Ahhh, the joys of owning a E36 M3box

A couple of months ago Noddaz daughter wrecked my 1998 Sentra GXE.  I knew It would be totaled and I didn't bother turning it into insurance because of that.  The car is still drive able, with only one headlamp that points at the ground and one front turn lamp.  The hood is toast, the core support is bent and the right side fan shroud is broken.  Despite this I have been driving the car expecting to be pulled over for driving such a wreck on a public road.  No such luck.  A week or so ago I used a come-a-long and a no bounce hammer to pull the hood back into a less bent shape.  I also straightened the core support to a spec of +or- 2 inches.  And today I ordered a set of lamps.  That is right, a set of lamps that consists of 2 turn signals and 2 headlamps including bulbs for $95.61.  I am sure the quality will be overwhelming.  All Hail E36 M3box!

Dude (Larry) at work flips out and heavily keys both sides of a guys new Pontiac Grand Am.

Larry locks himself in the president's empty office looking through files as they yell at him to come out.  What's Larry going to do next? Key another car?

I had a $500 beater Cutlass and didn't care if there was more damage.  There is freedom in E36 M3 boxes as long as they start that day.

There is a certain satisfaction in driving a car you just fixed with a hammer and a tree. 

Good enough is just that. No need to spend more time or money than what is necessary to get it streetable. 

Driving in traffic takes on a whole new meaning when you have the beat-up POS. All of a sudden, everyone stays away from you and gives you plenty of space. 

In reply to Toyman! :

It's even better if your car is louder (v8 with header leak) than most would expect it to be and boy oh boy does traffic avoid being too close to you.

Ah, yes.  I have long referred to the elation associated with driving a vehicle that owes you nothing as "The Joy of Driving Junk."

I've driven some serious heaps of poo and there is such glorious freedom in driving one.

I bought my first car in 1983 and I bought my first nice car in 2004. I only bought the nice car at the urging of my wife. 

My Outback now has some good patina; it's such a relief.

1988RedT2 said:

Ah, yes.  I have long referred to the elation associated with driving a vehicle that owes you nothing as "The Joy of Driving Junk."

I think that's a fitting title for a biography. I also wouldn't say no to "The Art of Driving Junk in the Rain."

Toyman! said:

There is a certain satisfaction in driving a car you just fixed with a hammer and a tree. 

Good enough is just that. No need to spend more time or money than what is necessary to get it streetable. 

Driving in traffic takes on a whole new meaning when you have the beat-up POS. All of a sudden, everyone stays away from you and gives you plenty of space. 

I have not noticed that effect.  I still have been cut off on a semi-regular basis by all manner of vehicle.

I've never bought a beater but my cherokee is slowly rusting(roof down ) into a true beater. Stand on the roof? Clean the snow off with a shovel? Park in the tightest spots next to SUVs full of kids?

It is truly freeing to have a car you don't give a E36 M3 about, isn't it?

In 2022, the GF's Jeep Wrangler ate it's engine so she was driving my Tahoe PPV. That was our only operable vehicle at the time so I had to find something to drive until my Maverick was built and delivered. I found a manual transmission 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe with about 170k miles for about $2100. It was actually in good shape and everything worked, save for the radio. Even the A/C was ice cold. The suspension was completely worn out though.

I refinished the headlights, replaced the rear shocks, put a cheap Maxpeedingrods radio in it and drove it everyday for 5 months. The hood had lots of rock chips and paint damage so I rattle canned it. The grill got white spray on bed liner. The clutch was suspect so it got a new flywheel and cheap clutch kit.

It never left me stranded except when one of the front tire got a puncture. But that was it. And I drove it with little mechanical sympathy. Such a glorious E36 M3 box lol