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What's your impression of 3-series drivers?

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rh71 said:
This is why people see BMW drivers as thinking they own the road... others seemingly don't know it's just plain fun to throw it around and cut through holes.
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Nah, the people who give BMWs a bad name are people who think they have more money than everyone else driving their daddy's 3 series who race and rev at everything that moves that doens't look like it can bite back, the people who speed up and try to take cuts at merges when everyone elses is getting over, etc.

It's very easy to spot the difference between someone just having fun and winding it out vs. the HID/chrome rims/tinted windows/blasting pop music, lurching and flooring at the light next to a Camry and then pulling in front of said Camry with inches to spare, and then not even turning. It's not the enthusiasts who are pricks generally, it's the losers who think they are better than everyone else because their car payment is $25 a month more. I almost never see (older) M drivers act like this, it's only the younger types in bottom barrel 3 series who think they are ballin living with their parents at 22. It's sad seeing someone acting like they have a $100,000 car when a E46 M3 isn't more than $25k these days.

It's all about who's sac is on top, that's all it ever is.
 
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JulesMaximus said:
Have you driven the new E350? I have, it's a hell of a nice car...and cheaper than a 335i.

Honestly though, I'd take the CLS550 over a 335i. You can easily find a low mileage used CLS for less than a 335i.
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Not my thing, though I think the CLS is a very pretty car. I have not driven a new E-class, and I'm not really a Mercedes guy. At the end of the day I've always found BMWs to offer a far more focused driving experience, and I doubt I will even consider a car with an automatic until I'm at least 60.

FWIW I also probably wouldn't buy a new 335i, in light of BMW's excellent CPO program - that was how I bought my 330i.

EDIT: According to MBUSA, the E350 is just under $50K with no options at all, and can be optioned to $60K without buying anything too wacky. I think it's misleading to say it's "cheaper" than a 335i, which can be bought nicely equipped for $47K-ish.
 
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JulesMaximus said:
Have you driven the new E350? I have, it's a hell of a nice car...and cheaper than a 335i.

Honestly though, I'd take the CLS550 over a 335i. You can easily find a low mileage used CLS for less than a 335i.
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I don't know where you get your info that E350 is cheaper than 335i. Motortrend listed here http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2010/mercedes_benz/e_class/e350_sedan/621/index.html for ~$50k where 335i is ~$40k base. 3 series is priced closer to C class anyway.

Also keep in mind that the market price is driven by supply and demand too. If you go by MSRP or factory price, MB is often more expensive. I have the opportunity to buy direct from BMW or MB and I was down to 335i and C350. Believe it or not 335i was $7k cheaper buying direct from Germany. 335i is only more expensive in the US because C350 doesn't sell well there.

And sorry to tell you the reason 335i has better demand and sell much better than MB is because it drives better. And yeah I have driven both C350 and E350, no comparison to 335i in driving.
 
Strange, I hardly ever see BMWs doing anything out of the norm around here. Especially the normal 3 series. Of course you see some ricing around or acting like they own the road, but that is definitely far from the average here.

Even the 335i, M series and Z series drive normal around me. I haven't got one to race me for years. Still haven't had a 335i try me since they were released 🙁
 
Don Vito Corleone said:
In fairness, looks are subjective, and an E-class has none of the sporting potential of a 335i. IMO an E-class is a nice car, but it feels more like a mother-in-law car than something I'd actually want to drive. That isn't meant - at all - as a snipe at your mother-in-law or her lovely new car, but we're talking about apples and oranges.
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Different cars for different people.

The E-Class look nice and all and I drove an older one, it was luxory but wallowy but okay. But it isn't the type of car that I would spend my £££ on though.

I wouldn't get a 330i or an 335i either. For my tastes it was an E46 M3, but I don't mind older 2nd hand cars. Yeah the fuel economy is fairly poorish with 60-65litres or so getting about 220-250 driving, possibly 300miles if you cruise on the motorway but I don't commute in my car. The interior is dated but you should see the interiors of my other cars!

It's fun, fast and has room for 4-5 adults. I don't need rear doors so the shape is perfect for me.

Koing
 
rchiu said:
I don't know where you get your info that E350 is cheaper than 335i. Motortrend listed here http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2010/mercedes_benz/e_class/e350_sedan/621/index.html for ~$50k where 335i is ~$40k base. 3 series is priced closer to C class anyway.

Also keep in mind that the market price is driven by supply and demand too. If you go by MSRP or factory price, MB is often more expensive. I have the opportunity to buy direct from BMW or MB and I was down to 335i and C350. Believe it or not 335i was $7k cheaper buying direct from Germany. 335i is only more expensive in the US because C350 doesn't sell well there.

And sorry to tell you the reason 335i has better demand and sell much better than MB is because it drives better. And yeah I have driven both C350 and E350, no comparison to 335i in driving.
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His mother in law just picked one up for 47 with premium 1 package.
 
I know some 3 series owners that are cool and I've seen some on the road that are jack offs. I think it's just like every other type of car. Some good some bad. Maybe the bad 3 series drivers are particularly obnoxious but I don't know.
 
rchiu said:
I don't know where you get your info that E350 is cheaper than 335i. Motortrend listed here http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2010/mercedes_benz/e_class/e350_sedan/621/index.html for ~$50k where 335i is ~$40k base. 3 series is priced closer to C class anyway.

Also keep in mind that the market price is driven by supply and demand too. If you go by MSRP or factory price, MB is often more expensive. I have the opportunity to buy direct from BMW or MB and I was down to 335i and C350. Believe it or not 335i was $7k cheaper buying direct from Germany. 335i is only more expensive in the US because C350 doesn't sell well there.

And sorry to tell you the reason 335i has better demand and sell much better than MB is because it drives better. And yeah I have driven both C350 and E350, no comparison to 335i in driving.
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I was going off the information provided by two posters here who own a 335i who stated they paid $50k for them. You can get an E350 for $47,500 here locally with premium 1 pack, nav, and sport package, and I just priced a 335i with nav, premium package, and sport package and it came out to almost $50k exactly. I helped my Mother-In-Law buy a 2010 E350 less than 2 weeks ago and she paid $47,499 for it. I had another quote from another dealer for the exact same car of $47,999.

Blah blah blah, BMW is more sporting, track day, dinan, blah blah blah. Anyway, two completely different cars, I was only making the comparison based on price alone. And I'm not convinced that the 335i outsells the E350 either. The E350 is probably one of the best sellers Mercedes-Benz makes. In fact, according to a quick google search, I found that BMW is currently selling around 5,000 3-series a month (this encompasses ALL 3 series BMWs, even the crappy slow models which I'm betting are at least half of all 3 series sales). Mercedes-Benz sold 4,528 E350s in April 2010. So, it looks like you're wrong on that too, the E-class outsells the 335i.

Edit-My In-Law wouldn't have bought a 3 series anyway. If anything she would have been pricing a new 5-series, which is quite a bit more expensive than a comparable E350. BTW-The E350 outsells the 5 series handily. 😉
 
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Anyway, I've owned two 3-series BMWs over the years and I personally know a few people who own BMWs (including two who own the seemingly revered and coveted 335i). I've never gotten the impression that any of them were any different than any other type of car owner...maybe a little more smug than other car owners but that's about it.
 
I have no specific opinions of 3-series drivers. I'd love to be one but I don't think they drive or act any differently than anyone else.
 
To answer the OP, a 3-series is about as common as a Camry around Atlanta so you get a huge mix of drivers. Some are nice, some are asses, some are women talking on the cell phone, most are either a 328 or 330i, and some 335i guys want to race. I considered an M3, but it was about $15k more than what I could get my Vette for.
 
3 Series sedans = LMFAO.

3 Series Coupes = Nice

328s = LMFAO.

335s = Nice

3 series = Nice but everywhere

If something is everywhere and attainable by everyone being basically a $30K car, I have no feelings towards them at all...
 
It's hard to judge around here, seems like everyone around my area has a 3-series. I rode in my friend's 335i coupe and it was fun for a short 30-45 minute ride, but it felt small inside and I could see myself getting real uncomfortable on a long drive.
 
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thegimp03 said:
It's hard to judge around here, seems like everyone around my area has a 3-series. I rode in my friend's 335i coupe and it was fun for a short 30-45 minute ride, but it felt small inside and I could see myself getting real uncomfortable on a long drive.
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It's a compact, so...
 
In Dallas? Usually $30k Millionaires, I honestly think the normal 3 series sedan is a chick car. Guys, either get the M3 or step up to a 5 series.
 
thegimp03 said:
3-series is midsize classification I believe. On the other hand, a compact car would be a Chevy Aveo...
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Wat?

If 3 series was mid-size, what does that make the 5 series? lol? Does that make any sense?

Does the 3 series even look anything other than a compact?

Is Lexus IS also a mid-size car now too?

What's going on?

.
.
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The 3 series, C-Class, TSX, A4, and IS are all Compacts.
 
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