Being a kid of the 60s and 70s, I grew up in an era where names of West German made athletic shoes were just coming into American pop culture.
In the last couple of years, brands such as Adidas and Puma started to re-issue shoes they made in those days. Most of my personal favorites from High School sports are made again, some almost better than the originals. They just cost more.
Having bought a pair or two to satisfy my own curiosity, I realized a side effect. The shoes back then were really made to fit just your foot and not the 1” of dead air around your feet with another ¾” of cushion and padding and some type of trendy sole. A shoe that just fits my foot and nothing more is almost a novelty in sporting shoes today.
Adidas Gazelle
Then I noticed one other feature. They fit the pedals of our cars for driving much better than all these super-wide, air soled shoes of the 21st century. For a couple of good reasons, I recommended this to a few other 02 drivers. Their feedback was unanimous – drive old German cars with period correct shoes only seemed like a match made in heaven.
If you have a car, like mine with a 5 speed conversion, your transmission tunnel is a bit narrow where the heel is in relationship to the gas pedal, to accommodate the slave cylinder of the clutch. Narrow soled shoes benefit that situation even better.
In the last 2 years I’ve driven close to 10,000 miles to events across the Midwest and eastern US. The longest haul was 2,700 miles – this without a cruise control gizmo.
So, on those trips, I put two different pairs of vintage Adidas shoes to the theory of comfort and driving while on those trips – the Adidas Gazelle and the Adidas Universal. For the fashion conscience, there are at least 2 dozen color types now available for both shoe types.
I’m happy to report both the $60 Gazelle and the $70 Universal, leather shoes made originally for Soccer practice, worked very well on these drives.
The ball of your foot definitely seems more in touch with the pedals with these shoes. You can rest your heel for long periods of time with comfort. The soles of the shoes work well with heel and toe driving, and are not going to slip of the pedals either.
They are both light in weight and with a good pair of socks you can drive 8-10 hours with rests about every 200 miles or so of driving – mostly because it’s time to gas up the car again.
Since last year I have also tested the Adidas Superstar and Stan Smith and while they are bigger in width because of their designated design (basketball and tennis respectively) they still don’t seem too wide.
I’m sure there are more shoes of 70’s vintage you have all tried, as well as special driving shoes such as the Piloti types. Pass along your feedback about them and we’ll put them on the *approved* and “period correct” shoe list.
NADA increases 2002tii 3x value since 2002
The BMW 2002tii has been steadily increasing in value for the last several years. About 6 years ago during the year 2002, there was renewed interest in 2002’s in general due to the calendar year at that time. BMW made several splashy headlines in the Wall Street Journal and USA Today proclaiming “…inside every 2002 BMW is a BMW 2002”.
The NADA rated the 2002tii at that time around $12,000 for high retail.
In February 2008, updates of the NADA site (www.nada.com) shows the old high price for BMW 2002tii is now at that mark for the lowest amount – low retail value.
The high value of $31,900 represents a nearly 3x value increase over the last six years. This is good news for current owners who hung on or bought their cars since 2002!
Hemmings Motor News has the BMW 2002 on the cover and a great article by Richard Lentinello. The author readily comments that the 2002 is perhaps the “ultimate cult car” because people buy them just to drive them. Few of us would disagree with that statement.
Here’s a rundown of what NADA states for the car values, and I’ve added their current price for the 2002tii. The prices were the same regardless of year.
Historically, the 1972 and 1973 models bring 10-20% pricing premium for the aesthetics of those models with round tail lights and skinny metal bumpers over the 1974 USA models.
NADA PRICING (2/2008)
$12,150 – Low Retail Value
This vehicle would be in mechanically functional condition, needing only minor reconditioning. The exterior paint, trim, and interior would show normal wear, needing only minor reconditioning. May also be a deteriorated restoration or a very poor amateur restoration. Most usable “as-is”.
Some of the vehicles in this publication could be considered “Daily Drivers” and are not valued as a classic vehicle. When determining a value for a daily driver, it is recommended that the subscriber use the low retail value.
Note: This value does not represent a “parts car”.
$17,800 – Average Retail Value
This vehicle would be in good condition overall. It could be an older restoration or a well-maintained original vehicle. Completely operable. The exterior paint, trim, and mechanics are presentable and serviceable inside and out. A “20-footer”.
$31,900 – High Retail Value
This vehicle would be in excellent condition overall. It could be a completely restored or an extremely well maintained original vehicle showing very minimal wear. The exterior paint, trim, and mechanics are not in need of reconditioning. The interior would be in excellent condition.
Note: This value does not represent a “100 Point” or “# 1″ vehicle *.
* “100 Point” or “# 1″ vehicle is not driven. It would generally be in a museum or transported in an enclosed trailer to concourse judging and car shows. This type of car would be stored in a climate-regulated facility.
The Tii of the Future ?
BMW is poised to launch the new 130i and 135i for USA customers in the 2nd Quarter of 2008. All the advertising BMW is doing would lend you to believe it is the second coming of the Tii. They have even shown a Tii concept model of the 135i as a teaser for things to come. Some speculation is that BMW perceives the Tii has a renewed brand value they can leverage to sell new cars. On paper, and by many auto press reviews, the 135i has all the stuff packaged up right for the first time in a long time.
It’s the kind of car that would tend to make us 20th century BMW fans think about becoming 21st century BMW owners for the first time.
Last update: 2008-02-10 10:15
Author: Keith Kreeger
The rare and unusual 2002 mudflap accessory
As a BMW owner, history will look back upon the years 1968-2002 as perhaps the best time to own and maintain the “Ultimate Driving Machine”.
While new models roll out each year, each more slick and refined than the previous version, the new BMW car we have come to love and enjoy has become more an appliance in terms of safety, high performance and in some ways expensive geeky features than about driving.
In an effort to push the envelope farther and farther, the auto industry as a whole each year prides itself in one-up-man-ship. Each trying to outdo the other for some advantage to get you buy their product for something other than personal transportation.
For me, this problem is all too well known. My own parents, who’s new 2007 Dodge Avenger R/T for example came complete with glove box which prostitutes the A/C system in some way to keep cold and hidden 4 cans of soda. It was one of the main reasons they bought the car other than looks and leather interior.
BMW as a car company was once run totally by engineers. The 30+ year old cars which are the primary audience of this website were built at a time within BMW that cars were built to keep engineers happy. Sadly, like many car companies today, BMW is run by accountants.
Case in point is our old friend BMW Mobile Tradition. Prices for parts are escalating into the stratosphere for two reasons: the low value of the Dollar against the Euro, and the accountants within BMW raising the bar on Mobile Tradition to show a profit for the warehouses full of spare parts for older vehicles. In order to satisfy that need to balance between profitability and keeping up with the industry, some things have to be more profitable to stay around. BMW Mobile Tradition is under the microscope and is scrambling in some ways to maintain or be profitable.
While this may be part of BMW’s strategy, that sends a new shot across the bow. In a sense that high cost ownership/restoration factor creates a perception that the marketplace for owning and maintain these cars is a few notches above most people’s pay grade. Owners who are current owners as well as prospective owners. My assumption is that people would then pass on one of these cars and let them rot or be crushed, rather than maintain the large majority of them…
OR
A new marketplace could begin that most people would shudder to think of. Reproduction parts.
For many years, there has been a robust market for other European car makes, especially in the British areas and older VW Beetles. They have good business for reproduction parts for cars of this vintage. They are from the same era as our 2002s.
While BMW’s costs for most parts has been reasonable enough that you would buy the OEM part rather than hunt for something else. Those days are almost over. Here’s why.
While rapidly consumed parts such as belts, hoses and spark plugs remain fairly stable, the belt line trim for a 2002 has escalated from $250 in 2002 to over $800 now for the same parts, not counting the expensive shipping. New Bosch Tii Fuel injectors are over $800 each. Throttle bodies are more than $1,300.
Let’s compare this to how the VW Beetle aftermarket pricing compares for reproduction parts. A great web site to compare to a 2002 for Beetles is Wolfsburg West. In contrast I will compare Maximillian Importing’s Bimmer.com prices who are very fair and direct source to BMW Mobile Tradition OEM parts.
1973 VW Beetle Fenders (left+right) $ 220.00
1973 BMW 2002 Fenders (left+right) $ 637.50
BMW price difference $ 417.50
1973 VW Beetle Rear Bumper (complete)$ 150.00
1973 BMW 2002 Rear Bumper (w/rubber) $ 931.71
(2 over riders are NLA but est.) $ 150.00
Total For complete bumper $ 1,081.00
BMW price difference $ 931.00
Few would argue a 2002 compares to a Beetle, but the enthusiasm for the cars is nearly the same around the world if not more just due to sheer numbers of cars produced. Why would you pay such a price difference for a 2002? Is the cult car really worth that much more? And if you think this is high, have a gander at what CS Coupe parts cost now…
It stands to reason the market is ripe for reproduction parts for 2002s that are close if not better made than some of the recreated parts BMW Mobile Tradition is selling. One last point to make – is a set of new visors for a 2002 worth $216.00 for the pair when Wolfsburg West’s parts are just under thirty bucks and the design is nearly the same?
See for yourself:
http://wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=113857551E
The marketplace for a wide variety of repro parts is already there. It’s a business decision somebody will make someday soon. When they do, there will be a lot more 2002s and 1600s still running great and safely for years to come when all we have to afford is gas at $7 a gallon (ouch).
Last update: 2007-12-01 12:07
Author: Keith Kreeger