BMW 1 series

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by riggins44

I don't think Hybrids are the long term answer to our problems. Think battery costs will be a determinant.

The logic I don't understand is people spending $$$ to get better gas mileage.
Think how much gas you can buy for the money you're getting ready to spend. Now if just looking for an excuse to buy a car...then go for it.

I've seen people do some crazy things to save a little at the gas pump. Guess if it makes them feel better then that is all that matters.

Well, we always buy a new vehicle every 3-5 years (i've had my truck for 4 years) we don't live in the city and don't need to drive a car into the ground due to the cost of living. Our Mortgage is only $490 a month, and our house is a very nice house in a good neighborhood. We don't do anything out here because, well, there is nothing to do but go get drunk, and I don't drink. So we end up leaving town a lot, and it takes 1 hour 15 minutes to get to Roswell, and 2 hours 15 minutes to el paso, and 2 hours 30 minutes to Lubbock. We spend a lot of time in our vehicles when we leave town, so we want it to be as nice as possible. So it's not all about saving MPG costs. Also, I've always wanted a Bimmer.

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Well, we always buy a new vehicle every 3-5 years (i've had my truck for 4 years) we don't live in the city and don't need to drive a car into the ground due to the cost of living. Our Mortgage is only $490 a month, and our house is a very nice house in a good neighborhood. We don't do anything out here because, well, there is nothing to do but go get drunk, and I don't drink. So we end up leaving town a lot, and it takes 1 hour 15 minutes to get to Roswell, and 2 hours 15 minutes to el paso, and 2 hours 30 minutes to Lubbock. We spend a lot of time in our vehicles when we leave town, so we want it to be as nice as possible. So it's not all about saving MPG costs. Also, I've always wanted a Bimmer.

I need to move to NM. It's a damn shame that I cannot stand the desert or the West Coast.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by angryssg

I need to move to NM. It's a damn shame that I cannot stand the desert or the West Coast.

Yeah seriously, hell my first dump of an apartment was $550/month.

I'd be on easy street with a mortgage that low.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Yeah seriously, hell my first dump of an apartment was $550/month.

I'd be on easy street with a mortgage that low.

Our salaries aren't as high as they should be cause of where we live. For instance, my wife will make anywhere from double to closer to triple more than what she makes right now if we move to Denver or Phoenix. We are on a two year plan here starting in June, then we're gone and will cash in. Some times you have to do something you don't want to do to benefit your future.

I understand that my mortgage is amazingly low compared to across the country. Hell, my brother pays close to $4500 a month for his house outside of Boston. I find that as lunacy. But to each his own. He laughs at me cause we buy new cars all the time, but two brand new cars and our house costs a little over $1400 a month combined. He drives a 97 Grand Prix with 145k miles on it, and an 02 explorer with 150k miles on it. But hey, at least they are paid for huh? lol.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Our salaries aren't as high as they should be cause of where we live. For instance, my wife will make anywhere from double to closer to triple more than what she makes right now if we move to Denver or Phoenix. We are on a two year plan here starting in June, then we're gone and will cash in. Some times you have to do something you don't want to do to benefit your future.

I hear ya on the whole cost of living thing. I had been living in little old Gainesville, Florida for the past 8 years before last summer. Prior to that I was 19 the last time I lived in the DC area, and that was under my parent's roof. The cost of living shock up here was the equivalent of getting kicked in the junk. My girlfriend and I both have good jobs up here earing significantly more than when we lived in the swamps of north central Florida, and yet I feel like we have less money every month.

Check out this cool cost of living calculator I found:
Cost of Living Comparison

This calculator estimates that it's 46.2% more expensive to live in DC than in Gainesville!! EESH!

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by GMScud

I hear ya on the whole cost of living thing. I had been living in little old Gainesville, Florida for the past 8 years before last summer. Prior to that I was 19 the last time I lived in the DC area, and that was under my parent's roof. The cost of living shock up here was the equivalent of getting kicked in the junk. My girlfriend and I both have good jobs up here earing significantly more than when we lived in the swamps of north central Florida, and yet I feel like we have less money every month.

Check out this cool cost of living calculator I found:
Cost of Living Comparison

This calculator estimates that it's 46.2% more expensive to live in DC than in Gainesville!! EESH!

I checked out the link. It costs 61.5% more to live in Boston (where I was born and raised for 22 years) than Carlsbad, NM (where I have lived for 11 years).

I also checked out the difference between Gainesville and Carlsbad, and it would cost 16.7% more to live in Gainesville.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by jsarno

I checked out the link. It costs 61.5% more to live in Boston (where I was born and raised for 22 years) than Carlsbad, NM (where I have lived for 11 years).

I also checked out the difference between Gainesville and Carlsbad, and it would cost 16.7% more to live in Gainesville.

WOW! If Carlsbad is almost 17% cheaper than Gainesville, then I'd be living like a king too! BMWs and $450 mortgages for everyone!!!! Cheers!

Carlsbad migration! Imagine, we could all live on the same cul de sac. Matty and SS could be head of the homeowners association.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by angryssg

I need to move to NM. It's a damn shame that I cannot stand the desert or the West Coast.

Problem is, like I stated, there is nothing to do. I'd gladly pay a 1200 or 1500 mortgage to live in an area that you could do something every day of the year. This place sucks, that's why it costs so little.
My house is right around 2000 sq ft, and when we bought it in 99, we paid a hair over 50k. (no typo) The market has since gone up...for instance the house is now worth around 125k, but that's because I've redone every room and totally renovated the kitchen with granite tops and put in a hot tub in the back yard.

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Problem is, like I stated, there is nothing to do. I'd gladly pay a 1200 or 1500 mortgage to live in an area that you could do something every day of the year. This place sucks, that's why it costs so little.
My house is right around 2000 sq ft, and when we bought it in 99, we paid a hair over 50k. (no typo) The market has since gone up...for instance the house is now worth around 125k, but that's because I've redone every room and totally renovated the kitchen with granite tops and put in a hot tub in the back yard.

Hell no, I can find stuff to do! I can shoot at beer cans or something. I would use all the money I save on mortgage to take vacations to places where there are more things to do.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by angryssg

Hell no, I can find stuff to do! I can shoot at beer cans or something. I would use all the money I save on mortgage to take vacations to places where there are more things to do.

LOL...we take a cruise every year around January 30th (when my daughter died back in 04)...we just went to Hawaii...remember? In 07 we went to the Western Caribbean, in 06 we went to the Eastern Caribbean, in 05 we went to the Western Caribbean (different intinerary though). We are going to the Mexican Riveria (Cabo, Puerto Vallarta etc) in 09.

I do go to the shooting range, but that is free...well, it costs the price of bullets.
Seriously, you run out of stuff to do REALLY fast. You just don't understand until you live it.

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by jsarno

LOL...we take a cruise every year around January 30th (when my daughter died back in 04)...we just went to Hawaii...remember? In 07 we went to the Western Caribbean, in 06 we went to the Eastern Caribbean, in 05 we went to the Western Caribbean (different intinerary though). We are going to the Mexican Riveria (Cabo, Puerto Vallarta etc) in 09.

I do go to the shooting range, but that is free...well, it costs the price of bullets.
Seriously, you run out of stuff to do REALLY fast. You just don't understand until you live it.

Oh I get it, believe me. I'll bet that once you have spent 4 years in Ludowici, GA you've essentially spent 4 years in Carlsbad.

[riggins44]

jsarno, I'd say pull the trigger and get one. From what I've read looks like
a nice car. I'm still in shock over a $490 mortgage.

After reading your response, I'd say your in good position to buy one. Then you can mark it off your bucket list.

Never been a bimmer person, but after my kids are gone I want a T-Bucket.
No good reason why, just do.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by riggins44

jsarno, I'd say pull the trigger and get one. From what I've read looks like
a nice car. I'm still in shock over a $490 mortgage.

After reading your response, I'd say your in good position to buy one. Then you can mark it off your bucket list.

Never been a bimmer person, but after my kids are gone I want a T-Bucket.
No good reason why, just do.

I don't want to be a guinea pig though...I am hoping someone has one somewhere and I can get a first person review.
I've read all about it too...motor trend did a review of it that turned up pretty good, and car and driver did one too that was equally impressive. But we all know, reading something doesn't actually translate to actual use from a REAL person.

[jamf]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Our Mortgage is only $490 a month, and our house is a very nice house in a good neighborhood.

Holy Crap! I need to move. I spend that much every month on gas and car insurance!

I work in Carlsbad(Ca). I'm 2 blocks from the beach, Weather is great year round, limitless things to do. Unfortunately, everything here is too damn expensive I can't afford to do anything! It's not like a flip burgers are In-N-Out, I'm an Engineer for a small company. I just can't afford to live here...


back on topic:
My boss is a BMW Fanatic(owned 5 in the last 3 years), He test drove the 1 series with 300 horses and he says he likes it better than his E46 M3. The power to weight differential makes it a fun car to drive and it doesn't have the hard suspension that the M3 has.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by jamf

Holy Crap! I need to move. I spend that much every month on gas and car insurance!

I work in Carlsbad(Ca). I'm 2 blocks from the beach, Weather is great year round, limitless things to do. Unfortunately, everything here is too damn expensive I can't afford to do anything! It's not like a flip burgers are In-N-Out, I'm an Engineer for a small company. I just can't afford to live here...

Yeah, Cali is way too expensive.

back on topic:
My boss is a BMW Fanatic(owned 5 in the last 3 years), He test drove the 1 series with 300 horses and he says he likes it better than his E46 M3. The power to weight differential makes it a fun car to drive and it doesn't have the hard suspension that the M3 has.

Wow, that's a good review. I wasn't thinking about getting the 135, I was thinking of getting the 128 (230 horses), but now I'll have to test the difference.