Having a 22-year-old brother who only ventures out of his bed before 2pm when a new computer game is released, I am always impressed when I hear of other young men who actually have the drive to take up hobbies and interests.
Sofiane Kennouche is one of those young men. At 20 years old he is already onto his second restoration project – and owns a BMW.
The car in question is a BMW E46 320i SE saloon, which was first registered in 2003.
Sofiane said: “I’ve owned the car since January, but could not drive it until February when I sold my first car, a modified VW Polo.
“I found the car through the internet down in Manchester. For a while, I had been looking at either a 3 Series or 5 Series of this era, as I particularly like the design and modification options available for them.
“This particular car fitted my criteria very well, and crucially was rust-free as it had spent all its life in England.
“I only looked at cars that had a manual transmission, were saloons, had a leather interior and featured a six-cylinder petrol engine.
“Despite being more expensive to run, I have always liked saloon cars and enjoy the engine note that BMWs are famous for.
“My whole family are into their cars, especially my brother and I. We have both had a soft spot for BMWs, and his succession of E36 3 Series and ownership of an E46 M3 have no doubt influenced me.”
The car was in a pretty neglected state and in dire need of a good clean when Sofiane first got it but the 20-year-old was up for the challenge.
“I have done lots of little odd jobs to bring it up to my standards,” he said.
“Such as replacing my moss-filled inner rear lights, installing a BMW CD player head unit to replace the tape deck, removing the stains on the grey carpet in the footwell, replacing my torn and worn driver’s seat and machine polishing the paint to remove the scratches.
“I have also replaced a cracked power steering pulley, sanded down and painted some surface rust on the inner sill and touched up stone chips around the car.
“While these jobs have not been major, they have taught me a lot about the car and simple DIY tasks.”
While a lot of work was involved, it fitted exactly what Sofiane was looking for – something he could put his stamp on.
He said: “I was looking for something I could personalise, particularly so as most modified BMWs in Aberdeen tend to be based on the coupé platform.
“This car is also rather unusual for a student to have because of its thirsty engine! However, now that I have recently installed my Eibach lowering springs and BBS LM wheels, I am extremely happy with the car’s current understated look.
“I followed a similar theme with my first car; a 2001 VW Polo that I lowered and also fitted deep dish alloy wheels to.”
Also particularly personal to Sofiane, is his own number plate, which is very similar to his own name.
“I first spotted it when I was 16, and spent four agonising years waiting to get it,” he added.
Now the upgraded BMW has become Sofiane’s car for fun. When the weather is good, he joins his friends on a drive in the countryside, such as the roads over the Cairn O’Mount.
“It is my only car so it gets used for long trips down south as well as boring shopping runs around town. It’s also been used as a van on a few occasions,” he said.
“Compared to my Polo, it feels much sturdier. I appreciate the fact that it is rear-wheel drive as the configuration inspires much more confidence through the corners compared to front-wheel drive cars.
“I am a big fan of the understated design of the car, as well as its ability to combine a comfortable everyday ride with a decent amount of power from the engine.
“The fact that it is naturally-aspirated instead of turbocharged also makes it easier to control for a relatively young driver like myself.
“I often take the car to local meets with other forum members from ABZ-BMW and EastsideVW; two local car clubs with a broad base of like-minded individuals and fascinating cars.”
As for the response to all his hard work, Sofiane said it mainly receives attention from forum members.
He added: “That said, it is always nice to hear people with no interest in cars praise the few modifications I have done.”