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I am looking for a new ride. Right now the only ones I am interested are BMW 335i and Audi A4. I've been waiting for the right time to spend in an European car and now it is!
I want to know experiences, recommendations and opinions about both cars.
Thank you,
SPC Lopez
I want to know experiences, recommendations and opinions about both cars.
Thank you,
SPC Lopez
Posted in these groups: 
Sports Cars
BMW
Sports Cars BMW
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 17
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I was unemployed for 8 months after I left active duty and the BIGGEST saving grace was that I didn't owe a cent on my car. If I had a massive car/insurance payment, that car would have been repo'd for sure and my clearance right along with it. My current job and my NG life depend on that clearance.
If you cannot pay cash for that car or borrow an amount that you can afford to pay off in 2 years - MAX - don't do it. Please listen. Don't do it! (with a 24 month car loan, generally, after 6 months or so, you actually have equity in the vehicle and could sell it without taking a loss if you had to).
If you can put enough down that you can either buy the whole car cash or borrow for 2 years or less, I am still saying pump the breaks. Does it really make sense to tie up that much of your new worth in a depreciating asset? It doesn't.
Not just that, a BMW 3 series and an Audi A4 are both almost the most watered down versions of those car lines. Have you driven a 5 series or an A6? - those are the middle of the road and they blow the doors off of their cheaper counterparts. Why not get the high end of a different brand for the same money? The Audi/BMW cost is so high you could by the best another company has to offer and put $10k back into your pocket.
The surest way to make sure you never get ahead in life is to keep sinking your hard earned money into things that will be nearly worthless in the future. In just 5 years, that car will give back 60% of it's value (plus all the sunk costs you have paid in insurance, premium gas, and maintenance). It is so much WORSE if you are thinking about a lease, because you are gaining ZERO value while insuring that you will be making car payments forever.
I drive a 10 year old car that I bought cash. My boss, the Division Chief Engineer, drives a VW Jetta. My mother, a retired attorney and former Diplomat, drives a Honda CRV. When I look at who is driving the cars you are looking at it is quite literally the people who can least afford them. And by "afford" I don't mean monthly payments. I mean people who are renting, have not finished their educational plans, have not thought about putting money away for a rainy day much less for their retirement, their family (or future family), and are walking around with credit card debt.
I would give this same advice to anyone regardless of rank. If you are retired and spending your kids' inheritance, I'd say go for it! (not you, mom...keep the CRV...) If these aren't your circumstances, this kind of purchase is a big waste of money. I know some of you are reading this while standing in line to dump money on an iPhone 6, so I'm obviously wasting my efforts.
If you cannot pay cash for that car or borrow an amount that you can afford to pay off in 2 years - MAX - don't do it. Please listen. Don't do it! (with a 24 month car loan, generally, after 6 months or so, you actually have equity in the vehicle and could sell it without taking a loss if you had to).
If you can put enough down that you can either buy the whole car cash or borrow for 2 years or less, I am still saying pump the breaks. Does it really make sense to tie up that much of your new worth in a depreciating asset? It doesn't.
Not just that, a BMW 3 series and an Audi A4 are both almost the most watered down versions of those car lines. Have you driven a 5 series or an A6? - those are the middle of the road and they blow the doors off of their cheaper counterparts. Why not get the high end of a different brand for the same money? The Audi/BMW cost is so high you could by the best another company has to offer and put $10k back into your pocket.
The surest way to make sure you never get ahead in life is to keep sinking your hard earned money into things that will be nearly worthless in the future. In just 5 years, that car will give back 60% of it's value (plus all the sunk costs you have paid in insurance, premium gas, and maintenance). It is so much WORSE if you are thinking about a lease, because you are gaining ZERO value while insuring that you will be making car payments forever.
I drive a 10 year old car that I bought cash. My boss, the Division Chief Engineer, drives a VW Jetta. My mother, a retired attorney and former Diplomat, drives a Honda CRV. When I look at who is driving the cars you are looking at it is quite literally the people who can least afford them. And by "afford" I don't mean monthly payments. I mean people who are renting, have not finished their educational plans, have not thought about putting money away for a rainy day much less for their retirement, their family (or future family), and are walking around with credit card debt.
I would give this same advice to anyone regardless of rank. If you are retired and spending your kids' inheritance, I'd say go for it! (not you, mom...keep the CRV...) If these aren't your circumstances, this kind of purchase is a big waste of money. I know some of you are reading this while standing in line to dump money on an iPhone 6, so I'm obviously wasting my efforts.
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I'll just stick with my Chevy Silverado. It has a whole lot of luxury options and I can haul stuff with it.
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Why do you want an Audi or BMW? What is the allure for you? Is the eventual payment and insurance truly feasible on your military pay? Are you able to save for an emergency fund, put some money away for an eventual retirement, and still make a payment on such expensive automobiles?
Choose your car, but make sure the decision doesn't put you in unreasonable debt. You're young, there is plenty of time for a European sports car. Buy something less expensive and set aside the difference in payment toward the eventual cash payment for the European sports car. It will be much sweeter when you don't have payments.
Choose your car, but make sure the decision doesn't put you in unreasonable debt. You're young, there is plenty of time for a European sports car. Buy something less expensive and set aside the difference in payment toward the eventual cash payment for the European sports car. It will be much sweeter when you don't have payments.
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CPT Daniel Walk, M.B.A.
I am glad you have the foresight to apply your education and experience to your personal life. That is not always the case.
Personally, I prefer BMW. Their maintenance programs are much more thorough than Audi. BMW wants their cars on the road for decades. If you maintain them, BMers will last a long time and look good as they age.
Personally, I prefer BMW. Their maintenance programs are much more thorough than Audi. BMW wants their cars on the road for decades. If you maintain them, BMers will last a long time and look good as they age.
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CW3 Scott Castlen
I Love my BMW R1200 GS Motorcycle. In my spare time I like to take it on long trips.
Sometimes I make it rain in strip clubs. You only live once!!!
Most of the time I try not judging and putting my boot in my mouth....but thats just me!!! Lol
Sometimes I make it rain in strip clubs. You only live once!!!
Most of the time I try not judging and putting my boot in my mouth....but thats just me!!! Lol
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CPT (Join to see)
I absolutely reiterate my comment that this advice is the same for EVERY RANK. You must have seen that I looked at your profile and knew most of the background you provided. That doesn't make it less of a frivolous use of money. I was really hoping that in the wake of this most recent economic downturn people would figure out two things: 1) just because you *can* afford a $300 handbag or a $45k car doesn't mean that you *should* make such a purchase. 2) no one is immune from hard times. The best thing to do is save your money and keep your monthly expenses as minimal as possible. I get that in the end, you will do what you want. You may end up just fine. Good for you. But that doesn't make the purchase smart and it certainly is rolling the dice for the risk of something going wrong vs a minimal upside.
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SPC (Join to see)
I bought a $25,000 Lincoln MKX 2 years ago. The reason I did so is because I had a 11 month old and it was time to get him a nice safe car to ride in. It had a very high safety rating. Now I have another. So a three year old and 5 month old. Besides the fact that I needed an S.U.V for the kids, I was tired of my 2001 Caddilac STS and my 2002 Volkswagen Passat having issues. Over the last 2 years, my car has depreciated $7,000 in value from just putting about 25000 miles on it.
Here is my point. I trades in my caddy and Volkswagen for the Stinkin Lincoln and it is a car that looks good. But honestly, when I brought it to the dealership, because it is ran by a computer, like most new cars, they could barely work on it when I did have the issues I ran into. Older cars, 2005 and older, are more mechanical, so they do not cost as much and are easier to fix. I could have worked a lot better on my other two cars.
To elaborate further, I paid $5000 for the caddy in 2007 and $2000 for the Volkswagen in 2011, and I could have rebuilt the entire engine for a couple grand, worse come to worse and it would have not cost me anywhere near $25000 (plus a $2000 warranty and $2300 in sales tax.) as the Lincoln did.
In conclusion, I am NOT judging or trying to tell anyone how to live their life, just sharing a personal experience. Do what you do. All I am saying, is for me, 1. being a guy 2. someone who likes to save money. I would rather have a few used cars that are "classic" and only require liability, then ever give these greedy car people as much as their asking. My townhouse cost slightly more then what their asking for some of the Mercedes and Lexus's now days. Their is one business that has not only succeeded through our recession, but FLOURISHED, and that is the car business. Why? because they have been successful at rising prices and people just keep buying.
But if none of that matters to you......... although their very, very close. I will say BMW. Simply because they have been at the top of the list for a long time. They have been making high performance vehicles for decades, were as Audi use to be more of an ugly, high safety rating family sedan deal. Plus, I have been in way more beamers then audi's. My dad owned one, my brother and my uncle. All of which were at different levels. My brothers was like ($5000)2001 3 series, my dad had like a $28000 3 series and my uncle had like a $70,000 Z series when I was a kid. All of which were bad ass and im half german, my uncle took me on the autobahn when I was 11 in that beamer, we were going like 110 MPH. That is when I asked him what kind of car it was, and the first time I heard "BMW" and knew what it was..
So yeah. there is an essay. Also, check out this site.
http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1074585_audi-a4-vs-bmw-3-series-compare-cars/page-2
Here is my point. I trades in my caddy and Volkswagen for the Stinkin Lincoln and it is a car that looks good. But honestly, when I brought it to the dealership, because it is ran by a computer, like most new cars, they could barely work on it when I did have the issues I ran into. Older cars, 2005 and older, are more mechanical, so they do not cost as much and are easier to fix. I could have worked a lot better on my other two cars.
To elaborate further, I paid $5000 for the caddy in 2007 and $2000 for the Volkswagen in 2011, and I could have rebuilt the entire engine for a couple grand, worse come to worse and it would have not cost me anywhere near $25000 (plus a $2000 warranty and $2300 in sales tax.) as the Lincoln did.
In conclusion, I am NOT judging or trying to tell anyone how to live their life, just sharing a personal experience. Do what you do. All I am saying, is for me, 1. being a guy 2. someone who likes to save money. I would rather have a few used cars that are "classic" and only require liability, then ever give these greedy car people as much as their asking. My townhouse cost slightly more then what their asking for some of the Mercedes and Lexus's now days. Their is one business that has not only succeeded through our recession, but FLOURISHED, and that is the car business. Why? because they have been successful at rising prices and people just keep buying.
But if none of that matters to you......... although their very, very close. I will say BMW. Simply because they have been at the top of the list for a long time. They have been making high performance vehicles for decades, were as Audi use to be more of an ugly, high safety rating family sedan deal. Plus, I have been in way more beamers then audi's. My dad owned one, my brother and my uncle. All of which were at different levels. My brothers was like ($5000)2001 3 series, my dad had like a $28000 3 series and my uncle had like a $70,000 Z series when I was a kid. All of which were bad ass and im half german, my uncle took me on the autobahn when I was 11 in that beamer, we were going like 110 MPH. That is when I asked him what kind of car it was, and the first time I heard "BMW" and knew what it was..
So yeah. there is an essay. Also, check out this site.
http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1074585_audi-a4-vs-bmw-3-series-compare-cars/page-2
Audi A4 Vs. BMW 3-Series: Compare Cars
Lately, Audi has been gaining on luxury-segment front-runners BMW and Mercedes-Benz. What Audi may be missing in cachet, it makes up for with charm—demonstrated well with its smart, thoroughly competitive A4. But can the A4 actually outpace the newest 3-Series—with all its body styles..., page 2
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I love my Audi, but if you want my honest opionion:
I have had the BEST luck with Jeep and Nissan. I have owned two of each. I saved money over the price of a "luxury" brand, they were engineered and built amazingly, and I always missed them after they were gone. I never missed my Audi and I have never cared for the way a BMW drives.
I have had the BEST luck with Jeep and Nissan. I have owned two of each. I saved money over the price of a "luxury" brand, they were engineered and built amazingly, and I always missed them after they were gone. I never missed my Audi and I have never cared for the way a BMW drives.
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The BMW. I bought my first BMW in Germany. The service on them is amazing and the dealership bends over backwards to help you out. I owned a 318 and a 328 and they were both terrific cars. Even now as a LTC though, I wouldn't buy one. They are too expensive for the car that you get, and unless you are driving on the autobahn in Germany, you can't really use it like it's supposed to be used. I'd get a jeep or some other light 4x4 in preparation for the Zombie appocalypse.
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MSG Wade Huffman
I always said Yugo's are like a BIC lighter... once it runs out of gas, just throw it away and buy a new one!
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Really SPC Santiago? seriously? you are a SPC in the Army, you make about $24K per year and you want to blow a year and a half of your income on a 'perishable' luxury?
allow me to start that either car is 'fine,' either car is not for you.
If you want a good safe sporty car, buy a Mitsubishi Lancer with a five years 60,000 miles warranty. At least your maintenance costs will be low, and your initial outlay will be much lower.
However, do the math before you buy! Add up your car payments plus insurance + gasoline + and maintenance.
You will look cool in your BMW/Audi but you won't have much money left over once you get to your destination. How much are you putting in your TSP? that will be a much better option.
Put in 20% of your base pay into your TSP and 50% of your bonuses, and live off the remainder. If you can't do that; you can't afford an expensive car.
Realistically; this is not what you want to hear, so you will probably buy an Audi and regret it three years from now.
PS. a car loses about 20 to 25% of its value AS YOU DRIVE IT OFF THE LOT.
allow me to start that either car is 'fine,' either car is not for you.
If you want a good safe sporty car, buy a Mitsubishi Lancer with a five years 60,000 miles warranty. At least your maintenance costs will be low, and your initial outlay will be much lower.
However, do the math before you buy! Add up your car payments plus insurance + gasoline + and maintenance.
You will look cool in your BMW/Audi but you won't have much money left over once you get to your destination. How much are you putting in your TSP? that will be a much better option.
Put in 20% of your base pay into your TSP and 50% of your bonuses, and live off the remainder. If you can't do that; you can't afford an expensive car.
Realistically; this is not what you want to hear, so you will probably buy an Audi and regret it three years from now.
PS. a car loses about 20 to 25% of its value AS YOU DRIVE IT OFF THE LOT.
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SSG (Join to see)
Thanks for the response MSG (Join to see) It's funny that you mentioned the Mitsubishi Lancer because I do have one, 2006. It is a really good car, can't complaint at all. I replied to a previous response from CPT Daniel Walk, M.B.A. and I provided more details about myself explaining that I am Reservist, and my income is from different sources.
About the TSP (for federal employees), I contribute the max percent allowed because the federal government match my contribution plus gives me an extra 1%. It is a good deal, because the TSP for service members does not have that advantage. Still, it's good for service members who don't have other options. Also, I contribute to other retirement plans.
I decided to spend in one of those cars because I can afford it and still be able to save for the future, retirement and live a pretty good life. I really appreciate your point of view and the time you spent to write a response.
Thanks,
SPC Lopez
About the TSP (for federal employees), I contribute the max percent allowed because the federal government match my contribution plus gives me an extra 1%. It is a good deal, because the TSP for service members does not have that advantage. Still, it's good for service members who don't have other options. Also, I contribute to other retirement plans.
I decided to spend in one of those cars because I can afford it and still be able to save for the future, retirement and live a pretty good life. I really appreciate your point of view and the time you spent to write a response.
Thanks,
SPC Lopez
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MSG (Join to see)
SPC Santigao, great answer! go for it. 1. Don't forget to test drive 2. before you buy, go to USAA and use their Car Purchase program: you will get the best price.
Actually, look at the Mitsubishi Evolution! it will blow the doors off both cars in performance with ease.... no comparison. It will also perform better in bad weather; it is an all wheel drive.
Actually, look at the Mitsubishi Evolution! it will blow the doors off both cars in performance with ease.... no comparison. It will also perform better in bad weather; it is an all wheel drive.
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Please don't do it. A $4,000 car works just fine. The best vehicle I ever owned is the one that I was the most in need of. No car payment, no friills, no insane insurance payments, and my self-esteem has never been higher.
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I have a friend who swore by Audi. He owned several over three decades. His new car is a Lexus because, as he told me, "... every time I bring it (the Audi) in to the shop I have to draw on my Home Equity loan..."
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