93 80 w/ 304,000 miles vs month old BMW X3 for trip?

[IdahoDoug]

My bro in law left yesterday for CA with his wife and child. He has a choice of two vehicles in his garage - his 304,000 mile 80 or his month old BMW X3 for this 3500 mile round trip. So which does he take? The 80. He's put every mile on it and knows it well, it holds MUCH more than the Bimmer, and there's no way their Lab-sized dog is going to sit in the tiny cargo space of the X3 for all that driving. Plus when they get there, they may carry a couple more people in the third row at times.

I find it fitting that he would make that choice. The 80 was designed for epic driving when it was new and still fulfills that design imperative today. I checked it over before he left, and it just needed front pads and a quart of oil - both of which it got (tech). Rear pads seemed to be wearing too slow so I'm going to tweak the proportioning valve when he gets back.

DougM

 

[mot]

I checked it over before he left, and it just needed front pads and a quart of oil - both of which it got (tech). Rear pads seemed to be wearing too slow so I'm going to tweak the proportioning valve when he gets back.

We all need to have a brother-in-law like you Doug.

Hope he has a good trip.

 

[concretejungle]

awesome. I have said before that i have a friend who is a vascular surgeon. He has a 96 80 series along with a porscha cayane, BMW 5 series. He says that he loves the 80 more than anything because it's tough, reliable and he knows that when he needs to get somewhere he can. Kinda cool IMHO.

 

[Biff]

Thats cool, mirrors my feelings for my 80. I recently took a 600 mile round trip and had a 1/2 a second hesitation on taking it instead of a brand new 4runner. Well once we got back home the hesitation was erased, the 80 handled everything like a champ.

 

[MDarius]

That is cool. When we were looking for new vehicles this spring we were looking at vehicles from $22,000 on down in price, seating 7 or more people. After all the research was said and done, we opted for a '95 'Cruiser with 125,000 miles on it. I couldn't be happier. It's not as roomy as the 100 series, but I like it's styling better. IMHO 125,000 on a well maintained 'Cruiser is better than 45,000 miles on just about anything else.

 

[cary]

To funny. My wife who we just bought the X5 for still sees the 80 as the trip car with its greater space. She doesn't like driving the 80 (says it is to big), but loves to ride in it. She just wishes I had something newer?!! I already know the replacement for the 80 will be a 100.

 

[LX_TREME]

$400 buks gas in 80's for 3000 miles trip

this 3500 mile round trip. DougM

Back then, every 2 years i did 6000 miles way trip from CA to NYC then NYC back to CA but since the gas price went up more than $3buks a gal, I've decided not do it anymore.

Doug, Just wondering with today gas price.How much money your brother will spend for 3000 miles trip in his 80's?

 

[Atticus]

Back then, every 2 years i did 6000 miles way trip from CA to NYC then NYC back to CA but since the gas price went up more than $3buks a gal, I've decided not do it anymore.

Doug, Just wondering with today gas price.How much money your brother will spend for 3000 miles trip in his 80's?

Don't bring the party down!

 

[ginericLC]

Ah! But I just drove 4300+ miles 70.5 hours in our VW Passat and I was glad I took it instead of the 80. Yes we were crammed but I loved passing gas stations. Setting the cruise at 82mph. I would have loved to have driven the Cruiser. It just didn't make sense from a time and cost perspective.

 

[94landcruiser]

Gotta love 80s (except at fillup time) I bought mine, did a bunch of maintainance (belts front brakes, etc) and drove it incident free 2200 miles (L.A. to Ixtapa). I hope your bro inlaw has a great trip.

Ah! But I just drove 4300+ miles 70.5 hours in our VW Passat and I was glad I took it instead of the 80. Yes we were crammed but I loved passing gas stations. Setting the cruise at 82mph. I would have loved to have driven the Cruiser. It just didn't make sense from a time and cost perspective.

I have an 05 V6 Passat, gets slightly (17.5 vs 15.5 hwy ) better milage than my 80.

 

[sonoranfun]

Doug, Just wondering with today gas price.How much money your brother will spend for 3000 miles trip in his 80's?

Far as I see it, gas is the best value on the planet!! They drill a well, pipe this crap to a billion dollar tanker then cart it over here from the other side of the world, then refine it, truck it to my gas station where I can buy this stuff without even having to go inside.. I pay $2.73 and it'll drive me, my wife, all three kids and my parents 12 miles pulling a boat in AC when it's 115 outside all for $2.73!!!

I can justify this, the cost of milk, when you go over what it takes to get this, I can't come up with a good reason there..

For Mr. Passat, my folks are always telling me how nice it is to save on gas with their Accord, only to come ask me if they can use the 80 to go pick something up cause it wouldn't fit in their car.. The way I see it, it would cost you and that Passat WAY more then $2.73 to pull a boat and 7 people 12 miles.. All topped off by the fact that if I hit you in my 80 you would be dead and I would be home safe with my wife and kids.. Can't really put a value on that so I don't care if gas goes up to $5 a gallon, it's still a better value then dying!

 

[ginericLC]

For Mr. Passat, my folks are always telling me how nice it is to save on gas with their Accord, only to come ask me if they can use the 80 to go pick something up cause it wouldn't fit in their car.. The way I see it, it would cost you and that Passat WAY more then $2.73 to pull a boat and 7 people 12 miles.. All topped off by the fact that if I hit you in my 80 you would be dead and I would be home safe with my wife and kids.. Can't really put a value on that so I don't care if gas goes up to $5 a gallon, it's still a better value then dying!

Yep, it would cost me more than $2.73 to pull a boat 12 miles with 7 people in it. I'd have to burn that $2.89/gallon gas in my 80. Plus I'd have to dig out the third row seats.

As far as the dead comment, it all depends upon the type of accident. Bigger is not always better. It is just like all this steel I added to my 80. Big bumpers are great if you are hitting a moveable object. However if you are hitting an object that doesn't move it is better to have a vehicle that absorbs the energy of impact. And being in the smaller more nimble Passat I might be able to avoid the accident completely. Brakes are not the strong point of the 80. Now if I could figure out what type of accident I was going to be in prior to the accident I could choose the right vehicle. But then again, if I knew I was going to be in an accident I'd just stay home in bed. I love my 80 for what it is. But it is not the BEST in ALL circumstances.

 

[94landcruiser]

Hate to burst your bubble but this is a 7-10 mph impact (airbags did not deploy)into the side of a pretty soft 2004 Explorer that decided to turn right in front of me. Can you say 5.700.00?

 

[MDarius]

Now, now, boys...can't we all just get along?? I commute in a Subaru and the wife hauls the kids in the 80. There's a place for everyting on the road...except those d*%&! Volkswagens!!!