RC-Monster Forums - View Single Post

Finnster · 09.22.2010, 10:31 AM

Another thing to consider if you are thinking of doing DIY repairs...

Tools: You likely don't have enough, and I doubt your parents do (by the judge of things)
Tools are expensive and take time to accumulate. Where would you even fix this car? Do you have a proper floor jack, car stands, etc? Let alone chemicals and other stuff you will need to even attempt a big repair (like power steering) on a car that old. 17 yrs of rust means siezed parts, bolts, etc. I have tons of tools, exp fixing my own car, and I wouldn't attempt doing that job. PITFA.

Diag tools can only tell you so much. Esp on an older car like that its more vague. You will get some error code, ie emissions failure/catalytic converter, but that doesn't necc tell you what needs to be fixed. Could be a huge number of things. Maybe simple o2 sensor, maybe a leaking ring or gasket that is fouling the sensor and ruining the cat. Maybe a whole bunch of things in between or crazy stuff particular to BMWs that you won't even think of. If your buddies are 15 or so too, they don't know sh!t really. (again, been there.) It could be easy to spend more fixing the car than you bought it for.

Honestly, get a older compact car for cheap, get a decently reliable and safe one, and just drive it. Its your first car, you are going to do stupid stuff to it and abuse it, and you don't want something thats going to drain all your money, get you into tons of trouble, or leave you stranded somewhere. You have plently of time to get a nice car later.

Besides, getting a chitty car for your first car is a right of passage. Its a piece of crap, but you will love it anyway, will have tons of fun and will always look back w/ nostalgia. Getting a super nice car for a first car will not get you laid. Get that out of your head right now. (You are 15, so its in there somewhere.) If anything, where I grew up, the kids w/ too nice of cars looked like jerkoffs and their parents looked like irresponsible tarts.

	(#15)
Finnster KillaHurtz Offline Posts: 2,958 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Bucks Co, PA	09.22.2010, 10:31 AM Another thing to consider if you are thinking of doing DIY repairs... Tools: You likely don't have enough, and I doubt your parents do (by the judge of things) Tools are expensive and take time to accumulate. Where would you even fix this car? Do you have a proper floor jack, car stands, etc? Let alone chemicals and other stuff you will need to even attempt a big repair (like power steering) on a car that old. 17 yrs of rust means siezed parts, bolts, etc. I have tons of tools, exp fixing my own car, and I wouldn't attempt doing that job. PITFA. Diag tools can only tell you so much. Esp on an older car like that its more vague. You will get some error code, ie emissions failure/catalytic converter, but that doesn't necc tell you what needs to be fixed. Could be a huge number of things. Maybe simple o2 sensor, maybe a leaking ring or gasket that is fouling the sensor and ruining the cat. Maybe a whole bunch of things in between or crazy stuff particular to BMWs that you won't even think of. If your buddies are 15 or so too, they don't know sh!t really. (again, been there.) It could be easy to spend more fixing the car than you bought it for. Honestly, get a older compact car for cheap, get a decently reliable and safe one, and just drive it. Its your first car, you are going to do stupid stuff to it and abuse it, and you don't want something thats going to drain all your money, get you into tons of trouble, or leave you stranded somewhere. You have plently of time to get a nice car later. Besides, getting a chitty car for your first car is a right of passage. Its a piece of crap, but you will love it anyway, will have tons of fun and will always look back w/ nostalgia. Getting a super nice car for a first car will not get you laid. Get that out of your head right now. (You are 15, so its in there somewhere.) If anything, where I grew up, the kids w/ too nice of cars looked like jerkoffs and their parents looked like irresponsible tarts.