PHOTO GALLERY: 001 heads north to the largest BMW show in the USA

Thanks to our friend Jon Shafer from Bimmerfest.com, I'll be front and center at the USA's largest BMW show this Saturday in Santa Barbara getting you the best photos and video of this year's 2007 Bimmerfest.

Hopefully, I'll run into a lot of AutoSpies.com readers at the show...Look for me wearing a red California Angels hat and be sure to say hi!

About Bimmerfest:

Bimmerfest is the celebration of being a BMW enthusiast...whether through ownership or admiration. Now in its 8th year, bimmerfest attracts well over 1,500 BMWs, 5,000 total attendees, 35 automotive related vendors and 7 major magazines for coverage! It is an experience that enthusiasts look forward to from the first day they can register online for the event until arriving and enjoying the day.

Why attend bimmerfest?

Bimmerfest is the single largest BMW event held in North America today bringing thousands of enthusiasts together to enjoy all aspects of the BMW world. Whether you are a lifetime owner, first time owner, perspective owner or just a fan of great german engineering, bimmerfest is an incredible event to experience! More info at Bimmerfest.com

2007 Bimmerfest photo gallery


Read Article

aeyjay - 5/4/2007 2:07:16 AM

+1 Boost

Nice picture.

Does anyone remember the old Nissan Sentra ads that advertised it as the new 2002.

Agent-666 - 5/4/2007 2:28:33 AM

+1 Boost

finally something worth reporting about.
the two cars i'd love get is the old 2001 750Li and the old 850Ci.

ahem ahem "tifosi"

Agent004 - 5/4/2007 3:22:21 AM

+1 Boost

RIP tifosi.

I don't know about a BMW 850ci, unless you have the money for repairs too.

Agent-666 - 5/4/2007 6:58:29 AM

+3 Boost

RIP tifosi, tifoso, DoubleAgent001, Agent666, IP BAN :)

a classic is not about reliability, its own a piece of history. Cars is not about functionality, its passion too.

nybimmer - 5/4/2007 10:28:47 AM

-4 Boost

You will need bags of money to keep the 2001 750Li on the road and you will need a truckload of money to keep an 850i functional.

There's a reason BMW's depreciate like stones after the "free service" (i.e. the lease residual support period) is over...5 years out these cars need a truly stupifying amount of work. I shudder to think about what the current crop of 745/750's and 530's will need one they're a year or so out of warranty.

Its not that the parts are defective, they are just so complex in their interdependency that wear and tear just makes them cease to work.

d1sinfo - 5/4/2007 12:24:02 PM

+1 Boost

I have not seen similar things among my ownership of BMW's. I have seen specific model problems, and overall overdesign, but not a gross lack of reliability among all systems.

I have a feeling that owning an e60 will be much like owning an e39, not like owning a Camry but far from so scary as to cause a shudder.

As for your comment about the 850i. It is a fairly high revving, high power v12 made to move a heavy GT. The engine requires patience, and care, but its far from a faulty design. Overheat it and you will pay, run it low on oil and prepare to pay, keep it outside and let it experience the elements and prepare to pay. Or get on the message board, become a shade tree, and enjoy a really unique GT, with an awesome engine, great interior for the fraction of its counterparts.

This is my 2 cents. I do all my own work, and live to drive, so the idea of a involving ownership is part of certain cars in my mind.

Josh

p.s. I do feel as a whole that BMW's electrical systems could be simplified.

daytonaviolet - 5/4/2007 10:51:43 PM

+2 Boost

Then don't look.

AUTO_UNION - 5/4/2007 2:23:15 PM

+2 Boost

Shmikes:
Who are you to tell us what's ugly?

mp2dtw - 5/4/2007 11:39:22 PM

+2 Boost

Great snapshot. My mom had a silver '72 2002tii, like the photo, when I was little. Far from ugly shmikes. Not exactly reliable, but far from ugly. The silly woman traded it in for a Mercury Monarch. That was ugly.