**POLL ADDED** 1ers, how old are you?

[crvz]

34 with a 2013 135i m-sport 6MT. Not the most family friendly of cars I've owned (coming from a crewmax tundra), but that's what the odyssey is for (the wife loves it).

[i_love_cars]

30 years old here. First BMW for me. I've always had NA cars in the past and wanted a solid platform for boost, so the 135 just seemed like the best place to go.

as far as younger people driving these things, really how many buy them brand new? I could go pull the trigger on a lot of cars more expensive than a 1er, but even as my income has seen natural progression, I can't get past a mental block about roughly $20k for a car. I bought my 2008 135 last year for $21k and that's typically my price limit for cars. If I have to pay like, 40k for a vehicle, it scares the hell out of me mainly because all of my investment properties cost roughly that much in down payment.

So i end up equating it to "I could buy a brand new BMW......or a property".

I don't think it's out of the realm of reality for 20-somethings to be buying 1er's, the car is intended to be an entry level BMW and it's easy to find them with 30k miles for sub $30k. Even less if you are buying an older N54 model like me.

[halfhalo]

23, and picked up my 2008 135i E88 in August. 2 years of savings while working part time and going to school let me write a check for it. Before it had a '03 Highlander V6.

My rule of thumb is if its not windy or raining, the top is down. Gotta love SoCal weather for that

[ronster]

Bought 09 135i @ 37 yo back in 2009. Traded in 2 years later and bought 1M.

[BMhead]

52, bought mine in my big 50 year, I've always loved small high quality quick cars, so no middle age spread (UK term for middle aged people getting fat!) for me.

This is my 4th BMW been driving them for 20 years

[bmw1racer]

I was curious about the age distribution, so I counted up the numbers.

Up to this point:

20's and below: 77 members

30's: 33 members

40's: 22 members

50's: 23 members

60's: 20 members

70's and above: 6 members

[bfodle]

I'm 33, bought the car used when I was 32. I only drive it in the warm months, I've got a Subaru I use in the snow. I typically only drive about 10 miles a day, but on weekends, I take long drives with the 135. I love it, but I don't want to see rust form on the car over time, so I park it in the winter. We use too much salt on the roads here.

[nunka]

Originally Posted by bmw1racer

I was curious about the age distribution, so I counted up the numbers.

Up to this point:

20's and below: 77 members

30's: 33 members

40's: 22 members

50's: 23 members

60's: 20 members

70's and above: 6 members

Thanks for tallying that all up! Interesting to see the discrepancy between this spread and the public perception of the 1 series as a car "for middle aged women and old men." Maybe that's how it really is outside the enthusiast circle. But we all know the people on these forums are the ones that matter. :P

[crvz]

Originally Posted by nunka

Thanks for tallying that all up! Interesting to see the discrepancy between this spread and the public perception of the 1 series as a car "for middle aged women and old men." Maybe that's how it really is outside the enthusiast circle. But we all know the people on these forums are the ones that matter. :P

The issue with any interpretation of this spread is that it is influenced by those likely to be online and seek out information via forums. In other words, it's less likely that middle aged women and old men are going to participate in this thread, so the public perception may be completely accurate regardless of what the info from this poll indicates (particularly as it's under a 200 data points thus far).

[nunka]

Originally Posted by crvz

The issue with any interpretation of this spread is that it is influenced by those likely to be online and seek out information via forums. In other words, it's less likely that middle aged women and old men are going to participate in this thread, so the public perception may be completely accurate regardless of what the info from this poll indicates (particularly as it's under a 200 data points thus far).

That's what I was trying to get across - just via different terms. It's not hard data, and we shouldn't use it as such. But a fun thought exercise nonetheless.

[GMD]

19. I got the family mini-van, and wheeler-dealer'd my way up to an 08' 135i

[shah269]

2009 135i MT....how old am i?
Well i use to drink and party with JC back in Judiah....ah man that guy was a freaking BLAST and a half! Once when we were all chilling in a hot tub with these babes from Babylon....and you know what they say about those babbling babes...and well he like turned the freaking hot tub water into wine!
And then there was that bar fight at the bank…who the hell puts a bank in a bar? I mean really?
That’s me in the back!
http://bp2.blogger.com/_Z8oAIQGDYlQ/...Mel_Brooks.jpg

[Overpar56]

Originally Posted by bmw1racer

I was curious about the age distribution, so I counted up the numbers.

Up to this point:

20's and below: 77 members

30's: 33 members

40's: 22 members

50's: 23 members

60's: 20 members

70's and above: 6 members

You have too much spare time.

Nice going though. It shows that I'm not in the minority.

[ATCQL]

I will join the other 6 members,I am 71. Q

[amsnow440]

Bought my car in Nov. '13 at 23, turned 24 in Dec. Made an incredible find in CT, a 2010 135i 6MT with 8,900 mi on it. Only problem is that it's been sitting in the garage due to this awful stretch of weather we've been having recently in the NE.

Oh well, that's what Subies are for!

[Malibu128]

23. Just got a used '08 128i a few months ago after crashing my z3 (also got that used). I got it in the middle of summer and haven't yet experienced a winter with it but I think Im going to be screwed living in Jersey and having the 128 as my one and only daily driver to commute to work with.
I live at home right now as I just graduated college (no debt) so I figured I could afford to choose between moving out and paying rent and getting a car for under ten thousand, OR live at home a little longer with my parents who are pretty cool and treat my self to a nice but still reasonably priced used Bimmer...I chose the car!
So worth it because I literally smile every time I press the unlock button and the little white lights illuminate the door handles.

[DtE1]

I am 68 and bought Dorian in August 2009. The 135i is our current road car - we used to drive the MINI Cooper to all points (Brooklyn twice, Canton, Ohio and Boise, Idaho). We drove the 135i to California for a Pacific Coast Highway run from L.A. up to Bolinas in December 2009, and then drove to Yellowstone N.P. in 2012, both from Bellaire, TX. We put two sets of golf clubs and our luggage in the trunk and head out for extended road trips.

On the trip to California, we were on a straight and very desolate section I-10 with no traffic in sight, heading west across southern New Mexico and the wife was driving. She asks me if the odometer reading was over 1200 miles (the recommended break in period) and I said yes. Next thing you know she floors it and takes off from 70 mph to 130 mph. Unbelievable! That's something she would not have been able to do in her '03 MINI Cooper S.

Currently the 135i has just over 36,000 miles while the MCS has 97,000.

[JS135]

24, bought my CPO '09 135i M-Sport package last august. Did decent last winter so I will probably be keeping her for a while longer, although still thinking of grabbing another, cheaper, AWD car and ditching this. It's just an absolute monster and too powerful for anyone on the streets (IMO).

I still love it

[rspeedy]

77 here. I assumed a lease on an alpine white 135is from slampig on this forum about 3 weeks ago. What a great car, fantastic acceleration and it feels solidly planted when cornering. I'd been following this forum in the early days waiting for the 135i. I usually buy cars that are 2 years old and keep them for 2 years but was going to make an exception for the 2008 135i and buy one new. Unfortunately, the first time I saw one at a dealership it was parked next to an M3 Coupe. I thought it made the 135i look like an ugly duckling being taller and narrower. I guess I got used to the looks as I think they look pretty cool now.

[cwaldo]

29 with a CPO 135i

Two previous cars were Civics. First car was a Mirage.

[JB007]

40, bought the 135 new (2013).

[other_evolved]

Bought my 2011 CPO 135i when I was 29.....30 now with our first kid on the way. We'll see how it goes, lol.