M Coupe Buyers Guide

As it’s been over a month, and I have not done a write-up of my own M Coupe event, Alex was generous enough to let me post his. It was pretty awesome to have one of the largest coupe gatherings in the country at my house. It was an epic day! From Alex as copied from his blog, Life on the Lee-Side:

Fall is officially here, which means it’s time for the M Coupe Buyers Guide Fall Barbecue. M Coupe Buyers Guide is the best M Coupe resource on the internet.  We meet at its creator Jon’s house every spring and fall to stretch our car’s legs a little and geek out in his driveway. This year we had a record setting 9 M Coupes, 2 M Roadsters, 3 E90 M3’s, 2 E36 M3’s, and 2 motorcycles.  My brother John flew out for the weekend and drove the new addition to my fleet, a track prepped M Roady (I’ll post more about that later).

The New Addition

As the cars rolled into Jon’s neighborhood the numbers in attendance this year became staggering compared to previous years.  Lindsey travelled the farthest distance, coming all the way from Bozeman, MT in his Cosmos Black M Coupe with gold wheels.  Colby had the newest addition, with his nearly mint Dakar Yellow M Coupe.  Seth, who I met by refusing to allow his oil to be changed at Jiffy Lube came up with his Estoril Blue M Coupe.

A Record 9 M Coupes

After the obligitory photo session we drove out usual route through Poudre Canyon and Stove Prairie.  The High Park Fire this year had scorched large swaths of the canyon, while the ongoing drought had reduced the Poudre River to a trickle.  The colors of the canyon were diverse, with the usual yellow and orange colors contrasted deeply by black and greys in the burned areas.  There was a certain beauty to the destruction that contrasted the vivid colors of our M Coupe’s brilliantly.  The impact of the fire on the community, even after three months, was still fresh.  Signs thanking firefighters were posted by many residents and on Stove Prarire helicopters were dropping straw on mud slide prone burn areas.

80 Years of Automobile Evolution Separated by a Gas Pump

Staging Before the Canyon

Colby’s Dakar Yellow M Coupe

Firefighter Gratitude

John Driving the M Roady

Into the Canyon

Drought Stricken Poudre River Slowed to a Trickle

More Gratitude

Headed Up Stove Prairie

See the Helicopter?

John and I had to break off at the end of the drive, but not until we all got together for one last photo session overlooking Horsetooth Reservior.

One Last Group Shot

John in the Roady

Well, it was just barely spring, but I’ll count it. Saturday afternoon in Fort Collins was not a typical day though. For several weeks, there has been a large fire burning just west of town. Unfortunately, this fire has covered all three of my favorite driving roads and nearly 200 houses (High Park Fire Map). Fortunately, the wind was pretty mild and not our of the west, so Fort Collins itself was not full of smoke. No typically beautiful blue skies though.

Helicopter

As an alternate route, we decided to go a little farther north and drive up to Red Feather Lakes. It ended up being a pretty fun drive. It’s not nearly as curvy as our usual roads, but very scenic with a few fun corners. We were also able to see several fire fighting helicopters refilling their buckets which is not something you see everyday. I believe Red Feather had been issued a pre-evacuation order so traffic was sparse, and town was virtually empty for a nice Saturday afternoon.

As Colby, our usual photographer, was busy, my wife Jenn took it upon herself to get some good photos. I think she did great for being her first time taking photos of cars (and good practice for the Dorkfest trip). You’ll also notice there are more photos with people in them than usual :). The only downside of having the photographer with me is that my car is not in as many photos :-).

Our group was a little smaller this time, but two new coupes joined the fun this year. In attendance were:

• Jenn and My 2002 Steel Gray over Imola Red M Coupe
• Cameron’s 2001 Estoril Blue over Estoril Blue M Coupe
• Jon’s 2000 Imola Red over Black M Coupe (sunroof-delete)
• Todd’s 2010 Jet Black over Fox Red M3

After the drive, we came back to my house for brats and drinks. Cameron’s new coupe has a variety of envy producing modifications that we all enjoyed gawking at and later test driving (man it felt fast). All in all, it was a good day.

Sideview Mirror Shot

Keeping Up with Cameron

Parked in Red Feather

Jon's Imola Hood

Cameron's Apex and Brembos

Cameron's Side Gill

Todd's Nostrils

Todd's Side Gill

My Front Fender

My Side Gill

Parked in Red Feather

Group Shot

Group Shot

Group Shot

Group Shot

Todd's Wheel

Parked at Red Feather

It’s a rather unusual 80 degree day in Colorado on March 17th, what’s a birthday boy to do? Take the M Coupe out of winter hibernation of course! And that is exactly what I did. With the kids napping at my parents’ house, my dad and I drove back to my house and released the coupe from it’s winter home. I already knew what this birthday present was going to be, but it didn’t make it any less fun to unwrap.

Winter Home Under Cover

Unwrapping the Perfect Present

Puma Driving Shoes

Even though it has looked great under it’s tight, black, form-fitting cover, it looks even better without it. The drive also gave me the opportunity to try out two of my new modifications. First, my wife had bought me some imola red and black interior color-matched Puma driving shoes for Christmas (does she know me or what?). I had not had a chance to try them out yet. They lived up to the hype and will now be worn on all drives going forward. I had also only had one opportunity to drive using my new illuminated ZHP shift knob after installing it last fall. If anything, I like it even more than I remember. It completely transforms the shifting action. My dad probably got tired of me saying how much I liked it. Who knew such a small thing could make such a big difference. Man does it fell good to be back in the saddle again.

Back in the Saddle Again

Stove Prairie Road

We headed up Rist Canyon and back to town on Stove Prairie road which is one of my favorite routes. There were a few too many motorcyclists out, but it didn’t ruin the beautiful weather and even better roads. On our way back into town I pulled off on an overlook on the ridge over Horsetooth Reservoir, and my dad took some great photos. My wife used her photo editing skills to make them even better. See what you think:

Horsetooth Reservoir

Front 3/4

Profile

Rear 3/4

Profile Detail

Black & White Close-Up

Rear 3/4

Big Rock

Hood Detail

Needless to say, I had a very happy birthday.

Friday morning, I met Kevin and his alpine white S54 M Coupe for a 300+ mile morning drive. We started at Starbucks in Fort Collins at 6 AM and went up Poudre Canyon, down Stove Prairie Road to Masonville, cut over to Loveland to go through Thompson Canyon to Estes Park, into Rocky Mountain National Park, and up the seasonally open Trail Ridge Road to an altitude of 12,183′. Up at the top, we pulled out of a scenic overlook and were followed by a Park Ranger the next couple miles. He eventually pulled me over and took my information. After 20 minutes and 100s of tourists staring at the two funny looking cars that were in trouble, he came back from his cruiser and gave me a written warning for not coming to a complete stop before following Kevin out of the overlook. It was almost enough to ruin my day, but we pressed on.

Trail Ridge Road

Trail Ridge Road

The original plan was to head back home from there, but they were doing road work at the bottom of the mountain that we didn’t want to have to go back through nor did I feel like following the park ranger who had turned back down the mountain. We decided to head down the other side to Grand Lake and Lake Grandby. From there we turned onto 125 to Walden, CO. There’s virtually nothing in those 55 miles. The first half of the road contains long sweepers through a valley along the Colorado River. It made me forget all about the ranger. At Walden we parted ways as I actually had to go home and do some work, so I headed over Cameron Pass, back through Poudre Canyon to Fort Collins. Kevin continued on to double his trip through Steamboat Springs all the way to Hayden.  He then headed south on Twentymile Road (a cool stretch as it turned out) to Oak Creek, then via 131 to Toponas.  He cut east on 134 and 40 to Kremmling, then south on 9 through Silverthorne, then 6 through Keystone and over Independence pass back to I70.  He said it was dark when he finally headed back.

This was the longest day I’ve spent in the coupe (about 7 hours), and it handled perfectly. Aside from the ranger, we did not have an issue and I came out of the driver seat feeling refreshed. It only makes me look forward to the 1,200 mile drive to Dorkfest even more.

View July 29, 2011 – Drive with Kevin in a larger map

Edit: We also saw an Evergreen M Roadster on the way up the canyon to Estes Park. It was right at a blind corner, so we didn’t even get a chance to wave.

Almost every Saturday morning, I get up at sunrise and head for the local canyons and mountains outside of Fort Collins in my M Coupe. Traffic is non-existent, the cows aren’t wandering in the open range, the deer have called it a night, and the cyclists are still asleep. It’s just me and my coupe, and often times a lucky passenger. This week my dad rode with me. He’s been a photographer for a long, long time and has great photos from all over the world, but he’s never taken photos of a car before. It was a first for us both. We started off a little clueless and unable to figure how to get the lighting right in the locations we wanted, but eventually caught our stride. I have a feeling we’ll be trying it again sometime.

All of these locations are on the route I drive almost every week, but I had never pulled over to appreciate them before. I feel blessed to live in such a beautiful place.

I have not doctored or cropped any of these because I don’t really have that talent, but if you’d like a full size version to play with just send me an email. Here are a sampling of the results.

On the Bridge

On the Bridge #2

Through the Tunnel

Found Some Sunlight

First Motion Shot Attempt

Second Motion Shot Attempt

Through the Tunnel #2

Canyon

Found Some Sunlight #2

Produced just 13 days and 22 cars apart in October 2001, Glenn and my M Coupes (#39 and #17 of 2002 and the first of the year in this color combination) could have shared time together before being shipped out. It really was amazing to see them next to each other again almost 9 years later. They are near spitting images of each other. Besides Glenn’s rare sunroof-delete option and my European clear bumper lights, not a lot separates them from the outside. One interesting thing we did note – that we wouldn’t have if they weren’t parked within feet of each other – is that Glenn’s shadow chrome roadstar wheels were noticeably darker than mine. On the inside, Glenn’s driver seat bolster is the definition of perfection and about the only one that could make mine look less so. I have the 6-disc changer in the trunk and an alarm LED in the center console, but those are about the only noticeable differences.

Back in February, I was beginning to give up hope of ever finding a steel gray over imola red M Coupe and thinking of settling. When Glenn was nice enough to let me come down and gawk at his coupe, my fortitude to press on with my search was renewed. Now that I have finally found one, I’m so glad I held out all these years.

Thanks to Colby Gregory for taking all these amazing photos.

My New Coupe!

…And I’ve waited a long time. Since starting my search almost 6 years ago I’ve gotten married, bought a house, bought a family car (Audi A3), and had 2 kids. But the wait is almost over. Earlier today I put a deposit on the coupe pictured above. This will officially be the last post in the “My Search” category.

Imola Red Interior

My search took so long because I was so picky. Ever since seeing an M Coupe in steel gray with imola red and black interior at the 2001 Denver Auto Show, I’ve wanted that exact color combination, and only that color combination. After not seeing another one in almost 9 years, I started to grow tired of the search and started thinking of opening my search to other colors. Glenn cured me of that notion when he let me come see and later drive his coupe (see Ruined for Anything Less). I was immediately re-hooked and the search continued.

Glenn’s M Coupe only has 7,000 miles and is one of the most original and well cared for coupes out there. It also happens to be just 1 of 2 in this color combination without a sunroof. I thought very long and hard about trying to buy his, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to save up enough to give him the price he deserves for his car. We are definitely planning a photo shoot with our coupes after I get mine and before he sells his.

I came across this coupe on Sunday when checking sales listings on my phone from Lake McConaughy, NE while at a family reunion. My phone was my only source of Internet at the house we were renting, so I immediately tethered it to my laptop to make sure my eyes were not playing tricks on me. Sure enough, there was a steel gray over imola red M Coupe for sale with Colorado license plates. I called immediately to get more details and have been working on securing financing since getting back in town on Monday.

S54 Engine

This coupe is literally exactly what I had in mind when starting my search (if not a little nicer). It’s a 2002 with less than 30,000 miles. It’s completely stock besides a clear bra (which I love), clear corner lights (which I would have done anyway), and “M” valve stem caps (sure, why not?). The previous owner works for Adam’s Polishes, so I know it’s been well cared for by nice products. I love how wet the paint looks in the photos; I can’t wait to see it in person.

This coupe is actually registered just 40 miles away from me in Boulder, CO. Two days before posting it for sale, the current owner shipped it to his dad’s dealership in Delaware. It will now have to make the long trip all the way back to Colorado. It probably won’t see that many miles again for some time. It’s supposed to arrive in Delaware on Friday. Gambacorta Motors will inspect it, send me the report, and then ship it back to Colorado. I probably won’t have it in my possession until at least the end of next week if not the week after. I have a feeling those 10-14 days will feel longer than the 6 years I’ve been waiting already.

I’ve had a lot of help with my search and need to give some people credit:

• Glenn – for reigniting my search for the color combination I’ve always wanted
• Bob – for helping put things in perspective and giving great advice in all areas of the transaction
• Eric – for helping figure out financing and making me aware of this cars existence before it was even listed
• Jeremy – for solid advice and helping hold me over through the years with t-shirts, bumper stickers etc.
• Josh – for your wealth of knowledge of these cars as well as great thoughts and advice
• MY WIFE (most of all) – for letting me spend so much time looking and being almost as excited as I am now that we’ve finally found one

You can see more information and photos of the car by clicking here.

2002 BMW M Coupe - $21,998

Pictured above is the first coupe I ever actually tried to buy in my 5 years of searching (click here for more photos). My 5 week-old daughter woke me up at 5:30 this morning, and I decided to drag myself out of bed. Before starting work, I did my morning nationwide M Coupe search and this car came up at a CarMax near Los Angeles. I immediately called them knowing they obviously would not be open at 4:30 AM local time, but deals like this on a car I want, do not come up often and I wanted to get my name in first. I left a message on my first call, sent an email through their website, then proceeded to call every 15 minutes to half hour until the store closer to me in Colorado Springs opened at 9 AM.

I had never dealt with CarMax before as the Colorado Springs store is 2+ hours away, and I honestly didn’t know it was even there. I primarily just had questions about their inspection, warranty, etc. and didn’t want to wait until the California store opened to ask them. After all, I had already been staring at the photos, looking for flights, planning my route home, and not getting any work done for 3.5 hours. The guy I talked to informed me about CarMax’s ability to do transfers between stores because CarMax is not franchised but has one parent company. He also enlightened me to the fact that if you purchase a car from a dealer in California, you pay sales tax to California whether or not you’re going to register it there. In essence, you would be paying sales tax twice. He said the transfer fee would be far less than paying California sales tax (not true, see comments below). Now that I was convinced I should have it transferred rather than flying out to get it, he put in the transfer request which was then immediately rejected because the car was non-transferable. CarMax did not have the title in hand yet, and Colorado consumer protection laws won’t let dealers sell you a car without a title. He said to wait until the dealer selling it opened and talk to them directly if I was willing to fly out and buy it in person.

I continued to try the California dealer’s number every 15 minutes until someone finally picked up. Somehow the salesman I talked to (who said he was one of 50 there), had already had 2 calls on it before me. One of which was from Cincinnati who I immediately knew was Enthusiast Auto. I told him I had cash and could fly out tomorrow to come get it. He started to put in my order but said someone had already put in a transfer request to Ohio. I told him I had tried to do the same thing a while earlier but was told it was non-transferable. He said it shouldn’t be able to be transferred and would talk to their business department and tell them he had a cash buyer. He also said that his particular CarMax didn’t sell to dealers which gave me a little hope. After quite a bit of back and forth and a call to the business department directly, I learned that Ohio allows transfers without title, the Cincinnati dealer opened 2 hours before mine and his formal transfer request was slightly before mine, they do “sometimes” sell to other dealers, and the car was sold.

What I learned:

• Sometimes you can be prepared, get an early start, do everything you can do, and still not be able to get the car you want.
• CarMax sales people are very helpful and informative (although not completely truthful) when they have a car they think they can sell to you but lose interest quickly.
• CarMax does not know how to handle cars that generate nationwide interest.
• It’s not the time you first call or email, but when you actually get a hold of someone and put in a formal request to buy a car that matters.
• Consumer protection laws sometimes only protect you from the car you’ve been seeking for years.
• CarMax buyers on the East Coast have a large advantage when looking for cars on the West Coast. I’m not sure if in the future I can call an Eastern time zone dealer and put in a transfer request then have the transfer request switched to my dealer later? I have a feeling I’ll never have another opportunity to find out.
• Steel gray over gray at the right price, can make me compromise on my search for steel gray/imola. I’m not sure any other color combination could, and I don’t see a deal like this ever happening again.

I guess it wasn’t meant to be. Life goes on. The search continues…