BMWs do indeed drive beautifully. The douchemobile status is outdated.
Still, it’s right there in the owners’ manual: “You, as a BMW driver, always have right-of-way.”
I’m shocked that you’ve never had a problem with a relatively new car.
Shocked.
ETA: Wait, you’ve had to unexpectedly go to the service department twice over the span of 3 cars, all of which are new enough to be still under warranty? That actually does suck.
You don’t change your own tires?
My husband drives an Audi A6. And when I drove the Audi (I drive a Jetta) I noticed a lot more people GAVE me the right of way. I thought this was strange because I was used to thinking that people in expensive cars took it while I in my lowly Jetta had to fight for it. But it really was like the Red Sea parting for me, very odd. I suspect its more noticable in a Mercedes or BMW.
You’ve convinced me - go ahead and let others pick the car you drive. OK, I’m not *totally *convinced - I’m still going to pick my car based on what I want.
I’m simply saying that being concerned about what others think isn’t all that bizarre. Some people consider it with hair, clothes, movies, spouses, and (gasp) even cars.
IME, every person that lectures people on ignoring what other people think are themselves aware of what other people think for some aspect of their lives. It’s in escapable. Are you different in that regard?
Maybe. I’ve been told I’m pretty clueless… 
There are definitely varying levels of concern. Sure, if I lived on an island solely inhabited by me and my monkey servants, I’d never get a haircut. Unfortunately as it is, I don’t, and I have to go to work in an office, interact with people, so I cut my hair. But if people’s expectations were for me to buy a $70,000 car that I don’t really give two shits about, and buy a big house (actually, they kind of are, now that I think about it) and all of that sort, they’d have to get bent real fast like. The farthest I’m willing to go for other people is putting on pants. After that, forget it.
Je pense que je t’aime.
Do you live some place where it’s not snowing (in October, for fuck’s sake!)? If so, let’s move in together.
2 repair visits in nine years seems pretty good to me. Compare that with the Audi she had before her first BMW. 40+ days in the shop the first year.
We’ll not talk about how many times the Lotus has been in for service. :eek:
I can honestly say that I’ve never had a car that had an issue with less than 100,000 miles on it. I currently have an Audi, and used to have a BMW, and have found the repair issues with each to be pretty darn bad compared to an Acura. I haven’t had an issue with my MDX in 7 years. I even had a Jeep in my younger days that drove flawlessly until 108,000.
Hell, I’ll take the plunge. I drive a 6 year old BMW 325xi, black on black. Lots of people like me a lot, but I have a lot of enemies as well. And I’m sure it’s no different on this board. I’m certainly not sad or douchey. My mother drives a two year old 5-series, and she’s absurdly happy. She’s not a kept housewife; she’s a remarkable mother and businesswoman, and her car is a symbol of such.
The sad/douche thing is outdated. People of different socioeconomic statuses or who were raised in a home were the topic of money was delicate will always have these unwarranted perceptions. Frankly, regardless of which car I’m driving (the SO has a Honday Odyssey) I notice the people that cut me off or drive recklessly the most are men in minivans.
If you have the means and opportunity to drive a BMW, I recommend you do so. It handles remarkably well, and it’s an entirely different experience. It makes driving enjoyable for those who don’t enjoy it, and much more enjoyable for those who already do. I also recommend you spring for the 4 wheel drive if you live in a cold area, but that’s exclusively my own personal preference for cars in general.
Most of my life I have driven clunkers and at best middle of the road middle class type vehicles.
I don’t get excited by real corinthian leather or gold plated framuses or big price tags.
But for short periods of time I have driven Volvos and Audis. They handle very nicely and I am sure BMWs are the same way. So, IMO, if you choose them for the way they drive, have at it !
I just think BMWs are dead sexy. If I could afford one I’d get one. Fuck all my hippy friends, they’ll gladly ride in it when they’re bumming a ride.
Ok, first of all it’s a 3-series BMW that goes for like $35,000. It’s not like you’re buying the M6 or anything.
Second, the people who are “sad” are those who are afraid of any sort of show of wealth or success because it may offend the delicate sensibilities of their middle class neighbors. it smacks of a “what are you too good for us now, college boy?” mentality.
OTOH, it’s pretty douchy if your Facebook profile picture is a shot of your Porshe.
And just don’t get it in red.
Every car I’ve owned (all purchased new) had at least one issue in the first 100K. That’s a Honda, Saturn, and Subaru, and I don’t think that’s unexpected. Nothing wrong at all within 100K would be unusual.
http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.aspx?ID=2009108
The industry average on new cars is 108 defects per 100 cars. BMW is just above average for number of defects.
Not unusual. Less than average? Yes.
They are in the bottom half of any well-known reliability survey, including Consumer Reports.
When I bought my first BMW, it made me about the opposite of “sad”. I would literally drive it around for 2 or 3 hours at a time to no destination in particular almost every single night. I once stayed in a major interstate entrance rotary for about 40 minutes going around in huge circles like a race track just because I wanted to.
There is a weird effect to driving a BMW though. Every other car on the road seems extremely slow and it does get very irritating because you can handle so much better than the other drivers can. It is almost like time and space are different for different drivers. I had my electronic speed limiter kick in at 118 mph a few times on large interstate highways in Vermont and you can barely even feel it. They are capable of cruising very, very smoothly at extremely high speeds.
I will buy another one as soon as it is practical.
I refuse to own a wife that is out of warranty and trade mine in every three years so that she look sufficiently hot while riding in my BMW.
Just kidding ladies! Hard to imagine I’m still single, huh? And I drive a Honda.
I’ve driven BMWs, and they do handle better than other cars. But they are not as reliable as Hondas or Toyotas in my experience. And I don’t drive in such a way that the handling matters.