[DeTomaso] Bimmers

[Matt]

Sorry to keep on the BMW topic but I believe we are a diverse crowd that can appreciate other good cars as well .
We just bought a 2006 X3 3.0i. It is to replace her 1996 mini-van which decided to puke a trans and would cost more to fix than it was worth.
She was looking to downsize a bit anyway,but still needed a little more room than a sedan would provide.
We looked at all the Japanese SUV's (such ugly vehicles) trying to maintain a logical formula using the standard criteria (MPG,cost,features,value,affordable,etc.) to lead us to the right vehicle for her.
I hit the info highway like a roadrunner scouring all the possibilites from every Asian car maker.
I also told her to pick whatever she wanted and would make her happy (and secretly something I would have fun driving as well).

I just kept looking and looking finally realizing one thing was missing...emotion.
There was none concerning all the Japanese choices.
.
I convinced her that European vehicles tend to hold their value better and generally were well maintained by their previous owners ,especially leased vehicles after the 36/48 month lease is up. On the downside they do generally cost a bit more to buy and maintain. I finally had to ask her a question which I realized had somehow not been asked in over 20 years together.
I sat her down ,looked her square in the eyes and said:
Of all the cars in the world, what car have you always wanted?
Her answer:  A BMW.
I couldn't believe it was that easy. I wasted so many hours searching aimlessly using the logical approach.
After that it was much easier knowing what I was looking for.
We narrowed it down to a very clean 2006 X3 as the perfect vehicle according to the standard criteria(except MPG is not great) but that is overcome by the turbo and the emotional aspect of owning a car which fulfilled a dream of hers.
For some it's a Pantera or a Ferrari or Cobra ...for her, a vehicle that stirred that emotion was an affordable BMW. And I couldn't be happier about it, it's a fun little ride.
I'm soooo glad she didn't say Ferrari $

Matt
3584