Dear friends - (disclaimer: Please endure no obligation to indulge me by reading this! Sorry for assuming anyone will want to hear these sentiments, but I'll go ahead and take that risk). I'm wistfully planning to list my '72 CS for sale soon, and while my wife and I are excited about what lies ahead of us, I have a lot of swirling emotions to get out there before I do so. Excitement, nervousness, sadness, gratitude, joy. This past year has been one of deep introspection for my wife and I, and we have made the decision to make some significant changes to our priorities with 2 careers, 3 little kids, and life in general. Long story short, we are taking steps towards being free to spend significant time and energy in Kenya in the next couple of years where we'll help a friend who is building a running academy for high-school age kids. I'd love to share more if you're interested.
We bought the coupe when we first got married and moved into a house with a "garage" and I use that term loosely. We had a small amount of disposable income and a lifelong obsession with old BMWs and VWs. We set out looking to buy a 2002 tii, and came across the e9 in that search. We bought the car on first sight from a fellow near Charlotte, NC not really knowing much about it except being completely drawn in by the beauty and purity of the design, and loved the idea of working together on a "fun" project car over the years. With a large measure of audacity, we brought it home that day and immediately started to order parts, scrounge for interior trim bits and pieces, putting it back together from being somewhat neglected and wound up eventually with a mostly-complete, albeit very far from perfect coupe.
I learned quickly the tough lesson that coupe ownership is not for the faint of heart! Despite that revelation, we've maintained a "let's drive this beauty, and one day we'll strip it, dip it and restore it" mentality for the past 10 years or so. With our newly minted future plans, we have come to the realization that that day is probably not coming any time soon, nor at this point do we really pine for it like we used to. We have loved this coupe and tried our best to steward it well, but unfortunately its needs are far beyond our capabilities or future financial capacity.
My real point here is to say firstly, that my sporadic level of involvement in this forum does not reflect a lack of respect or interest, merely a lack of time to participate at this stage of life. I don't view these particular cars or this community as transactional or trivial, nor to be taken for granted in any way, and I will forever be grateful for the wisdom, kindness, generosity, and the spirit of collaboration and mutual respect shown here. There is truly nothing else like it that I have come across in the "car world" or even in the actual world for that matter. Thank you all for the kindness you've shown me, the abundant hospitality, the gracious and patient replies to my novice queries, and the depth of insights you've all contributed in the pursuit of preserving and enjoying these beautiful cars!
Travis Lintner
We bought the coupe when we first got married and moved into a house with a "garage" and I use that term loosely. We had a small amount of disposable income and a lifelong obsession with old BMWs and VWs. We set out looking to buy a 2002 tii, and came across the e9 in that search. We bought the car on first sight from a fellow near Charlotte, NC not really knowing much about it except being completely drawn in by the beauty and purity of the design, and loved the idea of working together on a "fun" project car over the years. With a large measure of audacity, we brought it home that day and immediately started to order parts, scrounge for interior trim bits and pieces, putting it back together from being somewhat neglected and wound up eventually with a mostly-complete, albeit very far from perfect coupe.
I learned quickly the tough lesson that coupe ownership is not for the faint of heart! Despite that revelation, we've maintained a "let's drive this beauty, and one day we'll strip it, dip it and restore it" mentality for the past 10 years or so. With our newly minted future plans, we have come to the realization that that day is probably not coming any time soon, nor at this point do we really pine for it like we used to. We have loved this coupe and tried our best to steward it well, but unfortunately its needs are far beyond our capabilities or future financial capacity.
My real point here is to say firstly, that my sporadic level of involvement in this forum does not reflect a lack of respect or interest, merely a lack of time to participate at this stage of life. I don't view these particular cars or this community as transactional or trivial, nor to be taken for granted in any way, and I will forever be grateful for the wisdom, kindness, generosity, and the spirit of collaboration and mutual respect shown here. There is truly nothing else like it that I have come across in the "car world" or even in the actual world for that matter. Thank you all for the kindness you've shown me, the abundant hospitality, the gracious and patient replies to my novice queries, and the depth of insights you've all contributed in the pursuit of preserving and enjoying these beautiful cars!
Travis Lintner
. I am sure there is also a reward for not selling your coupe...