[jredeer]

A new 3-series costs at least $30,000. A person who makes $50/hour has to work at least 600 hours to buy one. Is it worth the 600 hours of work?

[ctuna]

I doubt if you could get one out the door with wheels on it for 30k everything worth having on it is an add on.

It depends on who you are and how much your car matters to you .
and why it matters to you.
A recent pole on here said most people bought it because they like the
way it drives but I doubt if the bling bling people even come to this
board or care

For some its status symbol (bling bling although I think more of those people go for Mercedes) for others its a driving machine others just want
it cause they perceive it means success

BMW definitely did carve out its own space in the performance sedan market and they did innovate and own that space . Now there are a lot of Asian clones which unfortunately BMW tries to outdo and copy.

They definitely have there quirks and I don't really like the direction they have gone in since the E90 series was released. (Bangleiszation cheapening of the maintenance plan and other things)

You would think its something you buy when you only have excess money
but I'm thinking a lot of people took out a second mortgage on there house
to buy one just as the value of there homes fall.

30k will only maybe get you a fully loaded Asian car like a Subaru, hell even Toyota's are 35k and up
if you get there SUV's

Also this posting is on the electronics board it should be in the general board
After all taxes(state and fedral) ,SS,that 50 bucks becomes more like 25 to 30 and don't forget sales tax , license fee's etc etc...

[Tondtar]

Try a fully loaded one for $48K.


The answer is, "Yep!"

[///M3NACE]

if you can afford it then buy it. If i couldn't afford one i wouldn't mind driving something that wont kill me with debt. I would try to find an old e36 though :-)

[Professor///M]

If you work a job that makes $50/hr you can afford it. If this is not a regular full time job, no you can't afford it.

Then again, if you make $50/hr, think any new e9X is only $30k and have to ask whether you can afford it, I question whether you make $50/hr!

[roundle]

The cost is relative. Ask yourself, is the base 328i $9K better than an Accord? (FYI: the answes is "yes")

[Bimmer Al]

I would suggest (if you have not) to drive one before deciding. Many do not understand until they experience the velty smooth inline 6, the precise handling, the feedback you receive from such a machine all while being fairly efficient.

For me i drive one because I like to drive and become involved with my vehicle. If you are more of a passenger, or simply desire a fancy label on the hood forget it. Buy something else without a soul.....like a camry

[Bimmer Al]

Originally Posted by Bimmer Al

I would suggest (if you have not) to drive one before deciding. Many do not understand until they experience the velty smooth inline 6, the precise handling, the feedback you receive from such a machine all while being fairly efficient.

For me i drive one because I like to drive and become involved with my vehicle. If you are more of a passenger, or simply desire a fancy label on the hood forget it. Buy something else without a soul.....like a camry

Nevermind.....just noticed you drive a 325i.....still not sure?

[ZoomZoom]

Originally Posted by PAMidge

If you work a job that makes $50/hr you can afford it. If this is not a regular full time job, no you can't afford it.

Then again, if you make $50/hr, think any new e9X is only $30k and have to ask whether you can afford it, I question whether you make $50/hr!

+1

[tony20009]

Yes the car is worth it.

Yes a person earning $50/hr ($104,000+/year) can afford it unless that person is spending their money on other obligations, debts/investments and/or wastes of money.

Who the hell makes $104+K/year and doesn't know that they can afford a $30-$35K car?

An unoptioned 328i is still a better handling/driving car than most anything else you can get in that price range, other than an un-optioned 135i. (assuming we are talking about new cars not used ones)

[stevenqdz]

i made about $12/hour....and kept my car for 2 years already

[Snootch]

I bought mine simply and foremost because BMW's are solid vehicles. Think of any expensive thing you bought that lasted longer than a cheaper substitute. Once I had a Coach wallet that still smelled like new cowhide and was still in perfect condition even after 4 years of daily use. Sure, the wallet cost me $100, but it easily outlasted every other standard wallet I had ever owned. I feel things you use on a daily basis (cars, computers, wallets, etc.) should be crafted of premium materials and engineered to last. So it is with BMW.

[kaishang]

What is the average adult yearly income in the USA?

[Tondtar]

Originally Posted by kaishang

What is the average adult yearly income in the USA?

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Househo..._United_States

In 2007, the "real" (adjusted for inflation) median annual household income rose 1.3% to $50,233.00 according to the Census Bureau.[4] The real median earnings of men who worked full time, year-round climbed between 2006 and 2007, from $43,460 to $45,113 (about 3.6 time minimum wage in 2006 to 3.7 time minimum wage in 2007). For women, the corresponding increase was from $33,437 to $35,102 (2.8 and 2.9 times minimum wage respectively). The median income per household member (including all working and non-working members above the age of 14) was $26,036 in 2006.[5] In 2006, there were approximately 116,011,000 households in the United States. 1.93% of all households had annual incomes exceeding $250,000.[6] 12.3% fell below the federal poverty threshold[7] and the bottom 20% earned less than $19,178.[8] The aggregate income distribution is highly concentrated towards the top, with the top 6.37% earning roughly one third of all income, and those with upper-middle incomes control a large, though declining, share of the total earned income.[3][9] Income inequality in the United States, which had decreased slowly after World War II until 1970, began to increase in the 1970s until reaching a peak in 2006. It declined a little in 2007.[10] Households in the top quintile, 77% of which had two or more income earners, had incomes exceeding $91,705. Households in the mid quintile, with a mean of approximately one income earner per household had incomes between $36,000 and $57,657. Households in the lowest quintile had incomes less than $19,178 and the majority had no income earner.

[kgb1637]

You general post is misleading, you're saying that $50 under the table with no taxes and you work 600 hours, you can afford a $30k car when you buy it cash. The truth is most people buy the car on credit, meaning they finance it or lease it. And to answer your question, it is absolutely worth it.

[ctuna]

Its just bad math.

[dream123]

( BMW OR NOTHING ) this what all i need to say