OT: Talk me out of this (BMW content)

[jamesdak]

Originally Posted by benb

That's odd for someone on this site.

Different perspectives. 100% honest I'd rather ride a bicycle or motorcycle through the mountains than even cars a lot more fun than an Alfa. (Like say an all expenses/maintenance paid Ferrari.)

Not everyone buys into the car thing. No matter how "fun" the car is you're still sitting on your duff for the day. There's a reason they get called "cages".

Now I don't really have the money/want to retire some day but owning a race car and taking it to the track I would consider totally different... and the FUN:PITA ratio there would be totally different. But for the price of the BMWs that actually stretch into the really fun zone (M3 at minimum) a dedicated track car starts sounding pretty good to me.

There's just different kinds of fun and you have to take 'em when you get them. To me that includes driving and no it doesn't need to be at the "exotic" level. Heck to date the most fun car I've had was my Mazda Miata. Totally impractical for the most part but if you don't catch yourself just grinning driving it then you have no soul at all. There have been a few Mazda's in the family and like mentioned by another poster early, they are a good choice for fun, reliable, and cheap to operate.

[tv_vt]

Originally Posted by Blue Jays

I wonder if the OP made a decision about this car?

Yeah, me too. We can quit with the tangential existential stuff for now. Life is always a work in progress anyway, isn't it? Maybe all this touches a little bit on how much risk-taking you want in your life. Buying a car that may cost a bit more in repairs to see what it's all about does not rate too high on my risk-taking scale.

Ah, now you got me going.

Hank, whaddya think about these 8 pages of drivel? Sway you either way?

[jamesdak]

Do it, do it, do it!!!!!!!!!!

[gbcoupe]

Originally Posted by bfd

This statement is ridiculous. All X series cars have hatchbacks! What BMW didn’t want to do was bring in a car under $50k so Americans never got the 1 series. Of course, their justification was they didn’t have time to design the 1 series for American bumpers and catalytic converters, which is hogwash. Too bad as I would have loved to get a 1 series!

BMW has bigger problems now as it’s struggling to make a BEV that can compete with Tesla. Their 3 series was their bread and butter car and is now selling poorly. You should be able to find used ones cheap....Good Luck!

Yes, X series (and pretty much all SUV's) have a hatch back. But, the are called SUV's. Hatchback is another category of car. The 318ti had very poor USA sales, so the 1 series hatch was never brought over. The 1 series sedan was.

[gbcoupe]

Originally Posted by Blue Jays

I wonder if the OP made a decision about this car?

Has veered of the track a bit... that's normal around here, right?

[KarlC]

Originally Posted by bfd

Sorry, but if you want an EV, get the Tesla Model 3! Better performance as in faster, more range and maybe most importantly, the fastest charging network available, all for about the same price as the i3. And Tesla is better looking too!

Just read an article on the new Mustang Mach E, using Electrify America level 3 charger, assuming you can find one, it gets 47 miles of range in 10 minutes. In contrast, the Tesla Superchargers v.3, which are now being rolled out, will give you 151 miles in 15 minutes....that’s amazingly fast! And Tesla charging is supposedly 1/3 the cost too! Of course, YMMV! Good Luck!

I dont like the numbers, I like to buy value, so we really never buy new.

You can get a REALLY low mile, top of the line used BMW i3 for 1/3 the price of a Tesla Model 3. Or you can get a new BMW i3 with all the discounts in the $25K range

I agree Tesla Model 3 has better performance, is faster and looks better in some ways. (I went thru a phase of 700-800hp cars, but found it mostly useless)

The BMW i3 REX model has good range, we have been using just the battery and only need to charge it every few days, also you can buy an adapter to use Tesla Fast chargers on the BMW i3 if you like.

We really have no need for the added range of a Tesla as 90% of the driving we will be doing is just around town and short day trips.

As with bikes we each have our own likes and needs, for us the price, small exterior size, large interior, quality, unique looks and design of the BMW i3 all wrap up to a nice package that we wanted to buy.

PS - I love the BMW i3 suicide doors and fold down seats, its so ez to get large items (bikes) in and out of it.

.

[bfd]

Originally Posted by gbcoupe

Yes, X series (and pretty much all SUV's) have a hatch back. But, the are called SUV's. Hatchback is another category of car. The 318ti had very poor USA sales, so the 1 series hatch was never brought over. The 1 series sedan was.

I don’t think you saw my follow up, BMW also put a hatchback on it “4 door coupes” and “GT,” those all sold in excess of $50k!

So BMW failure to bring over the 1 series hatchbacks was a money thing as it didn’t want to market a car in the US under $40-50k. Too bad as it so would have sold. Good Luck!

[grateful]

I have throughly enjoyed this drivel. I have a few passions and German automobiles are one of them.

It is awesome to communicate with others that I now realize share two of my passions (bikes and Cars designed with handling as the primary
focus).

I look forward to more drivel.

Brad

Originally Posted by tv_vt

Yeah, me too. We can quit with the tangential existential stuff for now. Life is always a work in progress anyway, isn't it? Maybe all this touches a little bit on how much risk-taking you want in your life. Buying a car that may cost a bit more in repairs to see what it's all about does not rate too high on my risk-taking scale.

Ah, now you got me going.

Hank, whaddya think about these 8 pages of drivel? Sway you either way?

[gbcoupe]

Originally Posted by bfd

I don’t think you saw my follow up, BMW also put a hatchback on it “4 door coupes” and “GT,” those all sold in excess of $50k!

So BMW failure to bring over the 1 series hatchbacks was a money thing as it didn’t want to market a car in the US under $40-50k. Too bad as it so would have sold. Good Luck!

I actually forgot about the GT.

With MINI filling their lower priced tier, can you blame them? Still disappointing that the 1 series coupes and sedans were available here but not the hatch.

I finally got a reliable MINI after 3 tries. Why did I go back after the 1st two? Nothing else really fit my needs/wants.

Anyway... OP, did you look at it... get it?

[bfd]

Originally Posted by KarlC

I dont like the numbers, I like to buy value, so we really never buy new.

You can get a REALLY low mile, top of the line used BMW i3 for 1/3 the price of a Tesla Model 3. Or you can get a new BMW i3 with all the discounts in the $25K range

I agree Tesla Model 3 has better performance, is faster and looks better in some ways. (I went thru a phase of 700-800hp cars, but found it mostly useless)

The BMW i3 REX model has good range, we have been using just the battery and only need to charge it every few days, also you can buy an adapter to use Tesla Fast chargers on the BMW i3 if you like.

We really have no need for the added range of a Tesla as 90% of the driving we will be doing is just around town and short day trips.

As with bikes we each have our own likes and needs, for us the price, small exterior size, large interior, quality, unique looks and design of the BMW i3 all wrap up to a nice package that we wanted to buy.

PS - I love the BMW i3 suicide doors and fold down seats, its so ez to get large items (bikes) in and out of it.

.

Cool. You're the exact driver BMW designed the car for. Although I suspect BMW wished it sold more i3s at retail price....Good Luck!

[Hank Scorpio]

This thread got pretty weedy but not so much in a bad or even unexpected way. There were enough warnings and negative anecdotes in here that made me pass on it. I decided to do the boring dad thing and up my TSP contribution and triple my daughter’s 529 contribution.

Oh well, I still have my bikes and that dopey scooter.

[gbcoupe]

Originally Posted by Hank Scorpio

This thread got pretty weedy but not so much in a bad or even unexpected way. There were enough warnings and negative anecdotes in here that made me pass on it. I decided to do the boring dad thing and up my TSP contribution and triple my daughter’s 529 contribution.

Oh well, I still have my bikes and that dopey scooter.

A BMW 507 contribution would be much better

[jamesdak]

Originally Posted by Hank Scorpio

This thread got pretty weedy but not so much in a bad or even unexpected way. There were enough warnings and negative anecdotes in here that made me pass on it. I decided to do the boring dad thing and up my TSP contribution and triple my daughter’s 529 contribution.

Oh well, I still have my bikes and that dopey scooter.

Well if it helps...... I held off on getting my second BMW until I had a really good stash set aside as well as the first retirement (military) done. I was young, dumb, and single when I had the first one. I too was really conservative with the money while raising the kids and hoping they'd meet the high school goals we set that would have given them a free ride to college. They didn't and now I finally get to reap the benefits of my hard work and aggressive savings. So, maybe in the future you can still scratch the Bimmer itch.

[martl]

Originally Posted by Hank Scorpio

So I don't really need a new car but my current one, 2014 Subaru Outback, is about exciting to drive as a fart in church. I know, I know it is paid off, I am a dad, increase my contribution to her 529 account instead, blah blah, blah but coming from a history of sportbikes and sports cars I have that itch. So is this the money pit I am envisioning it may become? I am a decent mechanic and can handle most routine repairs/maintenance myself, large repairs wound have to go back to the shop as I don't have a garage at the present time.

Planning on going to take look tomorrow and test fit the child seat in it.

https://www.paulmillervw.com/exotic-...28c7fc0ec3.htm

No idea why it is listed as an exotic-used.

A BMW is full of fancy features that no one needs and that will stop working, driving you insane, once the car is older than 6-8 years. The xDrive is a sorry excuse for an AWD.

[jamesdak]

Originally Posted by martl

A BMW is full of fancy features that no one needs and that will stop working, driving you insane, once the car is older than 6-8 years. The xDrive is a sorry excuse for an AWD.

?? What are all those fancy features? I've always thought BMW's were lacking in frivolous stuff compared to others. Pretty much just basic cars. Heck, seems like my F-150 Lariat has more "fancy features" than my Bimmer, just sayin'.

Jeremy would be so dissapointed in you. "Now, it would not be fair to say that Jeremy Clarkson loves every car that BMW makes even though it might seem that way as he considers the brand as a godsend and everything they come up with is a gift."