[Herakles]

I posted this question last year when i bought my e90 as a first time bmw owner.

The reason why i came to this brand, as an Ex Ponycar owner (mustangs/ Transams) is now being grown up, i wanted a sports car again- something fast, fun to drive and family friendly and good in bad weather. Hence Xdrive 335 Msport. Closest thing to this is a Subaru WRX , and i cant get over the horrible quality in those cars.

Anyhow.. to the topic- sometimes when im leaving work, and i see people i know seeing me in my car, i feel a little weird- you know what i mean? like what they are thinking "oh well look at so and so in their bmw" i dont like that feeling.

Does anyone else feel this or has felt this before?

Honestly, my current car is a space grey e90- im hoping those i know and at work dont notice difference going to a F30 mineral grey lol.. ill just say "what are you talking about, same car!"

Im pretty humble and as a Christian i feel some guilt for wanting a nicer car..but have to focus on just helping others as I can and not the guilty voice that gets in your head for buying something nicer or newer.

This is coming from someone btw that from 2003 to 2015 drove a 2000 Honda accord before gettting in my E90 for a year

[Mr D]

Originally Posted by Herakles

I posted this question last year when i bought my e90 as a first time bmw owner.

The reason why i came to this brand, as an Ex Ponycar owner (mustangs/ Transams) is now being grown up, i wanted a sports car again- something fast, fun to drive and family friendly and good in bad weather. Hence Xdrive 335 Msport. Closest thing to this is a Subaru WRX , and i cant get over the horrible quality in those cars.

Anyhow.. to the topic- sometimes when im leaving work, and i see people i know seeing me in my car, i feel a little weird- you know what i mean? like what they are thinking "oh well look at so and so in their bmw" i dont like that feeling.

Does anyone else feel this or has felt this before?

Honestly, my current car is a space grey e90- im hoping those i know and at work dont notice difference going to a F30 mineral grey lol.. ill just say "what are you talking about, same car!"

Im pretty humble and as a Christian i feel some guilt for wanting a nicer car..but have to focus on just helping others as I can and not the guilty voice that gets in your head for buying something nicer or newer.

This is coming from someone btw that from 2003 to 2015 drove a 2000 Honda accord before gettting in my E90 for a year

You deserve it.

[sygazelle]

No.

[anotheran]

nope. a friend of mine just bought a new E class AMG wagon. Another has a couple porsches. etc etc

and you bought your car used so feel good that you helped whoever unload their vehicle

[bones]

do some donuts in the parking lot at work. the guilt will dissipate. other regrets may arise however.

[bones]

[Herakles]

Originally Posted by bones

do some donuts in the parking lot at work. the guilt will dissipate. other regrets may arise however.

LMAO

[therealm3]

I hear you. I think driving a BMW has stereotypes in our society like anything else can. Some days I feel the "look" of "another douche bag guy in a blue BMW" from other drivers, but the car makes me smile, so I say whatever. I worked very hard in school, work, and life to get to where I am. And while I am way more fortunate that most, I don't feel like guilt is appropriate. The people allegedly looking down on you could just as easily have worked hard in school and at their career, or been more frugal in other areas of life to get to a point where they can afford a BMW too. Don't sweat it. Enjoy your car.

[RedKloud]

No. 3 series is so common.

[theEZV]

Originally Posted by Herakles

Anyhow.. to the topic- sometimes when im leaving work, and i see people i know seeing me in my car, i feel a little weird- you know what i mean? like what they are thinking "oh well look at so and so in their bmw" i dont like that feeling.

Does anyone else feel this or has felt this before?

I get where you're coming from - I get this feeling every now and again, mostly cause I probably was the guy thinking that when I was younger lol.

Funny, I sold my modded WRX to get something more grown up. But I'm not sure what's worse, being the "guy in the loud slammed car" or "that so and so in their bmw". LOL

[CalCarNut]

Nope. Heck, I wouldn't feel guilty rolling up in a Lamborghini either. I work hard for what I want.

[Herakles]

i see the comment "3 series are so common" yes and no- we all know they are just 3 series, but the badge says it all.

its the automatic stereotyping.

And putting in perspective working hard and doing as please with money, at the same time always being able to help people.

[mwh2009]

Occasionally - but

I bought it for me, not for anyone else.

Enjoy it while you can. As you get older, life will punch you in the gut from time to time. Enjoy the good stuff when you can so that the bad stuff doesn't get you down.

And be gracious to others outside of your car.

And don't drive like a d*ck

[Herakles]

Originally Posted by mwh2009

Occasionally - but

I bought it for me, not for anyone else.

Enjoy it while you can. As you get older, life will punch you in the gut from time to time. Enjoy the good stuff when you can so that the bad stuff doesn't get you down.

And be gracious to others outside of your car.

And don't drive like a d*ck

glad to see the "occassionally"

im not show offy, it just feels great after a long day at work to get into something nice you like. I dont know how for 13 years i drove my beater honda and dealt with it.

Just hate as i pull out of work feeling the glares of people walking out watching what people drive.

Tinting windows asap lol..

[BEM-S4]

Where are you in PA? Here on the main line I cannot tell you how many 3-series I see every single day. Shit between my dad and GF they have 3 right there.

It's a nice car you can use on normal roads but not ridiculous. Buy a GT3 that you can only drive 30% most of the time and then worry about looking like an asshole.

[tturedraider]

When I first moved up to the "luxury" level with an Infiniti twenty years ago I felt a little pretentious at first. But the car was such a good car and I got a really good deal so that feeling didn't last too long. I still have the feeling occasionally thinking about the fact a Camry would get the job done, but I like driving and I love the way BMWs drive so I think their cost represents a pretty good value for what they deliver. I also kind of look at it this way - with real estate I don't make judgements between a less expensive home versus a more expensive home or with a suit between a high-end tailored suit versus a nice off the rack suit. I don't know why nice cars give me a different feeling.

[roll_the_dice]

I understand what you mean, but no I don't feel guilty at all. I work hard for what I have and if I want a car, I want to enjoy it. I have found that if someone looks at you for having certain things or is jealous, it is because of their own insecurities more so than anything else. Enjoy it in good health!

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by Herakles

glad to see the "occassionally"

im not show offy, it just feels great after a long day at work to get into something nice you like. I dont know how for 13 years i drove my beater honda and dealt with it.

Just hate as i pull out of work feeling the glares of people walking out watching what people drive.

Tinting windows asap lol..

Have you actually decided to make the jump to an F30?

[Herakles]

Yep "pretentious" is that the word that some of us might feel?

To the knwledgeable auto guys like us, seeing 3 series around isnt a big deal.. agreed, but to others they still are stereotyped.

I was never a bmw person, once i started years ago reading about the then 330, then 335, i always wanted one .

[nicknaz]

Hey OP, I know what you mean, I have felt it too.

I think all you really do is reminder yourself you work hard for it, be a nice person and help where you can

It is definitely pretty relative. Here in SoCal, even M cars are pretty common so it doesn't really matter much. When I drove cross country, it stuck out like a sore thumb. If I lived in the middle of the USA I would probably get a Ford or other pickup as my daily driver, and not a bmw, just to fit in a bit better

[BEAR-AvHistory]

R U Kidding me?

[X2 Monstah]

I used to feel the same way (a little) because my wife and I both have BMWs. But, I work hard (well as hard as a federal employee can work ) and I earned it.