rxsumo 33 Report post Posted December 16, 2007 Our E3 3.0S was a private import from the UK back in '73. I thought that it would be cool to get hold of the information about the car prior to it coming over. I have the original ownership papers for the car, and when I ran the original owners details through whitepages it came back with the same address as in the ownership papers. As a long shot, I wrote to the original owner, to see about the car's history before it got to NZ, and yesterday I got a huge email back with heaps of history, with all sorts snippets of gold like where the car was originally supplied from etc, as well as a few of the more memorable moments with the car. He was definitely an enthusiastic BMW driver as this snippet about a drive into Europe shows. "With four of us on board on the Paris - Calais motorway I cruised for 15 minutes at 100mph, then 15 minutes at 110mph, 15 minutes at 120mph and then 15 minutes flat out (about 128mph depending on gradient - I did see 130mph with the rpm's nudging the redline) - in the hour we covered over 110 miles. The only car to pass me was a BMW 30Si. We won't talk about fuel consumption!" I'm glad to see that it wasn't a pampered luxury car in its early life. Has anybody else tried this this exercise with their cars? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark 178 Report post Posted December 16, 2007 That's really cool. I'd try it with my car, but I'm guessing the only previous owner was a balding Japanese sales rep whose main thrill with the car was getting out of second gear while in rush hour traffic! On the other hand, my grandmother owns a E28 528i that my grandfather brought back from Germany with him in the early 80's, now that might have an exciting history. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThreeOneEight 0 Report post Posted December 16, 2007 My car was bought for a butcher's wife in Levin back in June 1990, and has achieved every stamp in her service book. I believe it had a well pampered, but ultimately unexciting life in small town New Zealand. Perhaps one day, she will be used as a getaway car. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi535 538 Report post Posted December 16, 2007 Mine had four registered owners before escaping from the big smoke to Wellington...a previous owner told me it was pretty quick around taupo.!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
m_power 0 Report post Posted December 16, 2007 Mine was owned by lawyers and lived in Ponsonby... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
international 0 Report post Posted December 16, 2007 Mine was owned by lawyers and lived in Ponsonby... My mum owned my BMW... The Z4 was owned by someone who traded it for a 350Z which was foolish...pior to the trade she was working at a well known company, wont say the name... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted December 16, 2007 Our E12 520i of which we are only the second owner & have now had nearly 14 years was bought as "tourist delivery" off the assy line in Munich by the first owner (local person). He specced it as he wished (still now has genuine BMW original option floor mats, sheepskins, air con) Becker motorised radio I replaced (but kept)with a CD when we got it. He saw the finish of the build, drove off the assy line, around Europe, across to UK where it spent the first 18 months before it was allowed to be bought to NZ in 1980. I have all the original factory documentation/ spec options & early servicing along with the first Euro Rego plates. While in UK someone with a grudge carved a swastica on the bonnet which he had repainted when it arrived here. Car has had a pretty sedate life, done only 85k when we bought it & now only just over 120k - has seen me with a couple of infringements over he years though Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cainchapman 0 Report post Posted December 17, 2007 Bought new by Den, sold to me, in 2002. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Rick James Report post Posted December 17, 2007 Private import from South africa by Rodney Wayne in 1990. Then spent time around 94-96 in the hands of a pilot and spent much of its time around Ardmore airfield. Went back to Jerry Clayton in the later 90's and was looked after them for a time before finding its way to my fathers old mechanic. I saw it on a hoist and did a bit of research as to what it really was, pestered him for a couple of years to sell it to me and now here we are! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tomo 0 Report post Posted December 17, 2007 My car appears to have been a factory delivery to the Coombes family (of Coombes Johnston bmw) Where it was picked up in Germany and covered 4500km, and then bought over (interestingly complied without 3rd tail light & rear headrests, unusual for e30?) and sold probably as a "demonstrator". Then 3 nz owners before me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmw.maniac 1 Report post Posted December 17, 2007 Mine was owned by lawyers and lived in Ponsonby... Wasn't Ponsonby a bit of a ghetto in the late '80s? Or am I thinking of the '70s? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3 Cab 0 Report post Posted December 17, 2007 My M325i was delivered new to some bloke on Paritai Drive Orakei and then owned by an Ad executive at Saachi's until i bought it 3 years ago at 138ks Ponsonby was more a ghetto in the 70s Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
m_power 0 Report post Posted December 17, 2007 Wasn't Ponsonby a bit of a ghetto in the late '80s? Or am I thinking of the '70s?Duno, but my car is 1990 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nic325i 0 Report post Posted December 17, 2007 My car appears to have been a factory delivery to the Coombes family (of Coombes Johnston bmw) Where it was picked up in Germany and covered 4500km, and then bought over (interestingly complied without 3rd tail light & rear headrests, unusual for e30?) and sold probably as a "demonstrator". Then 3 nz owners before me. Not sure about the 3rd brake light, but lack of headrests is not unusual - my old M325i didn't have them either, and was close to full spec otherwise. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMW POWER 2 Report post Posted December 20, 2007 (edited) My wee baby is the country bike!!! Built to order 6/1989 in the Motherland, then hitched a ride to NZL to: Team Mac BMW Remuera,AK Epsom,AK Christchurch BMW Fendalton,CHCH Christchurch BMW Oxford,CHCH Unknown My boss Me -DDN Yeah was owned by my second in charge boss were i work part time, i nagged him for ages to buy it and he finally gave in. All the rich suburbs apart from whatever the rich one is in Welly. Edited December 20, 2007 by BMW Power Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
antony 0 Report post Posted December 20, 2007 Mine was owned by an old dude in in chch. He was the first NZ owner. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nath 130 Report post Posted December 20, 2007 Snob thread alert! arent these just stories of everyday people living everyday lives? mine was owned by a man who drove it, had a job and earned money. Im not sure how rich he was, well known his name is, or glamourous his wife was, but he cared for the car Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3 Cab 0 Report post Posted December 23, 2007 Snob thread alert! arent these just stories of everyday people living everyday lives? mine was owned by a man who drove it, had a job and earned money. Im not sure how rich he was, well known his name is, or glamourous his wife was, but he cared for the car Not snobby just interesting to know where the cars been. I would be more interesting if ya did know how glam his wife was or had pics even Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
