Hey Guys!
I recently had an interesting conversation with a colleague about cars. I was asked whether I was an expert in that respect, to which I promptly replied with a resounding "No!"
The conversation then quickly turned to my opinion on the different cars available in the South African market, and I was quizzed on my preference.
I make no secret of the fact that I absolutely love BMW as a brand, and I therefore wax lyrical on the very apt tagline used by BMW, which is "Sheer Driving Pleasure".
My thoughts were automatically directed to why I am such an promoter of the BMW brand, and without a moment's hesitation, all my experiences with the BMW brand played out in my mind.
I have driven and owned many vehicles over the years, but none have given me anywhere near the euphoric experiences I have had in a BMW. Sadly for me, all the other vehicles I have encountered pale in comparison to the Sheer Driving Pleasure I derived from the BMW's I have had over the years, bearing in mind, that I have not yet encountered the more serious offerings in the BMW range. I have always been restrained by cost and other "practical" factors.
I have always been an avid 3 series fan, hence most of my purchases have been just that. The model has always been a trustworthy extension of me, as I felt that the model adequately mirrored my personality and style. Stylishly athletic and and extremely competent worker. The different iterations I have owned over the years seamlessly assimilated into the different phases of my life at various points in time.
I can vividly recall as a young pre-teen, my burning desire to one day own a BMW, and at that point, any model would have sufficed. I would spend my nights fantasizing over just being behind the wheel of my very own BMW. My grandfather had a 5 series which just cemented my love of the brand, and that served as my motivation to one day own a BMW of my own. The 3 series had just been released, and I would very rarely see one on the road, given the fact that I grew up in a very racially segregated society, at the height of the Apartheid movement.
One day I happened to be merrily playing soccer with my mates in the street, when this Red BMW Shadowline 325is happened to drive down our street, giving all the guys chills as that beast of an engine growled hungrily as it approached us. To my surprise, the car stopped right outside our house, which made me all the more giddy, as I now got to see this gorgeous beast up close and personal, given the fact that my dad's boss had just purchased it, and had decided to bring my dad home. I was asked whether I wanted to have a closer look, but I was so starstruck, that I couldn't speak. I very quickly got over myself and my friends and I couldn't get enough of this gorgeous beauty before us. I can still remember the fine tartan patterned seats, and all the lights in the cabin, which made this beauty akin to a spaceship. I remember my dad's boss telling me that if I worked hard and did well, that I would one day also be able to own a beast of my own.
Fast forward several years and I am deciding on my very first car purchase, having landed myself a permanent job and excelling at it. My thoughts ran directly to my first car being a BMW, and thus my search for my first car kicked off. I was unable to purchase my BMW as I only had a finite amount of money I could spend on a car, resulting in me deferring my dream for a little while. I was eventually able to make my second car purchase a BMW 316i in White. I was in a state of permanent euphoria every time I got to drive that car. I would volunteer to run errands for my mom, just to be out there driving. The car was clearly in a class of it's own, given the road holding, power and comfort it provided. It just made driving an event every time I got behind the wheel. I had a short-lived experience with that car, due to the arrival of my daughter, and therefore had to downgrade to another vehicle manufacturer brand as a result of the new and additional expenses. I was miserable in the other car! No power, no precision, no sense of security, as the car was really tinny and weak.
I spent three years pining for another BMW, when I eventually had the opportunity to purchase another 316i, only this time in Emrald green. This purchase kicked off my relationship with the actual BMW dealership I currently deal with, as I regularly had my vehicle serviced and attended many events through them. I had two years of bliss with this vehicle, until a move to another province happened to materialize. I was advised to sell the vehicle and purchase a cheaper vehicle and a new one at that. I begrudgingly did so, fully aware of the misery I was about to put myself through. The move to the other province was short-lived for me, as I found myself back home after only a month, leaving my family in the other province to kick off a business venture.
The venture brought with it a purchase of a vehicle brand that I had not previously considered, and albeit that the vehicle was brand new, packed with features & deemed to be a good family vehicle, it just didn't give me the experience my old BMW's had given me. Driving felt like a chore, and I would avoid it at all costs if I could. I eventually took a job at a prestigious Company, as the business venture had failed, and diligently worked through my probation period, when I decided that it was time to get back in the seat of a BMW! I purchased an Alpine White 320i in the latest iteration at the time. The brand had really jumped leaps ahead in therms of the vehicles I had previously had, as matters of fuel consumption, safety as well as performance had been greatly enhanced. I felt like I had returned home! All things considered in terms of the refinements and aesthetics the new model had undergone, I just assimilated naturally into it as though I had never left. The car just felt so familiar, and welcoming! I must say that it was such a spiritual experience when I took delivery of the car, as the feeling of being back home, coupled with the excitement of the new technologies and features hit me right in the "feels".
Sadly, I was involved in an accident, fortunately not a major one, and my car had to be repaired. The seamless process that ensued from getting the insurance claim approved, to booking the car in for the repair, to eventually getting the car back was made even more noteworthy by the way BMW handled me as a customer! I was constantly updated on the status of where the vehicle was in the process, and I was given clear dates as to when the car would be ready for collection. On collection of the vehicle, a final quality check was done in my presence, and only once I indicated that I was happy, was the vehicle released. A follow-up was done a month later to see whether I was still happy with the work done on the vehicle, and I was just alerted again to the fact that warranties were in place for paintwork and workmanship done on the vehicle. I enjoyed hassle-free motoring for the following two years after which, I upgraded to the next iteration, which was a 320d in a Bluewater metallic. The vehicle delivered crisp acceleration, ample amounts of torque, fantastic road-holding and the most frugal fuel consumption figures I had encountered to that point.The sales consultant handled all my service bookings and always ensured that I was in the best hands. We had built up a relationship to the extent that she was on a first name basis with my wife and kids. I was introduced to the dealer principal, who also enjoyed a relationship with him. I was always informed of new launches, and participated in launches of new models. My kids even regarded trips to the dealership as outings for which they would be overly excited. I was then involved in a serious accident two years later and the sense of safety I experienced through that experience locked me in as a brand promoter for life. None of the occupants in the vehicle sustained any major injuries, and all safety protocols and technologies deployed on impact. The damages to the vehicle were severe, but the driver who ploughed into us came off second best, as the damages her car sustained ensured that her car was written off. I once again went through the claim and repair process with BMW, and even though I had approval to have the car repaired at another facility, the experience was identical! I was kept constantly informed of the status of the repair, the parts that had to be ordered from Germany, as well as being checked on by my dealership to ensure that I was being treated well through the ordeal. I got the vehicle back and I swear it was as if I had received a new one! The precious carrier of my family had been so well taken care of and repaired, and the little things BMW does to make you feel like you are part of their family ensured that feeling. The sheer driving pleasure had not been diminished, and I felt as safe as I did before the accident again. The car was severely tested, as I left for my grandmother's funeral on the day I got the car back, as we had to make a 1600 kilometer trip to attend the funeral. that car served me well for another year thereafter.
I had then made a decision to buy myself a little sports model for my birthday, and my sales consultant who knew me better than most pointed me in the direction of a little 125i coupe! I had test driven one a year prior, and told myself that I would get myself one & there I was actually in the dealership taking ownership! I cannot even begin to describe the unbridled pleasure that car gave me! The growl of the engine, the dynamic acceleration, the brute power & fantastic road-holding, all ensured sheer driving pleasure! I felt at times that I could live in the car if I had to, as I just wanted to be driving it all the time. The selection of this vehicle was made with the express knowledge that it would be a short term purchase, as the twins were toddlers and once they were of school going age, I would have to go back to a proper family sized car. One fateful day in January, as I was leaving another BMW dealership, a drugged up youngster came barreling around a bend and lost control of his car and hit me head-on. I had the twins in the car and my first instinct was to check that they were all fine. My son had suffered a cut to his forehead and my daughter along with him were in a state of shock. I was not at my usual dealership, so the surroundings were totally unfamiliar to me, but the response I got really humbled me and ensured that BMW was in mine as well as my kids' DNA! The security staff immediately restrained the driver who had hit us, and promptly called the authorities. The dealership staff were out there in a flash, whisking my kids off into the dealership, away from the trauma they had just encountered. I was surrounded by the dealer principal, and three consultants who were checking to see if I was ok, calling emergency services and others were checking the camera footage to see what had just transpired. I was escorted to the other driver by dealership staff to ensure that no harm came to me, even though I was livid and ready to rip the other driver's head off. The staff advised me to calm down as the other driver as well as his passenger were incoherent and appeared to be under the influence of some heavy narcotics. I was barely able to get details off the other driver due to his intoxicated state, but the BMW staff were there with me until all required information was retrieved, and the authorities arrived on the scene. The dealership facilitated the required towing and booking in of the vehicle for repair, as well as liaising with the insurance company to advise the status of the vehicle as well as the surrounding events. I got inside the dealership to find the Communications manager engaging my kids with activities and they had received first aid and the mandatory "sugar water" to get them over the shock. My kids were relaxed and clearly having a ball of a time, so much so, that they didn't want to leave just yet. The vehicle was repaired, as well as prioritized, so as not to inconvenience me any more that what I had been given that it was the start of a new year, and it marked the start of my kids' primary schooling tenure. All of this converged on me, bringing to mind that I would have to part ways soon with my little beast, a thought which saddened me greatly.
The reality of that hit me sooner than I expected, as I had to get a family sedan a year later due to my son suffering a horrific injury.The coupe was just impractical for getting him to his rehabilitation sessions, and he needed more space as he required elevation of his leg. My sales consultant at my dealership, bless her heart, took the brief I gave her, and she came back with a host of options. Long story short, I was in a brand new 320i sedan in less than a week of my brief. I was sad to say goodbye to my little beasty, as I was now faced with the prospect of having a more sedate and family friendly car. The sales consultant saw my pain, and comforted me in the knowledge that the new car was not sluggish at all, and that it would meet the needs of my family in the new phase we found ourselves in. The day I took delivery of the new addition to the family, she pulled me aside and led me off to an M3, and all she said was: "This is going to be the next step for your family when all is healed and the upgrade is due." I left the dealership comforted in the knowledge that I was in good hands, and knowing what the evolution would be! The new member of the family was just as she had said, not sluggish, comfortable, and competent to deal with the rigors of the phase we as a family found ourselves in. I thoroughly took to the new car, quickly experiencing the sheer driving pleasure on a totally different level. I started a new career soon afterward, and the car just met with my persona and individuality in a seamless manner, making the transition so easy.
The kids would often tell me how they missed the little beasty, but that they really love the family sedan, which left me with a bitter-sweet feeling, but I guess the overriding feeling for us was that BMW was so ingrained in our DNA, that irrespective of what model we would have, we would always experience sheer driving pleasure, as well as the comfort in knowing that we are in safe hands with BMW.
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