First time BMW owners - Are you a fan for life now?

OrangeInOhio · 05-23-2013, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctuna

I think they have kind of gone off the path on some things

I absolutely love my car (even though I've had to add options and it's a 328), but I couldn't agree more.

As an MBA student though I really wonder how they are going to keep up with their product portfolio. There is just too much product variation and they seem to be aiming to please the masses. I think in the long run that's going to hurt them with their hard core user base. I mean, just look at the June (or was it May?) issue of Car and Driver. Even they complained about the shortcomings of the F30 and ranked it below the Lexus!

To the OP, I can't say I'm a fan for life, but at least for a good long while.

Viktimize · 05-23-2013, 01:10 PM

How could anyone pledge blind allegiance to a car brand for life?? I got my first BMW(E46) 2 years ago. I would've got one sooner because I always liked the look of them, but kept hearing the BS rumors of how bad reliability is and how expensive they are to fix. I did some research and turns out parts are cheap online, and the things that break are easy to do in the driveway. My first 325i I loved because of the driving experience. Bought another 325xi for the GF to drive for winter. Hated it so sold it and got a 330ci. It was ok, but what I really wanted was a 335i, so after 6 months I finally pulled the pin and sold the 330 and found a nice 335i.

Had the 335i for about 4 weeks now and love it so far. Planned to do full bolt ons right off the bat, but I'm getting some odd ball dash lights every once in awhile that seems like it is signs of DME failure according to what I read here. So I'm waiting for that to happen before I ruin my warranty with bolt ons. But the car has plenty of power stock, and for a DD it almost doesn't make sense to mod it out and make it a beats, I still have to drive it in winter.

In the future if BMW changes the way they make cars and they are no longer as fun to drive, then I will look elsewhere. Definitely not in it for life, but currently I do enjoy their vehicles.

mex2309 · 05-23-2013, 02:19 PM

First bmw and went right to a 335. Love everything about it.

One thing I don't like are the red & blue lights in my rear view mirror. Maybe its because I just a got my first speeding ticket in 10 yrs, then a week later stopped for my tint. I'm really paranoid now, always on the look out for cops

Thedouceman · 05-23-2013, 02:21 PM

I think my BMW is a fine running machine. As of now I feel like I could be a fan for life. But owning an e92 and having some of the best and highest technology, I wouldn't mind trying to find an older BMW and really digging into it and doing some of my own work

Datsik · 05-23-2013, 02:48 PM

I don't think I will get another BMW when the time comes for me to get another car. The car itself is very nice, with a good balance of performance and luxury but I haven't been impressed with BMW as a company. To me it's upsetting that a car of this caliber would have nothing standard (the idea of having things like an alarm as an option is crazy to me) and the customer service offered, at least to me, has been very lackluster.

I feel that, in my case, you receive better customer service both at the dealer and service department at a Honda or Toyota dealership, and for a company that prides itself on its superiority in luxury this should just not be the case.

The dealership in my area is disappointing in almost every way (the staff has an odd way of making you feel like a waste of time if you're not buying/bought a 80K+ car). The sales agent the sold me my car has continued to completely ignore me every time I'm at the dealership since I got the car.

I know my experiences probably are not typical of BMW as a whole but I can't help feeling that I would have better experiences with another company. All in all the car is great for what I need and is exactly what I expected just not thrilled with my after sales experiences.

Carl64 · 05-23-2013, 03:12 PM

For the longest time I never understood why someone would buy a BMW. They seemed so... meh for the price. Then I drove my 335i.

I know it will do nothing but cost me tons of money - but I'm defiantly a fan for life now. Doesn't mean I'll always own a BMW (could happen though), but the brand will always sit well with me.

Nafy · 05-23-2013, 03:26 PM

I am not committed yet as I feel that certain aspects can be approved especially the rfts, electric steering and turbo engines. My dream daily machine will still be something relatively light weight, refined interior, na engine, 6speed, rwd with lsd and hydraulic steering.

goofyboots81 · 05-23-2013, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahooooman

I have yet to drive a M3 or a 1er for comparison with my 335 but one day

This weekend drive your 335 to the nearest dealership with an M3. Ask for a test drive. I test drove a 2012 M3 and they just gave me the key and said have fun, don't crash. I got to take it out for about 30 minutes. It was awesome, I recommend it.

goofyboots81 · 05-23-2013, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thedouceman

I think my BMW is a fine running machine. As of now I feel like I could be a fan for life. But owning an e92 and having some of the best and highest technology, I wouldn't mind trying to find an older BMW and really digging into it and doing some of my own work

AzureHaze · 05-23-2013, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goofyboots81

This weekend drive your 335 to the nearest dealership with an M3. Ask for a test drive. I test drove a 2012 M3 and they just gave me the key and said have fun, don't crash. I got to take it out for about 30 minutes. It was awesome, I recommend it.

WTF?!

Sorry but that's just hard to believe. Not calling you a liar though.

Crewchief05 · 05-23-2013, 06:09 PM

I like it for my family car. However I think I may get into something more sporty in the future.

hughzy · 05-23-2013, 06:12 PM

I have own a BMW 325i and previously a Audi A6. The BMW has so much more to offer. I will never own another brand of motor vehicle.

theblackmamba · 05-23-2013, 07:10 PM

Left bmw then went to Lexus. My gs was as fast as a stock 335. The car was fun to drive, sat on the road like a boss. Looked like I was a yakuza driving it. Easy to work on and a shitload of aftermarket support and parts. Sold it when a mechanic messed it up and rolled back into a 335. If I could have the reliability of a Lexus and the ride with the handling of a bmw I'd be happy.

For now my turbo spool does it!

nightops · 05-23-2013, 07:11 PM

I bought the 335 because it was one of the few production twin turbo cars at the time and i needed a replacement to my venerable 300zx tt. Had it not been for this engine I would not have been in a BMW. I was formerly a Nissan INfinity guy but when i realized i'd have to dump about 10k into a G35 to make it as fast as i wanted, I immediately considered the new 335 as that would be a comfortable daily driver with a warranty. Up until that time, I saw the non M Bmws as kind of underpowered and overpriced. The 335 changed that. I'll probably keep my 6mt forever because they losing that steering feel on the new ones, and the N54 is a great platform to build on with lots of potential. I'm curious about the 4 series, hopefully that wont disappoint the enthusiast crowd. But I'll move to another brand if they come out with something cool thats not a 4 banger...

norsairius · 05-23-2013, 09:36 PM

In short: Yes. Definitely a fan for life. The new F30 has me concerned as far as the overall driving experience goes though with the steering being the absolute worst part. I won't elaborate any further though as that subject's been discussed plenty already.

Bingobimmer · 05-23-2013, 09:49 PM

I'll start off by saying I absolutely love my car! Not that its the best at any one thing or that it's the best overall out their. Its just perfect for me. BUT bmw is definitely getting away from their heritage of the ultimate driving machine. When subaru/toyota can make an extremely fun to drive car like the brz/frs you would think bmw could make something close. Unfortunately we get an f30 which is huge and has electronic steering. Also, I never imagined the how much people judged you for the badge on your car until I got a bmw. I got this car because the engine had some kick, it had a nice interior, and I enjoy driving it. The only bmw I could see myself getting in the future is a 1series (really want a 1m!) or a e9x m3 (interested to see what the f30 m3 brings to the table tho). One last thing I don't know if I can live with the m4 name it just loses its heritage in a way...

KeepitClassy · 05-23-2013, 10:01 PM

This is the best Honeymoon ever.

335iPR · 05-23-2013, 10:11 PM

I do like my 335i and a Fan but I still like my little gondaS2000 more

ny325 · 05-23-2013, 10:29 PM

Love my E90.

Bender · 05-23-2013, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theblackmamba

Left bmw then went to Lexus. My gs was as fast as a stock 335. The car was fun to drive, sat on the road like a boss. Looked like I was a yakuza driving it. Easy to work on and a shitload of aftermarket support and parts. Sold it when a mechanic messed it up and rolled back into a 335. If I could have the reliability of a Lexus and the ride with the handling of a bmw I'd be happy.

For now my turbo spool does it!

Toyota/BMW sports car

Bender · 05-23-2013, 10:43 PM

Nope, like to try another brand next time

That said, hope to enjoy driving my E90 for quite awhile

RedE92 · 05-23-2013, 10:52 PM

My first Bimmer was a 2002 325i with sports package. I liked it, but was not too terribly impressed at first. I even tried to sell the car after one year of ownership. Well, the depreciation in price was more than I could handle, so I said I'll stick with it for a little longer.

I began to like the car more and more: The way it handled, reliability (yes, it was very reliable for the first 156,000 miles), overall design, and the confidence you get in the driver's seat.... Two years ago, my red e46 was rear ended and totaled.

I have other cars, so I took a couple of years to really check out other German, Japanese, American and, Korean brands, and you guessed it, come back to BMW. Ordered an e92 coupe 4 months ago, and have zero regrets.

05-23-2013, 01:10 PM	#68
Viktimize First Lieutenant 10 Rep 375 Posts Drives: 2007 335i, 2002 325i Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada iTrader: (0)	How could anyone pledge blind allegiance to a car brand for life?? I got my first BMW(E46) 2 years ago. I would've got one sooner because I always liked the look of them, but kept hearing the BS rumors of how bad reliability is and how expensive they are to fix. I did some research and turns out parts are cheap online, and the things that break are easy to do in the driveway. My first 325i I loved because of the driving experience. Bought another 325xi for the GF to drive for winter. Hated it so sold it and got a 330ci. It was ok, but what I really wanted was a 335i, so after 6 months I finally pulled the pin and sold the 330 and found a nice 335i. Had the 335i for about 4 weeks now and love it so far. Planned to do full bolt ons right off the bat, but I'm getting some odd ball dash lights every once in awhile that seems like it is signs of DME failure according to what I read here. So I'm waiting for that to happen before I ruin my warranty with bolt ons. But the car has plenty of power stock, and for a DD it almost doesn't make sense to mod it out and make it a beats, I still have to drive it in winter. In the future if BMW changes the way they make cars and they are no longer as fun to drive, then I will look elsewhere. Definitely not in it for life, but currently I do enjoy their vehicles.
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05-23-2013, 02:19 PM	#69
mex2309 Lieutenant 41 Rep 428 Posts Drives: '10 335i MSport X-Drive AW Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: PA iTrader: (2)	First bmw and went right to a 335. Love everything about it. One thing I don't like are the red & blue lights in my rear view mirror. Maybe its because I just a got my first speeding ticket in 10 yrs, then a week later stopped for my tint. I'm really paranoid now, always on the look out for cops
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05-23-2013, 02:21 PM	#70
Thedouceman New Member 2 Rep 16 Posts Drives: 09 335xi Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: North Shore, MA iTrader: (0)	I think my BMW is a fine running machine. As of now I feel like I could be a fan for life. But owning an e92 and having some of the best and highest technology, I wouldn't mind trying to find an older BMW and really digging into it and doing some of my own work
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-23-2013, 02:48 PM	#71
Datsik Lieutenant 22 Rep 522 Posts Drives: 2011 E90 M3 DCT Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Birmingham iTrader: (3)	I don't think I will get another BMW when the time comes for me to get another car. The car itself is very nice, with a good balance of performance and luxury but I haven't been impressed with BMW as a company. To me it's upsetting that a car of this caliber would have nothing standard (the idea of having things like an alarm as an option is crazy to me) and the customer service offered, at least to me, has been very lackluster. I feel that, in my case, you receive better customer service both at the dealer and service department at a Honda or Toyota dealership, and for a company that prides itself on its superiority in luxury this should just not be the case. The dealership in my area is disappointing in almost every way (the staff has an odd way of making you feel like a waste of time if you're not buying/bought a 80K+ car). The sales agent the sold me my car has continued to completely ignore me every time I'm at the dealership since I got the car. I know my experiences probably are not typical of BMW as a whole but I can't help feeling that I would have better experiences with another company. All in all the car is great for what I need and is exactly what I expected just not thrilled with my after sales experiences. __________________ 2011 Alpine White/Black E90 M3 Competition, Technology, Premium Sound, Cold Weather, Comfort
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05-23-2013, 03:12 PM	#72
Carl64 Private 0 Rep 84 Posts Drives: 2008 335i Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Edmonton, Alberta iTrader: (1)	For the longest time I never understood why someone would buy a BMW. They seemed so... meh for the price. Then I drove my 335i. I know it will do nothing but cost me tons of money - but I'm defiantly a fan for life now. Doesn't mean I'll always own a BMW (could happen though), but the brand will always sit well with me.
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05-23-2013, 03:26 PM	#73
Nafy Lieutenant 49 Rep 431 Posts Drives: 11 328i sedan Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Vancouver, BC iTrader: (0)	I am not committed yet as I feel that certain aspects can be approved especially the rfts, electric steering and turbo engines. My dream daily machine will still be something relatively light weight, refined interior, na engine, 6speed, rwd with lsd and hydraulic steering.
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05-23-2013, 06:09 PM	#77
Crewchief05 SBD 3 Rep 273 Posts Drives: 335i e90 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Arkansas iTrader: (0) Garage List 08 335i [0.00]	I like it for my family car. However I think I may get into something more sporty in the future.
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05-23-2013, 06:12 PM	#78
hughzy Registered 0 Rep 1 Posts Drives: 325i Join Date: May 2013 Location: Australia iTrader: (0)	I have own a BMW 325i and previously a Audi A6. The BMW has so much more to offer. I will never own another brand of motor vehicle.
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05-23-2013, 07:10 PM	#79
theblackmamba Banned 78 Rep 2,287 Posts Drives: 0 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: 1 iTrader: (8)	Left bmw then went to Lexus. My gs was as fast as a stock 335. The car was fun to drive, sat on the road like a boss. Looked like I was a yakuza driving it. Easy to work on and a shitload of aftermarket support and parts. Sold it when a mechanic messed it up and rolled back into a 335. If I could have the reliability of a Lexus and the ride with the handling of a bmw I'd be happy. For now my turbo spool does it!
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05-23-2013, 07:11 PM	#80
nightops Lieutenant 17 Rep 473 Posts Drives: 335i E92 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los angeles- Westside iTrader: (2)	I bought the 335 because it was one of the few production twin turbo cars at the time and i needed a replacement to my venerable 300zx tt. Had it not been for this engine I would not have been in a BMW. I was formerly a Nissan INfinity guy but when i realized i'd have to dump about 10k into a G35 to make it as fast as i wanted, I immediately considered the new 335 as that would be a comfortable daily driver with a warranty. Up until that time, I saw the non M Bmws as kind of underpowered and overpriced. The 335 changed that. I'll probably keep my 6mt forever because they losing that steering feel on the new ones, and the N54 is a great platform to build on with lots of potential. I'm curious about the 4 series, hopefully that wont disappoint the enthusiast crowd. But I'll move to another brand if they come out with something cool thats not a 4 banger... __________________ 335i Space Grey Coupe/ppk/ssk/pe exhaust/perf susp
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05-23-2013, 09:36 PM	#81
norsairius Foodie and Gearhead 101 Rep 733 Posts Drives: 2011 335i xDrive Sedan Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: MN iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 BMW 335i xDriv ... [9.50]	In short: Yes. Definitely a fan for life. The new F30 has me concerned as far as the overall driving experience goes though with the steering being the absolute worst part. I won't elaborate any further though as that subject's been discussed plenty already. __________________ 2011 335i xDrive Sedan, Deep Sea Blue w/Oyster Interior
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05-23-2013, 09:49 PM	#82
Bingobimmer Captain 157 Rep 637 Posts Drives: e90 n54 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: On the road... iTrader: (1) Garage List 2009 E90 335i sedan [0.00]	I'll start off by saying I absolutely love my car! Not that its the best at any one thing or that it's the best overall out their. Its just perfect for me. BUT bmw is definitely getting away from their heritage of the ultimate driving machine. When subaru/toyota can make an extremely fun to drive car like the brz/frs you would think bmw could make something close. Unfortunately we get an f30 which is huge and has electronic steering. Also, I never imagined the how much people judged you for the badge on your car until I got a bmw. I got this car because the engine had some kick, it had a nice interior, and I enjoy driving it. The only bmw I could see myself getting in the future is a 1series (really want a 1m!) or a e9x m3 (interested to see what the f30 m3 brings to the table tho). One last thing I don't know if I can live with the m4 name it just loses its heritage in a way... __________________ LOST BUT NOT FORGOTTEN 2009 E90 335i AW... Black grills/jb4/lux angel eyes/clear side reflectors/and a few more small mods 2011 e92 335iSSSS Black
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05-23-2013, 10:01 PM	#83
KeepitClassy Banned 38 Rep 266 Posts Drives: BMW LCI e90 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Orlando, Florida iTrader: (0)	This is the best Honeymoon ever.
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05-23-2013, 10:11 PM	#84
335iPR Registered 0 Rep 3 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: May 2013 Location: PuertoRico iTrader: (0)	I do like my 335i and a Fan but I still like my little gondaS2000 more
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05-23-2013, 10:29 PM	#85
ny325 Brigadier General 895 Rep 3,141 Posts Drives: Jet Black E90 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Gridlock iTrader: (0)	Love my E90.
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05-23-2013, 10:43 PM	#87
Bender To Start Press Any Key, Where's the Anykey? 4 Rep 95 Posts Drives: 2013 328 XDrive MSport Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MARS iTrader: (0)	Nope, like to try another brand next time That said, hope to enjoy driving my E90 for quite awhile
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05-23-2013, 10:52 PM	#88
RedE92 Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: RedE92 Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: San Francisco Bay Area iTrader: (0)	My first Bimmer was a 2002 325i with sports package. I liked it, but was not too terribly impressed at first. I even tried to sell the car after one year of ownership. Well, the depreciation in price was more than I could handle, so I said I'll stick with it for a little longer. I began to like the car more and more: The way it handled, reliability (yes, it was very reliable for the first 156,000 miles), overall design, and the confidence you get in the driver's seat.... Two years ago, my red e46 was rear ended and totaled. I have other cars, so I took a couple of years to really check out other German, Japanese, American and, Korean brands, and you guessed it, come back to BMW. Ordered an e92 coupe 4 months ago, and have zero regrets.
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