I have an '05 Yukon Denali with every option known to man. To me, it's just more to fix as it ages.
The luxury vehicles of the 90's have to be like this about now.
If someone (me) wanted a driving project, it it at all feasible to dump most of the stupid high-end stuff and just put in a simple stereo, a speedometer, tach and that's it?
I wish you could still order vehicles with zero options and just drive them.
My Samurais were great examples of what I'm taking about: just the BASICS with a desirable drivetrain.
(The white 5-Series in Grm Mag got me thinking)
ebonyandivory wrote:
I wish you could still order vehicles with zero options and just drive them.
For some reason I always end up with the base model of a car and usually can live with it quite well. Back in 2011 I was looking at a Civic Si and an Accord LX. Both stickered around the $22-$23,000 range and the dealer was able to discount the Accord more since they had a ton of them versus the Civic Si.
I went with the Accord LX and have lived happily with it for 4-1/2 years and almost 109,000 miles. Someday I am going to get that high end car....
ebonyandivory wrote:
(The white 5-Series in Grm Mag got me thinking)
Was that possibly the BMW 750iL with V12?
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/bmw-750il-challenge-build/101330/page1/
More inspiration from the Lexus LS400 or any of The Aristocrats
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/aristocrat-class-luxo-barges-overwhelm-the-2015-ch/105027/page1/
Here's another option if you want simple with radio, speedo, tach.
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/1977-maverick-ultimate-road-trip-car/105043/page1/
You could get 90s BMWs in fairly basic Trim. Yes, we all got electric windows here in the states, but some of the lower end optioned cars came with manual heat/air no sunroof, a clock instead of the display in the console, so on and so forth.
While no where near as basic as your Sammi.. very basic compared to most cars of the day
The BMW I was referring to was covered with stickers and a logo on the door.
It was owned by a younger guy who's always at the track. Had a NASCAR side exhaust mounted in back.
I'm really taking about having a higher-end car with good power and good handling suspension but otherwise stripped. Different than buying a Fox Mustang.
More like Lexus/Infinity/BMW/Benz
Well, the bummer of it all is everything is so integrated.
If you are stripping the interior out (carpet, sound deadening, etc) that is one thing, but that creates a car that isn't very liveable. If you want to drag out the electronic modules, sure, buy I don't see the point. Let them work until they don't. Then it's just like you tore them out.
That's the 'highway star' BMW you are talking about right?
That was a mid-1980s 5 series car. They were quite a bit simpler than one from the mid-90s; electrical accessories can be problematic on them as well (I own one myself) but for the most part it's minor annoying things that can be fixed (like intermittent power window switches), rather than big problems that will shut you down on the side of the road.
Basically, stay pre '94 so you only have OBD 1 to contend with. After that, the car gets angry if you put a 12er in the passenger's seat, as it thinks its a baby (some sarcastic exaggeration for effect-you have a few sweet spot years in the late 90s/ early 00s before it gets that bad).
rcutclif wrote:
That's the 'highway star' BMW you are talking about right?
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Ok, makes sense to replace or leave out AFTER IT BREAKS but how far can one go?
(PS, not asking about gutting interior comfort like door panels and seats, carpet etc.)
Ex: power seats? Replace with aftermarket/used, stereo? Aftermarket.
Can you make a "simple" car out of a 98 BMW something---
ebonyandivory wrote:
I wish you could still order vehicles with zero options and just drive them.
My Samurais were great examples of what I'm taking about: just the BASICS with a desirable drivetrain.
You can still order a Wrangler with manual everything and no AC. It even has solid axles like your Samurai.
ebonyandivory wrote:
Ok, makes sense to replace or leave out AFTER IT BREAKS but how far can one go?
(PS, not asking about gutting interior comfort like door panels and seats, carpet etc.)
Ex: power seats? Replace with aftermarket/used, stereo? Aftermarket.
Can you make a "simple" car out of a 98 BMW something---
I think the point is, you can take SOME complicated parts out of a late 90s car,but it'll still be complicated, since there are other things, mostly integrated electronics modules, that you can't take out. If you're talking about turning a car into a race car with stand alone engine management etc, that's different, but it's surprising how many times "luxury" or comfort functions depend on the same hardware as more basic operating systems.
I guess I'm wanting a later-model, rwd, manual enthusiast car without the loadedness of said cars... On the cheap.
