Re: Bottlecaps given away... (archive)

Having spent 5 months working closely with the Air Force earlier this year, I came away with a new found respect for people like Steve. Respect I wish everybody in our country understood.

His story is below.

Sorry Steve, you can�t send them back.

Congratulations and thanks to all who entered.

Jerry Grant
�89325i

-----------------------------------------

Why do I want 4 bottlecap wheels?

In the spring of 1985, I went into Bill DeFouw Chevrolet in Lafayette, Indiana with my friend Adam to get a part for his Chevette. I was 15 years old. DeFouw Chevrolet also sold BMW�s and as I waited for my friend Adam, I took a long look at a brand new 325.

Being from a small farm town (one stoplight), I had seen very few BMW�s in person but I had read about them in Road and Track. To me, they were an example of the world I was longing to escape to � as soon as I could. I sat in that 325 and swore I would get one exactly like it some day.

Move forward 15 years.

I�ve been in the Air Force for 10 years now and I definitely have seen the world. A lot has happened. After marriage, the birth of my son, divorce, being a single parent and reconciling with my wife, I�m finally in the position to buy a car I want. Something for myself, not just one that fills
the economic situation I�m in. (although my financial situation does limit me to a $2500 budget)

On my way to my parents house one weekend, we see a 1984 318i for sale on the side of the road. $1750. That�s within my budget!!! I call the guy the very next day and it�s been sold. Damn. But now I realize I just might be able to
get the BMW I promised myself years before.

And that�s just what I did. After a couple of months of looking and reading a lot in the forum, I got a �87 325. Virtually identical to the one I sat in back in 1985. Under budget too.

Now, it does need a bit of work. It has the fluctuating idle problem and a dead fuel transfer pump but all-in-all, I am very happy with it. I told my (ex-ex) wife that I can�t ever see myself getting rid of it. She gave me the indulgent "wife smile" that I�m sure a lot of people on the forum know well.
The car has the original bottlecap wheels � it came with 3 and a steel spare � the 4th is from a junk yard. 2 of them look ok considering their age, but the other 2 are pretty bad.

Given my budget, they are going to have to stay on there for a long time. There are loads of other places for my money to go.

And that�s my story.

Steve Myers
TSGT � USAF
�87325

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