BEEMER vs BIMMER, Car and Driver's Take...

[petevandyke]

August issue:

"The official word from BMW is that, back in the day, British BSA motorcycles were referred to as "Beezers" which is kind of how BSA sounds if you pronounce it like a word. Correspondingly, BMW bikes received the "Beemer" shorthand." BMW cars were called "Bimmers" to differentiate them from BMW motorcycles. It wasn't until vapid yuppies started buying BMWs in the 1980's that the whole Beemer/Bimmer confusion started. So don't make a faux pas in mixed company at your next garden party. A BMW car is a Bimmer, not a Beemer."


--Pete

[strsout]

August issue:

"The official word from BMW is that, back in the day, British BSA motorcycles were referred to as "Beezers" which is kind of how BSA sounds if you pronounce it like a word. Correspondingly, BMW bikes received the "Beemer" shorthand." BMW cars were called "Bimmers" to differentiate them from BMW motorcycles. It wasn't until vapid yuppies started buying BMWs in the 1980's that the whole Beemer/Bimmer confusion started. So don't make a faux pas in mixed company at your next garden party. A BMW car is a Bimmer, not a Beemer."


--Pete

For us, damed foreigns, can you spell the 'sound pronunciation' ? :)

[hallzee]

A garden party? Wuts a garden party? Is that fer chardonnay and them fancy cheese puff thingy's?

BMW makes cars? :bmw:

[zippy_gg]

And all this time I thought I was driving and riding "Beamers"!!!:eek:

[jayjacobson]

....It wasn't until vapid yuppies started buying BMWs in the 1980's that the whole Beemer/Bimmer confusion started. So don't make a faux pas in mixed company at your next garden party. A BMW car is a Bimmer, not a Beemer."
Yuppies? Garden party? E-V-I-L 80's?! Bimmer? WTF?

[hschisler]

I recall reading in another thread on this site a long time ago where someone posted a link to a definitive source that defined "beemer" and "bimmer", etc.

The only thing I can add to the present discussion is: try correcting a BMW autombile owner that the vehicle they have is a "bimmer". They'll swear up and down that it's a "beemer". I think it's carryover from the 1980s -- they want to be able to claim they have a beemer; it's something everyone knows. In other words, don't confuse them with the facts. :rolleyes:

[pozo_izquierdo]

Seems that "bimmer" is now a well known name for BMW cars at least judging by the big "bimmerparty" that was organized in the West coast of Finland two weeks ago.

The idea of this party was to have tuned up Bimmers to get together, burn some rubber on a drag strip etc.

But as usual...things got out of control. A 20-year-old guy was driving his beefed-up 316 (with 2,6 liter engine swapped in) with over 3 per mille alcohol content in his blood. He tried to escape from the police and when trying to go around a road block he hit a policeman with a speed of 190 kph...Also the two other guys in the car were solid drunk. The driver is being charged for murder as the road block with all the blue lights flashing was visible close to half kilometer before.

Of course this was the major news for a day or two as policemen don't get killed on duty very often over here. So many people know now that "Bimmer" = car for young reckless drunk hooligans...:(

[petevandyke]

I LOVE you guys...

First off, it was a direct quote from Car and Driver, I have NO CLUE what a garden party is...sounds too much like something involving eating salad, and I don't like salad. Second, I'm 37, so early 80's would have made me about 12 years old, although I liked BMW cars then, I didn't quite qualify as a yuppie...and didn't call 'em Beemers or Bimmers, though I might have been guilty of wearing the collar of an izod polo up...the horror!

Lastly, the back of a T-shirt I got from Grand Rapids BMW Motorcycles (Michigan) that says it all...click on the thumbnail.

Ride safe y'all (still practicing my Texan)


Pete

[jeb316]

That's the best T-shirt ever!! How do I get one?

[wardenross]

This may get me in trouble...it's for my new Triumph Sprint!

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z197/wardenross/readit.jpg

[pkpr1998]

Warden, you have now been sent to the cloak room!

[jayjacobson]

A garden party? Wuts a garden party? Is that fer chardonnay and them fancy cheese puff thingy's?

BMW makes cars? :bmw:
Yup! Sounds a little gay to me.
....though I might have been guilty of wearing the collar of an izod polo up...the horror!....
Pete, I graduated high school in '85 (17 y/o). I love to make fun of the 80's because it easily qualifies as one of the most shallow and vacuous decades in American history. The only thing I liked about it was that Reagan was President!

Anywho, remember the yuppy/preppy "alligator" polo shirts? People--realizing their own shallow emptiness--started putting safety pins through the alligator?! Oh the memories!

We were saving starving children in Africa with superstar music collaborations, meanwhile crack was turning the American ghettos into war zones! Oh the contrast. Maximum empty symbolism over substance.

I wasn't bagging on you, the memories just came flowing back! Oh, did you say BMW made cars????

[CharlieVT]

between Beemer, Bimmer, and Beamer?...
Bummer!

August issue:

"The official word from BMW is that, back in the day, British BSA motorcycles were referred to as "Beezers" which is kind of how BSA sounds if you pronounce it like a word. Correspondingly, BMW bikes received the "Beemer" shorthand." BMW cars were called "Bimmers" to differentiate them from BMW motorcycles. It wasn't until vapid yuppies started buying BMWs in the 1980's that the whole Beemer/Bimmer confusion started. So don't make a faux pas in mixed company at your next garden party. A BMW car is a Bimmer, not a Beemer."


--Pete

[Duane_in_Florida]

The only thing I can add to the present discussion is: try correcting a BMW autombile owner that the vehicle they have is a "bimmer". They'll swear up and down that it's a "beemer". I think it's carryover from the 1980s -- they want to be able to claim they have a beemer; it's something everyone knows. In other words, don't confuse them with the facts. :rolleyes:

I've seen this before. It's just motorcycle envy. They wish they had a real BMW...the ones with two wheels...and accordingly they develop a speech impediment, unable to pronounce a short "i" to compensate.

[zippy_gg]

The only thing I liked about it was that Reagan was President!
This is a reminder that nearly everyone was doing drugs in the 80s...:rolleyes:

[RonKMiller]

...and here I thought they only made airplane engines and air brakes for rail cars!

This is a reminder that nearly everyone was doing drugs in the 70s... ;) :dance:

[kmurphy165]

A garden party? Wuts a garden party? Is that fer chardonnay and them fancy cheese puff thingy's?

Here ya go:

I went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends
A chance to share old memories and play our songs again
When I got to the garden party, they all knew my name
No one recognized me, I didn't look the same

CHORUS
But it's all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself

People came from miles around, everyone was there
Yoko brought her walrus, there was magic in the air
'n' over in the corner, much to my surprise
Mr. Hughes hid in Dylan's shoes wearing his disguise

CHORUS

lott-in-dah-dah-dah, lot-in-dah-dah-dah

Played them all the old songs, thought that's why they came
No one heard the music, we didn't look the same
I said hello to "Mary Lou", she belongs to me
When I sang a song about a honky-tonk, it was time to leave

CHORUS

lot-dah-dah-dah (lot-dah-dah-dah)
lot-in-dah-dah-dah

Someone opened up a closet door and out stepped Johnny B. Goode
Playing guitar like a-ringin' a bell and lookin' like he should
If you gotta play at garden parties, I wish you a lotta luck
But if memories were all I sang, I rather drive a truck

CHORUS

lot-dah-dah-dah (lot-dah-dah-dah)
lot-in-dah-dah-dah

'n' it's all right now, learned my lesson well
You see, ya can't please everyone, so you got to please yourself

Now old Ricky knew about garden parties. Heed the lesson well.

Karl

[grifscoots]

This is a reminder that nearly everyone was doing drugs in the 70s... ;) :dance:Not being able to remember the 60's means that.... uh,.....

[CharlieVT]

you weren't really there. :)


Not being able to remember the 60's means that.... uh,.....


Where is Timothy Leary these days?

[grifscoots]

you weren't really there. :)





Where is Timothy Leary these days?

Timothy Leary's dead,
no, no, no,
he's outside, lookin' in (Moody Blues)

[petevandyke]

Yup! Sounds a little gay to me.

Pete, I graduated high school in '85 (17 y/o). I love to make fun of the 80's because it easily qualifies as one of the most shallow and vacuous decades in American history. The only thing I liked about it was that Reagan was President!

Anywho, remember the yuppy/preppy "alligator" polo shirts? People--realizing their own shallow emptiness--started putting safety pins through the alligator?! Oh the memories!

We were saving starving children in Africa with superstar music collaborations, meanwhile crack was turning the American ghettos into war zones! Oh the contrast. Maximum empty symbolism over substance.

I wasn't bagging on you, the memories just came flowing back! Oh, did you say BMW made cars????


class of '87 here...and I didn't think you were baggin' on me, but if you were, I'd be laughing just as hard!

You forgot parachute pants, breakdancing, neon colored everything, and....oh geeze, just shoot me!

Oh, one more comment on the BEEMER/BIMMER thing...

I totalled a BMW motorcycle, got four broken ribs.

I totalled a BMW 5-series and will be in debillitating pain for the rest of my life.

I prefer my BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEMER!

lol

[jayjacobson]

This is a reminder that nearly everyone was doing drugs in the 80s...:rolleyes:
Like I said, Gilles, crack was something you sprinkled on your breakfast cereal....

[jayjacobson]

....Oh, one more comment on the BEEMER/BIMMER thing...

I totalled a BMW motorcycle, got four broken ribs.

I totalled a BMW 5-series and will be in debillitating pain for the rest of my life.

I prefer my BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEMER! lol
Speaking of F'D up cars....Allow me to quote Consumer Reports: "Luxury for less....The Acura TL costs $33,670 and had better reliability, and performed better in our road tests and safety tests than the BMW 530I priced at $55,370. SAVE $21,700!" (Now they will sue my fat ass off for quoting them.)
Pete, how fast where you going on impact? Pretty fast I take it?

[petevandyke]

Not sure, best guestimate is about 24. Hit the ass end of a '94 Ford Explorer and did a whopping $240 in damage to it...pic below is 5-series oragami.

(And before this gets stirred up into a T5 tornado of shit again, the accident was entirely my fault because I made a stupid mistake, thank goodness no one but ME was hurt, and I've learned from my mistake)

[jayjacobson]

Not sure, best guestimate is about 24. Hit the ass end of a '94 Ford Explorer and did a whopping $240 in damage to it...pic below is 5-series oragami....
WOW, Pete! 24 MPH and debilitating pain for the rest of your life! WTF? Now I see why you like your M/C. Guess they're sure not buildin' 'em like they use to. Speedy and a full recovery to yah!