[Klayfish]

Thanks for the replies. Let me clarify a little, to help with some of the things posted.

Sure, a Tesla would be awesome, if I could afford one. But not even remotely close. I'm looking to spend $17-$20k max. I actually had a Nissan Leaf as a daily driver a few years back (had two Miata as weekend toys then). As a commuting appliance, I enjoyed the hell out of it. But it could never meet my commuting needs now, as its' range is 85 miles and I do 110+.

Definitely not interested in the 135i. They are unquestionably more trouble prone. Turbos are wear items. Direct injection has a long and well documented history of carbon build up. I don't want to deal with either of those. That's why I'm not really looking at cars like the Mazdaspeed3 or Focus ST. I've driven them both and love them, but don't want to deal with their needs. Yeah, yeah, I know...if that's the case then just buy a Honda. But there's probably a good compromise middle ground in here, and I'm hoping a 128i is that. Not quite Honda reliable, but not a diva either.

My car would see no track or autox duty. One of my hobbies, which is where much of my disposable income goes, is road course racing. I run in the 24 Hours of LeMons series, in fact I own a car...well truth be told it's a pick up truck. So my new car will be 100% devoted to commuting duties.

I've test driven the 128i and Accord coupe several times. Loved them both for different reasons. Not sure what other word to use to describe the Accord other than slick. It's just good at everything it does. And it's unbreakable. But, it's still based on a family sedan and so while it's fast and a competent handler, it's nowhere near as passionate to drive as the BMW. The BMW is just plain fun. Everything about it speaks to your driving senses. In 128i form, it's also $3-$4k less than the Accord. But it's smaller, and I'm not sure how practical it is for daily use.

How many of you carry kids in the car? Like I said, my wife has a minivan, so I wouldn't need to use my car for daily family transport. Truthfully, I'll spend 95% of the miles in the car alone. Typically, I carry the kids home from sports practice, which is about 6 miles. But I do that 4-5 times per week. Wondering how old that will get.

Also, what do you guys with the 128i typically spend on maintenance? I know a lot of that depends on how much you DIY. I'll do oil and brakes myself, and maybe anything else that's as simple as that, but don't have the time to more "complicated" things.