How do people afford BMWs?

what is VAG?
Volkswagen Audi Group…

Or, if you are one of the boring minority who prefer facts to guesswork, Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, usually abbreviated to Volkswagen AG.

German equivalent of Volkswagen plc.

Yes they own Audi (and Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Lamborghini etc) but the A doesn’t stand for Audi

^^^^^ Wow! you must be a hoot at parties……

😉

what does GmbH mean?

LmGtfy…

Don’t think it’s BMW’s that create the attitude, I think it’s people’s perception that ur a w**nker if u display wealth

I think the opposite. I ‘assume’ its a company car and the chap/lady has a decent job. I definitely don’t assume they bought it. If its on a personal lease contract then the driver is **** stupid….but then those type of contracts are run/popular with the likes of Toyota etc drivers.

I was in a Toyota dealership once and worked out on a new Yaris you’d lose over 7k of your own money over a 3yr private lease on one and you didn’t own it. You’d have to be absolutely barking but then here in the UK we are obsessed with driving a ‘new’ car. As though we ‘deserve’ it.

I’ll say it again. Its the BMW advertising that grates alot of people. Not the cars. We then assume anyone who drives one must have bought into the advertising bollocks that is frankly abit up its ass. (sadly).

I was in a Toyota dealership once and worked out on a new Yaris you’d lose over 7k of your own money over a 3yr private lease on one and you didn’t own it. You’d have to be absolutely barking

Your right, much better to buy it for £14k cash, then sell it yourself three years later for book value … Oh about £7k?

I can purchase a vehicle outright, right off the depreciation annually, then sell it on taking the resultant hit on cashflow at the outset, or contract hire it and achieve exactly the same result meanwhile putting the cash to other uses (like generating income). Interestingly this doesn’t just apply to new vehicles but most manufacturers will also offer the same arrangement on approved used so no “must have new” stigma applies. In my eyes you’d be barking to tie money up in a depreciating asset.

Its not 14k.

if you find that with a heavy right foot, your life is ‘suddenly in danger’ in a rwd car, you should probably go and get some training

That is what I am saying.

The rest of your post agrees with mine, except for the part about it being ok to drive near the limit of traction on a public road. If you are near the limit then the chance of getting it wrong is much higher, and getting it wrong results in death and destruction. This isn’t so nice.

10 year old 330i touring here, the previous owners have lost 30k over the last decade, I’ve now got a car I’ve always wanted for less than my Zesty.

I sold cars for a few years and anyone who buys a new car outright would be better putting bundles of fivers up the chimney.

If you can buy things that appreciate and lease things that depreciate, let someone else take the risk. In june 2008 secondhand car prices took a real battering when nothern rock went under, one of my customers handed back an audi s4 to a leasing company which was values at 7k less than his guaranteed residual.

330- I was looking at a 2001 last week…should I?…

yes

“I’ll say it again. Its the BMW advertising that grates alot of people. Not the cars. We then assume anyone who drives one must have bought into the advertising bollocks that is frankly abit up its ass. (sadly).”

Change the record. While I would agee that their marketing is generally poor (especially the new 1 Series ad with the brothers), it’s not worth losing sleep over. And if you make the assumption you suggest above about me, you’re an idiot.

@ Ssimon – the same (albeit saloon)

@ Hora Yes.

52′ 330i here, it was the car next down from an M3,has all the toys, cruises luuuurvlry on M/Ways and I still get 30mpg with a bike on the roof.

Lovely car, even 10 years on.

This one

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201135412214989/sort/priceasc/usedcars/engine-size-cars/3l_to_3-9l/price-to/5000/fuel-type/petrol/maximum-age/up_to_10_years_old/make/bmw/radius/60/postcode/m320ud/page/1?logcode=p

any reason you’d buy a saloon over a touring? you can fit bugger all in the boot of a saloon.

I had thought about a 320d or 320i but looking at the purchase costs, fuel, insurance etc the 330i actually should cost me less over the next couple of years.

dick lovett is the best name for a car dealer ever

😆 I missed that!

No preference- the only thing thats key to me is previous owner(s) have spent loads keeping it tip-top and its traceable-history. OTherwise I’m all ears 😀

I’d have bought a touring originally the BM was the “first” car, used for M/way (30k per year) driving for work, and we had a small hatch for the bikes. I wasnt thinking of practicality when I bought it.

Now, we have a family diesel (Ford Kuga) for kids/excursions and the small hatch ended up as the deposit for that. The BM therefore became the bike car over time. Yes, it makes more sense the other way around but I feel safer knowing my 2yo and wife are not travelling around in a car with rwd 240hp in inclement weather.

For the record, I’ve had 2 bikes, Bike gear, tents etc etc on a 500 mile round trip 2 cyb in mine, no problem (apart from 26.5mpg on that run which, if you’re not doing it everyday isnt the end of the world VS the time it takes you to save that cash after the purchase and payments of a new TDi)

I’ve someone offered me a touring, passat Tdi type car as a straight swap I’d probably go for it on the grounds of sensibility, but would regret losing the 330 tbh. In fact actuall maybe I wuld go fot it 🙂

Your right, much better to buy it for £14k cash, then sell it yourself three years later for book value … Oh about £7k?

Or just buy the 3 year old one for £7k, then in another 3 years it’s probably worth £3-4k, so you have the same car, but still have some money…?

dick lovett is the best name for a car dealer ever

Well there was a BMW dealer just outside Knaresborough called Eric Hunt too. Although he called it Eric G. Hunt.

Done to death by now, but as others have said – they are an economic company car choice.

I’m currently looking at a 318d Touring as a possible company car. Lease costs for the company are cheaper than many spec Mondeos etc, because the residuals are higher over the lease term…

As a driver, company car tax is lower, so why wouldn’t you choose a BMW???

3 series saloon, @ 20% tax rate = £53/month (lowest I could find)

As a driver, company car tax is lower, so why wouldn’t you choose a BMW???

Becasue the Mondeo is a LOT bigger than a 3 series BMW??? 🙂

And some people are inverted badge snobs and WON’T drive a BMW / Audi because they are worried people will mark them as nobs.

That only applies to Volvos in my case……. 🙂

“And some people are inverted badge snobs and WON’T drive a BMW / Audi because they are worried people will mark them as nobs.”

You dont have to justify to us your reasons for buying an Audi 🙂

Edric 64 – Member
I am about to take delivery of an A6 SLine SE estate 2.0 tdi

And woopee for you

misrable cheapskate alert!

Kryton57 – Member
I feel safer knowing my 2yo and wife are not travelling around in a car with rwd 240hp in inclement weather.

Is your wife mentally disabled or do you just treat her that way 🙄

You dont have to justify to us your reasons for buying an Audi

Nope. And had a long history of cars people could joke about, such as my Puma and before that a Clio – when I happened to have a girlfriend (now wife) nearly 10 years my junior. And she is called Nicole.

So I have had my share of car-related jokes thrown at me 🙂

It seems timc, you turned up just to insult people.

I’d feel safer myself driving the other car in inclement weather, and having the choice, I take the higher up, higher safety rated, 4wd.

What I was referring to is that should it be say, snowing, it’d be rather selfish of me to take the “safe” car away for a bikeing weekend, and leave her with a car thats difficult to drive in those conditions to carry our son about in.

Perhaps you dont have / dont care for a wife and son, or are perhaps just an ass, otherwise you wouldnt have bothered with that comment.

timc – Member

Kryton57 – Member
I feel safer knowing my 2yo and wife are not travelling around in a car with rwd 240hp in inclement weather.

Is your wife mentally disabled or do you just treat her that way

Suprised it took two hours for someone to pick up on that! For the record my thoughts are similar to yours timc, but maybe Kryton is a pro-rally driver with a race tuned car… i.e. a vehicle mere mortals (and I include myself here) wouldn’t necessarily be comfortable in.

Edited to add – Ah, an explanation…

Edric 64 comment seems justified, obviously it was tonge in cheek to yourself, but as you have bitten! maybe i just find it funny you think your wife can not drive a car as well as you! 👿

ofcourse you have now said what you implied, out of interest, where do you go away for a biking weekend when its snowing? <<– that bit is being an ass…

I feel pleased the ‘horas’ travel around in any car driven by me…..but also scared for them 😐

Perhaps timc was a bit harsh, but it does come across as though Kryton57 is saying that she is only a woman and therefore couldnt possibly drive a car with 240hp safely.

Personally I would think the BM is safer than a Ford Kuga. The BM will go round corners better, stop quicker and not kill pedestrians as well.

Edit – Oh I didnt realise inclement weather = snow. That makes it more irrelevant as 240hp is useless in snow!

oh timc you just cant help yourself.

You assumed that I said my wife couldnt drive as well as me. Your problem not mine.

Biking in the snow, done properly isn’t being an ass. Obviously then your limited in your MTB experience. It can be fun, and trails can be clear and as firm as summer riding, i won’t be the first / only one to have done it.

Shouldn’t you at be school?

FunkyDunc – I think any feminists on here would slate the three of you for leaping immediately to that conclusion, rather than me writing a sentence without explanation.

I’ve provided the explanation.

Thanks

P.S. – Try getting things factually correct – “240bhp is useless in snow” is an untrue incorrect statement.

I think any feminists on here would slate the three of you for leaping immediately to that conclusion, rather than me writing a sentence without explanation.

Really?! I’m not sure I’d agree with that, I’m a male thirtysomething without a history of feminism. I suspect someone who had experienced the degree of misogynism prevalent in current society, and who had taken an active interest in the feminist cause would almost certainly assume the same as I did, probably with more grounds for that assumption than me too!

Then again, I’m often wrong.

You assumed that I said my wife couldnt drive as well as me. Your problem not mine.

Its not a problem squire, but why not face up to it, its what you meant!

Biking in the snow, done properly isn’t being an ass. Obviously then your limited in your MTB experience. It can be fun, and trails can be clear and as firm as summer riding, i won’t be the first / only one to have done it.

I actually meant i was being an ass for asking the question 🙄

Shouldn’t you at be school?

In English class with you? 😉

Timc, it isnt what I meant, If I did I’d happily admit it to you.

Bye.

“240bhp is useless in snow” is an untrue incorrect statement.

Go on enlighten me?

FD – its very purile I can’t be bothered, equally, you prove to me that your very generic statement is correct?

Don’t you have the time / inclanation / just cant?

np, I’m not bothered by it enough to want to see the results tbh.

“240bhp is useless in snow” is an untrue incorrect statement.

Go on enlighten me?

I bet this has got more than 240bhp:

I think the point Kryton making was that giving just a power figure says nothing, because it gives no context 🙂

Dave