19-Year-Old Chooses BMW E36 Over Clothes: Spending Money on Fuel and Car Repairs

While sipping tea on the street in the early days of the year, I vividly remember that image. It was a slender young man, wearing a polo shirt with the university logo still intact. And just like that, Duc approached with full curiosity about both the car and the young man appearing in my mind.

Can Duc say a few words about the previous images?

The first thing to say is that this car gives me a very “Mafia” feeling (laughs). Anyone would think that a vintage car would normally suit older gentlemen, those who lived in the golden age of this model. However, 9 out of 10 times when I step out of the car, the suspicious looks of people probably all share the same thought in their heads: “This must be their dad’s car.”

Everything is unreasonable, but that’s what I like.

Let’s take a quick look at the beginning of the story and hear from Duc. Does your life become much more interesting after buying this car?

My life has changed a lot, along with my peers who work part-time to shop for clothes, buy technological items, or go on trips. As for me, at the moment, working is only for refueling and repairing the car (laughs).

Owning a car at such a young age like me has its good and bad sides. My major is related to art, beauty, so owning a beautiful and durable car over the years is also something that inspires me when sitting on the school bench.

In addition, with the nature of studying, I often have to carry a lot of things. Besides creating an impressive appearance, the BMW still performs the basic task of a car, which is carrying things. Moreover, it seems like everyone in their youth loves to travel, quick road trips or slightly distant destinations, my “old brother” can still meet that demand.

Although there are some disadvantages when living in the city center, for example, it is very difficult to find a cup of iced tea while traveling. Instead, there will be coffee shops to park the car, and the cost of taking care of the car is also quite large for a student. But overcoming all of those things, I am still very satisfied with my choice.

Speaking of which, people often say that BMW cars are very “posh,” do you feel that way about this E36?

The first thing to note is that playing with a vintage BMW will require a lot of money for multiple repairs, if I don’t want to say a lot. But I still decided to choose this model because it is truly different, it has its own charm. If I were to talk about the cost of renovating a BMW, it would probably be countless, but enough to operate stably and safely on the road without being too expensive as many people think.

The only hindrance with this E36 would probably be the lack of accessory supply, as this model is almost 30 years old. Fortunately, e-commerce nowadays makes it not too difficult to order something from abroad. I also really enjoy being able to modify and tinker with my own car, especially on a vintage model. It feels like the car and I are becoming friends and confidants.

I feel quite lucky to find an E36 in not too bad condition. Currently, after using it for a year, I only focus on the items that make the car operate stably, such as repairing the chassis, maintaining the engine, and the air conditioning.

Does Duc plan to change the appearance of your car?

Modifying cars, especially improving the external appearance, is something that everyone desires. However, for myself, a vintage model always carries its own beauty, the beauty of time. Someone once told me, “Each generation of BMW has its own beauty of that era, no matter how it is modified, it should keep a little of that beauty to avoid confusion with other cars on the road, while still creating a personal mark for both the driver and the car itself.”

So why did you choose a manual transmission?

The feeling of stepping on the clutch, changing gears, being in full control of the car 100% always makes me excited whenever I drive. The hydraulic power steering on the E36 is also a unique feature of this model. The heavy and solid steering wheel feel, everything is mechanical and has not been intervened by too much modern technology, making me feel like I’m going back in time to the 90s, the time of my parents when they were young.

In the Vietnamese market, manual transmission cars are usually only for taxi drivers or learner cars. There are rarely any exceptional or rare cars… so what could be more wonderful than being able to experience those feelings on a classic BMW model?

For car enthusiasts, it seems that everyone wants to have a “Project Car”. Is this E36 the same for Duc?

For me, this E36 is both a “Project Car” and a daily driver. The times of repairing or tinkering with it are a bit inconvenient, but I think positively in terms of both using and practicing car repairs. What could be better than having the opportunity to learn and accumulate self-taught knowledge, and gain early experiences because I am still very young?

Surely Duc will join the BMW vintage car enthusiast groups, both specifically for E36 and in general. According to Duc, what are the similarities and differences he has with other vintage car enthusiasts?

If you look at the groups, I don’t participate too much because fundamentally those who choose very old cars are often older gentlemen, somewhat not “compatible” with me. Currently, I am active in a small BMW club consisting of close friends. It’s quite funny that even though I am the youngest in the club, my car is actually the oldest.

Most BMW enthusiasts are passionate about the authentic experience that it brings to the driver. This is probably the similarity I have with everyone else. As for the difference, I personally have different thoughts about my own car. I want the car to look authentic in order to preserve its long-lasting value. In the future, although I think about body kit modifications or new wheels, I still want them to be accessories from the same period, while still maintaining an elegant, luxurious look with a touch of history.

If given the choice again, would Duc be willing to choose this E36 or a different model?

If someone asked me this, I would still affirm that I would choose this current E36. Me and this BMW came together like fate, feeling like love at first sight. Although it is not modern, it still meets enough of my personal needs.

Although I know that after “jumping into the lime pit,” I will have to make quite a few sacrifices to accompany this current BMW. However, I must reiterate that the current experiences with the E36 will be rare with modern models today, and I am happy with that.

Thank you, Duc, for participating in the conversation. I wish you and your car a great journey on every road!