Quote:
Originally Posted by MSups6
Price wise and bang for your buck, they are the worst of the worst by far.
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It didn't used to be like this, by the way. BACK IN THE DAYS, when BMWs used to be all about the driver, i.e. when the dash was oriented toward the driver in their interior design, BMWs were a tremendous bang for your buck. The E36 M3 used to be considered to have the best steering rack IN THE WORLD, on par with super cars and superior to the Porsches of the day. All for mid $40K for a car that can carve canyon and run circles around a majority of cars on the road then. In fact, the E39 M5 sedan was considered the best sport sedan in the world, bar none, and it wasn't so far out of the average upper middle class income that you can't afford it unless you're made of money.
To the OP's point, those days are long gone. Today a 6 figure salary and some moderate disposable income is required to own a bottom of the barrel 3 series, unless you rent. And even then, a $400+ lease payment just so you can drive a car that can barely keep up with your run of the mill driving appliance, in both a straight line and in the corners, is frankly, a stupid proposition. So yes, if you HAVE to have the BMW brand, and have the supporting income or lack of sense to lease one, more power to you.
For someone who's bought, owned, leased, and driven at least a dozen BMW in my adult driving career, I have to admit, it is very unlikely that I will buy another new BMW in my lifetime. Not when I consider all the other options available. Frankly, if I want performance, I can have performance that rivals or beat the best BMW has to offer, both in a straight line and in the corners, for a fraction of what a base model new BMW cost.
If I want brand and prestige, and have the means to do so to own a BMW, I'd rather buy a Porsche.
