R.I.P.

[fourbanger]

My car is dead. It faithfully gave it's life protecting mine and my girlfriend's. After hydroplaning on a curve at 75mph, we fell into a 15ft ditch and rolled over.

It is currently laying dead at my girlfriend's house. The chassis is banged up beyond repair, but the mechanicals work. The roof fell so low that it was an inch from my head, and i have my seat all the way down. Luckily, nothing happened to me or my girlfriend.

Even though I had briefly considered just cutting off the B and C pillars and the roof with them, I feel that it would not be a dignified ending for my poor ti. So, alas I put it to rest and I guess I can only move on. Found a nice little 328is for a song, so I guess that ends my ti era. It was fun while it lasted.

[1996 328ti]

Sorry to hear that.
I totalled my 1998 Bright Red Sport w/California Roof in March 2000.
I was on a downhill sweeping left hander. Not particularily fast. But the contributing factors was that I was tired and early in the morning. My right rear wheel got caught on some wet gravel. I darted to the left, straightened out the car but I was in a 4-wheel drift to the left until I parked it between 3 trees and perched on a rock. The car was totalled although someone bought it and had it rebuilt. Every corner of the car was damaged. The engine was ripped from the motor mounts. The roof crumbled. I was not scratched at all. It is a true testament how well these cars are built. Nothing will protect you from the forces of physics though.
Good to hear you and your girlfriend are OK. As much as we love our cars, they are still only cars and can be replaced. People can't. A month later I bought the 328ti. I feel like I'm driving someone else's car and still miss my 98.

[robcarync]

these storys are so sad. i have yet to total a car or get in any type of wreck...but ive only been driving around one year...so im sure the time will come...makes me sad thinking about it...glad to hear you and your girlfriend are ok.

[96cali]

Hasta la vista el ti.

Glad to hear you survived. Got any pics to share if it's not too painful? It is amazing when you realize that our cars ride on about 1 ft square contact patch total. Must have been a wild ride. Have you ever been in anything similar?

Not that this compares but when I was about 12 and coming back with my team from basketball practice, a lady ran a stop sign and clipped the front of our van. We had just stopped for food and when our coach slammed on the brakes our milk shakes, burgers and fruit punches all went SPLATT!! on the front windsheild. It looked like the inside of a blender on puree. She was freakin till she realized the red stuff all over was my fruit punch and not blood. I walked home.

Watch out for that six cylinder... ;}

[2ndBimmer]

Im glad youre alright. I was in a similar situation a couple months ago; luckily my car swung 180 and stopped about 1 foot from the side of the road and the trees beyond.

I wish you the best of luck my friend. You may no longer be in a Ti, but the BMW family is a warm place for all.

[fourbanger]

I'll put some pictures up soon. Got em in my digital camera and just haven't found the time to suck em out. Took a picture of the ditch; not pretty, still has my rear window in it. The engine, transmission and most of the suspension is still intact, however. Gonna sell for what I can get. It's interesting though, the interior is trashed. Other than the roof caving in and the floor bumping up in some places, there are some unusual things i've never seen. My steering wheel bent outward but towards me for one. The other is that my seats twisted and fell off their rails. That's a scary thought considering i was hanging upside down.

This makes the third time I crashed my ti. The first time it was a slick curve that had me going into a post rear first. The second time was a downhill S curve that I underestimated and went in at 80mph. I got lucky there and only ended up in a small ditch with a scratched bumper. All three times it's the oversteer that gets me. So all you guys that complain about understeer can look take a peek at my suspension geometry and figure out how to fix it .

I've yet to take a look at the 328is. Kinda ironic, when you have a car you're perfectly capable of going and looking at other cars. But when you don't have one, it can be the biggest pain in the ass to get across town to look at one. Funny thing though, my next door neighbor is selling her 316i Compact. Temptation...

[fourbanger]

NOOOO!!!!

I saw the 328is today. First off, it's a '93 325is. What kinda dumbass does the dude think I am? Second off the interior is falling apart. So much for that. Back to the interminable search for a nice six. I'm considering just saving up and buying a friggin 320d (which is a four, i know - gas prices are outrageous here). That or buy one in the states and ship it down... Speaking of which, anyone know how much it'd be to ship one down here? :P

[318tibimmer]

Sorry to hear about the car I have had a few close calls myself, Just to give you an idea I live in colorado, I was going up to Greeley to visit my Girlfriend and it was snowing this dumbass few beside me and the gust of air from him gong by must have moved my car just enough for it to catch an edge and I slid across the median into oncomming traffic (Snow Plow) and onto the shoulder on the other side. Very close call. Drove away with only a bad scratch on one of my Rims.

[fourbanger]

Well, the car search is still on. My neighbor's Compact looks mighty appealing, especially since it only has 38k kilometers on it. I think I've got the whole street racing bug outta my pants now. Yesterday a friend of mine was giving me a ride in his '94 325is. Sure, the exhilirating rush of acceleration and that beautiful sound coming from the six was admirable.. but something about running away from the cops isn't all that cool. Needless to say, the 325is has earned my respect for the crap he put it through (and for getting away ), but I think I'll settle with less-than-orbital speeds when I get a car again.