The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

Have a 2007 Z4 Roadster that needs a little TLC. Looking to move away from the BMW dealer on Memorial. Too darn expensive. Anyone know another good source. Thanks in advance.

I continue to go to BMW of Tulsa and choose what they'll do (not everything on their list is important), but Benzin Motor Works has the equipment to work on BMWs. http://www.benzinmotorworks.com/ (http://www.benzinmotorworks.com/) Not just anyone can work on these.

O'brien Auto on 6th does BMW work.   Small specialist shop.  Do a lot of Land Rover and other Euro cars work.

O'Brien is very good. Loves his work.

Get a Ford.  Avoid the pretentious, elitist, overpriced nonsense.

Don't be rude. Owning a certain brand of car doesn't make you pretentious or elitist.

???  Have you driven around BMW drivers???

Lol.  You are right of course.  Used to be "a-holes" in Continentals 30 years ago...it's the pretentious elitist a-holes that give the brand the stigma, not the other way around.   

I think I have mentioned before I wouldn't buy a Ford again anyway just because of the stupid stuff they are doing.  There was a 10 year window from about 2001 to 2010 when they couldn't paint a car that would not peel off.  I have one.  I also have 2 of the same cars from the 90's that have kept their paint for 20 years, no problem.  They "value engineered" the paint right off their cars!!

Its the driving feel of a BMW, Porsche, or Mercedes that gives them their panache. They seem to have higher standards of engineering, trim, and performance. True, many drivers simply like their social status and use their performance to abuse others. Corvette, Camaro and Mustang owners do too. If I could afford a European marque, and their upkeep, even an old one I would buy one.

Used to have a friend - no longer with us - who got into Mercedes in the 70's....1950's, early 60's MB.  IIRC, he concentrated on 4XX series.  Is there a 4 door 450 sedan?  

About 1974 he found a 1961 or 62 Whichever Model that was absolutely mint. 12 years old or so and NO detectable evidence of wear of any kind.  Big for Mercedes, 4 door, unbelievable ride, with a manual transmission.  I got to drive it a few times and it was truly amazing - arguably the best car I have ever ridden in before or since.  It just oozed class.  At the time, when all the cars I was generally exposed to were $3,000 to $5,000 - this one he paid $8,000 for.  I thought it was very much worth it.  But would never have bought one myself for that kind of money.  Mostly because I was making about $2.50 an hour about that time.

Have ridden in BMW's and Porches.  Meh...   Value/Cost ratio just ain't there.

Which discussion inevitably leads me to my 2nd favorite ride - another friend had a 1933 Packard 8 that needed some mechanical work, so I got it from him for a few months to evaluate/work on at my leisure.  Even for a 40 year old car at the time (80 year old car today), it rode very nice.  Would take it to drive in theater (usually Admiral Twin) for a night out.  It always got lots of interest.  The front end steering design on those was a little squirelly, but it was a ton of fun to drive!  

You could find good buys on Mercedes in the 70's. I came into some money around 76 and found a cool 50's era black Benz parked at 15th and Lewis. Had the torpedo shape and a six banger. Looked like a Rolls or Bentley. Lovely period car and even though I loved it I passed on it for less than 2K. Bought a 73 Vette  for 5K instead and wasn't entirely unhappy. It was the disco years and I was cooler in the vette than I would have been in the benz!

To my opinionated friends here. Let me tell you how it is with me. Grew up in a very poor family and struggled to put myself through architectural school which is a five year curriculum at best. I am the first male in our direct family linage to graduate from college and had to overcome me contractor father so I could do so. Made it though, got my license and was able to get nationally certified. Opened my own practice and had much decent success. I can afford any car I want but chose the little z4, over all the rest, because it is so much darn much fun to drive. So if you really feel the need to "crit" people that worked hard to rise up through hard work then be my quest.  I have nothing to apologize for.

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Have a friend who has one of those - first gen E85.  Early/mid 2000s.  Kind of a butterscotch color.  He loves it.  It is a cute little car.  He works at a car wash, has a modest lifestyle and puts his time/effort into what he loves!  It's one of those things where you can't have everything you want, but you can have any one thing you want.  That's his thing.

Absolutely right - nothing to apologize for at all - it's the thing you want!

But still...it's a BMW and you and he might get teased about it from time to time...!

Yeah, he'll get teased because it's not the official Okie vehicle.........

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I keep hearing about this but haven't really seen one yet.  However, it wouldn't surprise me in the least.

I have mentioned the admitted criminal Mark Allen Eaton here - the guy that tried to kill the kids of some friends of mine and Kurt Glassco in collusion with the Tim Harris regime, let off with no real consequences.  I have visited a couple times when one of his relatives has driven by with a "rollin' coal" rig.  White trash don't fall far from the tree....