>  
> A local friend recently bought a pair of used BMWs he found on Craigslist 
> locally - a 540i and one of their 5-series Wagons.  So far, he's liked them 
> in the snow and hasn't gotten stuck, but I haven't investigated his setup.  
> Here in MASS, the major highways are usually plowed clear and clean in 24 
> hours, so unless I do something stupid like attempt a trip to Vermont in the 
> middle of a raging Nor'Easter I can stay put.  My plan is to keep my pickup 
> for the real emergencies, and stow the nice/clean German Car in the garage, 
> but since I haven't heard any horror stories regarding the AWD versions of 
> the 3-Series or the C280 4Matic I may venture out in them.  I'm still 
> on-the-fence though...guess I better do more research.
>  
> M
> 
> 
> --- On Wed, 12/23/09, Jim Conforti <lndshrk [at] xmission.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> From: Jim Conforti <lndshrk [at] xmission.com>
> Subject: Re: [Ferrari] German Cars
> To: "Michael" <Cavallino_Rapante [at] yahoo.com>
> Cc: "The FerrariList" <ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com>
> Date: Wednesday, December 23, 2009, 11:20 AM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Michael James wrote:
> > I was hoping of getting-into a German car in the next month or two - I 
> > actually like the MB C280 4Matic or a 5-speed manual 3-Series BMW.  I think 
> > either car would be practical and a good 'snow-car' with Blizzacks on the 
> > rims.  I'm not looking to 'make statements' per se, or drive a land-yaht (I 
> > don't know any fat people who need seat-space defined in cubic yards) - I 
> > just want a 4-door car that is well-built, great in the snow, some Cache', 
> > some modern/modest luxury, and can run for 100K miles trouble-free.  I'm 
> > finding LOTS of C280s and 3-Series BMWs with sub-30K miles for around $20K, 
> > cars that would appear to be leased vehicles that were gently-used.  
> >  
> 
>   OK, now IIRC you're in New England - Mass?
> 
>   First - being a MA/RI'er myself from days past - get yourself a good set
>   of Nokian Hukka's and don't look back (Hakkapellitas are the stuff!)
> 
>   Preferably STUD the damn things.  Yes, it's noisy and a rough ride, but when
>   the idiots around you on Blizzaks and "No-Season" Radials are spinning into
>   the concrete barriers - you'll just be moving along safely.
> 
>   (Like yesterday here in Utah!)
> 
>   As to a BMW as a "Winter Car".
> 
>   Well, I don't know you're driving style... if you are comfortable with a
>   rear-drive car in the winter - sure.  Or you can go for a 4wd BMW sedan.
> 
>   An "IX" or "XI" in BMW-speak.
> 
>   Don't kid yourself though - BMW's are hellishly expensive to own out of
>   warranty *IF* you actually do the needed maintenance.  M cars are rather
>   close to the expense of a Ferrari.  (Subtracting a bit of the dealer "rape"
>   that some F owners seem to get).
> 
>   The reason most people don't think they are expensive is that most owners
>   and most dealers don't perform (or bill) ALL of the maintenance needed.
> 
>   If you go back to the boxy old E30 (88-91) M3 - you'll find that nearly all
>   of those cars never had their valves adjusted - because most dealers had
>   neither the tools, nor the collection of valve shim pucks in stock to do so.
> 
>   The E46 M3 (01-06) is similar - in that it has an involved valve adjustment
>   and to do it "in one visit" requires that either you or the dealer have a
>   proper stock of the shims - I've not found one yet who has "all" the needed
>   shims in stock.
> 
>   Lower-end BMW's still have Uncle Ken's described "veggie plastic radiator"
>   from BEHR.  Note that BEHR is a four letter word ;)
> 
>   Jim
> 
>   PS: In my opinion - considering insurance costs in New England/etc - no BMW
>       makes a good winter car.  Me, I drive a Jeep Wrangler w/ studded snows.
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