A famous bro' in the movies...

Sergio's brother was in a really great movie with no less than Academy Award winners Robert de Niro and Jonathan Pryce. Watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h736Xkifoyo&NR=1

Introducing...

Having been laid low for the past few days by my worsening cold, I had no way of getting into a proper Christmas celebration. This was compounded by fact that the weather also changed for the worse. On the 25th, a heavy fog set in which disrupted airport operations and as a result we suddenly had overnight visitors. My in-laws were to depart from Manila and should have transitted to San Francisco via HK. But because of the poor visibility in HK, their flight was held back and hence missed the onward connection. No problem with having visitors for Christmas but by the time they got to our flat it was late, the temperature was in the low teens and everyone could hear my coughing and sneezing throughout the place. Not the ideal formula for a restful night.

Fortunately, the fog lifted enough by the next morning to allow normal flight schedules to resume and so after Tina took them to the airport, the rest of the day was spent tidying up and then watching DVDs.

For some reason, the idea of coming up with a name for the car kept popping up in my head the whole time. Some of the more corny choices I thought of were RESty (for Restored; also probably the most obvious choice but reminded me of a former boss), RESurrecion (as in Car Resurrected), REServado (Reservations Needed), REStricto (Use Restricted to Jowin) and other even weirder variations. My cosmopolitan nature thought RamESh and RamsES exuded the required masculinity but in the end they were just too exotic for my taste. I wanted to stick to my method of having a name based on the plate's three letters but no matter how hard I tried, I just could not come up with anything appropriate.

And then this morning, while continuing to wallow in bed after waking up as is my usual practice, it suddenly hit me that the car will be called SERgio. Quite clever if I may say so myself. I'm still able to base the name on the plate's letters even though its in reverse and most importantly gives off a robust, macho image. Very fitting.

Sergio it will be then...

More goodies...

Today, Christmas Eve, turned out to be a very nice winter's day here in HK. Clear, sunny, but dry and cool. The sort of weather which makes people go out and do something. It would be a good time to be driving around in a convertible even if a few layers of clothing might be needed.

Unfortunately, the jump from the warm Manila days to the sudden low temperature of the past week has caught up with me and I woke up this morning with a cold. Actually, it wasn't just the weather. I have been out and about almost everyday since I arrived and the season's festivities were capped by a dinner party last night at a friend's house. After going home very late, I could feel that it was not going to be a Christmas at full strength. Another friend is hosting lunch today and I had to beg off at the last minute, for my own sake. Going to miss that special spread though.

But all was not lost. While resting at home, I was buzzed by our building concierge to inform me that three more parcels have arrived. My hood shocks came all the way from Florida, rear spoiler from Taipei, and foglights from China. Together with the previous deliveries, half the world's continents were represented by my suppliers. It amazes me what modern commerce and communications are capable of given the right infrastructure. These days, distance is no longer a limiting factor in terms of access to either buyer or seller. In fact, things have gotten to the point wherein the ones nearest you do not necessarily mean they will be the most cost-efficient option. I still remember the time when in making long-distance telephone calls, not only had callers go through an operator, but it was a given that the farther the other party was, the more expensive the call became. Contrast that to today when calling the US from HK is almost 20x cheaper than calling the Philippines.

Goods and services have become mere commodities, a fact which a number of businesses still refuse to recognize to their detriment. Up to ten or twenty years ago, manufacturers held sway over consumers. In an era when anyone can reproduce anything, the balance of power has shifted towards the consumer. For instance, I visit stores and see big-ticket items which are way cheaper now than when I first arrived 25 years ago. Considering my income level then, its a wonder how I was able to afford necessities such as furniture, food and clothing.

Enough of the economic insights for the meantime. Just want to acknowledge that Santa is really being very nice to me this Christmas, maybe the result of me being a very good boy the whole year round...

Some goodies have arrived...

Santa, disguised in a green HK Post uniform, arrived a few days early and delivered some keenly anticipated packages to our flat. First came a small box all the way from Latvia. With a return address in northeastern Europe, how could I not suspect that it was sent from the elves' workshop. Or maybe some branch of it as subcontracting these days is truly a global phenomenon. To top things off, it was exactly what I had wanted, a pair of of crystal clear fender lights.

Next came a very big parcel which opened into four smaller ones. Lo and behold, it contained my new headlights! A pair of the smiley low-beams to go with the pair of sealed high-beams, also exactly what I had ordered.

Now if only Santa would listen to my pleadings to erase those charges from my credit card...

Look what I saw...

While walking around the TST area in Kowloon this morning, I chanced upon this magnificent brute. I noticed it parked under some scaffolding and it instantly crossed my mind that if this were in the Phillipines, cement droppings from above would be used to reinforce the carbon fibre and aluminum bits of the Ferrari body. But this being Hong Kong, there is a high degree of certainty that this sort of thing will not happen as its clear to contractors of the responsibilities they bear. None of this "Park At Your Own Risk" stuff in public roads. Of course, if the Ferrari were parked INSIDE the construction site, it would altogether be a different story.

It would be a great pity if any damage occurred to this kind of car. Had I been fortunate enough to own it, there is no way I will tempt fate by parking on that spot...

Plane, trains, buses, and ferries...

Yesterday I decided to fly back to Hong Kong where I have lived for what is now a quarter century. First came over in December of 1984 so this flight was an anniversary of some sort and I could not help but think that it served as a symbolic reminder of how time flies.

I was greeted upon arrival in the evening by an earlier than usual winter cold spell and the temperature down to 10 degrees Celsius in our area. Coming from the balmy Manila weather at the moment, I did not even have a light jacket on. But being the experienced traveller that I am (checked the weather before leaving), I asked Tina to meet me at the airport and bring a heavy coat for the 15-minute bus ride from the airport to our building.

Whilst on the bus, it made realize that in the time I have stayed here, I have taken many more plane rides than private car rides. People may find that hard to believe but its true. Most of my commutes are through ferries, subway trains, buses, and the occasional taxi. Walking is really the most convenient way to get around in the city. Another unusual thing would be the fact that the resort area I lived in for a very long time, did not even allow private cars onto its roads. Residents went around by shuttle bus, special taxis, bicycles, or simply by foot. For those able to afford it, a limited supply of petrol golf carts was available, each one costing close to the price of a new 1-Series. And you bought them used at that. This system was possible because the resort was located in an enclosed cove which, for reference, would be geographically comparable to Puerto Azul in Cavite. Land access was limited through a toll tunnel and to pass through required a permit applied for in advance. Aside from the franchised shuttle buses, permission to enter is only given to commercial vehicles delivering supplies or conducting removals. Under no circumstances are "drive-ins" allowed, the only exception being for official emergency vehicles. It takes less than a minute to pass through the tunnel area yet the toll is equivalent to PHP300 already. Imagine imposing an amount like that back home. The only other transport alternative was by sea and for which a 24-hour ferry service was operated. To get to the office, it was a 25-minute voyage to Central. I take some pride in being able to say that on a number of instances, I was able to travel by sea, land, and air in a single day. I would take the ferry to go to work in the morning, then hop on a bus or train to go to the airport in the afternoon for an evening flight to somewhere. Not too many get the chance to do all three within a short period of time.

Except for a brief period when an expat friend suddenly got relocated and temporarily left me his car, I have never felt a need to have my own. Hong Kong is definitely not an ideal place for private car ownership. Aside from the fact that there is little distance to drive to, the public transport network is very extensive, very safe, and will get you to your destination much faster. Priority for road usage is given to buses especially during peak hours, a notion which may trigger an overthrow of the government if imposed in the Philippines!

Despite providing most of the mass transit system, the HK authorities do not stop anyone from buying a car. However, it does impose a heavy price on the owner, the logic being that private vehicle users must pay for the privilege of clogging up the roads and contributing to environmental pollution. Another idea guaranteed to incite civil insurrection among even the most placid of Pinoys. The so-called first registration tax imposed on brand new units can exceed 100% of the value of the car while the annual registration for a typical late-model BMW will start from US$1,000 per year. If we think gasoline in the Philippines or even the US is expensive, try the equivalent of close to PHP100/liter or US$8/gallon at current market prices. Monthly parking costs almost the same as renting a decent house in Metro Manila. Bringing your car for repairs to the neighborhood "talyer" often is more than what the "casa" would charge back home. And don't get me started on the price of a basic car wash service...

No turning back...

This truly is a point of no return. Its now been six days since being checked-in to the paint shop and my car has reached what is probably its worst possible condition. With just a few more things to be taken apart, very little of what identifies it as particularly mine remains. I would not hesitate to say it is indistinguishable from any other car headed for the junkyard.

But I take heart from the positives, not the negatives. The work is proceeding very nicely ahead of schedule despite the fact that the shop is full. There are a couple of high-end restorations being done, together with the more typical retouches and accident victims. I actually did not expect that they will reach this stage in less than a week. Even though it may be too early to arrive at a definite conclusion, I am building confidence that I indeed chose the right paint shop. Let's just hope that the weather continues to be fine and dry as it has been the past couple of weeks. Anyway, the rainy season is finished and I think the odds are in my favor.

A much bigger positive is that there is no indication of any rust buildup. Sure there are a few dots here and there, but for an almost 17-year-old car, its amazing to find it this pristine. Which reinforces my belief that I lucked out and picked a very good one. Add to that the build quality BMW is known for and I should be able to continue enjoying its use for some time still...

So, after three working days in the paint shop, this how my car looks like. Unrecognizable. Hoodless, windowless and totally unfurnished. I asked the guy doing the disassembly if he was sure he could put it all back together again after a month and he just replied with a confident smile and nod. He better not lose any of the things he removed...

All mine now...

The past week was busy yet fulfilling because I was finally able to address some major issues and more importantly, see and feel the difference in the car. Nothing like progress to keep one's spirits up.

First, some of the parts I ordered from European Motors have arrived. These are mostly for the lights as I intend to replace all the lenses and fixtures. They are showing signs of age. In my opinion, changing them will have the single biggest dramatic effect on the appearance of the car. Nothing beats a full set of crystal clear lenses which sparkle in the sunshine. I was also able to get a copy of the Owner's Manual, albeit a bookbound photocopy. Bear in mind that this is no longer in print, therefore in very limited supply and difficult to get (meaning expensive) which is why a lot of older cars no longer have them.

Second, I finished having the suspension raised. The car was lowered by the previous owner, and while it indeed looked very sporty, I felt that the constant scraping of the underbody on humps, bumps, and even going in and out of my garage was not worth the aesthetics. I brought it to Cruven Sucat and had it raised 1" by adding lifters instead of going back to stock coil springs. In doing this, I am able to keep the Eibach Pro-Kit springs which came with the car. On the way home, I could immediately notice that the harshness of the suspension and steering feedback was gone making the car much, much more pleasant to drive in Manila's less than perfect streets.

Third, I checked in the car to the paint shop where it will stay for the next 6 weeks or so. I have decided for the work to be done by Carchitect, a specialist car paint shop in the BF Paranaque area.  Painting will be the single biggest task of Project E34. I am keeping the original color, Orient Blue, as I have always been partial to dark colors. I think they give highest possible shine to a car, a very high priority item for me. It will be a complete repainting, in and out, and it was welcome news when the shop advised me there was no need to totally scrape the old paint off. The underlying basecoat was still good and this saved me a little moolah for other things. The next few posts of this blog will concentrate on how this portion is coming along.

Lastly, the transfer of ownership process has been completed. I was very much surprised earlier this morning, a Sunday, when a courier delivered my new Certificate of Registration from the Land Transport Office. I thought it would arrive later on in the week and the worrier in me feared it might even be lost in transit. Now that its with me, I couldn't help but admire my own name in the space labeled Registered Owner...

And you think I'm crazy...

Whilst going around the different repair shops in the south of Metro Manila, I came across a few examples of BMWs undergoing much more extensive repairs and restorations. I have no idea of who the proper owners of these cars are, only that there is some comfort to me in knowing that others are doing the same thing and in a much bigger scale. Among the less mechanically minded reading this, I am certain it all appears as junk.

For instance, in the first two pictures it would have been impossible to have recognized the car as any particular brand, with only the steering wheel emblem being the giveaway. Its actually a '70s era 5-Series and due to the age of the car, it will most likely take at least another year or two to bring it back to its former glory. But I would love to get the chance to see the result. Projects like these are undertaken for the love of cars and not the financial outcome. People think that only expensive cars get this kind of treatment but it will be a surprise to find out that a number of the most common models plying the streets just 20 to 30 years ago have also been extensively restored. Go no further than to any of the local car shows and you will not believe the job some people have done.

Its not my intent to make mine a show competitor but if in the future an opportunity arises, maybe I will think about it. As time passes, its only natural that more and more E34s will cruise up to the great highway in the sky and therefore its nostalgia value will increase.

For now, its best to enjoy it a daily driver just as it was meant to be...