[N1]

FED warned the prices are raising.

[roburado]

Originally Posted by ward

and once a month when you have to write a check, you'll be reminded

[Robert]

Originally Posted by gluck75

Well....which cars are better buys for the 50k?

You can certainly make this argument if you come up with better alternatives for the 50k. I'd be curious what the members here come up with.

TL, M45, 5, is350 series are all considerable options with 3 out of 4 lower than 50k. The 335i will just be a more powerful version of the 330i. It's not a M3. If HP is that important for you and you must have the 3 series style why not just get the M3?

[300B]

Originally Posted by gluck75

Well....which cars are better buys for the 50k?

You can certainly make this argument if you come up with better alternatives for the 50k. I'd be curious what the members here come up with.

Acura RL is damn nice for the price.

[StevoSEA]

Originally Posted by bobbo

TL, M45, 5, is350 series are all considerable options with 3 out of 4 lower than 50k. The 335i will just be a more powerful version of the 330i. It's not a M3. If HP is that important for you and you must have the 3 series style why not just get the M3?

Maybe because the new M3 will cost $70k+ for the first year it's out, thats with dealer "mark up" over msrp!

[ward]

Originally Posted by StevoSEA

Maybe because the new M3 will cost $70k+ for the first year it's out, thats with dealer "mark up" over msrp!

only an idiot pays more than msrp

anything you pay over sticker you might as well light on fire

[espo]

Originally Posted by Daneel

If you do the math (compare inflation rates and standard equipment), then BMWs are actually getting cheaper (at least the 3 series is). Check out the standard equipment of an early E46. Add in the cost of what the E90 comes with standard, and then adjust for inflation. The E90 is cheaper.

Ah, yes the "increased value" arguement to counter price inflation, Something the government always likes to use.

However, it really isn't true... If you want to buy a base line BMW 3-series you will pay $XXXXX dollars. Since you can't remove standard equipment, you are still paying more $$$ for the same product.

Now the $50K is a big number. That is 3 times the price my father paid for his first house about 30 years ago, only slightly less than what he paid for his current house about 20 years ago, and 40% of the cost of my house about 5 years ago!!!! Just to put it in perspective...

[cntlaw]

considering 5.2s C55 AMG would cost 55-60K , 50K for 5.4s E92 is not bad.

[BK]

These days, $50K is just a little more than the price you’d expect to pay for a typical entry level luxury car. The 335i is sportier than the typical car in its class, so it’s worth the premium IMO.

In the sedan world, there is the ~$20K economy group, the $25-35K “damn near everybody has this car” (Accord, Camry, etc.) group, the $35K-45K “entry level luxury” (3, A4, C-class) group, the $45-55K “mid-level luxury” (5, A6, E-class) group, and the $55K+ “I make more money than you” (7, A8, S-class) group. The 335i may be on the high end of the entry luxury group, but so is the 330i, and I think that car is worth it. I’m sure the 335i will be worth it, too.

[RichReg]

Originally Posted by espo89

... If you want to buy a base line BMW 3-series you will pay $XXXXX dollars. Since you can't remove standard equipment, you are still paying more $$$ for the same product.

Absolutely right. And this is all because the over-inflated mark-up for each & every one of those extra 'standard' features is still hidden inside the base MSRP.

[ShinyRedCar]

As much as I love my E90, there's just no way I would spend $50K for a 3-series...there's not that much car there! On the other hand if money wasn't an issue, I'd be driving the M6

Anyway, I think for me it's the combination of having a wife in college, 2 boys in private school and their college education not far off, another boy who is married but struggling, and of course bills to pay. Add it up and $50K isn't very practical...good thing I got the Harley while I was still single

[tonee8519]

Originally Posted by foofighter

for 50k you're a few k shy of a V8 powered S4

apart from the way it drives, the s4/rs4 looks too similar to the a4 sedan in exterior looks.

[codylcast]

Just to put things into a different perspective. A fully loaded Honda accord comes in around $31K. 3/5ths of a 335i. Sounds about right. I think people are freaking out because of the 50k number. It’s an emotional response to an artificial barrier - like Y2K. I paid 37K for a well equipped 2003 325i. I just paid 38k for a modestly equipped 2006 330i (ED price). I think if I were to build a 335i to my needs/taste (sports pckg, metal paint, heated seats, leather, CA), ED price would be in the low to mid forties. For ~300 HP 3 series? Whets wrong with that? I just built a similarly equipped 295hp cayman on the Porsche website for 65K. At least a 20k premium over a similar 335i. Even a base model cayman (no heated seats, std wheels, std paint, std sound system, manual seats, no xeons..) would command a 15k premium over the same modestly equiped 335i as mentioned before. Yes the cayman is godlike, but my point is a 335i is not slouch and a relative bargain

[Neurorad]

The only real competitor for the 3, in terms of a small, commuter, sporty, luxury sedan is the A4/S4. Lexus IS350 could be considered, if manual transmission is not essential, but it lacks that umami of BMW, that feeling you can't describe (I know umami is a taste, but you get the idea).

I wanted AWD, so it was the 330xi or the S4. I went with BMW over Audi, and no regrets. Very few luxury 4dr sedans out there with MT and AWD. I wish the M3 had 4dr and AWD available.

Acura RL could be considered if you're willing to sacrifice performance.

[NaTuReB0Y]

50K.....i'd rather get the RL or M45

[BKsBimmer]

There are a lot of ways to measure the value of a car. Some of it is your personal tastes and preferences and what you value personally in a car. The other part is market value or what the car is worth on the open market generally.

$50 grand is a lot of money, but I guarantee BMW will not have trouble selling a fully loaed 335I with 300 + horse power at that price.

[gohawks23]

Originally Posted by NaTuReB0Y

50K.....i'd rather get the RL or M45

I'm pretty ignorant of Acuras but isn't the RL FWD? If so enough said...

Also, Infiniti does a fine job of HP/torque and off the line power...but their sport package handling is NOWHERE near a BMW sport. We have a sport G35 which is sloppy compared to my ZHP...everybody else that drives it thinks it is tight but they don't drive sport BMW's either.

[NaTuReB0Y]

Originally Posted by greginaz1

I'm pretty ignorant of Acuras but isn't the RL FWD? If so enough said...

Also, Infiniti does a fine job of HP/torque and off the line power...but their sport package handling is NOWHERE near a BMW sport. We have a sport G35 which is sloppy compared to my ZHP...everybody else that drives it thinks it is tight but they don't drive sport BMW's either.

The RL is SH-AWD(super handling-all wheel drive)

Go and test drive the M35 or M45 before making judgment.............

[BKsBimmer]

Originally Posted by NaTuReB0Y

The RL is SH-AWD(super handling-all wheel drive)

Hell so is X-drive. Get a 335xi

[NaTuReB0Y]

Originally Posted by BKsBimmer

Hell so is X-drive. Get a 335xi

but it's not the same as a "SH-AWD".....hahaha!

[eshoukry93]

I also share those sentiments. I bought my wife a 325i fully loaded for $36k walkout. It's hard to swallow that another 3 series could be $14K more. I think that does transcend a few income levels and genres of automobiles (affordable to luxury sports car).

I guess my question is, could I spend just a little more and get something significantly better? Or as others have said, I would need to add at least $15K more to get a Caymen S.

Thanks.

[Brunotheboxer]

wait a minute, i'm confused. i thought that the price of a nicely equipped 335i was only going to be about 1,000.00 more than the similarly equipped 330i.