[Ronin76]

HI Everyone,

Like the title says...what were some of the factors that went into you making to decision to purchase a BMW.

Did you look at other manufacturers prior to pic a BMW? What was it about a BMW that you found appealing?

I have never owned a BMW and am kind of excited to possibly own my first (G87), but I really do not have any loyalties to any manufacturer. I will be looking at Porsche, Lotus, Jaguar (really like the F-Type). I would have considered the Mercedes C63S Coupe but we all know what happened there.

I just was wanting to get everyone else's thought process before they pulled the trigger as I do not have much experience buying cars.

Believe it or not, I am 46 and my current car is only the 2nd car I have ever purchased. So learning what your processes are may help me make a good decision when the time comes.

Thanks in advance.

[ronin13013]

[JustinHEMI]

I owned a lot of Challengers. 5 or 6, I lost count. When an OG M2 parked next to me one day, it was love at first sight.

A few years later I traded in my last challenger for an M2 comp and haven't looked back.

The little BMWs suit my driving style far more than the massive challenger.

That's also why I've avoided the higher end M cars.


This also explains my username and join date.

[Ronin76]

Originally Posted by JustinHEMI

I owned a lot of Challengers. 5 or 6, I lost count. When an OG M2 parked next to me one day, it was love at first sight.

A few years later I traded in my last challenger for an M2 comp and haven't looked back.

The little BMWs suit my driving style far more than the massive challenger.

That's also why I've avoided the higher end M cars.

Thanks JustinHEMI! Now i see where your handle comes from. Nice story and thanks for sharing…very cool.

My younger brother wants a Challenger bad. He loves the look of them.

[JustinHEMI]

Originally Posted by Ronin76

Thanks JustinHEMI! Now i see where your handle comes from. Nice story and thanks for sharing…very cool.

My younger brother wants a Challenger bad. He loves the look of them.

Yeah I added that note about my handle and join date. I immediately joined and started exploring the M2. Saw the M2C coming and held off until then.

[Bumpinjeep]

Originally Posted by Ronin76

HI Everyone,

Like the title says...what were some of the factors that went into you making to decision to purchase a BMW.

Car had to be in my price range.
Car had to have a true manual transmission.
Car had to be really fun to drive.
Car had to look good, outside and in.
Had always wanted an M3 since high school. I went to a affluent high school and kids had either M3s, S4s, 325is, you name it. We didn't have that sort of money in my family so I settled for driving my parent's old Volvo and then a Grand Cherokee.
Always had a daily (Jeep, for snowboarding and wheeling) and a fun car (modified 350Z), decided that I could afford a dream car by simply combining the two. The F80 was a perfect choice. Then when the F87C came out, it fixed literally all of the issues I had with the OG M2. It was perfect.

Originally Posted by Ronin76

Did you look at other manufacturers prior to pic a BMW? What was it about a BMW that you found appealing?

Loved the sound of the C63S. Didn't like the transmission.
Had my name on the waiting list for a Giulia QV, but those came in auto only at literally the last second. Was still tempted, almost got one but didn't due to obvious reasons.
Drove a S5, really liked it, didn't love it. FOMO would hit every time I saw an F80.

Originally Posted by Ronin76

I have never owned a BMW and am kind of excited to possibly own my first (G87), but I really do not have any loyalties to any manufacturer. I will be looking at Porsche, Lotus, Jaguar (really like the F-Type). I would have considered the Mercedes C63S Coupe but we all know what happened there.

Good call, you never know, you could fall in love with the new C63S with its like 700 hp. Or grab a 911 for the ultimate DD.

Originally Posted by Ronin76

Believe it or not, I am 46 and my current car is only the 2nd car I have ever purchased. So learning what your processes are may help me make a good decision when the time comes.

I would say, if you can, enjoy the process. By far the most important thing is to drive each car you are looking at to see if it fits your bill. Drive it to your house if you can, does it fit into the garage? Will it scrape going up the driveway? Will you be driving a ton, maybe the hybrid isn't that bad? You have to love the car when you buy it. Don't just like it and hope that you'll fall in love just because some random dude on the internet says so.

Originally Posted by Ronin76

Thanks in advance.

No worries, think of me as your therapist, now venmo me for my services.

[skream]

I test drove several great cars before buying my F87 M2, and it came down to one simple thing: how did it make me feel when I drove it?

I had just test driven the Supra, and while I really enjoyed the driving experience, I wasn't in love with the looks. As soon as I drove the M2, I instantly knew - this was the one. The M2 made me giggle like a little kid and I was absolutely buzzing after the test drive. I bought one that same week off a Bimmerpost member.

I recently sold it, but damn... best car I've ever owned... until the G87 I hope .

The M2 was my first BMW and instantly turned me into a fan of M cars.

[akhbhaat]

I've had at least one BMW continuously for close to 20 years...at times, I had two in parallel.

When I was in high school and just starting to learn about the world of cars and driving, my friend and neighbor had a 318ti and I freaking loved it. So, once I figured out that I was a budding driving enthusiast, I was drawn to BMW's driver-first ethos and pushed hard to get into one (any model, didn't care): they were, at the time, the only company that put serious effort into turning mundane passenger cars into something that could also be fun, and built their entire brand and image around it. Just before I graduated, I managed to scrape together some cash (and wear down my parents to cover the difference) to get into a lightly used stripper manual trans 323i. Since then I've owned three E46s (still have one of them) and an E92, a couple of those being M3s, and my partner bought an F48 X1 last year (I pushed for a G20 3er, but she insisted--in retrospect, I think her choice was the right one, because it does have some personality for what it is, it's a great ski beater, and does fill a niche none of our other cars quite can).

But that was then, and this is now. The company, brand, and (frankly) the entire industry have changed a lot since then. The standard 3ers and even 5ers at the time were serious driver's cars with weighty, feedback rich controls (especially the steering) and attractive but understated styling. Today's cars really aren't that...to get a driver-centric experience you pretty much have to go all the way up to the full fat M cars, which themselves are less distinguished (today's cookie cutter turbo drivetrains vs. bespoke race-inspired engines) and a lot fatter and less visceral than their predecessors, though as a complete package are still good fun.

The M2 is the only car BMW still builds that would be truly recognizable to me when I first got into the brand. Or, at least, the F87 was (even if I didn't quite like it enough to buy it). I think BMW understands the target demographic for this car, so I'm casually watching the G87 to see what we get. If there's any chance to get me back into an enthusiast grade BMW, this is it.

[Ronin76]

Originally Posted by Bumpinjeep

Car had to be in my price range.
Car had to have a true manual transmission.
Car had to be really fun to drive.
Car had to look good, outside and in.
Had always wanted an M3 since high school. I went to a affluent high school and kids had either M3s, S4s, 325is, you name it. We didn't have that sort of money in my family so I settled for driving my parent's old Volvo and then a Grand Cherokee.
Always had a daily (Jeep, for snowboarding and wheeling) and a fun car (modified 350Z), decided that I could afford a dream car by simply combining the two. The F80 was a perfect choice. Then when the F87C came out, it fixed literally all of the issues I had with the OG M2. It was perfect.

Loved the sound of the C63S. Didn't like the transmission.
Had my name on the waiting list for a Giulia QV, but those came in auto only at literally the last second. Was still tempted, almost got one but didn't due to obvious reasons.
Drove a S5, really liked it, didn't love it. FOMO would hit every time I saw an F80.

Good call, you never know, you could fall in love with the new C63S with its like 700 hp. Or grab a 911 for the ultimate DD.

I would say, if you can, enjoy the process. By far the most important thing is to drive each car you are looking at to see if it fits your bill. Drive it to your house if you can, does it fit into the garage? Will it scrape going up the driveway? Will you be driving a ton, maybe the hybrid isn't that bad? You have to love the car when you buy it. Don't just like it and hope that you'll fall in love just because some random dude on the internet says so.

No worries, think of me as your therapist, now venmo me for my services.

Great advise and thank you!

[///MFrankie]

I guess first and foremost, it's the looks, I genuinely think that Beamers are some of the best-looking cars on the road, even the normal ones you see daily, but the M cars are something else; BMW just gets them right; they look so aggressive yet classy, wide and low. And when rolling at like 30mph, they just look incredible. And I believe we are in the era of arguably the most excellent-looking M cars ever, from the F8X series M3 and M4 to the F87 M2/C, the F90 M5, and I do think the new G87 is gonna look immense; the 240i looks M level good as it is, so imagine the full-fat version!

I love BMW interiors, they are so purposeful and driver-built, everything has a purpose, there's no silly lights or showy stuff; you sit in an M car, and you know you're in a driver's car, it's a driving machine, not a nightclub. I can't stand it when people moan about the interiors either like there are fancier cars, but there is nothing cheap about the interior of high-end Beamers.

I love how they feel as well, they feel solidly built like a tank; they have a weight to them that makes you feel like you're in a properly built motor; on the road, they feel just solid; this is a massive point for me.

Overall I just think they are the best cars for their price, you get something with them you just don't in other cars and it sets them apart.

[Ronin76]

Originally Posted by ///MFrankie

I guess first and foremost, it's the looks, I genuinely think that Beamers are some of the best-looking cars on the road, even the normal ones you see daily, but the M cars are something else; BMW just gets them right; they look so aggressive yet classy, wide and low. And when rolling at like 30mph, they just look incredible. And I believe we are in the era of arguably the most excellent-looking M cars ever, from the F8X series M3 and M4 to the F87 M2/C, the F90 M5, and I do think the new G87 is gonna look immense; the 240i looks M level good as it is, so imagine the full-fat version!

I love BMW interiors, they are so purposeful and driver-built, everything has a purpose, there's no silly lights or showy stuff; you sit in an M car, and you know you're in a driver's car, it's a driving machine, not a nightclub. I can't stand it when people moan about the interiors either like there are fancier cars, but there is nothing cheap about the interior of high-end Beamers.

I love how they feel as well, they feel solidly built like a tank; they have a weight to them that makes you feel like you're in a properly built motor; on the road, they feel just solid; this is a massive point for me.

Overall I just think they are the best cars for their price, you get something with them you just don't in other cars and it sets them apart.

Thanks for the reply MFrankie. You should be in sales because reading your comment makes me want to go out and buy an M car lol.

You are right about the "going 30mph". Earlier this summer I saw an F82 sakhir orange pullibg up to a red light and my jaw dropped. I liked the wide body and just the stance of the thing.

I do think the G87 will be like that as it has that "thinkness" which I love.

[vampire81]

Originally Posted by Ronin76

I do think the G87 will be like that as it has that "thinkness" which I love.

you mean thiccness.

[(K)]

When it came time to replace my previous car I knew I absolutely had to have, at a bare minimum:

Manual
RWD or rear biased AWD
330+ HP and 280+ ft lbs
Coupe or Sedan
Navigation with Bluetooth

So right off the bat I was looking for performance and style as my primary focus with technology and amenities/luxuries as a distant, but still required, third. I wasn't looking for a sharp and brutal spartan but not quite a plush and comfy cruiser either; something in between to make the drive pleasurable but still engaging. I had a list of new and used, set a budget of about $80k and ultimately narrowed it down to used Audis (B8.5 gen S4/S5), new & used BMWs (340i/440i, M240i, M2/3/4), used Jaguar F Type V6S, and used Porsches (996.2-997.1 Turbo/Turbo S and Cayman GT4).

The Audis would have made great cruisers but they were too heavy and soft. The non M 3/4 series and M lite 2 series were great alternatives but the allure of the full fat M cars' styling and performance kept drawing me away from the tamer Bimmers. The F Type V6S with all the options I was looking for were far and few in between and I couldn't order new since they ended production for the manuals by that time. The P cars were great but I recently had a bad experience with a relatively low mileage 996 lemon at the time. While an outlier, it still left me feeling a bit drained (emotionally and financially) because I really wanted a car that would spend more time on the road than in the repair bay. I would need a second car and a repair budget to own an older Porsche. I still lust after GT4s but I feel it's a bit too hard-edged for my use.

That left me with the M cars. I started aggressively shopping for F8x cars with all the right options and color combos but, for a mass produced car, it was surprisingly hard to find one that fit the bill. Additionally, the pricing on some of those used cars were approaching new M2C territory. Cue spotlights on the M2C. Is it perfect? No but it's competent enough in all the right places. The car teeters the line of performance, practicality, comfort, and style pretty well, for my needs anyway.

So I contacted all the dealers within a 200 mile radius with the combo I wanted in stock (mercifully, the F87 didn't come with many options). A local dealership offered me the best deal so I showed up on a Monday and picked the car up that following Wednesday. Best car purchasing decision I've ever made. The only regret is that I wish I pulled the trigger sooner because I have a late build car with the locked DME!

[GrannyShiftG80]

I drive like a huge douchebag

[OnlyGerman]

Because ultimate driving machine

[Ricochet48]

Haven't yet, but plan on a G42 M240i xDrive.

Reason--There's essentially 0 competition if you want a performance coupe with AWD and decent luxury. Plus it gets stellar MPG on the highway in eco when cruising (which is insane for 400hp imo).

[ESB]

It was my favorite of the luxury brands growing up in the e36/e46 era - I think at the time all I had to form my opinion was looks. I think the TV ads around "the ultimate driving machine" also maybe spoke to me more than Mercedes and Audi commercials.

By the time I was in college and certainly when I was in the market for my first car after graduation, I had the belief that BMW was the best of the 3 main luxury brands for people that enjoy driving. With a budget of around 40k I test drove several cars and indeed liked BMW 135i the most. And I could get it in manual!

Growing up though, I remember this 4th gen MK4 green golf that would park on my street. I loved the look of it and told myself "when I grow up I want that car". But then when I actually grew up I cheated my younger self's promise and went with BMW haha.