What age for what 3 series?

Where do you fit in?

  • E30 - 16-25 yr. old

    Votes: 24 18.2%
  • E30 - 26-40 yr. old

    Votes: 3 2.3%
  • E30 - 41+ yr. old

    Votes: 1 0.8%
  • E36 - 16-25 yr. old

    Votes: 14 10.6%
  • E36 - 26-40 yr. old

    Votes: 12 9.1%
  • E36 - 41+ yr. old

    Votes: 3 2.3%
  • E46 - 16-25 yr. old

    Votes: 24 18.2%
  • E46 - 26-40 yr. old

    Votes: 41 31.1%
  • E46 - 41+ yr. old

    Votes: 10 7.6%

  • Total voters
    132
Messages
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Houston, Texas
#21
mikev said:
ts the sporty fealng that some mid-life crisis candidates like. (but only the young can put up with rock hard suspension for 5 or 6 hours! (without groaning when they get out the car)
[slap] jeez the stereotypes on this forum......mid-life guys is 40's......and in this day in time 40's is not old..............I drove my car one week after I got it from Houston to Knoxville, Tennessee.....me alone with all the truckers to take care of the speed limit........rock hard suspension for 5-6 hours.........pulease.......stereotypes for men, no concept of time, and always think the ride is rougher in their eyes.......... [rofl] [rofl] [rofl]
 
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#22
mikev said:
no. the 3-Series is aimed at the younger market. the guys who struck lucky in the stocks or internet boom. its the sporty fealng that some mid-life crisis candidates like. (but only the young can put up with rock hard suspension for 5 or 6 hours! (without groaning when they get out the car) the 5 and the 7 are aimed at the older market and the X is family cars that won't leave the school playground [;)] IMO the Z series (sorry big daddy[:D] ) is more of the mid-life crisis market than anyother!
Well, I'd like to pose a friendly challenge that stereotype. I know that it IS the sterotype somehow created in the corner bars, Japanese showrooms, TV shows, movies, etc, for years. I'm not trying to pick on anyone here! But that stereotype is outdated and wrong.

BMW has been targeting the younger market with the 3 series - From a senior official at Deutsche Bank (the people who fund BMW - he should know!):
“BMW’s target customer group used to be between 30 and 55 years old. Now, having the Mini, younger customers between 18 and 35 can also be addressed, who may switch over to higher-margin BMW products. The same idea applies to possible “1” series buyers, who might later buy a “3” series,” Berenberg Bank said.

BMW targets the 5 and 7 Series at older customers - From BMW VP of Marketing:
All wrong, if you ask BMW. Neither the car size nor the customer’s age or income is that closely related any longer, the company’s pundits say. What counts is the lifestyle that Bimmers, Minis and Rolls-Royces project: an identification with a desired social group and the resulting emotional gratification. “Such emotionality is the keystone of a deep and lasting customer loyalty relationship,” says Karl-Heinz Kalbfell, senior vice president for marketing.

Merrill Lynch analyst Gerhard Grueter doesn’t think that’s all just marketing talk. “They’re selling an emotional and aesthetic message and lifestyle,” he says. “They’re making customers into ambassadors of a brand. This is what Mercedes hasn’t managed with its A-class.”

Thus, the German carmaker has realized that younger and older people now have more consumption-oriented lifestyles and more disposable income than the industry has grown to expect. “BMW has rejuvenated its clientele, who used to be around 50 when they bought their first Bimmer. It has pushed the age register wide open to between 18 and 80 years old,” says Grueter. “Here, you’re talking about quite different volumes.”


Also note that he says the average age of a BMW first time buyer used to be 50!

The "midlife crisis" thing is another stereotype created by Hollywood movies. I know lots of people with BMWs, I can't think of a single one who bought the car because of the "midlife crisis", especially the Z4.

From another article about Z4 marketing:
"BMW knew that the average work-hard, play-hard customer was 46 years old, with a median income of about $150,000. Two-thirds were male, married, and had no children.

The above is not a typical midlife crisis guy. The typical midlife crisis guy is stuck in a low to average paying, boring, run of the mill job with no future. Married, kids, college bills to pay and feels trapped like a rat, so they do something out of character - an affair, sports car, whatever.

I read an article in Motor Trend that talked about the 20 somethings always drooling over brand new sports cars and then being surprised when they find out the owner is 40+. It is the 40+ crowd that has the disposable, descretionary income to buy the new sports cars like the Z4. Most 20 somethings are raising families, buying houses, etc. and do not have the disposable income for a 2 seat car that you can't put a car seat in.

By the way, I drove 300 - 500 miles a day in the 330cic when I was in Germany and didn't groan once. My wife and I kept remarking how incredibly comfortable the seats were and how nice the suspension was.[thumb]
 
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#23
Excellent post Kirby! Right on, my friend. [thumb]

I am proud to say that I am 22 and paid every cent out of my own pocket to buy my '87 325. Granted, it only cost me $1500 and is a far cry from a 40 some thousand dollar 330ci, but I have a certain amount of satisfaction knowing that I own a nice BMW outright, even if it is 17 years old. [:)]
 
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#25
jrt67ss350 said:
I am proud to say that I am 22 and paid every cent out of my own pocket to buy my '87 325. Granted, it only cost me $1500 and is a far cry from a 40 some thousand dollar 330ci, but I have a certain amount of satisfaction knowing that I own a nice BMW outright, even if it is 17 years old. [:)]
[thumb] [thumb] [thumb]
 
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Location
oceanside
#26
I would have to say that the e36 is for the 17-25 year olds who want a BMW but don't have the $$$ for any 40K car. I got my 1995 325is for only 11500 and I am in love. And yes I had to pay for all of it. I say that any 17 year old like me could get a BMW if you worked at it (for me it took working 4 summers straight). And I can definitely say that I was glad when I finally got my car. A true story of working hard for the ultimate prize : BMW FOR LIFE!!!!!
 
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#30
yea, a new thread please. i'm now in a different demographic since the last vote. [:)]

i came in here to vote, and wth?? i already voted! took me a lil to get situated again [:D]
 
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#31
MrElussive said:
BMW aims the 3-series for the 45-50 year old. Kind of weird because I see most 3-series owners are much younger than that.
I'm not sure where you heard that MrE, but I am certain that is 100% true. In one of my marketing classes I actually did a market research project on the 3-Series and the main target group for the 3-Series is beginning professionals (24-32 approx.). BMW's marketing ploy is as follows: sell a beginning professional a 3-Series for something they can afford and as their career and family grows, they will stick to BMW. And while BMW will make the sweeping claim that they market to 20 and up, Bmw's advertising, styling, etc is formatted for this age group.

If you do not accept my word for it, ask the sales manager at your local BMW dealership or check out their corporate website.

Cheers, Sean
 
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#32
OOPS!! SHOULD have read the entire thread before I posted that last comment. Very Well said Kirby!!

BTW, is kirby your name, or did you get it from that Nintendo Game. I've always liked that Name.
 
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Location
redwood city, ca
#33
i love my e36 bmw and i am yougn but i think the older e30 is a kcik ass car and becuse my dad helped me buy a car a car with out 2 air bags was out of the question(insurnace agent) but what can you do. all bmws are awsome. i personally love the older cars better then the new.
 
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#34
When I bought my CPO '00 323 cabrio I got a lot of "midlife crisis" comments. Living in Chicago, I wasn't sure if I'd like a convertible although I wanted to try it. I also like a car that handles well. I stayed away from BMW probably mainly because it was RWD with my first car when I finished 7 years of residency/fellowship after 8 years of medical school/college and got a '93 Lexus ES-a "sport sedan" that was a fantastic car. I got a '98 or '99 Acura TL as soon as it came out because it seemed "sportier" and was a great deal at about $28K with Xenons, leather, CD, sunroof, heated seats all standard. Great car, too. Zero problems over about 4 yrs (2 taillights burned out). Then a buddy let me drive his 750 for a weekend and I realized what I was missing as far as handling and road feel. I did used to drive a friend's parents' Mercedes 450SL in the late 70's and remember the difference between that and my parents' GM cars. So, combining the BMW + convertible = 323. Had a beater Intrigue for snowy days. Loved the 323, but wanted quicker, so I just got an '04 330 (will get winter tires/wheels and hope everyone was being truthful about THAT working along with a little extra caution as the Intrigue is gone). I thought about a 645, but $90K after tax seems like a lot (well, at least to my wife; I might have gone for it). It's interesting that I read somewhere that the average buyer for a 6-series would make about $250K. That salary in places like Chicago puts you in the upper middle class--comfortable and not wanting for much, taking vacations, etc., but it doesn't make you rich especially if you throw in some kiddies. Most doctors these days probably make that or less unless you're in a hot surgical specialty, or (lucky for me) radiology. I paid for the car outright, and could have paid for an M3 or 545 if I wanted a sedan. I would bet that realistically most 6-series buyers make $500K or even more (assuming no trust fund/inheritence). I know a guy in his mid 40's with a new 7-series who probably makes closer to $1mil and don't think he considered a Maybach/Rolls. So, to all the 16-25 year olds with BMW's, I hope your family will continue to supplement your income or you may be in for a reality check (like Maximas or used BMW's) if you don't land some incredible job. Stay in school (Bill Gates-like stories are few and far between). That is all. [burnout]
 
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San Francisco
#36
I can afford any BMW but I got 1998 328is for $12,500, saving money for a house ;) I drive it only on weekends anyways. Btw, somehow I like my used BMW more than the new cars I used to own.
 
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#40
jrt67ss350 said:
Excellent post Kirby! Right on, my friend. [thumb]

I am proud to say that I am 22 and paid every cent out of my own pocket to buy my '87 325. Granted, it only cost me $1500 and is a far cry from a 40 some thousand dollar 330ci, but I have a certain amount of satisfaction knowing that I own a nice BMW outright, even if it is 17 years old. [:)]
Same - also 22, and also proud to own my car. It may not be a $50K+ E46, but it is mine. I am also proud to say I own my own home even if the bank owns the majority.

and yet is it because the e30 is just so damn cool?
Of course - it is one damn cool car. Seriously, If I had the money to buy an E46, I wouldn't - I would buy an E30 M3.
 


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