Backtracking - Part 2 - The Hunt

  Finding an e36* BMW in Titansilber Metallic, with a Manual transmission, low(er) mileage, unmodified, sport package, 328i, for under $3000 is not too specific right?

  This of course narrowed my results significantly. I'd been looking on and off for the better part of a year. Just not specifically for a 328i in the e36 variety. The hunt was on. Something inside of me was just spurring me on to find "my" perfect car. My whole mind was consumed with checking adds, listings, posts, for the perfect specimen.

  This of course did have a negative effect of other parts of my life. Its just when you have the itch its so hard to not want to scratch it. Night after night, I tirelessly poured over craigslist. Starting local, then moving up and down the east coast. Certainly someone, somewhere had one available.

  From Maine to Florida. Not many decent, nice condition e36s. The forums had a few possibilities just not in the combo I wanted. I started moving over towards the west coast city by city. No dice. I never knew it would be so hard to find what I thought originally would be easy car to source. In all honesty I was being too picky.

  Then, one fateful afternoon, I was again going over listings in the local craigslist. Changing up my search criteria ever so slightly to see if there were any others that met the stringent requirements. There, low and behold, a Titansilber Metallic, 154K, unmodified, 328i, with sport package rims on it. The listing of course made now mention of it being sport or non-sport. There were no interior shots. Just one of the side. One down side; it was auto. It was so close. So close.

  Of course me being me, I couldn't stop thinking about the car. Should I call? Should I go look at it? One side of my mind entertaining the idea of cruising in an automatic. Might not be so bad. The other side going: Are you serious right now? What kind of car guy are you anyway? There in lies my normal struggles with decisions. Being an Analyst by profession, it kind of spawns these sorts of things into your personal life as well. There of course is nothing wrong with either of those things. I digress.

  Needless to say i succumbed...

*e36 - BMW 3 series chassis code from 91-99.