318ti....poor man's BMW?

[DustenT]

Originally Posted by cali-ti

cool. hadn't heard of that one i totally agree about the unions. they'll be the death of the exact people's jobs they're supposed to protect. the companies are forced to move production out of the country because of the overhead the unions demand. the only way the companies can be price competitive is to move production elsewhere. it makes me wonder how the japanese do it here. i'm assuming they still have to deal with unions. anyone know?

Health care costs. When US companies use US employees, they have to provide health care. It's extremely expensive, so it gets passed onto the consumer.

Why do you think Wal-Mart refuses to insure most of it's employees? If they did, they would have to raise prices.

[cali-ti]

and toyota doesn't have to provide health care? or because they make a better product, they're able to charge more and pay for it?

[Severian]

Originally Posted by steelejared

I tend to take a certain pride in the "poor man's" label. [...] Frankly, it could be called the "wise man's BMW." [...] "Poor man's" and proud of it.

Jared

Yep, your post described me to the 'T'. I tell my coworkers and family members that we love our BMW and we got it for less than a used civic would've cost. We drove the black 2001 civic that was next to the 'ti. All we could think about was the way the 'ti felt...smooth as silk compared to the "feel every bump in the road on your ass" civic. Our mazda protege has the same syndrome, but we cope.



We know we have the smallest bimmer, but a) not everyone knows what those numbers mean, and b) we're not shooting to be high society anyway. I guess we fall right in the niche...frugle and enthusiastic.

[evalha007]

Unions are playing havoc with the US car industry...they will probably have to bankrupt themselves to get the union prices down...this will screw up the US car industry for awhile, but it will come back cheaper, once union guys don't have to be paid 35$ an hour to sit with their thumbs up their .........

Should be interesting...

[andrewsarg101]

It seems like there are many foreign companies coming to the states to manufacture certain models now. BMW is ever guilty of this. The X5 and the Z4 are both manufactured here in the U.S. Also domestic companies are now making models that will only be sold in foreign countries. Ford has a Focus RS that is only sold in Europe. You may say its only a Focus, but its definatly no ordinary focus. It has a Garrett turbo, Sparco seats, O.Z. 18" wheels, Brembo 4-piston brakes, carbon fiber center console, and a much more aggressive body style. Its not just foreign companies holding out on the U.S. for all the good stuff.

[DustenT]

Originally Posted by cali-ti

and toyota doesn't have to provide health care? or because they make a better product, they're able to charge more and pay for it?

The US has a very screwed up health care system. There is almost no backing from the government and it's not regulated like it should be. It's the same thing with prescription drug costs. That's why people go to Canada to get cheap prescriptions.

Health Care/Drug Companies/Hospitals all charge inflated rates, they get passed onto the Insurance companies. Insurance companies simply take care of your company's money. When the money runs out, you have to pay higher insurance costs. Higher Insurance costs can get covered two ways: pay employee more, so they can afford insurance or pass the insurance cost onto the consumer. Either way, everyone gets screw....except the health care people.

Every other industrialized nation has better health care than the US. They pay more in taxes for it, but the long term effects are worth it.

[cali-ti]

hmmm ... that's why people come here for advanced procedures in a lot of cases? go to socialized medicine and a lot of current doctors won't be able to make it and therefore won't be doctors. family doctors are already having a hard time making it, being able to pay for the cost of their schooling from what they get paid. btw, i work for one of those health care companies (a large pharma), the regulation is ungodly and costs productivity in every facet of the industry from discovery through production (imho).

[DustenT]

Originally Posted by cali-ti

hmmm ... that's why people come here for advanced procedures in a lot of cases? go to socialized medicine and a lot of current doctors won't be able to make it and therefore won't be doctors. family doctors are already having a hard time making it, being able to pay for the cost of their schooling from what they get paid. btw, i work for one of those health care companies (a large pharma), the regulation is ungodly and costs productivity in every facet of the industry from discovery through production (imho).

I'm just saying there are better ways. The US's overall approach to everything seems to be narrow-minded and short term. The bottom is going to fall out in Health care, it's just a matter of time. When that happens, our economy will be destroyed because there is so much money stuck into it. We should probably stop this discussion, I try to stay away from politics, it gets messy.

ANYWAY....people that drive Ti's are incredibly smart, not poor.

[cali-ti]

Originally Posted by DustenT

I'm just saying there are better ways. The US's overall approach to everything seems to be narrow-minded and short term. The bottom is going to fall out in Health care, it's just a matter of time. When that happens, our economy will be destroyed because there is so much money stuck into it. We should probably stop this discussion, I try to stay away from politics, it gets messy.

ANYWAY....people that drive Ti's are incredibly smart, not poor.

LOL ... i was thinking the same thing and was going to say, "but TI's are great!" at the end of my last message, lol.

[AlaskaBlue]

Originally Posted by Severian

If I had a dime for every 325/330 I've seen in the indianapolis area I'd be rich. I have seen one 318ti on the Northeast side by Keystone mall (it was dark green). I can't say I understand what would make you want to sell the car. It's a BMW through and through. Perhaps you just don't fall in the market for the hatchback?

Have you considered changing your own oil? It costs me $25-$30 for synthetic oil and a filter. Much cheaper than $80+tax that the dealers charge.

I have seen like 3 or 4 ti's in Indiana..one lowered red one in Indy. They are rare cars. I see e46/36 3 series all the time everywhere almost. I love ti's.

[evalha007]

I find it interesting that so many people actually write in on here when they see one on the street...I live in Roanoke, VA which has maybe 300k people, and I have seen at least 7 or 8 around town, including 1 whose owner works in the same building as I do. I have seen more 318tis than I have regular 318s.

[barische]

just like a toyota supra, 318ti was not produced in mass numbers in like maybe 10-20 years our cars will be worth much more than the sedans because of the ti being rare and hard to find car.

[DustenT]

Originally Posted by barische

just like a toyota supra, 318ti was not produced in mass numbers in like maybe 10-20 years our cars will be worth much more than the sedans because of the ti being rare and hard to find car.

Probably not...

What is an AMC Gremlin worth?

[Gunnails]

Originally Posted by DustenT

Probably not...

What is an AMC Gremlin worth?

=====================================

Funny my first car was a 1971 Gremlin, bought it in 81 with 27,000 miles, straight 6 engine, Drove the wheels off it, engine and tranny held up but the body and interior just disentergrated from normal use. Still I think if you had one in show condition it would be worth $7500 bucks, the car sold new for like $4,000, there is a buyer for every car. But I think my point is that 318ti is head and shoulders a better car than any AMC ever was, and thus will be valueable over the long term. BMW name and handeling + the somewhat rareness of the car will help make it a good investment, I got mine for $5,000, and if I stored it for 10, 20 years it would maybe be good investment, IMO.

[DustenT]

Supra > 318ti > Gremlin

You can't compare a 318ti to Supra, or a Gremlin to a Ti.