[NickyC]

Originally Posted by W///

I'm very fortunate to have a lot of space and storage available to me now that I've moved to this house. I will say though, I'm single with no kids.

I've been a life long BMW fan, but the car I really lusted in college was the E92 M3. I skipped class to watch its unveiling. I then had a chance to drive it hard at the Performance Center and was hooked. I ended up finding my car all the way out in California (I'm in South Carolina). Took me 6 months to find the right one (it had to have CF roof and 6MT).

Long story short, I've added an E36 M3 and Z4M Roadster since. I don't plan on selling any of these cars. As a matter of fact, I'm planning on adding a 2016-2017 Toyota Tundra, and this will essentially be my forever fleet unless gas goes $5 per gallon. Then I might consider adding/leasing an electric car.

They just don't make them like this anymore. Fun, possible to work on at home, analogue. The only cars that somewhat interest me are the M2C, Gen V Dodge Vipers, 997 Porsche Turbo/GT3 with 6MT, GT4. But those are completely different price points than what I'm willing to pay.

Btw, 90k miles on a 1M is awesome. Keep it up

Great lineup, and you can't do much better than your Z4M!

[W///]

Originally Posted by NickyC

Great lineup, and you can't do much better than your Z4M!

Thank you! The Roadster has been a revelation for me. I used to have an E30 325i convertible. Slow as hell, but it was a manual and I really enjoyed driving it during the Spring and Fall. I figured I've always I love the way the E85 looks, S54 is legendary, so it's a perfect combo.

I ended up buying mine without test driving it (my buddy did to make sure it drove fine and was clean) and the car blew me away. Not sure I can think of many cars I'd rather have for under $20k. Mine is a high mileage example at 93k miles.

[10"]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

That's what I was saying earlier. There's so much available today to make cars, even ten years old, look like a dinosaur. The same can't be said for development over the previous 50 years.

I'd disagree. In terms of safety and drive ability there has ALWAYS been innovation every few years.

They added mandatory shock absorber bumpers in the mid to late 70s...just imagine! The list of things that have entered the auto industry for the last 40-50 years has been consistent and endless. I don't think something older than 10 years is a "dinosaur". You can safely drive a car from 2000 today if you'd like...it will still have air bags, ABS, and all the basic things they make a car safe.

Cars will always evolve. It's how it's been for decades.

[10"]

Originally Posted by W///

I'm very fortunate to have a lot of space and storage available to me now that I've moved to this house. I will say though, I'm single with no kids.

I've been a life long BMW fan, but the car I really lusted in college was the E92 M3. I skipped class to watch its unveiling. I then had a chance to drive it hard at the Performance Center and was hooked. I ended up finding my car all the way out in California (I'm in South Carolina). Took me 6 months to find the right one (it had to have CF roof and 6MT).

Long story short, I've added an E36 M3 and Z4M Roadster since. I don't plan on selling any of these cars. As a matter of fact, I'm planning on adding a 2016-2017 Toyota Tundra, and this will essentially be my forever fleet unless gas goes $5 per gallon. Then I might consider adding/leasing an electric car.

They just don't make them like this anymore. Fun, possible to work on at home, analogue. The only cars that somewhat interest me are the M2C, Gen V Dodge Vipers, 997 Porsche Turbo/GT3 with 6MT, GT4. But those are completely different price points than what I'm willing to pay.

Btw, 90k miles on a 1M is awesome. Keep it up

Fantastic! Glad you chased your dream car and got it! Nice garage!!

[10"]

Originally Posted by Run Silent

LOL - Re-read your comment and you will see you are exactly what everyone is laughing about.

I go to the beach all the time, including Hawaii, where I rented a Camaro convertible. My wife, myself, and our daughter managed just fine to put all of our things in there. Same for going to the beach in FL. Never had the need for anything larger than the MINI.

Beach chairs, umbrella, bulky stroller? Good grief man. Perhaps we should get you a butler and personal outdoors aircon unit as well?

It's the beach, man! LOL!

Grab a blanket or two, carry the kiddos, sit on the dirt.


Is this you?







Kidding of course, do what ever you want - but it isn't a need for an SUV, it's a want.

Hahahaha I wish I could like your comment 50x! People go to the beach with 40% of their home. It's ridiculous! Modern culture encourages this kind of behavior. Really sad how much objects dictate modern life...

You're in front of the ocean!! The ocean!! With almost no clothes on! Don't need much else!

[Darth One]

What i don’t understand is people chasing the latest and greatest out of boredom/“car ADD”/need to have the shiny new toy

I do understand chasing the latest and greatest if the new car is significantly better than the old one. And in the entire history of the ICE automobile, every generation has certainly made significant improvements than the old one. Except the last generation or two. This is the first time in my life that i’ve been unexcited about new cars because i feel that they’re worse than the old ones.

[10"]

Originally Posted by Darth One

What i don't understand is people chasing the latest and greatest out of boredom/"car ADD"/need to have the shiny new toy

I do understand chasing the latest and greatest if the new car is significantly better than the old one. And in the entire history of the ICE automobile, every generation has certainly made significant improvements than the old one. Except the last generation or two. This is the first time in my life that i've been unexcited about new cars because i feel that they're worse than the old ones.

I agree with you; BUT I also have friends who feel anything past 1990 is even "soulless".

We have moved very far away from products that having inherent driving enjoyment from the actual dynamics and more into enjoyment people get from statistics and technical data. Not my cup of tea for sure...

[86Zed]

I have experienced wandering eyes to your suggestion, often times as I further understand my own needs and use case for cars. As I shift back and forth on street driving vs track performance driving my desired garage looks vastly different - certainly a single car can be good at both but perhaps not great.

I was fortunate to stumble upon a BMW Z4M coupe when I did, but I cannot wonder what else I could experience the same funds. As it has hiccups and maintenance sagas (sometimes due to harsh usage!) I start shopping around. In the past three years I have looked seriously at a 987.2 Cayman, Golf R, 1M, M2, Z3 coupe and a Lotus Elise. The Lotus and 1M were the only two that came close, and back-to-back test drives made it a very hard decision.

Seemingly, newer cars interest me less and less as my specific tastes are reflected at increasing price points. My wife and I recently acquired a 2011 BMW wagon and it is an over designed tank, perfect for all my non-sport needs. I can turn a wrench decently well and will maintain it for years to come, but at some point it will go to the graveyard and there is no immediate replacement available.

Not sure what I am getting at, but certainly the two BMWs will stay in my garage long term. As for "variety is the spice of life" - I tend to rent a car on Turo or swap seats with a friend occasionally. When all else fails there is no harm in a test drive...

[JDC PDX]

Originally Posted by 10"

We have moved very far away from products that having inherent driving enjoyment from the actual dynamics and more into enjoyment people get from statistics and technical data. Not my cup of tea for sure...

I must beg to differ with you here. My new M5 is more capable than "super" cars of just 5-10 years ago. And it does so at 4,300 lbs, with four doors, with tech we only dreamed of 10 years ago, all while fitting 5 people on board. A car this big should not be able to do the things it does. I take a ton (pun intended) of "inherent driving enjoyment" from that.

[Soterios]

"The grass is always greener...."

Nothing wrong with enjoying automotive diversity. That's just part of being an enthusiast.

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by 10"

Hahahaha I wish I could like your comment 50x! People go to the beach with 40% of their home. It's ridiculous! Modern culture encourages this kind of behavior. Really sad how much objects dictate modern life...

You're in front of the ocean!! The ocean!! With almost no clothes on! Don't need much else!

An umbrella, chairs, towels and a cooler. That's 40% of your house? You guys sound insane.

Modern culture encourages this behavior? Objects dictating modern life? What are you talking about!? It's the same stuff people brought to the beach in the 1920s.

[arashir]

I am like the opposite of the constant new car buying culture. I buy a car new and keep it for a minimum of 10 years and doing things that way for the past 2 decades has been both fun and economical for me

[10"]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

An umbrella, chairs, towels and a cooler. That's 40% of your house? You guys sound insane.

Modern culture encourages this behavior? Objects dictating modern life? What are you talking about!? It's the same stuff people brought to the beach in the 1920s.

People didn't have cars big enough to bring big chairs, a giant umbrella, a giant cooler, multiple beach games, a beach cart, or any of that stuff. If you believe that's how people lived in the 20s you're wrong about the 1920s!!

Oh and IF they took umbrellas they took an ordinary umbrella! Here's a photo of a beach in California in the 1920s. No coolers. No chairs. Minimal umbrellas

[JasonCSU]

I guess I'm one of the few people who keeps cars for long periods. I owned my Integra for over 13 years, and my WRX for over 14 before selling them. I am going on 11 years with my 135 and 8 years with my E30. My newest vehicle is a Tacoma which I've had for 2.5 years and plan to keep for quite a while.

There are numerous other vehicles I would like to own at some point, and as some other posters have mentioned, variety is the spice of life however it can be difficult to have several cars/toys at one time. All I know is I definitely want to own something with a V8 at some point. Hopefully a Z4 M Coupe, ND MX-5, Alfa GTV, and 240/260Z will all pass through my garage at some point as well.

[hatepotholez]

I don't understand the point of this thread. Are you claiming people are not motoring enthusiasts because they swap cars every few years?

[JasonCSU]

Originally Posted by Run Silent

As such, I have never bought a new car in my life because I feel it is completely foolish to take that depreciation hit. I also think leasing is absolutely terrible as it relates to sound financial decisions, but many folks do it. Are they making stupid financial choices? I think so.

While I have bought new cars before, I agree with you about the depreciation hit. I suppose the depreciation doesn't affect me as much by keeping the vehicles long term. That said, someone has to buy the new cars in order for there to be used cars.

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by 10"

People didn't have cars big enough to bring big chairs, a giant umbrella, a giant cooler, multiple beach games, a beach cart, or any of that stuff. If you believe that's how people lived in the 20s you're wrong about the 1920s!!

Oh and IF they took umbrellas they took an ordinary umbrella! Here's a photo of a beach in California in the 1920s. No coolers. No chairs. Minimal umbrellas

lol... that's not the 1920s. Just look at the quality of the photo. Judging by the attire, it's probably the 70s or 80s.

Here's an actual photo from the 1910s or 20s. Note that there are so many umbrellas you can barely see the sand.





hahahaha Santa Monica:

[duder13]

Originally Posted by 10"

The frequent vehicle swapping behavior of 'modern' car enthusiasts is very unbecoming. Whatever happened to traditional car ownership where people saved up for the car they really wanted, bought it, and then maintained it, drove it endlessly, repaired it, drove it more, passed it down to their kid, etc.? What happened to the enthusiasts who weren't swayed by marketing and hype? What happened to the ones who knew what they wanted and knew that a car is just an object that serves as a companion to their lives? These days, I see people ordering custom paints and options, even European deliveries, and then watch them trade their car in 20 months later for sometimes a lightly face-lifted counterpart. Or, even worse, they switch to an 'upgraded' model that has a 'Ring time that is six seconds faster.

What caused this fleeting attention deficit to happen? My guess is some of this has been caused by the rising popularity of leasing but i don't think that's the primary reason. I think people are far more naive to marketing and online publicity these days than ever. They're also pushed by the shallow pursuit of social media introductions and exhibitionism. And people are attracted to 'tech' more than ever, so the constant addition of new tech has been like a fishing hook attracting everybody's money.

I'd like to propose that people think about being more old school. Before I bought the 1M, I used to daydream about buying other cars and play that 'imaginary' car shopping game with myself on eBay all the time. It felt toxic and empty and shallow, to be honest. I ended up buying my modern 'dream car' and in my 5 years of ownership I have never wanted anything else. It has 90k miles on it, and I am looking forward to the next 90k miles and then handing it down to my kid afterwards.

Yes, it's ok to own cars out of warranty. No, it's not more expensive than buying a new car every 50k miles. Yes, it's actually more satisfying to learn and bond with a car over many miles and years. No, a new car smell is not more satisfying than a distinctive older car smell! Latest is not greatest. It's just the latest. Greatest is when man/woman and machine form a bond and trust that allows the machine to become a part of a person's life. I know there are BMW and other car owners on here who have owned the same cars for a long, long time. To all of them I salute you! In my opinion, you are true motoring enthusiasts! Feel free to share your story!

I'd be curious if you're married and/or have kids??

I think we all have changing levels of practicality. Some people think I'm nuts that I haul my family around in my 1er, but they don't know that this car was actually a move up in interior size from my former Porsche 911 and Cayman! It's practically my SUV.

That being said, as much as I love my car, once there are no kids in the house someday, I won't be surprised if I go back to Porsche, but I may keep my 1er. When it was time for a usable backseat with somewhat modern safety features, the 1er was the only car that interested me at just about any price from the last couple of decades.

[AlpineWhite_SJ]

Can't relate - all the cars I've owned I've kept for 10+ years and I regret not keeping one or two of them. While tech is convenient, I buy cars to drive them. As long as the windows go down, it's got AC and a radio, I'm alright. Bluetooth, nav, cameras are all nice, and I would look for them in purchasing a new car but it's not a big deal to drive an older car without them.

[10"]

Originally Posted by duder13

I'd be curious if you're married and/or have kids??

I think we all have changing levels of practicality. Some people think I'm nuts that I haul my family around in my 1er, but they don't know that this car was actually a move up in interior size from my former Porsche 911 and Cayman! It's practically my SUV.

That being said, as much as I love my car, once there are no kids in the house someday, I won't be surprised if I go back to Porsche, but I may keep my 1er. When it was time for a usable backseat with somewhat modern safety features, the 1er was the only car that interested me at just about any price from the last couple of decades.

Yep! Married with a 4 year old. I drove my wife to the hospital in the 1M when she was delivering him drove him home from the hospital in it it's the only car he really knows!

It's our only family car. A small coupe has served us perfectly fine for a family of 3. Don't need or want much more. I think the 1-series backseat and trunk are very usable and great! You're not crazy for thinking they are!

[Humdizzle]

I've flipped between like 4-5 different cars in the last 4 years. gtr, f30, frs, 458, f80. I think if you play your cards right you can buy used, swap, and not lose a ton of money. Its kind of helped me find out more about what I like in a car and whats important to me.

I usually keep my weekend car 3-4 years. I just feel like by holding on to a car for 5 years+ I'm missing out on things. There's no denying chassis rigidity, brakes, lighting have all improved in the last few years. My 458 headlights are garbage compared to the LEDs on my F80 for instance.

If I had to hold onto a weekend sports car for 10+ years... that would mean i'd only get to swap between 4-5 different exotic/supercars in my entire life. life is short, and just way too many nice Porsches, lambos, Ferraris out there to stay stuck with one for so long.

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by 10"

Yep! Married with a 4 year old. I drove my wife to the hospital in the 1M when she was delivering him drove him home from the hospital in it it's the only car he really knows!

It's our only family car. A small coupe has served us perfectly fine for a family of 3. Don't need or want much more. I think the 1-series backseat and trunk are very usable and great!

You also live in a major city with ample public transportation. I lived in Brooklyn for a bit and did perfectly fine with a 318is. I still work in the city every day.

You have an unfair advantage living in the city, meaning you probably do much less family driving than someone in the burbs. I have a long driveway and have to get to work (to the train) no matter what and don't want to snow blow the driveway at 430am. I just hop in my Jeep and drive out. I'll deal with the snow when I get home that evening. I couldn't do that in any of my previous sporty cars.

My wife actually commented a few weeks ago that she's surprised that I am not rabidly looking for my next car anymore and I think that's a reflection of how satisfied I am with my current vehicle. It just works for me right now as your 1M does for you. When time and space allow, I will get a fourth (fun) car to scratch my wrenching itch.