In the mid-1980s, one of my closest high school friends—Dan—had a father who kept a mysterious BMW tucked away in a side garage. I was told that no one, not even Dan, was allowed to touch or drive it. Only his father had that privilege, and even then, he would only take it out on Sundays.

Over the years, as I grew closer to Dan’s family, I’d occasionally wander over to that side garage, circling the BMW, trying to understand what made it so special. At the time, I didn’t know much about BMWs beyond their German origins, their Autobahn-worthy speeds, and their reputation as the choice of discerning “yuppies” who preferred them over American or Japanese luxury cars.

This particular BMW was pristine—practically showroom new. It was a stately sedan painted in a refined baby blue with a deep blue interior that complemented it perfectly. Chrome bumpers gave it a sporty flair, and the “Bavaria” badge on the trunk immediately reminded me of visits to my uncle who lived just outside Munich while working for Siemens. Nearly every other summer, my family would travel to see him and our extended family in Croatia, where my parents were from.

Darko's current E3 Bavaria

In the spring of 1988, just before my high school graduation and with my acceptance to the University of Oregon secured, my parents offered me $5,000 to buy my first car—something reliable for the drive between Portland and Eugene on weekends. My mind immediately went to the Bavaria. Could this be my chance to own that elusive car?

That weekend, while hanging out at Dan’s house, I mustered the courage to approach his father. I explained that I was in the market for a college car and asked if he’d consider selling the Bavaria for $5,000. He paused—what felt like an eternity to me—then smiled and said, “For you, yes.”

And just like that, I became the proud owner of a 1973 BMW Bavaria with 72,000 miles on the clock. For the next three years, it served me faithfully, taking me wherever I needed to go. After a rear-end collision, the insurance payout allowed me to upgrade to a 1989 325i manual. That moment marked the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the blue-and-white roundel.

In 1992, four years after buying the Bavaria, I joined the BMW CCA after learning about it at Rasmussen BMW, the Portland dealership at the time. Since then, I’ve remained loyal to the brand—even with opportunities to drive nearly every marque, including Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Today, my wife and I continue to daily drive modern BMWs as well as I maintain a collection of various models spanning across the '70s, '80s, and '90s. And yes, that includes a 1972 E3 Bavaria white on navy manual!

This E9 Coupe is a nice complement to the E3 Sedan.

I moved to Seattle from Portland in 2010 and transferred my local Club membership to the Puget Sound Chapter. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed many events—especially the driving and HPDE experiences. A few years ago, I volunteered to work with our editor-in-chief, David Lightfoot, to help build and coordinate Z-Mails.As my involvement with the Board grew, I was recently invited to serve as Vice President—a role I accepted about as quickly as one shifts from first to second gear: “Yes, I’d be delighted!”

E23 7 Series is a rare BMW to see these days.

My commitment to myself this summer is to carve out more time to enjoy everything the Club has to offer—and to connect with more of the incredible members who make up our vibrant community.

An E24 6 Series keeps the historical Coupe/Sedan pairing going.

Don’t forget to use your turn signal!

Best regards,

Darko Spoljaric

Alpina B7 represents BMWs newer offerings.