I need a new car for sure. It has only 45K miles on it, but surely show signs of aging. Everything still runs smoothly, but I'm no longer confident to bring it on long trips. I'm very conscious about gas mileage. Not for economic reason, probably have something to do with where I learned driving. Conserving gas was one of the main skills that you were constantly taught. That's probably why I got 98 Civic HX, reasonable engine and easily 36-40MPG, 11 years ago. But I heard BMW is a chick magnet and driving is measured by sMiles Per Gallon ... and real drivers prefer stick :rockon: My main concern is reliability. Not as favorable as Toyota and Lexus. Had Lexus let their back seat down, I would go for it, but ... So, any suggestions?
No one, on this board or any BMW board, is going to try talking you out of getting the 5er. And not many would want to own a German car out of warranty.
Just get the car that suits you best. Don't worry about what others think. I only ask that you step outside yourself for a moment during the decision making process and think about emissions output (all of the them, not just CO2) and fuel use (barrels/yr) and how that relates to public health, ecology, the economy, and national security. Good luck with whatever you choose!
Why don't you get the 335d? It has great MPG and 425 ft-lbs of torque. On those cars you only have to drive with your doors unlocked and girls will jump in. Lease it for 4 years, it has 4 years warranty and maintenance including oil, filters, brake rotors and even wipers. Just add Diesel and tires.
Can't get a 335d with a stick... But yes, get a 4-year (or less) lease on the 5er, and start saving money for the gold-diggers and a new set of RFTs on lease turn-in.
If you DO decide to get the BMW, any chicks you get (due to you driving a BMW) will be the ones you deserve. Ponder that one for awhile.
Your comment reminded me of an interview with a Porsche owner that I came across many years ago. He said something like: "The women I am interested in I get not because of my car, but *despite* it".
Here's an article finding that women prefer men with fuel efficient cars.. Want to impress the ladies? Get yourself into a green car | Motortrend News & Auto Blog - Wide Open Throttle
If you want the right kind of girl, get a Prius and take her around the world for all the money you saved not buying a 535. BMWs have a great gearbox and suspension, but they are overpriced and service sucks.
I drove 45K miles in 11 years, so gas money should never be a problem. But I'm kind of buy and hold type, can't get my mind around leasing. And BMW reliability really get to my nerve. Not sure how bad they really are. You can't get an honest opinion on a bimmer forum.
reliable or not, parts are expensive!! While the service interval is longer (10,000 miles), they are expensive (my smart's service A cost Cdn$225!!)
The two cars are extremely different, and more importantly, the price ranges are quite different also. I've owned 2 BMWs now, driven them to 100K+ and have enjoyed them. That being said, I'm somewhat unhappy with the fact that little things like the interior window gaskets seem to be come undone when the BMW is parked outside and the summer heat is beaming. Folks in my family have owned Toyotas and we've never seen this happen even when the cars had hit 200k-350k miles. Another thing I haven't been that happy with on my BMWs was the AC. I've lived in Florida and California so I need decent AC. Japanese and American cars seem to have stronger ACs then German cars, but I don't have any real evidence of this other than my own gut feel. I've owned and sold my cars and noticed that it was a bit more difficult to sell the BMW and Porsches vs. a Toyota (of course, larger market buying a Toyota), but furthermore the Toyota seemed to hold it's value better (percentage wise). As far as buying one car or the other based on 'chics'...., bad idea. Don't allow a car to change your real personality. If you like the BMW and truly enjoy it, great, buy the BMW. Same for the Toyota. No one else is going to be there with you when you buy the car, when you purchase gas for the car, when you repair the car and when you finally sell the car one day. -Moazam 2010 Prius III with Nav/JBL 2001 BMW 330ci (gone today, traded for Prius) 1996 Porsche 911/993
If you drove 45k miles over 11 years, I'm not sure a hybrid is the way to go for you. In CA, it's 10 years / 150k battery warranty, so your getting max bang for buck at 15k miles / year. Or am I seeing that wrong?
I'm married, there is a pic of my wife in the Photos thread. Sure she likes BMW's and fun cars. But she didn't want me because of those things. Plus she is very attractive. :rockon: If you want to pick up shallow girls that are into you for your money or at least they perceive you to have money because you have an expensive car, then you need more than a Yuppie cockroach to do it. The 5 series is a wonderful car, but it is not a chick magnet. Buy a Lotus Elise S or an Exige. Buy a Porsche 911, or a Ferrari. Those are chick magnets. If you live south of the Mason Dixon line then you might want to buy Detroit Muscle ie: Corvette, Camaro, Mustang, etc....
That's a good point. I live in NYC. The only chance to drive is weekend trips, could be a little more as I become more active. I'll do some math.
