Morgan's In An Alfa (Again!)

[Morgan 46]

I've sent the Bimmer off to Autolusso for a bit of a healthcheck, and Ned's given me this:

 

 

She's a 2003 147 1.6 Twinnie Lusso 3-door, with a few bodywork issues. Still, the car drives alright, and the 5-speed manual shifts nicely. Predictably, the airbag light's on, and the suspension could do with some new bushes, but that's to be expected with a 10 year old courtesy car.

 

What I'm finding most striking is how utterly different the Alfa is to the Bimmer. The only thing they have in common is the fact they're both cars. Otherwise, they are at opposite ends of the motoring spectrum.

 

That's not to say I'm not enjoying the Alfa, far from it. There's a much more "mechanical" feel to the act of driving in the 147, rather than the smoothed-off and refined experience of piloting the BMW. That "mechanical" feel is really rather endearing.

 

I expect LJ had a similar experience (albeit in reverse) when he had a Volvo V70 courtesy car whilst his 147 GTA was in for work.

 

 

[Gaz 29]

There's a bumper attached to all those cracks on the front!

[K9d 108]

That's a very good analogy of Alfa, they do make you feel like your driving rather than just pushing pedals and moving bits around.

[Morgan 46]

I know, you should see the other side, Gaz. The angle I took that picture from shows the car in its best light, would you believe!

[Gaz 29]

Coming from Autolusso, i can believe it

[Morgan 46]

Autolusso's courtesy cars are affectionately known as "Ned's Sheds" by his customers.

 

When I moan about his cars (all in jest, of course), he asks me how much I pay to borrow them. That usually shuts me up.

[Anjenha 44]

When I hand my car in for a checkover I always get an Audi that smells of dog and fishing gear

[Morgan 46]

Sounds fishy.

[Morgan 46]

Oh, and the 147 I've got is a Turismo, not a Lusso, as I stated in my OP.

 

Not that it matters much, but I like to be correct about these things.

[Anjenha 44]

Oh, and the 147 I've got is a Turismo, not a Lusso, as I stated in my OP.

 

Not that it matters much, but I like to be correct about these things.

[LJ_GQV 115]

my 1st 147 was a turismo and it had a cassette player in the front and a cd changer in the boot. think that must have been the only option ticked on it when it was brand new but i loved it if it had nothing on it, there was nothing to go wrong it was quick enough for what i needed at the time and you could drive it like you stole it (which was fun because it didn't feel like a heavy car really) without being stupidly over the speed limit kind of why i like my MiTo so much (except its a lot quicker so you have to be carefull )

[WTI 59]

I've sent the Bimmer .

You mean Beemer.

[jhc 28]

You mean Beemer.

 

^^^^ this

[Anjenha 44]

Bimmer = accepted car slang

Beemer = accepted bike slang

 

Fools

[Anjenha 44]

Bimmer vs. Beemer

 

Enthusiasts vs. others

 

Definitions:

 

Bimmer - proper accepted slang for BMW cars. Most people don't know this.

 

Beamer/Beemer - proper accepted slang for BMW motorcycles. You will hear this term used incorrectly by many people.

 

Bummer - When you get a speeding ticket.

 

Bitter - Another German car. Very rare; hand built.

 

So just why is a BMW car called a 'bimmer' not a 'beemer' or 'beamer'?

 

The answer in part lies in knowing some BMW history and what came first.

 

All real BMW enthusiasts know that BMW got a big start on two wheels, what many call the real BMWs.

 

In those days, BMW motorcycles were quite active in racing, and one of their competitors at the track was often the BSA bikes.

 

Well as things would have it, a track slang developed, and the BMWs were usually referred to as 'beemers' and the BSAs were referred to as 'beesers'.

 

So, of course for any true enthusiast, there is no way that a BMW car could be called a 'beemer', so they were called 'bimmers'.

Edited June 30, 2013 by Anjenha

[Gaz 29]

Bummer

[Anjenha 44]

[jhc 28]

I don't think anyone actually cares that much tbh.

 

 

[smiffy 99]

^^^^^^^what he said^^^^^^^^

 

Beemer bimmer bummer all the same

 

Bimmer actually autocorrects to bummer

[Gaz 29]

I prefer to call them those c***ing things driven by those with a heightened sense of self importance

[Anjenha 44]

^^ this. More than anything else.

 

I've never been a fan and people seem to get in them and become a stereotype. Instantly

[Anjenha 44]

I don't think anyone actually cares that much tbh.

then why did you correct him in the first place?

[jhc 28]

I didn't. I just agreed with someone.

 

 

[Morgan 46]

Welcome back, munkster.

 

To clear a few things up:

 

1) It's Bimmer (Anjenha's totally right).

2) Correct. I do have a heightened sense of self-importance (though, to be fair, I had that before I had a BMW).

3) I am a walking stereotype (ditto the above... I don't think the BMW made it any worse ).

 

Sometimes a car just fits the person.

 

 

[jhc 28]

Ditto, I was a bastard long before I started driving bmws.