The best part about driving a BMW 128i....

[Gray_Panther]

Number one reason why I don't drive mine to work and don't let anyone know about it. The nicest car in the parking lot is a 2011 G37x sedan. The next one following is a GMC Acadia. But if I show up in my little 1er everyone will say this 20 something new guy who has only been here a year is making some serious dough.

Besides I can pretend it is my little mistress. No one has to know about it

[drFUNK]

Originally Posted by Gray_Panther

Number one reason why I don't drive mine to work and don't let anyone know about it. The nicest car in the parking lot is a 2011 G37x sedan. The next one following is a GMC Acadia. But if I show up in my little 1er everyone will say this 20 something new guy who has only been here a year is making some serious dough.

Besides I can pretend it is my little mistress. No one has to know about it

I can absolutely relate on the age thing. Makes some conversations with extended family awkward.

[1addyfan]

Love this thread...

I don't like driving my BMW to work either because I get the same reaction... My coworkers act like I'm pulling in with a brand new lambo or something. They want to know the purchase price... insurance cost... the monthly payments, etc lol.

It's a damn 1 series... not that big of deal.

[Bmwbreed]

Originally Posted by drFUNK

I can absolutely relate on the age thing. Makes some conversations with extended family awkward.

Yup I can relate to this as well being under 30 and buying a BMW. Then they look at you like you're selling drugs too.

[Bmwbreed]

Originally Posted by AJx

Love this thread...

I don't like driving my BMW to work either because I get the same reaction... My coworkers act like I'm pulling in with a brand new lambo or something. They want to know the purchase price... insurance cost... the monthly payments, etc lol.

It's a damn 1 series... not that big of deal.

Not that big of a deal lol. More over I'd be like its none of your damn business.

[thehalcyon]

Originally Posted by AJx

Love this thread...

I don't like driving my BMW to work either because I get the same reaction... My coworkers act like I'm pulling in with a brand new lambo or something. They want to know the purchase price... insurance cost... the monthly payments, etc lol.

It's a damn 1 series... not that big of deal.

Wow, I'm glad I'm not the only one. I thought after a month or two, people would lay off the snide remarks and comments. I still get em on a daily basis. More playful teasing than anything since its unusual for animators to be driving around in a bmw. I certainly make a lot less money than several of my co-workers who all drive average/ boring cars. I honestly didn't want to drive my car to work because of the comments.

I suppose I've shot myself in the foot since most of the teasing is from me parking away off in the corners of the parking lot to avoid potential dings/scratches. I'm hoping it will wear off, what needs to happen is someone else at my work needs to get a nicer car so all the attention goes to them.

[Zeros and ones]

Originally Posted by the1andonly

Whats with you guys in California? How could an entire state thats totally broke be filled with all wealthy people?! lol

Their are people in california that drive 6 figure cars and live in cheap ass apartments with 4 other room mates.

and their are people that live in cheap houses were their cars value more.

[tccox]

Funny, first time I drove my brand shiny new 2012 Crimson
Red 128 to work first comment I got from a coworker/friend was, "why did you buy the ugly BMW instead of one of the good looking ones ??"

[631twentyeighteye]

I get this all the time in my nearly bare bones 128, only options being electric seats and heated, heated seats, and sunroof. Maybe the loud exhaust, gold wheels and weekly wash contribute to it though..

Little do they know that i spent a good amount less than a new FRS/BRZ which was my first option, ironically.

[ejm3]

There are plenty of 3 & 5 series around here as well, which is why I didn't really expect to get much crap, except maybe from my family. But they give me crap all the time anyway no matter what I do.

Remember you can lease an expensive car for not a lot of money especially if you don't drive many miles. That probably explains the $60k X5's that are on every corner around here.

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by AJx

I don't like driving my BMW to work either because I get the same reaction... My coworkers act like I'm pulling in with a brand new lambo or something. They want to know the purchase price... insurance cost... the monthly payments, etc lol.

It's a damn 1 series... not that big of deal.

Same here.

Those comments are typical of people who are car-ignorant, which is about 99% of the folks at my workplace.

[Kgolf31]

My Z4M was purchased for $3k more than my 1 series, and so many people think the Z4M is a pricey car.

When people see the BMW emblem they think price tag, when in reality they are competitive in price

[KNTDRV]

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

This thread is so spot on. I get snide comments from co-workers and stuff all the time, who think I must've spent a fortune on my car. Funny thing is, most of them probably spent 25-50% more on their pickup trucks and SUV's. Granted, some of their vehicles may be more practical for family hauling duty, but still, in absolute terms I spent less money than they did ($30,449 - definitely doesn't seem like a $30k car, even to me!)

I've been getting the same response with my month old 128i ....even though its an '08. Doesn't help the situation when I decide to ride my Harley Streetglide to work

[drcollie]

The BEST part about driving a BMW is when you don't have anyone around at all - and its early Sunday morning when most people are still in bed and you have your favorite twisty road all to yourself where you can actually have some fun getting the car up to speed. That's when I enjoy my 135i 'Vert the most, especially if the day is nice enough to have the top down. I could care less what some guy in the Camry thinks of it, or me, at the stoplight. Or my customers at my business when its in the parking lot. You buy a BMW for the 'art' of driving, as you do any performance-oriented car, not as an object to gather admiration - though if that's what you want to do, there's nothing wrong with that, either. I've owned a lot of cars - my 135i is my 7th BMW - and I come back to the brand because you can get a very nice balance of cost/quality/performance - that's the enjoyment I get out of it as my daily driver.

[dorkdog]

Originally Posted by 宝马.e90

This pretty much debunks the "BMW is watering the brand with X model" argument. BMW, Mercedes, Audi, they're all well established brands that even if they make more entry level cars, they're still perceived as premium. This was all always the case but it's the enthusiast crowd that bring up these topics.

It may be an entry level bimmer for some, but it is no entry level car

[Greenkirby21]

yup. people are really clueless and don't do research at all when buying cars.

Since I am out of college, I have multiple friends getting their first cars and I have been helping them. Many of them are honda accords, toyota camry, all of which are around 30k.

When they find out the 1 series starts at 31k, they go no way. They always call me rich and crap cause I'm 22 when they have sometimes a more expensive car then me LOL. They just don't know and expected bmws to start at 50k or something

[ilikebmxbikes]

Originally Posted by Zeros and ones

Their are people in california that drive 6 figure cars and live in cheap ass apartments with 4 other room mates.

and their are people that live in cheap houses were their cars value more.

That's more of an LA stereotype.

I live in the Bay Area, which has google, Cisco, apple, Facebook, twitter, zynga, EA, etc. and is filled with audi's, merc's and BMW's. This is one of the most innovative and wealthy areas in our country/ the world. A 1er would more likely be recognized as an entry level bmw, which it is, than a super car type reaction some of you receive.

The best part of driving a 1 series has nothing to do with anyone else's reactions or delusion of cost but rather the pure enjoyment. 135i or 128i, they are great cars.

[KarlMalden]

I work at Chrysler headquarters and have to park in "competitor" parking. I can't let my team know I drive a Bimmer.

[zoomnad]

That is why I drive a 2008 BMW 128i: I'm rich, a snob, and better than everybody! That's right, I payed $17,500 for it used! I must admit that the other day a new 7 series came beside me and I thought" that dude has some money" HaHa

[JimD]

I was pleasantly surprised by what my 128i vert cost. I kept the options down (just sport suspension and wood trim) to keep it that way. I wanted a convertible more than I wanted a BMW. I am glad I have both.

There are plenty of pricier bimmers in the parking lot at work. My kids are 28 and 30 (step kids 16 and 19) so people are not at all surprised I can afford the bimmer. The question is more why a 1. The answer is simple, it's the most fun.

Jim

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by JimD

There are plenty of pricier bimmers in the parking lot at work. My kids are 28 and 30 (step kids 16 and 19) so people are not at all surprised I can afford the bimmer. The question is more why a 1. The answer is simple, it's the most fun.

"The 1 is the most fun."

I like it.

[ejm3]

Honestly I was looking at Z4's but I found the 135i convertible had all the performance and looks I really needed and at a fairly significant cost savings.
Yeah its the bargain basement BMW but I don't regret the decision.