Ferrari Mailing List: Re: German Cars

[LarryT (l02turner]

Ditto - But add the 300D ;-)

LarryT

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From: <kjtar [at] cox.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2009 5:29 PM
To: "Larry Turner" <l02turner [at] comcast.net>
Cc: "The FerrariList" <ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com>
Subject: Re: [Ferrari] German Cars

> 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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