1996 BMW 328is

Today I bought a car. A 1996 BMW 328is, in dark purple (it's kind of an unusual colour), and with 250 000km. The previous owner is a professor at the University of Regina, and he told me he bought it from a Dean, who got it from his daughter. There are reciepts and expired vehicle registration documents going back to 2000, which includes the original invoice from Three Point Motors used vehicles department; I don't have any information on the original purchase, except the license-plate surrounds which state "Victoria BMW". As a strange coincidence, Pixie the Prelude, my previous car, has a Three Point Motors sticker on the trunk; both of my Saskatchewan cars were apparently sold at that dealership (they're mostly a Mercedes dealer these days, it seems) at some point.

I had been half-heartedly looking for a new-to-me car ever since I decided the rust issues on Pixie meant she wouldn't last another winter. Hondas from the 1980s don't have good defences against rampant metal oxidation, and once the rust got into the rear panels above the rear wheels it progressed rapidly. I was awarded a scholarship (that I'm still not 100% certain I'm allowed to talk about - it's from NSERC and they asked I not broadcast my award until after they've announced it through their news section) that started in May, so my budget increased from "it runs" to "hey there are some options at this price point!"; I upgraded my search to "whole-heartedly" a couple of weeks ago as the weather started to change. An older Bimmer really isn't THAT expensive, though maybe I should wait on such pronouncements until after my first significant maintenance. On that topic, the previous owner described some rather major recent work done on the car, including a new clutch - so at least I'm not likely to find myself stranded with a blown clutch on some half-abandoned gravel road, as happened shortly after I bought Pixie nearly two years ago.

This car does not yet have a name; I'm of the opinion names for cars emerge after some time has passed, and I await the appearance of the name.

As for Pixie, I have made arrangements for her to be an organ donor for a ministock racecar, a very similar 1988 Prelude that turns left, abundantly, at high speed. This is, I think, a better end for my faithful Pixie than to rot in a junkyard.

Enough text, have some pictures.