Speeding

Speeding - Right or wrong we all do it. Being owners of BMW 7 Series machines, we all know that these cars are designed and built to cruise on the autobahn, not sputter along at 55MPH or 65MPH here in the states. The BMW 7 Series has recently been rev limited to 128MPH. In the days before 1994 (I think that is when the change happened) it was limited to 155MPH. I am not exactly sure where or how these limits are determined, but they seem arbitrary. Personally, I have done some rough calculations and by tachometer and redline ratios I have calculated the 1992 750iL could in theory get to 180MPH. When crusing at 90MPH the tach is at exactly 3,000 so with a 6,000RPM redline I should get to 180MPH. It may have trouble with wind resistance, since it is not a straight linear equation, and while somewhat aerodynamic, I think we all have to admit that the big sedan is not quite a slippery eel through the air. So, with all that for background I think it is safe to say that most of us do not always obey the posted speed limits. One additional note on the big-7, remember to be appreciative of your 7 Series for one feature in particular. Our big sedans, typically in non-flashy colors, do not stand out as prime targets like our brethren in the Cop-Catcher Red M3s, Mustangs and Camaros, even though we all know we are more than a match for these mighty mites, especially when we actually have to shift into high gear somewhere in the neighborhood of 120MPH or so. I will say that I do have a tendency to exceed, click here to read about some of my escapades. If you are planning to spend time above the limit, buy a radar detector. I don't want to speak for particular models, however I have heard nothing but good things about Valentine One detectors, I personally own a Whistler-880, it has saved me from a few scrapes. Please do be aware that there are several states where they are illegal, Virginia is amongst them. I know people who have been stopped for having them, if you think the police can't detect your detector you are wrong. I don't know very much about laser, other than it is not yet approved for use in Pennsylvania. Here are some general rules I like to follow. We've all heard it said but it really is true, don't be the fastest car on the road. I have been on the road on several occasions when people that have passed me have been pulled over while I drove on by. Be aware of your surroundings, this is actually a good thing even if you aren't speeding, but watch the on-ramps, bends and rises, police are notorious for hanging out just out of sight. Don't just camp in the left lane and push people out of the way, change lanes occasionally and let others pass. Since one of my incidents mentioned above involved an off duty I am always careful when I see cars too close behind me or gaining too quickly. I simply pull over and let them by. Watch the tail lights in front of you, they can indicate a predator ahead. I personally used this technique to impress my father-in-law during one recent outing to a NASCAR event. We were coming home late and it was quite dark. I had the radar detector on, but had only gotten a whisper of signal as I descended a long hill. I looked up the other side of the hill and I noticed that just as all of the cars reached the top of the hill they were braking. Now, why would they brake just as they reached the top of the hill, of course there was a patrol car there. I slowed to the speed limit as I climbed the hill and rolled past him nice and legal. My father-in-law asked, "How did you know he was there, the detector went off so long ago". I said: "Because every car hit the brakes as they reached the top of the hill". Basic rule, if you can see no brake lights for one half mile or more there probably aren't any police between you and the lead car. It's simply human nature, see a cop, hit the brakes, even if you are doing the legal limit. Another rule I follow is to know the roads I travel, I can tell you to the yard where the cops between my office and my house are likely to be. Sure, they move around a little but they have set places and simply go there. I watched a guy get pulled over in front of me because he was silly enough to go whizzing past the state police barracks at 75+ in a 55 zone. We had been tooling along at 85 or so, and as we approached the barracks I slowed and pulled into the right lane, he continued on and rolled right through the speed trap, what a knuckle-head. Most importantly, again as evident by the item referenced above, if you do get stopped do not argue with the police. My dad was a New York City patrolman, he always told me that nothing irritated him more than people arguing with him. I have talked my way out of several tickets. Rule one when addressing an officer, "Yes, sir/ma'am", "No sir/ma'am", go a long way towards showing your respect for their authority. If you truly feel you are being unduly ticketed, save it for the judge, you simply are not going to win an argument with an officer of the law on the highway, it simply doesn't happen. In the book "A Speeder's Guide to Avoiding Tickets" (I highly recommend this book, it is informative and a good read) James Eagan states that one of the officer's primary goals is to ensure safety, yours as well as theirs. If you quickly begin to argue with them, and make them feel as though they are unsure of what you might do, they are very defensive. When the police are defensive they aren't listening to whatever it is you are saying, they are watching you closely to ensure you don't make any threathening moves, so your words are simply going into the air, save your breath. Speak load enough to be heard but don't shout, just talk. On one particular occasion I was stopped for speeding, after pulling me over the officer said: "You were going a little fast for the neighborhood weren't you sir?" I said: "I'm sorry officer I probably was going faster than I should have been, I was a little lost, and I was talking on the phone trying to get directions and probably was not watching my speed as much as I should have been." Now that sounds like a ticket for sure, nope, just a warning. I had showed him respect, made it clear I knew he was right and I was wrong. Sure, I had to swallow my pride for a little while, but my wallet felt great afterwards. P.S. This is really from 1998 but the post factory won't handle 1998.

Why a BMW 7 Series?

Why did I purchase a BMW 750iL? Well it all started back in late 1984, I worked for a then small company named FORE Systems, I started when they where small and picked up some stock before IPO. When they went public it turned out I had a little bit of extra cash. I decided I wanted a car in the $30-40k range. I looked at virtually everything out there. First up an Acura Legend, I took it for a nice spin, it was certainly room enough, and handled all right, but I wasn't sure I was ready for a Japanese car. I knew that the BMW 525i was about the price I wanted, and I knew that I would have to drive a BMW before I made any decision. The sales droid was convinced that the Legend could hold value just like a BMW, I was not as convinced. Next up an Infiniti J30, definitely a tighter machine than an Acura but still Japanese, need to test the Germans and Swedes and see what they had to offer. Mercedes was out, too boxy for me. So we gave the Audi a shot. Took the whole family, piled into an A6 and gave the salesman a ride. I wasn't sure of exactly where I was driving, but I was pushing a bit, not too much. Testing acceleration and braking in and out of the curves, which are plentiful here in Western Pennsylvania. I came up over a hill and realized I was in a parking lot behind some office buildings, it was a Saturday afternoon, and the parking lot was empty. The sales critter said: "Just make a lane over just to the edge by the guard rail." I figured, good deal, let's see how close we can get and turn hard left just as we get there. I planted my right foot and shot ahead towards the guard rail, got within a few feet and turned hard left. Judged it perfect, probably two feet from scraping, I think it looked a lot closer from his vantage point. He held tight to the dash, and said to my wife: "I think he really wants a Porsche." Porsche was out of the question I need to pile in 2 kids and the wife along with luggage and be able to hit the road. The car was nice but I needed to drive some more. Driving home one afternoon in a mild snow I decided this was the weather to try out the Saab 900. They always claimed to go well in the snow, so I stopped by a nearby dealer and took one out. It was good, it handled well, even in the snow, but I just didn't like the acceleration. It wasn't slipping it just wasn't jumping, I don't remember the precise model, but I had soured on Saab. All that was left in my mind was the BMW, I had saved it for last figuring it would definitely live up to my expectations. Unfortunately the 525i, as some of you may know is a bit under powered, and I could feel it. Also the sales person was not exactly friendly, sort of had the attitude that I shouldn't be wasting her time, I clearly wasn't going to buy a car from her. I left the dealer sorely dissatisfied on several counts. So now I had a decision to make, what to do, what to do? Then I thought, hey I've been looking at imports, maybe, just maybe, a domestic could fit the bill. What looked nice, a Pontiac Bonneville SSEI, I knew that they could perform, or so they said, I figured I would give it a shot. Wow, talk about excitement, it scared the living daylights out of me. I put it into the paces, and talk about body roll. I pulled out of a light and tromped the accelerator, amazing amount of torque steer, I thought I was going off the road. I told the salesman, thanks but no thanks, I just didn't like the car. Then, it appeared, coming out of work one day I spotted a very sharp looking BMW looking right at me as I came out of work. I looked carefully, as I sat at the light, I thought to myself, that is very wide, it can't be 5-series. So, I drove straight into the lot and began to check it out. I noticed the badge, 750iL, yes V-12, I know this baby will go, twice the engine of the little 525i. Nice and big, lot's of room, I had to drive this car. I called the wife and said: "I am looking at a BMW 750iL, if the price is right I am buying this car, it is really nice." Sales guy wandered out said: "Want to go for a drive?" "Yes!", was my immediate answer, he wandered off and collected some keys. We piled in and looked at the controls, lots of stuff going on in this cockpit. He wasn't sure of everything himself, it was a Cadillac dealer, they had taken the car on trade. I could not even fathom such a thing, someone trading a BMW for a Caddy, but it was my luck. Took it for a spin, mistakenly clicked M on the transmission and had it in drive, darn it didn't accelerate, disappointed again, then I looked at the dash and said: "Oops, we don't want that", I clicked the A, and stepped down. What fun, downshifted hard and away we went, this car handled exactly as I had imagined. Even though I had made the statement to my wife, I had to think about it. So I went home and pondered the big BMW. The next day I had a seminar to attend so I couldn't talk to the dealer, I called the dealer at around 4, after the seminar ended and said: "I'm on my way to look at the BMW!". Then he said some horrible words: "Sorry, some guy put money on it this morning.". Shoot, I was going to miss out, I had convinced my wife that she could take a quick look then we would buy it. Convinced her we could afford it, and everything. Oh well, it was not to be, kay-sera-sera. One day later, I was sitting in my office hacking away, and I received a call, it was the dealer. The guy's financing had fallen through and he couldn't get the car, if I wanted it I should come down. Over lunch I drove over, there was already a woman talking to the sales manager about the car. First one to put money on the car would get it, what could I do, last conversation with my wife was no car, let's use the money for something else. She was out and I didn't want to make a decision like this without at least consulting her. I just couldn't decide, so the woman put money on the car and I left. Next day, yet another day, yet another seminar, life was good back then, in the afternoon around 2 I checked my voice mail and there was a message from the dealer. The woman's husband said she couldn't buy, the car was available again. I didn't have any cash on me, how could I call him. I transferred to the company receptionist and asked her to transfer me to the car dealer. I gave him my credit card number to hold the car, and high tailed it up to his place as soon as the seminar was over. I walked in and said: "Hi Art, I'm here to take a final look at the BMW, what time are you here until, I want to bring my wife up." We lived about 45 minutes from the dealer, so I would have to drive home pick her up and drive back. Art said: "Here take it and let her see, then you can really test it." This was great no sales guy, I could really test. I couldn't believe it they just handed me the keys, I left my Chevy Lumina, fully 1/3 the value of the BMW and off I went. I pulled into the driveway and said: "Well, what do you think?" At the time we had the aforementioned Lumina and a Dodge Spirit, this car was just a few classes above those, so it was clearly a "Wow, this is really nice!". There was an import car mechanic around the corner, I didn't know him to this point, I called and asked if he could inspect a car and let me know what he thought. He would, so I drove over. He took it for a quick ride, put it up on the lift, spotted a leak in the left rear levelling shock, and that the brakes were a lttle thin up front, other than that he pronounced the car sound. I returned to the dealer and said: "Let's do it." That was a Thursday, I gave them my social security number and they did all of the paper work. They had the car ready for Saturday morning, fully detailed and looking immaculate. We drove up in the Chevy and my the trade way up in performance and style to the BMW 750iL. It had 45K on the clock, since then I've reached 110K. Overall I've probably spent the full retail cost of that Lumina on repairs and add-ons, but I love it. So ultimately the choice came down to brand new mid-range, or slightly used top of the line world class luxury sedan, I think I made the right choice don't you? P.S. This is really from 1998 but the post factory won't handle 1998.