Keep hearing "poor man's BMW" and I'm tired of it

[Chop79]

Originally Posted by jbenington86

I take a little offense to that... I will be perfectly happy with the 128 bare bones..for starters its almost 100hp jump from what im driving now. I love driving BMW but I dont need half the stuff other people need in there cars because I will either A never use it or B almost never so it would just be wasted money to me. I dont need a special seat or steering wheel to feel cool or being able to open my door with my key in my pocket. As long as the car fuctions properly it does what it is intented to do get you from Point A to Point B. Spend your extra $15k on comfort and ill invest in something else that gains value over time. The only thing that adds much significants to the car would be the sports package. Most of the other stuff is just for people to look at and go wow that is cool or to make your butt feel better but I aint old so I dont have to worry about that. I dont need to scrape my change together to rock the Badge because I already am.

I'm sorry if that came off the wrong way. You were not who I was referring to. I think the 128i is a great car at a fantastic price point. However, I was referring to someone who might be buying the 128i to appear to have money/status because they drive a BMW. I just don't think the 1 series in general will be all that impressive to non-enthusiast. So if you're buying the car to impress, I think you might be a little disappointed.

I also agree about all the extras in theory! I guess I just couldn't help myself :iono:

[jbenington86]

I was going to get a 135i but I would be eating noodles and looking at my car and detailing more than driving

[sectos]

Originally Posted by Chop79

However, I was referring to someone who might be buying the 128i to appear to have money/status because they drive a BMW.

it europe it would be the 120d:biggrin:

[MVF4Rrider]

Originally Posted by Design1stCode2nd

I thought Mazda was a poor man's BMW or was it poor man's Porsche, can't remember.

I don't consider the 135 a poor man's anything.

Wow it took to the 52nd post to finally get to the point that No BMW is a poor man's BMW. Only some other make can be a "poor man's BMW." My God...

[bimmerfile]

^^+1 ^^

[sciamop]

If BMW would only resurrect the Isetta (call it a 0 series) and offer it for under $10K new, then we would finally have a poor man's BMW... and, yes, I'd still want one!

[chriscecc914]

the hate will never end when you have something thats nicer then someone else.

[lib]

Originally Posted by sciamop

If BMW would only resurrect the Isetta (call it a 0 series) and offer it for under $10K new, then we would finally have a poor man's BMW... and, yes, I'd still want one!

It's coming in 2012:
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsAr...llCars/232516/

[jbenington86]

id buy it.....find some random power plug that im not paying for and charge the car up for free

[mrgoochio]

Lol don't worry about it, not everybody understands the inteded target market and thats fine with me. I'm not really concerned about what others think about my car.. It's the nicest car I'll have ever owned and certainly the most expensive. In fact, it was originally out of my price range. So.. if this is a poor-man's BMW, I must be a very poor man.

[jbenington86]

well if you were poor before you bought it you definatly are now that you did buy it

[BMW Dreamer]

Originally Posted by chriscecc914

the hate will never end when you have something thats nicer then someone else.

Isn't that the truth

[BMW Dreamer]

Originally Posted by mrgoochio

Lol don't worry about it, not everybody understands the inteded target market and thats fine with me. I'm not really concerned about what others think about my car.. It's the nicest car I'll have ever owned and certainly the most expensive. In fact, it was originally out of my price range. So.. if this is a poor-man's BMW, I must be a very poor man.

WOW, care to share the boat with me.

I am maxed out at $40k. I could afford a $2,000 a month car payment now, but after bills, food, etc. I would be broke with no $$$ for savings, trips, and general fun.

[jbenington86]

OMG $2k a month....thats more than I make each month....no wonder I got the 128i....but the 135i was only like $5,500 out of my range..but it would have been exactly like my 128i 100% basic with no adds....im really mad I couldnt afford the 135i

[Dan203]

Originally Posted by Jeff1962

I could afford a $2,000

Yikes! The rule of thumb is to never spend more then 12-15% of your net (i.e. after taxes) monthly income on a car payment. So unless you make $13,333 a month you should not have a $2k car payment.

Dan

[lacrosse]

OK, so I went out to lunch today (Wendy's) and two guys in front of me are opining on the prices of current BMWs and what they cost to lease. They were guestimating that the lease on a 6 or 7 series would be about 650/mn (hah). One of the guys was talking about picking up a used X3 as a second vehicle.

I chimed in with my expectation of getting a new 135i in the next two weeks. One guy looks at me and says, "What do they cost, about $28,000?" I was like try close to $46 fully loaded. He started with, "Why would you want one when you could get a 335i?" and I cut him off with "same engine, less weight, more nimble". He responded, "So you really like to drive". Yup, you got it big fella!

[2fast]

Point is, 1-er is the cheapest BWM you can buy right now. If you like the car, that's what matters. Cuz soon you'll hear more crap like "oh he drives a 1 series, the civics of BMW". Jealousy is a bitaach.

[jbenington86]

Cheaper.. lighter.. faster.. what else is someone looking for when buying a sports car? In my opinon a sports car should not be a large car.....unless your stuck in the past when most power came from the larger engines.... so many disadvantages to a larger vehicle... everything iv heard from a ton of people that own a 3 series is they wish they could of held off but they arent jelous... most are interested in selling there 3 series and getting into a 1.

[colonel1961]

Originally Posted by lacrosse

One guy looks at me and says, "What do they cost, about $28,000?"

The local paper had the ad for the 1-Series and it was 'starting at $28,000' - a buddy asked me the same thing - 'Was it about $28k?' I asked him if had ever bought a car for the advertised entry price...

:wink:

[xtrema]

1 series is a gateway drug to for Mini (and other) owners getting into the BMW fold.

It's cheap (and the perception as cheap) for a reason.

I probably will pick a 135 vert. It's cheap and I know it but I don't care. I'm all about bang on the buck, regardless of brand.

[Dan203]

Originally Posted by xtrema

I probably will pick a 135 vert. It's cheap and I know it but I don't care.

You realize that the base MSRP on a 135i vert is about $40K without any options, not even metallic paint. Load it up and it's over $50K. I'd hardly call that cheap!

Dan

[mistermojorizin]

it's interesting that the discussion so far has pretty much focused on cost and the perception that the car is cheap or that you are cheap if you buy the car.

for me, that's not the real concern. my concern is when people say "poor man's bmw" they think you got the car just to get the BMW name - i.e. that you are a poser or a badge whore. The people saying "poor man's bmw" are not usually other bmw owners and I don't think they actually think you're poor. They think you are a poser.