[Dave]

Darwin wins again.

Parents give 18yr old new m5 and he is posting on m5 forums how to go faster after 140mph. well he did it on a runway and went splat.

Shame he killed 4 others and a great car.
Rip.

http://www.ocala.com/article/2008012...0335/1025/NEWS

[joelk]

yeah i read about that on some news site. didn't have the visuals. not sure what to say except .... stupid parents.

[larryn]

I fear repeats of stories like this, with the 135i getting in the hands of inexperienced drivers (not even young drivers). Stupidity, and the feeling of invincibility at a young age.. the parents of this kid are totally responsible for the other kid's lives, IMO. They might as well give the kid an automatic weapon, and trust he'll just go to target practice ranges with it.

How did he manage to get on an airfield anyway? There's just so many incredibly imbicilic things about this stunt....

[atr_hugo]

I believe that's a gated community in Florida built around an airstrip - an 'airport subdivision' if you will.

[Brandon26pdx]

Sad story. 500 hp cars are not kids toys, no matter how much money you have.

[larryn]

How much do you want to bet that BMWNA will be named in a suit by one (or more) of the parents?

[1ForAll]

Originally Posted by atr_hugo

I believe that's a gated community in Florida built around an airstrip - an 'airport subdivision' if you will.

Correct!! John Travolta has a house there and if you live there you have money, too much money

[EvanB85]

Do we know for a FACT that it was this kid's car and not the parents? As in, "hey it's 2:00 in the morning... let's take out Dad's new M5 while he's asleep."

Let's not crucify the parents just yet.

Kids will be kids, no matter what. It's a tragedy. But really, it would be the same story if it was a Toyota Camry that could easily hit say, 120mph?

[sethchan]

Originally Posted by EvanB85

Do we know for a FACT that it was this kid's car and not the parents? As in, "hey it's 2:00 in the morning... let's take out Dad's new M5 while he's asleep."

Let's not crucify the parents just yet.

Kids will be kids, no matter what. It's a tragedy. But really, it would be the same story if it was a Toyota Camry that could easily hit say, 120mph?

...if it went off an airstrip.

[Sherifftruman]

So, what was he trying to do? I aasume hit a top speed and stop? Did he just not see the end of the runway, because it deos not seem like he tried to stop?

It really sucks for the families left behind, especially the father who bought him that car.

Also, thank god the forum he was posting on was better behaved than some of the BMW boards out there. I shudder to think what would have happened if they had seen some of the stuff out there.

[sethchan]

Originally Posted by Sherifftruman

So, what was he trying to do? I aasume hit a top speed and stop? Did he just not see the end of the runway, because it deos not seem like he tried to stop?

It really sucks for the families left behind, especially the father who bought him that car.

Also, thank god the forum he was posting on was better behaved than some of the BMW boards out there. I shudder to think what would have happened if they had seen some of the stuff out there.

There was a report of yaw marks from sliding sideways.

[BForbes]

This is so damn sad. Its on every forum on the internet. Who lends their 18yr old kid a 500 V10 car??

[Euro Durch Tod]

This is sad, not to sound insensitive but hes parents are stupid to have ever let him take the car on his own. What 18 yr old kid has the maturity to restrain from opening up a 500hp machine and they definately wouldnt have the experience to handle it. Hopefully parents will learn from this and I hope this doesnt happen with the 135, its going to be even more reachable to younger drivers.

[~AJ]

Weren't there some recent threads here about some folks who want to give a 135i to their teenage kids?

A lot of us said don't do it, get them a slow beater, boys will be boys, I crashed my first car, etc.

You guys know who you are.

Learn from these deaths.

[john970]

Originally Posted by EvanB85

Do we know for a FACT that it was this kid's car and not the parents? As in, "hey it's 2:00 in the morning... let's take out Dad's new M5 while he's asleep."

Let's not crucify the parents just yet.

Kids will be kids, no matter what. It's a tragedy. But really, it would be the same story if it was a Toyota Camry that could easily hit say, 120mph?

Yeah, happens probably every day but it's not as fun to talk about so news stations don't report it. About giving an 18 year old an M5, how about giving an idiot an M5. You can be stupid at any age. Loading any car up with people and doing 150 is retarded whoever you are. There are plenty of wealthy parents whose kids drive 911s, cayennes, etc. and don't wreck.

I guess he found out cars don't handle as well with 800 pounds of people in the car via the Darwin school of physics.

[john970]

Originally Posted by Euro Durch Tod

This is sad, not to sound insensitive but hes parents are stupid to have ever let him take the car on his own. What 18 yr old kid has the maturity to restrain from opening up a 500hp machine and they definately wouldnt have the experience to handle it. Hopefully parents will learn from this and I hope this doesnt happen with the 135, its going to be even more reachable to younger drivers.

Lots of 18 year old kids would have the maturity. Experience? I've seen 10 year old kart racers that could demolish me on a kart track.

[imported_MPower]

Originally Posted by larryn

How much do you want to bet that BMWNA will be named in a suit by one (or more) of the parents?

Maybe but BMWNA has no liability in this.

This story is extremely sad because it happens everyday. I can't tell you how many times I have read comments from teenagers bragging about their (daddy's) sports car. It's one of the reasons why I think every teenager should take a basic car control course.

[Road Runner]

Its actually sort of chilling if you read what the other M5 owners were telling him on the board...

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=111454

Then

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=111545

Very tragic

[rdkind62]

I am sending this thread to my son so he can read it. He was in a car accident as a passenger a couple of years ago and spent some time in the hospital afterwards, but now he is fine thank heaven. But something like this can only reinforce what he learned the hard way.

This brings to mind a philosophy of mine: A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from other peoples mistakes.

Lets hope it makes us all wise.

[d3syd]

Chilling.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Road Runner

Its actually sort of chilling if you read what the other M5 owners were telling him on the board...

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=111454

Then

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=111545

Very tragic

omgosh

those posts really freak me out... like words from beyond the grave.

as a relatively young driver i never felt the need to reach 100 mph +... i actually was pretty scared over 80+ because my sti would create a drone noise and the wing would start shaking....and i felt like it would fall apart lol

I am glad my first car was a ford explorer than a huge benz sedan
i learned very slowly to respect speeds in a car...
and so happy i just sold my motorcycle

[EvanB85]

Originally Posted by Road Runner

Its actually sort of chilling if you read what the other M5 owners were telling him on the board...

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=111454

Then

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=111545

Very tragic

I don't have access to that board, can someone post a synopsis ???