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Disappointed and Discouraged in BMW

I remember years ago when there was a problem with Pinto's that were hit from the rear catching fire and exploding. It was about the same time there was the big recall on Firestone 500 tires. As a kid I remember Johnny Carson joking that for capital punishment they should make the condemned drive a Pinto with Firestone 500's on it.

I can certainly sympathize with the OP and understand his disappointment. Never fun to have an expensive failure.

I certainly can't fault BMW though. As was pointed out, perhaps bad gas or some type of additive was used that caused excess carbon build up. Anything could have been done over the years. I believe their offer to consider participating after the motor was opened was fair. If the OP had owned the bike since new and had records and knew everything that had been done, he would have probably been more comfortable paying for the tear down knowing that it would probably uncover a defect. I assume the OP didn't pay the new bike price for the used bike. When you buy used, without any type of warranty, you are paying less but assuming some risk. Hopefully it is worth it the majority of the time. Some times you get stung, and it sucks.
 
Expectations make a huge difference in how you perceive a motorcycle/car. I'v had my share of junkers over the years. I didn't expect much out of them and consequently they didn't disappoint me. An old beat up VW bug comes to mind. On the other hand, if I have a "high end" bike or car I expect more out of it. When something goes wrong with that "high end" bike or car I am frustrated.
 
An older clubmate got a 64 ( I think) last year, compared to the 74 super beetle I still had in 86...it is a bit tiny! Didn't seem that small in high school when we piled 4 people in them regularly.

P1030707-L.jpg



I was looking at a 60's bus$$$$$$$$ crazy prices
 
Not to continue the Thread Jack, but

Didn't seem that small in high school when we piled 4 people in them regularly.

In January of 1971 two buddies and me drove a '65 Beetle from W. Lafayette, Indiana to Miami, Florida to meet up with a Venezuelan Air Force C130 which was flying a group of Purdue Marching Band members to Caracas as part of a sponsored event; all three of us were over six foot, and our instruments were strapped to a roof carrier. The windshield defroster didn't work for sh*t so we took turns using the cigarette lighter to help it.

Ah, to be twenty again; when the joints are still flexible.

Thread Jack:OFF
 
As it seems that the OP has long given up on this thread and it has become the "vehicles that have been a disappointment" thread......How did youse guys miss this-

560px-1978_chevette.JPG


:fart

OM
 
As it seems that the OP has long given up on this thread and it has become the "vehicles that have been a disappointment" thread......How did youse guys miss this-

560px-1978_chevette.JPG


:fart

OM

Let's call it a bad thread gone good about poor vehicles
 
It is a better thread this way. I offer for your consideration the Open Kadette Wagon. It was the only thing I could afford that would carry my drum set...

000 kadette.jpg
 
My first car was a 1974 VW Sun Bug. It had factory air conditioning.

Not mine, but it was this one.

sun_bug.jpg
 
Ralf Naders favorite car

Oh yeah, I like where this thread is going. This picture I found on the Internet is probably owened by the guy Rhonda and I talked to on our way to apalachicola. We were at an ethanol free gas station and one of these pulled in. We got the full tour and history of the car. The guy was like a docent, he knew everything, even the title of the book by Ralf Nader that put the nail in the coffin of the corvair. He informed us that the show room quality car we were looking at paled in comparison to the ones he kept in the garage. You guys should be proud of me, I was born after these cars were made.
View attachment 48783
 
I had a 62 Renault Dauphine in high school. Beat that... :)

The Renault spun a rod bearing the summer after I graduated (1966) and my dad tried to fix it while I was away at college. I think it's still sitting in the back yard. I then bought a 1959 VW bug. Great car...36hp engine, 6 v battery...it would do 70 downhill with a tail wind. I drove it cross country several times. The bug got passed down to my siblings and I think we put over 200k miles on it total (replaced the engine once with a Sears short block...the crankshaft had fractured in the middle main bearing but it still ran, sorta). The bugs look awfully small now.

I really like my oilhead...took it for a 250 mile ride today. It cruises at 85 real nice...
 
Oh yeah, I like where this thread is going. This picture I found on the Internet is probably owened by the guy Rhonda and I talked to on our way to apalachicola. We were at an ethanol free gas station and one of these pulled in. We got the full tour and history of the car. The guy was like a docent, he knew everything, even the title of the book by Ralf Nader that put the nail in the coffin of the corvair. He informed us that the show room quality car we were looking at paled in comparison to the ones he kept in the garage. You guys should be proud of me, I was born after these cars were made.
View attachment 48783

Unsafe at Any Speed. We have so much to blame on Ralph Nader and Phil Donahue.
 
I had a 62 Renault Dauphine in high school. Beat that... :)...

My older sister had a Renault something in 64, was a rear engine with a canvas sunroof. Seemed smaller than a VW.
We had to go with dad a few times to remove it from between the posts holding the walkways to the band building after band practice...still makes me laugh.
Also recall my dad working on it a lot, once as we were riding in the back and the fuel line leaked and we saw flames behind us...uh...dad:eek
 
Oh yeah, I like where this thread is going. This picture I found on the Internet is probably owened by the guy Rhonda and I talked to on our way to apalachicola. We were at an ethanol free gas station and one of these pulled in. We got the full tour and history of the car. The guy was like a docent, he knew everything, even the title of the book by Ralf Nader that put the nail in the coffin of the corvair. He informed us that the show room quality car we were looking at paled in comparison to the ones he kept in the garage. You guys should be proud of me, I was born after these cars were made.
View attachment 48783

Well you young pup! :wave

My college room mate had a 64 Corvair Monza Spyder that put out 180 HP. Was that ever a hoot to drive. Not so good in the corners.:dance
 
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