[About2buy]

Hi everyone

So I decided not to buy a 328i - premium, navi, heated, logic, m sport, comfort access, 18's, etc.

Reason being, I could not justify the 47,900 MSRP for a 3 series.

It's a wonderful car. No doubt. But I felt like 48 grand for a 3 series is too much!

Many of the features I added come standard or cheaper in a Lexus...but I felt like I was paying for EVERYTHING in a BMW...like paint!

Also, the feel was very sport...less luxurious and I like a luxurious feel more.

Just thought I'd share.

[chenx15]

wrong forum

[imaphaetonguy]

I bought a 2008 328i with 10k miles and similar options for $25,900 last month.

Not quite new, but hardly used - and plenty of warranty. New is nice, but let someone else take the biggest depreciation hit.

[kurtural]

If you need to compare a land yacht vs. a BMW you probably do not need to be pricing them. Just my 0.02.

[TheRox]

Originally Posted by About2buy

Hi everyone

So I decided not to buy a 328i - premium, navi, heated, logic, m sport, comfort access, 18's, etc.

Reason being, I could not justify the 47,900 MSRP for a 3 series.

It's a wonderful car. No doubt. But I felt like 48 grand for a 3 series is too much!

Many of the features I added come standard or cheaper in a Lexus...but I felt like I was paying for EVERYTHING in a BMW...like paint!

Also, the feel was very sport...less luxurious and I like a luxurious feel more.

Just thought I'd share.

You stacked the options too much...that too no a 328i

328i should be bought with virtualliy no options except xeons. Never option out a BMW...its simply not worth it.

Lexus is a good car...I like the LS 460, very reliable...comfort, its no driver's car. The rest of their lineup is pretty crappy though. The ES and RX are toyota camry's. The GS isn't that fun but is an ok car; the IS is too expensive for what it is. THe LS though...is amazing!

[Majikthese42]

Originally Posted by imaphaetonguy

I bought a 2008 328i with 10k miles and similar options for $25,900 last month.

Not quite new, but hardly used - and plenty of warranty. New is nice, but let someone else take the biggest depreciation hit.

True.

The Honda Accord Crosstour lists for as much as $36,930, and I think the warranty on a 2-year old CPO 2008 BMW 3-series should be better than the warranty on a new 2010 Honda.

Is the "new car smell" worth $22k to you?

[Got_da_booze]

For $47,900, I'd buy a CPO 2008 M3!

[John 070]

It does sound like a lot for a 328, even for a list price. 335's were barely that much in 2007 (list). But even if it were list price, seems like there are craz-e discounts nowadays. I mean when I was in for service there was a board showing 3's for 11k off list (demos). I think 5k off list is reasonable, problem is list went up 4,100 since the E9x's debuted, so that's only $900 better than 2k7 on a body that's in its 4th year.

[stickypaws]

Originally Posted by About2buy

Also, the feel was very sport...less luxurious and I like a luxurious feel more.

Isn't that the point? A sports sedan? Didn't BMW launch them as sports sedans beginning with the 1600?

(I have an E63 AMG for the "luxurious" feel and a 330i only because it's a "very sport" feeling. And a 993 for the real "sports" feel. )

Get a 7 series for the BMW "luxurious" feel.

Or, if you want German build and technology get a MB E Class or Audi A6 as a "non-sports" sedan. Otherwise, yeah, get any of the Japanese versions of "luxury" (Lexus, Infiniti, etc..), if that's what you want (which seems to be the real point of your post.)

[Kilgore Trout]

Although this is a fairly pointless thread on a BMW enthusiast board, there is a big kernel of truth there. The 3 series isn't really that good a bang for the buck, if you want options and features.

My E91 is fairly loaded and I paid about $45,000 out the door. Down the street, Infiniti was selling an EX35 with just as many tech features, and a far more powerful engine, for $40,000. The G37 sedan (which, at the time, was a quite a bit cheaper than the EX35 hatchback) was $36,000 loaded.

I consider my car to be virtually perfect and there is almost nothing about it I don't love. It is by far and away the best car I ever owned. But, a good deal? Probably not.

Maybe one other way to look at this is that my sister wound up leasing a G35 about the same time I bought my E91. She freakin' loathes it and can't wait to turn it in. She describes it as being a big boat with a touchy throttle. Her husband hates it so much that he won't even sit in it. So, perhaps I paid a lot more for mine, but I got a vehicle I love. She has one that she just can't wait to get out of.

[balance]

you seem like your a lexus or mercedes guy

[John 070]

Originally Posted by Majikthese42

True.

The Honda Accord Crosstour lists for as much as $36,930, and I think the warranty on a 2-year old CPO 2008 BMW 3-series should be better than the warranty on a new 2010 Honda.

Is the "new car smell" worth $22k to you?

Absolutely. Part of it is I have to work much harder to get a car off the new car dealer's lot--keeping the payment reasonable, that means taking more money out of the bank, or cashing in more stocks or mutual funds. It's all about balance, life is not all or nothing. If a person is planning on keeping a car indefinitely (not already planning a replacement 1 or 2 years into a new car), then new is totally justifiable. I don't know how you arrived at your 22k number, and I don't follow your Honda analogy, but lets say a 335 loses 20k in 3 years--if you don't sell the car, it's inconsequential. Kind of like the value of your home bouncing plus or minus 200-300k according to zillow.com--is it something to worry about? Depends if you are in the market to sell.

Take the 335--mine was 100% reliable for the first 34 months in-service. Now it's got problems. If it got traded-in, CPO'd, and resold for 27k (20k depreciation), the problems did not go away--they are inherent in the car. I am the only one who will ever have enjoyed this vehicle problem-free--now it needs constant return trips to the dealership. That's what you get with the used BMW, CPO or not.

[Chriztofor]

Originally Posted by About2buy

Hi everyone

So I decided not to buy a 328i - premium, navi, heated, logic, m sport, comfort access, 18's, etc.

Reason being, I could not justify the 47,900 MSRP for a 3 series.

It's a wonderful car. No doubt. But I felt like 48 grand for a 3 series is too much!

Many of the features I added come standard or cheaper in a Lexus...but I felt like I was paying for EVERYTHING in a BMW...like paint!

Also, the feel was very sport...less luxurious and I like a luxurious feel more.

Just thought I'd share.

Well get rid of the premium, navi, heated, logic, m sport, comfort access, 18's, et. And you can justify the purchase

[cloakster]

If you want more luxury than performance, a BMW is not for you :P

[EZ_TUR90]

BMW = Sporty
Lexus = Comfort/ Luxury
Mercedes = Luxury/ Sporty

I drove the Lexus IS250 for a couple days and its comfy. Its a perfect girl car! Thus my sister drives it.
Took a C300 to SF from LA, and I hated it.
Purchased another BMW a month ago, and I could talk about how great BMW is all day!!!

[Saintor]

I agree... 47K$ is completely ridiculous for a 328i. A 535i 2011 is 50475$.

However, a nicely equipped 328i (Step / Prem / Sport ) is 40750$ before dealing & cash back. European delivery is another 6% off or so. And good interest rates.

*It is competitive* if you select options & packs wisely.

[About2buy]

I agree with many your posts.

The BMW is definitely a "man car" with a very, very sporty race car feel.

It drives AMAZING turning into corners with those side bolsters holding you tight in the sport seats.

You want to have fun, drive a BMW.

But IDK I just prefer kicking back in luxury.

Personal preference. That's all. The BMW is definitely an amazing vehicle, and I was, to say the least, very impressed with the performance.

But when all was said and done...48k for a 328i, considering I like the luxury feel, I decided not to.

[blue2fire]

There is no need to justify this, really.

You did not think it through completely but thankfully stopped before you took the ultimate step. I would suggest the Mercedes C Class from what I've seen so far.

48K is how much my car is. Looking back, I would have dropped several options but that still would not make that much of a difference. I bought the E90 because I like the way it drives as well as its styling. I also came from a Lexus, and thought long and hard whether I should make the move to the E90, and am glad I did.

[Oulixes]

Originally Posted by About2buy

Hi everyone

So I decided not to buy a 328i - premium, navi, heated, logic, m sport, comfort access, 18's, etc.

Reason being, I could not justify the 47,900 MSRP for a 3 series.

It's a wonderful car. No doubt. But I felt like 48 grand for a 3 series is too much
...
Also, the feel was very sport...less luxurious and I like a luxurious feel more.

Just thought I'd share.

Thanks for sharing, I can see your point. To pay nearly 48 k for a car you do not like does not make sense. You surely see our point, too: we like BMW, since many of us favor sporty over luxurious. Good luck in your search.

[About2buy]

Originally Posted by Oulixes

Thanks for sharing, I can see your point. To pay nearly 48 k for a car you do not like does not make sense. You surely see our point, too: we like BMW, since many of us favor sporty over luxurious. Good luck in your search.

Well, I wouldn't say I don't like the car. Honestly, if I had the money I'd get the BMW as my "fun" car whenever I wanted a thrill and another luxury car for my daily driver.

[Majikthese42]

Originally Posted by John 070

I don't know how you arrived at your 22k number

OP 328i MSRP minus CPO 328i example.

$47,900-$25,900= $22,000

Originally Posted by John 070

and I don't follow your Honda analogy

I used the Honda Accord because it's the #1 selling car in the US at the moment. The CPO BMW is significantly cheaper than a Honda Accord Crosstour. Granted, it's the top of the Honda Accord model range. But at the end of the day, a Honda Accord is still a Honda Accord.

I'd still buy a new Touring (I paid $43,106.98 OTD)-- there are only a couple of stick shift wagons that pop out of the BMW CPO program right now, and nothing equipped close to mine. I also don't want to deal with the legacy of Evil Previous Owners.